Chapter 6
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“Wow.” Sophie movedfurther into the entryway of his home. “This is incredible.”
“You sound impressed.” Which, for some strange reason, was a huge relief.
Jason knew he had a nice home. He was a single guy who made a shit ton of money running the covert unit for Homeland.
With no one to share it with, and barely any life outside of work, he could afford to make his home his sanctuary. But this was the first time he’d had someone here whose opinion mattered, so the uncertainty he’d felt when she first walked in was unsettling, to say the least.
Relax, man. She likes it.
She also looked really,reallygood in it. As if it had been built just for her.
The modern, open-concept structure was filled with smooth, clean lines and contrasting hues. Everything in it had been designed with intent and purpose.
The dark gray tile floor, white walls, and stained wood trim complimented each other perfectly, and he’d carried the theme throughout the entire house.
His large, sunken living room was centered around the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, and the enormous picture window on the opposite wall faced his patio and pool in the back.
It was after midnight, but the solar lights that were strategically placed lit the area up enough to still see.
Turning to face him, Sophie’s face lit up the entire room. “Iamimpressed. Of course, I’m sure every woman you bring here is equally so.”
“I don’t bring women here.” The confession, ripped from somewhere deep inside, had Sophie blinking.
“Ever?”
He moved his head back and forth slowly. “You’re the first.”
“Wow.” She seemed genuinely surprised. “So, at the end of your dates, you...what? Go back to their place?”
“I don’t date.”
This left her blinking even harder. “Why not?”
He didn’t want to lie. Not to her. But he wasn’t ready to tell her the truth, either.
“My job is very demanding,” he went with his default excuse. “It doesn’t leave me with a lot of free time. When I am able to get away from work, I’m here, enjoying the peace and quiet.”
“I can appreciate that.” She spun in a slow circle, taking everything in. “So what do you do to unwind?”
“Read or watch old movies.”
The built-in bookshelf to her right caught her eye. She went to it and started scanning the titles there.
He knew what she was seeing.Charles Dickens, Harper Lee, Emily Brontë...
As she perused his selection of hardback novels, Sophie asked, “What kind of movies do you like to watch?”
“The black and white kind, mainly.” When she smiled, his brows turned slightly inward. “What?”