Chapter 30: Chapter 30
TO FORGET
Caleb and Sophie had more wine and loosened up, Caleb made bolder remarks about Sophie's body and she smiled flirtatiously, enjoying his bold stares and the way he touched her. They both were so intoxicated that they flirted shamelessly with each other.
Sophie woke up disoriented with a very bad headache which made her head spin. She felt like death itself. The movement beside her made her cringe in fear until she saw who it was.
“Caleb, how come?” she wondered. She couldn't remove her eyes and she allowed it to wander over the body lying beside her. He was naked as the blanket shifted revealing some public hair below his pelvic area. Sophie glanced over at herself; she never slept naked, but she was stark naked from her waist down, only her bra which was partially unhooked with her left breast almost hanging out. She tried to remember but her mind was hazy.
“Hope nothing happened, that would be disastrous,” she murmured to herself. She gently slipped out of the bed and tiptoed into her restroom. She wanted to clear her head before coming face to face with the reality of what must have happened
The bang of the closed-door woke Caleb up, he felt a little lightheaded and woozy. Memories of his night flooded his mind's eyes, he remembered the kiss, the sultry words, and the flirtatious smile that went back and forth with him and Sophie last night. He smiled to himself as he remembered, his body still had the tingling feeling of Sophie's body on him, he had tried to resist her but his flesh was weak, they were both so horny and lost in the moment and unfortunately succumbed to each other. Picking up his boxer shorts, jeans, and his t-shirt which had been lying as a pile on the floor he quickly wore them and left the room.
Sophie knew when the door opened and closed and she was relieved that he was gone, however, a part of her felt disappointed that he had not searched for her.
Some minutes later Caleb came in with a platter of pancakes, toast, freshly pressed orange juice, and two steaming cups of black coffee.
Sophie's stomach growled at the sight of the food but she paid it no heed, she didn't want Caleb getting the wrong impression of things between them.
“Hungry?” he asked her, smiling. “I'm famished, I didn't know what you would prefer so I brought everything I saw in the kitchen.” he couldn't stop blabbing
“Caleb, about last night Sophie said her face rigid
“What about it?” Caleb's heart fluttered as he spoke.
“Forget about it, whatever happened between us; Bury it.”
Caleb felt as though he had been punched in the pit of his stomach. He had never wanted this to happen. He tried to act as though he was not bothered but his eyes betrayed him. Sophie saw the sadness and pain in them before he could look away. Trying to salvage the situation and not lose face, he insisted that he never wanted anything between them.
“Get down from your high horse, lady. I don't want you either. It was just a moment of weakness that would never happen again.
Sophie nodded in agreement, however, a part of her was disappointed. She wondered why his words hurt her, after all, he only concurred with what she wanted.
Leaving the platter behind Caleb dashed out of the room, his appetite lost. Sophie stared at the food and felt nauseous all over again. She hated being hungover, it had never ended well for her she always ended up doing things she would later regret. She rang the small bell beside her and a maid came into her room seconds later.
“Take away the platter, and get me a big cup of hot coffee. The one here is cold already,'' Sophie said and waved off the maid. She didn't have to acknowledge the question left unspoken and visible in the maid's eyes, she just wanted to get rid of the damn hangover reaping her head apart.
When the maid left and brought the coffee to her she drank it right away but her heart was not in what she was doing, she felt horrible, her mind kept going back to Caleb, she saw the hurt in his eyes before he disappeared. She wondered if she had bruised his ego more than she had intended. She had to admit, he wasn't a jerk after all
*********************
Caleb left the mansion and called his pilot, he wanted to escape from everything both past and present. He needed more than just wine; he wanted to have sex, random sex; to make what he had with Sophie feel ordinary.
He flew directly to Miami with his inherited private jeep and settled in an expensive beach house. They got there towards evening and he ordered his assistant to organize a small party.
Kenneth, his assistant, was surprised by the demand but went ahead to do as he was told. He couldn't risk being fired for being nosy. The house was filled with enough spirits, beers, and champagne. Pizzas had been ordered and the boxes packed away in the kitchen. When the guests started arriving Caleb, who had been in his room before they arrived, joined them. He was wearing a T-shirt and khaki shorts with a pair of black sandals, he mingled and made small conversations with his guests. Caleb tried his best to appear happy. Girls tried to get his attention and even though he had planned to have some wild sex with the aim of ensuring that whatever happened with Sophie is demeaned, he still couldn't bring himself to get laid.
He was so furious with himself, he had promised never to allow himself to feel something for any woman again, sex was supposed to be casual with any willing lady but he went ahead and allowed himself to start feeling again. “No more,” he said to himself. Kenneth, who was blushing and enjoying the attention he was getting from some bikini-clad ladies, had forgotten he was there at work and Caleb only smiled when he saw him having fun. It was no fault of his assistant that he wasn't able to be happy and have fun.
“Hello handsome.” a sultry voice said from behind him. He turned to behold a red-haired goddess, he couldn't help but admire the wild curly mane on her head, her smile revealed a set of perfect dentition, he greatly admired what he saw and was unable to return the greeting.
“You need company.” she smiled teasingly at him.
“Sure.” Caleb held out his hands and they shook hands briefly.0
“The name is Angela.”
“Caleb”
“Do you stay around here, I haven't seen you in this neighborhood before,'' Angela asked him, before sipping from the paper cup she was holding.
“No I don't,'' Caleb replied.
Everything about Angela mesmerized him. She not only had the looks but her body movements made everything about her alluring. He planned to know more about her maybe she would be the key to the adventures he had planned because he needed all the distraction away from whatever emotions he was having for his contract wife and also his plans for her horrible family had to be executed and he won't be able to do that if he started straying away and being mushy towards their daughter.
“I'm here till the weekend,” Caleb said he wasn't even aware it was Friday till now. “Perfect.” he thought, a wide grin covering his face.
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Angela said her eyes unwavering as she watched him.
“Would that be a crime if I was?” Caleb smiled, enjoying himself.
“Depends on where we are eating.”
“Anywhere you choose.”
Angela sized him up. “Can you afford to dine in my choice restaurant?” she suddenly became aware of his perfect jawline and light brown skin. He was just a few inches taller than her, she liked her men taller but what this gentleman standing beside her lacked in height, he made up for it in his carriage.
“You won't know, would you? Unless we go on a date.”
“Saturday 8 pm, the Sheraton.” angela said and started walking away
“Are we meeting there, or should I come and get you?” Caleb said
“What would a gentleman do?” she replied, smiling seductively.
“But I don't have your address.'' Caleb tried not to sound frustrated.
Shrugging she walked away, Caleb watched her leave, he liked her already.
******************
Kenneth set to work immediately, his job was to find the woman his boss claimed to be Angela, no other information was given. It became a wild goose chase. No one remembered her from the description Caleb gave. No one remembered seeing a lady with a full head of red wavy curls.
“Any news,” Caleb asked for the umpteenth time. Glancing at his watch, it was almost 8 pm and he had no idea where she lived.”
“Didn't she give you any clue as to where to find her?”
“No.” Caleb sighed. “Just the name of the restaurant and time.”
“You should go to the restaurant then, maybe she is waiting for you over there,'' Kenneth replied he was tired of searching for an invisible woman.
“Do you think so?” Caleb asked
Swallowing hard and unsure “yes sir, there is no other option left.
“You are right. Remind me to raise your salary once we get back to new-york.” he ran upstairs to his room.
"At least, something good came out of this hunt for me." Kenneth beamed.
A few minutes later, Caleb came out looking dashing in a light green shirt and pants and a pair of black loafers.
"Get the driver immediately," Caleb said with great urgency. "I have a price waiting to be won.