Page 41 of So Not My Type
“Um, is there any other way?” Sophie asked, but she didn’t actually know. If her body could salivate, that’d be what it was doing, the anticipation of soaking her limbs reaching a fevered pitch.
“I hate to state the obvious,” Ella said as she dipped her hand into the water, “but if I drop or go underwater, please scoop me out.”
She released a deflecting giggle, but Sophie knew her well enough that embarrassment laced her tone. “Is there anything else I should do?”
Ella shook her head. “My nasal spray is on the table, but not sure, logistically, how that would work. Don’t try to stop it from happening, by holding me down or something. Make sure my head is tilted and that I don’t crack my skull. And you know, make sure I don’t drown.”
The tone may have been jovial, but Sophie saw the vulnerability in Ella’s eyes. “Got it.”
Ella stepped in first, slowly, and scooted to the side. Sophie followed, tentatively dipping her toe to check the water before she slipped under the bubbles.Ahhhhh.The water did not disappoint. Her body melted in the heated oasis. Work stress—gone. Meeting agendas—gone. Deadlines and cranky designers—gone. She pushed herself lower until the water reached her shoulders. “This… is… heavenly.”
“Mmmm, sure is. Feels amazing.” A sigh escaped Ella as she lazed deeper, and Sophie would be lying if she said the sound didn’t do something a little jumpy to her insides. Ella lifted herself up and Sophie’s hungry gaze took in the way the water dripped between the deep plunge of her cleavage and the brightglow in her cheeks. Sophie knew she shouldn’t look, but tummy flipping and the desire to touch Ella negated any sober thoughts about maintaining a professional boundary.
Ella flicked at a bubble. “God, this issomuch better than being in here with my dad.”
“I bet.” Sophie studied Ella’s long neck, the slope of her jaw, the wide brown eyes with eyelashes she could see from across the tub. “You look different without your glasses.”
Ella raised her eyebrow. “Better?”
She’s stunning either way. “Just different.” Sophie’s fingers skimmed the top of the water. Her whole life she’d wanted to go in a hot tub, but never had the chance. None of her friends had one, she’d never stayed at a hotel growing up, and the one hotel conference she attended last year had a hot tub, but hell if she’d take a dip with co-workers.
The irony of sitting here with Ella was not lost on her.
“I’ve never been in a hot tub.” She wanted to suck back in the words. Opening up was never a strong skill, and she braced herself for the inevitable pity look.
But Ella didn’t drop her mouth, tsk, or mumble something like “must be so hard to be disadvantaged…”
“Huh. Interesting.” That was Ella’s perfect response.
Sophie’s insides softened. “I’ve always wanted to, but our family trips usually involved camping.”
Ella grabbed a water bottle from the ledge and sipped. “I’ve never been camping, but I think it’d be fun. We have an outdoor fireplace, but it’s not the same. It doesn’t even use real wood. I want to smell actual wood burning, sleep in a tent, watch the stars.” She flashed a grin. “I bet you’ve had a lot more experiences than me.”
“I guess it depends on your definition of experiences.” Sophie twisted the lid from her bottle. “I’ve never been to Hawaii or to Europe. Or really anywhere besides the Pacific Northwest.”
A bubbling water misted Ella’s face and she splashed more against her cheeks. “I’ve never skydived, visited a houseboat, or drank beer. I’ve never even been to Pike Place without my parents.”
Sophie’s mouth dropped. Pike Place Market? The most iconic, most frequented place in the city? Flashes of the million times she went there as a kid with Maya to buy clam chowder, watch tourists gawk at the guys throwing fish, or browsing handmade gifts popped through her mind. “Aren’t you my age?”
A sad chuckle left Ella’s mouth. “I’m twenty-four, so yeah. But ever since my first seizure, my parents turned super controlling.”
“Overprotective?”
“Yes, but like to the highest degree. I’m rarely alone, and even when I’m alone, I’m notreallyalone. Thomas is around, or a staff member who not-so-coincidentally needs to clean a room near mine, or dust the office when I’m in the den. I’m in a Martha-Stewart-prison-like hell.”
Since Sophie was little, she had been independent. Partly due to life circumstances—with no siblings and parents who worked doubles, she’d been pitching in with laundry and cooking since she was eight. But another part was an inherent need to fly. Relying on herself was hard. But not being respected enough to think she could run solo would have been harder. “Besides never traveling, there’s a ton of things I’ve never done that you probably have.”
Ella propped her elbows against the tub lip. “Like what?”
“I’ve never been in a convertible. Or flew somewhere exotic for a vacation. I’ve never been to the ballet or symphony. I’ve… I don’t know… I’ve never tried caviar.”
Ella scrunched her nose. “It’s gross.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Think of jelly, but instead it’s salty and fishy. I seriously hate it.” Ella tossed a glance behind her shoulder. “But we probably have some if you want to try, or the chef can get some.”
Chef. Housekeeper.This world was so beyond foreign to Sophie that it wasn’t even the same galaxy. “Do you recognize how totally bizarre it is to have someone who does these things?”