Chapter 26: Sophia's Boyfriend
The heat was still sticky when we reached the two-story building. The blinds were half-closed and the worn sign was barely readable. Sophia stopped and turned toward me, still carrying that air of someone used to being in charge.
"The errand is right over there," she repeated, pointing with her chin. "I won't take long. Do you want to wait here or come inside with me?"
Before I could answer, a male voice interrupted her from the opposite sidewalk.
"Sophia!"
She turned immediately. Her expression, which until that moment had been the usual one — a little dry, a little defensive — softened slightly. It wasn't an open smile, but it was warmer than anything I had seen from her the entire walk.
The man approaching wasn't what I expected.
He was around five-foot-nine, clearly shorter than me. Average build, neither skinny nor muscular; the kind of body you see anywhere in a small town. Ordinary face, nothing particularly striking. He walked with confidence, like someone used to being listened to, but without any real intimidating presence. Just… normal.
"Clay," she said when he got close.
He didn't hesitate. He took her by the waist with one hand and pulled her toward him. The kiss was brief, but clear — the kind that left no room for doubt. When they separated, his hand slid a little lower, brushing the curve of her hip and staying there, possessive, over the edge of those short shorts that dug between her cheeks.
Sophia didn't pull away.
I stood off to the side, suddenly feeling completely out of place.
'So she has a boyfriend…'
The thought hit me harder than I expected. I didn't know why. Maybe because the entire walk she had been moving in front of me in that outfit, walking like the world belonged to her, and now there was suddenly someone who touched her with complete naturalness.
Clay looked at me over Sophia's shoulder. His eyes went up and down once, pausing for a second on my height. I noticed him straighten a little, as if trying to compensate for the difference.
"And this is?" he asked, still not fully letting go of her.
Sophia turned toward me. For a moment she looked a little embarrassed, or at least uncomfortable, like she hadn't planned for us to meet like this.
"He's my brother," she said, with that defensive tone she always used when something caught her off guard. "Ethan. He came back yesterday."
Clay held out his hand. The handshake was firm, but not aggressive. Just the kind someone gives when they're measuring you.
"Clay," he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," I replied.
There was a second of awkward silence. He still had his hand on Sophia's hip, fingers brushing the worn fabric of her shorts. I couldn't help noticing the contrast: she was tall and voluptuous, and next to him she almost looked bigger. Next to me, the height difference reversed the proportions.
'He looks… normal,' I thought, and immediately felt stupid for thinking it.
Sophia cleared her throat.
"We were coming from the road. I have to drop something off and then…" She looked at Clay. "Were you looking for me?"
"Yeah. You said you'd be passing by here. I figured I'd wait for you."
She nodded. Then she looked at me again.
"I'm going to be a while. You… can go back to the house if you want. Or wait. Whatever you prefer."
It wasn't an invitation. It was a polite way of telling me she now had other plans.
Clay was already guiding her toward the entrance of the building, his hand still on her waist. Before going in, Sophia turned for a second and gave me a vague wave.
"See you at the house."
They left.
I stayed alone on the sidewalk, under the sun that gave no relief. I watched them walk away. Clay stayed by her side, still touching her. And I, traitorously, found myself looking again at the way Sophia's ass moved with every step. The short shorts kept sinking between her cheeks, and the light sheen of sweat made the movement even more obvious.
This time, however, there was someone else walking beside her.
Someone who touched her like he had the right to.
I took a deep breath and looked away. The town was still watching. A couple of men sitting on chairs outside the workshop didn't even try to hide it. One of them smirked when he noticed I had been left alone.
'So she has a boyfriend…' I repeated in my head, this time with a different taste.
I didn't know exactly what bothered me. Whether it was the surprise, the discomfort… or the fact that, for a moment, I had forgotten that Sophia wasn't just my sister walking in front of me in that outfit.
Now I remembered.
And the reminder didn't help at all.
End of Chapter 26