S O P H I E H O N E Y

THE FIRST THING I FEEL when I wake up is pressure-something hard pressed firmly against my backside.

I shift slightly, trying to adjust, but-

I can't move.

My body is trapped.

My heart skips as I attempt to turn, but there's an undeniable weight wrapped around my waist, locking me in place.

What the hell?

My mind is sluggish with sleep, but awareness slams into me as I struggle again. I wiggle, trying to inch away, but the hold tightens, heat radiating from behind me.

No way-

I twist-and after some effort, I finally manage to roll onto my back.

And then I freeze.

I freeze because-

Theo is right there.

Not a dream. Not a hallucination.

Real. Right in front of me.

His face is relaxed in sleep, his breathing slow and steady, completely unbothered by the chaos in my head.

My lips part as I stare, my mind fighting to make sense of reality.

The incident outside. The moment in my bed. The way he held me.

It all actually happened.

My pulse stutters, my stomach twisting as flashes of last night resurface.

"Please don't leave me too."

Something tightens in my chest at the memory of those broken words.

What the hell happened to him?

I find myself staring at him longer than I should, my eyes tracing the sharp line of his jaw, the dark lashes resting against his skin, the faint crease between his brows.

Without thinking, my fingers twitch-the urge to touch him creeping up before I even realize it.

Then-

Theo groans.

A low, husky sound that snaps me out of my trance.

Panic slams into me, my body jerking as I try to scramble away-

And that's when I see it.

His body.

His bare torso.

And-oh my god-the leather harness strapped around his sculpted chest.

I should look away. I need to look away.

But I don't.

My gaze sticks to the firm muscles, the sharp lines, the way the harness wraps around his shoulders and-

Oh my god, I'm staring.

My eyes widen as I suddenly realize what I'm doing, and in pure horror, I launch myself off the bed, nearly tripping in my rush to get away.

No, no, no.

This isn't happening.

I almost bolt for the door, fully prepared to escape, before reality slaps me in the face.

This is my room.

I stop abruptly, breath heaving, my hands gripping the edge of my nightstand.

Oh god.

I can't do this right now.

Desperation fuels me as I snatch my clothes and towel from the wardrobe, my only thought being to get to the bathroom before Theo wakes up.

I am not coming back in here until he's gone.

As I step into the living room, my eyes immediately land on the couch where my phone and Kindle sit, exactly where I left them last night when I was too busy dealing with Theo.

I sigh, walking over and picking them up, only to see their battery percentages hovering dangerously low.

Of course.

Luckily, my charger is right there. I grab it and plug my phone in, pressing the power button while rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

The screen lights up, and almost instantly, a notification from Alex pops up.

Alex: No class today. The lecturer canceled.

I blink. What?

That's when I finally check the time-and my eyes widen.

It's almost 12 in the afternoon?!

I slept that long?

Another message from Alex catches my attention.

Alex: Tory wants to see us before one to discuss payment and our start date.

My stomach drops.

Crap.

I quickly type a reply.

Me: Okay, I'll be there.

After making sure my phone is charging properly, I head straight for the bathroom.

Once inside, I grab my toothbrush and vigorously brush my teeth, trying not to think about anything else-especially not the fact that I woke up in bed with Theo.

Nope. Not thinking about that.

I rinse my mouth, strip down, and step into the shower, letting the warm water run down my body.

Just focus on getting ready.

The shower helps a little, washing away the remnants of sleep and the absolute chaos in my head.

Once I'm done, I towel off and force myself to stay in the bathroom to get dressed. No way am I walking back into my room just yet.

When I'm fully clothed, I take a deep breath, open the door, and step out.

Now, I just need to eat something before heading out.

I make my way to the kitchen, determined to not think about anything other than breakfast.

I huff as I grab the pack of cornflakes from the counter, snatching a spoon along the way. My only plan is to eat quickly and leave before Theo wakes up.

Because if he does, I just know he's going to start asking questions.

Annoying, smug questions.

Like-how did he end up in my bed instead of his?

Or worse, he might give me that damn smirk and accuse me of trying to sleep with him in that infuriating, teasing way of his.

I shudder at the thought. Nope. Not happening.

I yank open the cupboard and grab a bowl, but my thoughts won't stop running.

I should just tell him the truth.

That he was the one who pulled me down.

That he was the one who held onto me like I was some kind of lifeline.

That he was the one who pressed his damn face into my neck, making my entire body heat up in a way I don't want to think about.

I exhale sharply, gripping the bowl a little too tightly.

Even now, the memory of last night makes my stomach twist, and I hate it.

I hate that I can still feel his soft lips on my neck.

I hate that my body remembers it so clearly.

"I will kill him, " I whisper to myself, gripping the bowl harder than before--

"Kill who?"

Crash!

The glass bowl slips from my hands, shattering on the floor.

I jump, my heart leaping into my throat as the sound echoes through the kitchen.

My foot almost lands on a sharp glass piece, but I freeze just in time.

"Fuck Sophie!" Theo rushes toward me, his voice sharp with panic, and before I can even process what's happening, his hands are on my hips, lifting me onto the counter with effortless ease.

I'm not exactly a small person size so seeing him, carrying me without a sweat shocked me.

My mind blacks as I feel the warmth of his hands, firm and steady, holding me in place like I might bolt at any second.

I gulp, my body freezing under his touch.

"Stay here," he commands, his voice brokering no argument. Without another word, he turns, already heading to grab a broom.

I watch, still stunned, as he crouched down and sweeps up the shattered pieces of glass, his brow furrowed in concentration. His gaze flickers over the floor, scanning it carefully -probably making sure there aren't any stray shards left.

I should say something.

I should thank him or at least assure him I'm not hurt.

Instead, my brain decided to malfunction, and I try to slide down, ready to take charge, but before I can even make it halfway, his voice cuts through the air like a whip.

"Stay put."

I freeze, my body obeying before my mind even has time to catch up.

He doesn't need to say more. The force in his tone is clear.

I swallow, feeling that familiar knot in my stomach tighten. My eyes flick to the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "You... you swept everything up. Didn't you?" I mutter, avoiding his stare, suddenly very aware of how quiet everything is, how close we are.

Theo straightens up, dusting his hands off as he takes a quick glance at the now-clean floor. His expression is unreadable, but I catch the glint in his eyes as they flicker to mine.

"Not sure."

He dumps the glass into the trash, puts the broom away, and finally looks at me once again, this time softer yet still unreadable.

"What happened?" He asks.

My throat feels dry, and my mind is annoyingly blank.

He tilts his head. "Sophie?"

I clear my throat, forcing myself to look at literally anything but him. "The bowl just... slipped,"

Theo raises an eyebrow as he folds his hands. "Slipped?"

I nod, shifting my weight awkwardly.

His lips twitch like he's holding back a laugh. "Soo... was that before or after you decided to talk to yourself about killing me?"

I stiffen.

Damn it. He heard that?

"I-I wasn't talking about you," I blurt out as I hopped down from the counter. "And shouldn't you be sleeping? You were practically dead last night."

"Hmm," he hums, moving closer. "I would've slept better if someone didn't kidnap me and drag me into their bed."

I snap up, glaring at him. "I what?"

He grins. That stupid, cocky grin. "Hey, I get it. You just couldn't resist-"

"-I will throw this at you," I cut him off, lifting a fork nearby.

Theo laughs, backing up with his hands raised in surrender. "Alright, alright, no need for violence."

I huff, placing the fork onto the counter before leaving the kitchen, using the chance to grab my Kindle and phone from the couch. The battery is low, but I don't have time to charge it. I just need to leave before he starts getting even more insufferable.

But before I can slip away, his voice stops me.

"So... why was I in your bed?"

I pause, gripping my things a little tighter. "You were drunk."

"I know that much," he says, tilting his head. "But why your bed?"

I chew on my lip, staring at the floor.

For a second, I consider lying. Saying I had no idea, that he just ended up there somehow.

But then I sigh. "...Because you wanted to stay there."

I expect a scoff. A joke. Some teasing remark like, "Oh, so you took advantage of me?"

But instead-

Theo's entire face changes.

His usual cocky smirk disappears.

His brows lift, and his lips part slightly like he can't believe what he just heard.

And then-just for a second-his face softens.

The same look from last night flickers across his features.

The one that made me pause.

The one that felt too raw, too vulnerable, too unlike the Theo I know.

We stand there in silence, and just as I'm about to ask what's wrong-

Theo turns.

Without a word, he walks away, heading straight to his room.

I barely process it before I hear it-

Click.

The sound of his door locking.

Loud enough to be heard.

Loud enough to confuse me.

I blink, staring at his door, confused.

What the hell was that?

●●●

"So how long are we going to do this?" Alex asks, glancing at Tory as we sit in an empty classroom in the photography department.

Tory shrugs. "Depends on how much effort you guys put in, but I'd say somewhere between ten to twenty-five dollars an hour."

"Not bad," Blair murmurs to Alex before turning to me. "What do you think, Soph?"

"Oh... um," I lick my dry lips, suddenly aware of the weight of their gazes. "Anything is fine. I don't mind."

They nod, and Tory launches into a speech about how serious this is for her, but my mind drifts elsewhere-back to this morning.

Should I call him?

No. It's not necessary. If he wants to forget about what I said-that he needed me to sleep-then he should.

I let out a slow breath, nodding to myself, but my stomach betrays me with a loud growl. My hand instinctively presses against it as I fight the urge to groan.

Why did I skip breakfast? Oh, right-so I could avoid any weird conversations with him.

"Alright, now that we've covered the less important stuff, let's focus on why I called you guys here," Tory says, and I shift in my seat, trying not to look like I haven't eaten in days.

She tilts her head slightly, her gaze flicking between us before lingering on me a beat longer than necessary. Or maybe that's just the hunger talking.

"You guys are pretty close with the hockey team, right?" she asks.

Blair exchanges a glance with Alex before answering. "We're friendly with them." She shrugs. "Scott is Logan's cousin, so we say hi when we run into him."

"I see..."

What does she see exactly?

Tory licks her lips, shifting closer, and the room suddenly feels charged with something unspoken. "Here's the thing," she starts, then pauses-dragging out the suspense in a way that makes my nerves tighten.

"How would you guys like to make two hundred dollars a day?"

Silence. Then Blair's jaw drops first, followed by Alex's. I blink, certain I misheard her.

"Two hundred dollars?" Blair stares at her in disbelief. "Be real."

"I am," Tory insists. "But... what I need from you might be a little much. You might think I should ask other girls, but I feel like you guys are perfect for this. That said, it's completely your choice."

We exchange glances, unspoken curiosity thick in the air. After a beat, I clear my throat.

"Go on."

Tory sighs then continues,""I want you guys to take pictures of them."

Blair furrows her brows. "Them?"

"The hockey players," Tory clarifies, her eyes gleaming. "Shirtless."

A beat of silence.

Then Alex chokes on nothing. "What?"

Tory waves a hand like this is completely normal. "It's for a project. A concept piece. Think raw masculinity-sweat, grit, intensity. They'll be doing whatever-working out, stretching, maybe just lounging around-but the key detail? No shirts."

Blair blinks, still processing. "You... want us to photograph half-naked hockey players?"

"Yes." Tory grins. "And I already know who's covering who."

I swallow hard, my stomach flipping as she turns to Blair first.

"Blair, you'll take pictures of Sam."

Blair's lips part, her reaction unreadable for a second before she exhales. "Could've been worse," she mutters.

Tory's gaze shifts to Alex. "Alex, you're on Jaxon."

Alex tilts her head, then smirks. "I can work with that."

And then Tory looks at me.

My pulse stutters. Please say Logan. Please say Logan. I can just pawn it off on his girlfriend, make her take the shots instead-problem solved.

"Sophie," Tory says, dragging out the moment like she knows I'm internally bargaining with the universe.

I brace myself.

"You get Theo."

My stomach plummets.

Oh, fuck the universe.

I manage a tight smile, even as my brain spirals. Out of all the guys, she had to pick him? The one person I have no business standing within five feet of-let alone photographing like some artsy thirst trap?

Blair nudges me under the table, clearly amused. Alex outright grins.

"So," Tory clasps her hands. "Are we all in?"

I want to say no. I should say no.

Instead, I exhale, my voice betraying me. "Yeah... sure."

I mean I need the money and Theo obviously likes to be center of the show of this craziness. It's just gonna be us alone without him in a shirt and he poses all the fuckboy poses known to man.

He wouldn't mind, would he?