The Lawyer

26- Romance isn't dead

Sophie pov

"Urrrgggghhhhh" I groan finally ending the call with the colossal bitch at the housing office who is suggesting my recently widowed client should put rent arrears as a priority over feeding her children.

I know it's her job but some people seriously have no compassion. I was hoping they would settle a payment schedule with me but Miss high-and-mighty wouldn't agree to anything reasonable so now it goes to court, for eviction proceedings.

I know the judge will most likely force the housing office to accept the payment schedule and probably at smaller payments than I offered but my client will then incur court costs adding to her debt. Stress she definitely doesn't need.

I honestly can't wait to get home and curl up on the sofa with Matt.

Wait? I can't wait to curl up with Matt? Why did my brain go there? It must just be because of what happened last night. Right?

I wish he had been able to feel the baby move as well. It was the strangest sensation. Sort of fluttery like the good kind of butterflies, then a flick like someone had twanged a rubber band at me, but on the inside.

My bump is still only small though, the midwife says that is a side effect of hyperemesis gravidarum and that I will most likely have a small baby. That was welcome news for my poor vagina.

I make the short drive home, I'm glad I drove with the unpredictable April weather. It was sunny when I left, now it's raining cats and dogs.

I wonder if Matt got his run in before the rain started? Oh gosh Matt running in the rain… in those grey joggers of his. I swear they should be illegal. I choked on my cereal the first morning he came down in those.

Even thinking about him in them now has me squeezing my thighs together, it's definitely helping distract me from this rush hour traffic though.

I clearly find Matt attractive, and I enjoy spending time with him. I'm beginning to wonder if I should talk to Matt about how I feel? Maybe we could start over? Take it slow, try dating, see how it goes?

I feel like we skipped some pretty big steps, living together and having a baby. We haven't even been out on a proper date. The closest we've been was a work dinner where we ended up eating pizza and drinking beer.

I smile at the memory as I pull into my drive. Maybe we could order pizza tonight and just talk like we did that night.

"What the…" I whisper, pushing open the front door to see rose petals scattered across the floor leading up the stairs. Oh my God if these lead to the bedroom!! My face feels hot at the thought.

"What's making you so red?" Matt asks, walking out of the kitchen in those damn grey joggers and a white vest that seems to cling to every contour of his sculpted torso. His toned muscular arms left bare. How the hell he makes arms sexy I'll never know. What I do know is that my vagina just twitched looking at him. (Down girl)

"What's with the flowers? I thought we were being friends?" I ask, looking back at the stairs because I don't trust myself not to drool if I keep looking at him.

"We are friends, I have ran you a friendly bubble bath, which these friendly flowers will direct you to, before we share a friendly dinner" he walks forwards as he speaks his body close enough to mine that I can feel the heat now. He hooks a finger under my chin and I can feel my heart trying to escape my chest.

Is he going to kiss me? Oh god, I hope he kisses me. Turning my face to his we lock eyes, time freezing around us.
"Matt?" I ask in a whisper. He leans in closer, his warm minty breath across my face. My eyes close of their own accord ready for his touch.

"Go get your bath" he says quietly pecking me on the forehead. I feel my chest deflate, the hope and expectation leaving my body. Did he not want to? But these flowers, the bubble bath, would make it seem like he did? I'm so confused.

The confusion only increases when I see the bathroom, a bubble bath scattered with rose petals and surrounded by candles?

I strip off piling my hair on top of my head in a messy bun and sinking into the delicious warmth of the bath. Closing my eyes I try not to think about the not-kiss from moments ago. Or the grey joggers.

The baby either loves or hates the bath, either way it definitely seems to have been woken up by it. Making it feel like a hundred butterflies inside me. I soothingly stroke my belly humming a lullaby, while I soak.

I don't spend as long as usual in the tub knowing Matt is waiting on me. Blowing out the candles, I shower away the bubbles and dry off massaging my small bump with cocoa butter before slipping into a clean loose dress.

Heading downstairs I find Matt standing over the stove stirring a white pasta dish.
"You cooked?!" I gasp, I had assumed he ordered in. "Is that? Is that Alfredo?" I ask looking closer.

"Yes, just like the dish you made back at my apartment" he smiles. I feel a funny little flutter in my chest. I can't believe he learnt to cook this for me! I turn to the table and see candles and wine.

"You're drinking?" I comment.

"It's non-alcoholic, I promised you I wouldn't drink" he reminds me.

"You know that was a joke right? I tell him, taking my seat. He just shrugs, placing a steaming bowl of pasta Infront of me. I inhale the steam, the smell of parmesan making my mouth water.

I swirl the pasta around my fork trying the first bite. The seasoning is perfect. The mixture of the creamy sauce and pasta is heaven. We make small talk as we eat. The food is amazing although the chicken is a little chewy.

"Did you fry the chicken or bake it?" I ask curiously.

"What do you mean?" Matt asks, taking another bite.

"The chicken in the pasta? I was just wondering how you cooked it?" I ask casually.

"Oh, I just put it in the sauce." He shrugs, my fork stops mid way to my mouth. Suspended in the air. I gulp my mouth suddenly dry.

"You didn't cook the chicken before adding it to the sauce?" I check. Matt can clearly see the concern on my face.

"Was I supposed to?" He asks innocently. I grab the fork from his hand abruptly ending the meal.

For fucks sake Matt.

I don't say it out loud because I feel bad that he tried but I just ate half my meal of raw chicken and I am not looking forward to the consequences.

I should have known! How many times must I be told 'Canossa's can't cook.'