Sophie was finally home that day after a long day at work. She had already had dinner and retired to her bedroom but the sleep wouldn't come. She stared at the ceiling deliberating on what to do. She finally left her bedroom and walked to the kitchen. She poured herself some wine and sat on the closest couch to the television. She settled for a rom-com movie.
Few minutes into the movie,she took a sip, smiling faintly to herself. "Love looks good on them," she murmured, walking towards the kitchen to get the wine bottle.
Then a knock.
Sophie paused mid-step, glancing toward the door. It was almost eleven. She frowned, setting her glass down. Maybe it was one of her neighbors again.
But when she opened the door… she froze.
"Hey, Soph."
Her hand flew to her mouth. "Darren?" she breathed, eyes wide.
"Surprise" He stood there in a dark denim jacket and jeans with that same easy smile she remembered lighting up his face. His hair was a little messier than usual, his eyes tired but warm, familiar in a way that made her chest tighten.
"What...." She blinked fast, her voice trembling slightly. "What are you...how are you....."
He chuckled softly, setting his bag down. "Are you gonna invite me in before the neighbors start thinking I'm a stalker?"
That broke her. She laughed through the shock and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck. "Oh my God, you idiot," she mumbled against his shoulder, her voice breaking into a breathless laugh. "You're actually here."
"Missed you too," he murmured, holding her just as tightly.
When she finally pulled away. "Come in before I start blushing" She said as she grabbed his bag. She was grinning from ear to ear. "You can't just.....show up like that! How did you even get my address? I swear if you had stalked me....."
Darren smirked. "Relax. I had help."
"Help?" she asked, folding her arms, pretending to glare though her lips were still trembling with a smile. He scratched the back of his neck. "A certain someone named Jace reached out to me last week."
"Wait.....what?"
"Yeah," Darren said, laughing. "He said and I quote 'someone here is dying to see you and won't admit it.' Then he just… sent me flight details and told me to pack my bags." He said as they sat down on the couch.
Sophie's jaw dropped. "He didn't."
"Oh, he did."
She groaned, covering her face. "That little matchmaker," she muttered, her cheeks burning. "I'm going to kill him."
"Can I at least get a warning before you do that?" Darren teased. "Because personally, I'm kinda grateful."
For a heartbeat, she forgot to breathe. The way he was looking at her, that quiet affection, that lingering gaze that had once made Boston nights feel like magic..... it all came rushing back.
Without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed him.
It was quick, impulsive, and warm, her lips brushing his like she'd been waiting forever to do it. When she pulled back, her face flushed. "Oh God," she blurted, laughing nervously. "Sorry, I shouldn't have... I mean, that was...."
Darren didn't let her finish.
He reached for her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. "Don't apologize," he whispered. Then he kissed her back, slow this time, deep and sure, like he'd been imagining this moment since she left Boston.
Sophie melted into it, her hands clutching his jacket as if afraid he'd disappear.Everything all faded away. There was just him. His warmth. His breath. His heartbeat.
When they finally broke apart, both a little breathless, she rested her forehead against his chest, laughing quietly. "You… you could've at least warned me," she said.
He grinned. "And miss that look on your face? Never."
She rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. "You're impossible."
"And you're beautiful," he said softly.
That shut her up. She looked away, smiling.
Darren chuckled glancing around her cozy apartment. The warm lights, the simple decoration and the scent of vanilla candles..... it all screamed Sophie. "So this is… you," he said with a smile. "Exactly how I pictured it."
"Vanilla scent too much?" she teased.
"Perfect," he corrected.
She laughed again, trying to hide the way her heart was racing. "Okay, Darren, come on. I'll show you around before you start charming my furniture too."
He followed her through the apartment, watching her as she pointed out random little details....the corner where she painted, the little shelf on the wall where book recommendations lived, the couch that had seen too many midnight movies.
When they circled back to the kitchen, she turned to him. "So," she said, "you want anything? Coffee? Wine? Food? I've got leftover takeout somewhere."
Darren smiled, leaning against the counter.
"I'm sorry,if I had known you'd just show up,I'd have ordered some more" she said smiling.
"Honestly? I just want to sit here with you."
Her heart softened at that. "Then let's sit," she said quietly.
When she finally looked up again, Darren was still smiling at her,that same calm, disarming smile that made those two dates at Boston charm. She closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back instantly, warm and solid, and she realized how much she'd missed him even though they've been texting.
...
When he came out of the bathroom later, his hair damp and a towel slung low on his hips. "Nice place. So this is Manhattan,huh?" He asked and Sophie nearly dropped the mug of tea she was holding as she looked up at him.
"Seriously?" she said, throwing his neatly folded trousers at him.
He caught them with one hand, laughing. "What? You said make yourself at home."
She rolled her eyes, trying to conceal her smile."Yeah,but I didn't mean...." She sighed giving up.
"You're talking like you didn't text me few times that you'd love to see me shirtless and stuff" He said smiling.
"But....I..." She palmed her face giving up.
He laughed and she laughed too.
"You are just the same as when you're texting" He said as he pulled on his trousers.
"Same as you," She said pretending to straighten the sheets.
She patted the space beside her. "So," she said, trying to sound casual, "how's work been? Still building the world one bridge at a time?"
"Pretty much. We just finished a big project up in Maine." He said sitting beside her on the bed. "The company's been good to me, but… I needed a break. I've never taken any time off, and when Jace texted me, I thought....why not?"
"Wow," she said. "That's brave. Leaving work like that."
"They owe me that atleast....what about you?, you never really went into details on what you do here"
"Event planning," she said. "Corporate mostly, it's different sometimes, conferences, product launches, stuff like that. It's chaotic, but I like it. Keeps me busy."
He nodded. "Figures. You've always liked keeping things in order."
"And you've always liked building things no one else could," she countered. He gave her that lopsided grin she'd missed so much over the video calls.
Silence settled again, but this time it wasn't awkward, it was heavy with something new. Sophie turned to look at him, really look at him. The little crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the faint scar on his jaw, the way his chest rose and fell as he breathed.
"I still can't believe you're here," she said quietly.
He brushed his thumb along her cheek. "Then stop trying to."
The kiss happened before she could think about it. Soft at first, hesitant, a question neither of them had dared ask before. Then it deepened, slow and hungry, the kind that made everything else fall away.
"Will you be my girlfriend Sophie, let's make this official." He said as he pulled away.
Sophie looked into his eyes. He looked very serious and sincere like if she said no,he'd just get up and leave. She didn't want any of that, she wanted all of him here in the most possible ways. Meeting Darren changed her and made her feel more confident about herself. She'd been talking with him for close to five months and it has been nothing short of amazing.
"Yes,Darren,I'd love to" She said, her hands still around his neck. He smiled at her and their lips met again.
When they finally pulled apart, Sophie was laughing against his lips, breathless. "This is crazy."
"Yeah," he murmured, his forehead resting against hers. "But it feels right."
She smiled, tracing the edge of his jaw with her fingertips. "You're still trouble, Darren."
"Only the good kind," he said.
And then the space between them disappeared again as Sophie sits on his lap and they kissed softly laughing in between the kisses. The sound of rain beginning to fall softly outside the window as their kiss deepened.