Moment of Heartbeat

Chapter 8

Sophia Anderson knew without looking that his eyes were brimming with a desperate yearning. Yet, she steeled her heart and shook her head. "I have something to do... besides, you're busy too, aren't you? With all your schoolwork..."

"You're not coming? Why?" Jake Carter's dark brows knitted together, his handsome face lined with frustration. "Are you meeting Dr. Li again?"

Sophia didn't answer. She had already reached the door, slender fingers grasping the handle, preparing to leave.

"Then I'll come to you," Jake declared firmly.

"No, I really have something to do." She still didn't turn back.

"Sophia..."

Before he could say more, Sophia lightly opened the door. After a quick glance to ensure the hallway was empty, she left without hesitation.

He silently watched her slim figure retreating, a look of bitterness that far exceeded his years flickering in his dark eyes.

Hope she'll look back? Ridiculous. Even he knew that was nothing but wishful thinking.

No matter how much he wished it, Sophia would never see him as her safe haven. In fact, she wouldn't see anyone that way. She kept her emotions buried deep, diligently playing the part of a sweet, gentle girl.

And that's why the rare glimpses of her tears struck him so profoundly...

Like an addiction he couldn't kick.

It might look like he was the one chasing, but the truth was that Sophia held all the control. Against her, he had no defenses...

---

It was the weekend again.

When Sophia returned to the apartment parking lot near the university, it was nearly midnight.

It wasn't that she'd been out late having fun and lost track of time; Dr. Li's work was so demanding that, even on weekends, they could only steal a couple of hours to grab a meal and a cup of coffee.

They hadn't even met until nearly nine. After dinner, they had a brief chat, wished each other a good night, and Sophia, seeing him stifling yawns, insisted he didn't need to drop her off and drove herself home.

A date? A relationship? It was nothing of the sort. It was more of a way to give Linda an answer.

The next time Linda asked, she could say, "Yes, we met up and had dinner."

There was nothing wrong with Dr. Li. He was warm, courteous, successful, mature, and composed. But...

There was no spark. With him, she never had the urge to get close, to lean on him, much less to be any more intimate. They were just friends, and would remain friends—distant ones at that.

A woman's intuition in these matters rarely misled.

---

Though it was late spring, the midnight air was chilly, and the cold made Sophia shiver as she hugged herself, walking alone under the bright lights of the parking lot toward the apartment entrance.

When she sensed someone following her, she quickened her pace, gripping her phone tightly, prepared to call for help at the first sign of trouble.

But she quickly thought better of it: Mia was out, probably wouldn't be back anytime soon; calling the police... who knew how long it might take them to arrive. She berated herself for not carrying a larger bag, as her pepper spray was tucked away in another purse.