Chapter 37: Chapter 37

*****

Lennox watched Sophia feeling like the biggest jerk on the face of the earth as pain flashed through her eyes for just a second and then she looked all calm and serene, she even added a little confusion in the mix and if he didn't know better, he'd have thought he imagined the hurt he had seen on her face.

"What kiss? Oh, that one. I was drunk last night so it took me a while to remember. You don't have to worry about that because it doesn't mean anything to me either. You're my boss and people make mistakes when they're drunk, so let's just forget about it. I want a working relationship with you too" she said with a smile but he could see her lips quivering. Lennox clenched his hands by his side because reaching out to touch her seemed to be an inexplicable urge that he couldn't seem to control.

Lennox couldn't remember the last time he'd had to struggle so much to get back his self-control because every time he saw Sophia, all his resolution seemed to weaken, and he wanted nothing more than to relieve the kiss, to get a little more of her taste, to learn every curve of her body, to burrow a little more into her heat, and Inhale her enchanting scent until he was high on it.

He felt himself harden in his pants and cursed internally.

"Is that why you wanted to see me?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky, her eyes couldn't mask the hurt she was trying to conceal and it made Lennox's heart clench.

Lennox wondered if she'd fallen in love with him, even when she didn't mean to, because she wouldn't have been so sincere in expressing her feelings if she was just after her revenge plan.

If her feelings were real, he couldn't help the urge of wanting it, he wanted it so much that it shocked even him because he knew he could never make her happy, or stay with her. Haven't life thought him enough lessons, and then there were his parents. Who would even want to be married in his fucked up family? Lennox shook his head, as it started hurting. Sophia suddenly looked concerned and she reached for him but he flinched back because her touch made him lose all his train of thought and he couldn't afford it. He couldn't afford to be weak and lead her to get destruction. A little voice told him just to fuck everything and chase what truly made him happy, but he couldn't. Melissa was enough.

"I'm fine. You can leave".

Sophia pressed her lips together, nodded once, and walked out of the room, taking her warmth with her.

Lennox strode back to his seat, sat down, and steepled his finger, as he watched the door longingly, waiting, and hoping for her to walk right through the door, and tell him to his face just like the first time that she wanted him, and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

A smile tugged at his lips at the memory, even tho what he wanted was selfish since he wasn't even willing to let go of the past.

The door opened and he jerked in surprise, his heart racing, but it wasn't Sophia who stepped into his office but a lady whom he could only describe as familiar and sophisticated.

The lady's golden hair was parked up, making her blue eyes, pert nose, and red lips the main attraction stand out. Her lips widened in a smile as she pinned him with her eyes.

Lennox wondered how she got in because that would mean Sophia was not at her desk, and it made him worry, because where would she have gone after leaving his office. Was she quitting again?

The lady came to stand in front and then pouted, crossing her arms. "This is depressing. I didn't think I changed that much for you not to recognize me".

The voice made his eyes widen as he remembered the only girl he knew who had a voice that sounded like she speaking through her nose instead of her mouth.

"Jenny?" He called, sitting straighter.

Jenny laughed, rushing around his desk to throw her arms around him. She didn't stop even when he flinched.

"I missed you so much" she confessed, letting go of him, and not minding the fact that he hadn't hugged her back. Jenny stepped away from him, then sat across him, her eyes darting over him, then lingering. "You're less broody than usual. I caught you at a perfect time then" she said, and Lennox forced a smile, happy to have the only friend he could claim to have had back in his life.

"I'm not broody. What are you doing here. I thought you were touring the world".

Jenny nodded. "I was, but Vince called, said you sounded like you wanted to commit suicide, so I had to rush down here because you ignored all my emails," she said, her eyes narrowing at the last part.

"There was a lot of work for me to catch up on, so I couldn't check my emails. Vince was also exaggerating, as you can see I'm fine".

"Oh, you're more than fine. You look like you're ready to fall in love again".

Lennox smiled wistfully. "I feel better these days, but..."

"I'm not your muse" she cut in, and Lennox gave her a 'drop it' look. Jenny had always been vocal about how much she loved him which had made him a little glad when she'd decided to leave because her confession had strained their friendship, especially since she was Melissa's cousin. As if reading his mind, she continued.

"You know how I feel about you Lennox, and I know that almost destroyed our friendship, but I left for you to mourn Melissa's death right. I put your needs above mine, it was hard but I had to do it, I didn't know you'd not still be over her after so many years, but I've been waiting patiently Lennox, my feelings haven't changed." She said reaching to take his hand that was on the desk when he pulled it away.

Jenny forced a smile as she retreated.

"My feelings remain the same Jenny. You'd always be a friend to me. A good friend I was grateful for because she stood beside me through my dark times".

Jenny nodded, a wide smile replacing the pinched smile on her face. "You're right. I'm just too impulsive. I just saw you today and I'm already all in your face about my feelings. Goodness, gracious. Of course, you'd try to wade me off, I mean who'd want to be with someone like me." She said lightly and waved him off when he tried to reassure her that it wasn't like that. "I'm just messing around. I just came to say hi, and give you a heads-up that you'd be seeing me around so maybe give your assistant a little heads-up, that way I won't be asked to fix an appointment if I come to see you, that is if you get yourself an assistant. Still haven't stopped with the bad habit of doing everything yourself huh".

Lennox shook his head, a genuine smile touching his lips as he thought about Sophia. "I do have an assistant, she is just running an errand right now".

Jenny watched him, her blue eyes flashing and she looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it at the last minute. "Well," she said, standing up. "You're doing better and not hanging from a ceiling with a noose around your neck, so I guess I can sleep easy tonight. I gotta go take care of some settling-in business".

Lennox nodded standing up. "I'd have offered to help but I'm swamped with work".

"Excuses, excuses. Will you walk me to the elevator?" She requested and Lennox nodded, following after her as she stepped out of his office.

"So are you a truck driver now, you were always taking lessons," he asked and a dark look crossed her face before she smiled.

"I decided it wasn't for me. It was just a rebellious phase, but now I think I prefer modeling for my dad's company" she forced out, her smile stretching.

Lennox nodded. "I'm glad you could patch things up with them."

"You should try to patch things up with yours too" Jenny suggested, then retracted when she saw the look on Lennox's face. "Or not." Jenny stopped in front of the elevator, then turned to face him, resting her hand on his arm.

"Hey, I'm always here for you, you know that right".

Lennox nodded and she got on her toes, her lips connecting with his cheek as the elevator opened, revealing Sophia, who stood there, her eyes widening as she took in the visual they presented. The audible gasp behind him made him aware that Sophia wasn't the only one that was surprised at the public display but to Lennox, she was the only one that mattered, and as he jerked away from Jenny, he knew he'd succeeded in killing whatever feelings she had for him.