Chapter 15


    The ckwood children deserved their own happiness, but Sophie wasn’t sure settling down with


    some perfect guy was in the cards for her. She certainly wasn’t looking for love. Such an emotion didn’t


    exist for everyone and she wasn’t holding her breath that it would happen to her.


    But lust? Yeah, that was not an issue.


    Nigel made her want to throw out her vow to hold on to her virginity until the right man came along.


    She’d decided long ago there wasn’t a right man or anyone she felt worthy enough to gi


    ve that piece of herself to.


    She didn’t want to have sex just for the sake of having sex. Maybe she was in the minority with that line


    of thinking, but she didn’t answer to anyone and she was proud of the fact she didn’t sleep around to


    feel good about herself.


    Nigel, on the other hand, had her envisioning flings and heated nights...and naughty whispers in her


    ear with that sexy British ent. Maybe if he’de along sooner in her life, or if she were here under


    different circumstances, she would see just what could happen if she let herself go and let her desire


    guide her decision-making.


    “Sophie?”


    She jerked her attention back to the conversation. “Sorry,” she replied. “I got distracted.”


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    “You sure you’re okay?” Ken asked. “You don’t have to do this. We can find another way to contest


    the will and make Miranda give up what’s ours.”


    “I swear, I’m fine,” she insisted. “Listen, I need to get back to work, but I’ll be in touch.”


    “Love you.”


    “I love you, too,” she replied before she ended the call.


    Sophie nced at the time and realized she only had a few hours before she had to meet Nigel. There


    were a couple angles she was working on for him and she wanted to finish up. The more she proved to


    be useful, perhaps the more he would trust her with the show’s secrets. He’d already disclosed


    Seraphina’s personal issue. He was bound to know something about Miranda that went beyond public


    knowledge.


    Sophie’s entire goal here had hinged on her finding useful gossip or some sort of concrete proof that


    Miranda had lured Buck into giving his estate to her. Sophie didn’t believe her father had done so just


    because. But even if he had, Sophie didn’t think she and her brothers should just be cut out of a family


    legacy.


    Since Sophie was working so closely with Nigel, perhaps she should find ways to use that to her


    advantage. He would know these women better than probably anyone on the set. They trusted him and


    confided in him.


    Sophie wasn’t about to use her body to get information—she would never do something like that. But


    spending extra time with Nigel over dinners oring up with new ideas to get into his office for extra


    minutes could lead to conversations she could useter.


    After all... Nigel had clearly made it apparent he was interested. Maybe he would trust her with more


    and then she could get back to Royal...before she ended up losing her innocence.


    Five


    Nigel came to his feet when Roslyn entered the private room. He’d requested his usual spot on the


    second floor of Manhattan’s poshest restaurant. He wanted no interruptions.


    “I’m so sorry I’mte.” Roslyn pulled off her red scarf and coat, then shook out her golden hair. “It takes


    quite a bit longer to get around the city than where I’m from.”


    “Country girl,” he joked, gesturing for her to take a seat in the curved booth next to him.


    The hostess took Roslyn’s coat and scarf before leaving them alone.


    The flickering candle and the tight bundle of white roses in a gold vase on the table set a romantic vibe,


    one he wasn’t purposely trying to create. He’d wanted to spend time with her, and he’d wanted a good


    dinner. Why couldn’t he have both? The decor wasn’t his fault—it came with the room.


    “I’ll take your crazy traffic into ount next time we meet,” she told him.


    “I’ll send my driver next time,” he replied.


    “That’s not necessary. I doubt you do that for your other employees.”


    True, but she wasn’t just any employee. An argument he wasn’t going to have now. He’d just send the


    car next time and she would have no choice but to allow him to make her life easier.


    “Which reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to ask,” she added, turning to face him. “Everyone


    in the office calls you Mr. Townshend, yet you told me to call you Nigel.”


    Busted.


    “You’re working closer with me than most of them do. Would you like a ss of wine?” he asked,


    instead of going in circles with an argument he’d ultimately win anyway.