Chapter 147 - Mutual Feeling

What did she want from him? Love? Companionship? Friendship? She definitely couldn't tell him she wanted any of those. Why was he asking anyway? It wasn't like he was going to offer it to her just because she says she wants that. He might even make fun of her if she told him she was beginning to develop feelings for him, she thought with a sigh when she remembered the discussion they had some days back about who was going to fall in love with the other first.

"I don't want anything from you. I'm just busy with work," Sonia said, trying to pull her hand away from his grip, but Bryan kept a firm grip on her hand as he got on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Sonia asked, wondering why he was acting like he cared about her when he already told Jeff that he didn't feel anything for her. 

Bryan tried to put himself in her shoes by thinking about how he would have felt or reacted had he been the one who had overheard her saying what he had said to Jeff. He decided that the only reason he would feel upset was if he was interested in her. So why did she seem so upset? Was she really interested in him? He hoped so. 

"Why don't I sit next to you and watch you while you work? I promise not to disturb you," He said as he moved closer to her.

"Suit yourself," Sonia muttered as she moved away from him, even though her heart was beating really fast because of his proximity.

Sonia tried to focus on the words she had previously typed which were displayed on her laptop's screen, but she couldn't make sense of the words or concentrate on anything, as she was distracted by Bryan's thumb which was lightly rubbing over her arm as he scooted closer to her. 

When she couldn't bear it anymore Sonia cleared her throat, "Do you mind excusing me? I can't concentrate on my work while you are here like this," Sonia told him quietly.

"You asked me to suit myself. Besides, I can't concentrate out there while you are in here like this either. So, what do you suggest we do? Do you want us to talk about it now?" He asked, looking at her face with searching eyes, as though trying to discern her thoughts.

Sonia felt a painful lump in her throat when she recalled the words he had said to Jeff, and tears welled up in her eyes, causing her to look away from him, "Talk about what?" She asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about as the thought of what he had said still made her heart ache. 

"Talk about the reason you are so upset," Bryan answered patiently.

"I already told you I'm not upset," Sonia insisted. 

"Can you stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about? I'm trying my best here, so you should at least help me too. I really didn't mean what I said to Jeff. I only said that to get him out of my face," Bryan confessed with a sigh even though he knew she still wouldn't believe him. He just didn't want her to keep feeling hurt or upset because of what he had said. 

Sonia turned to look at him. She wanted to ask him what he meant by that. Did that mean he had feelings for her? But she was too scared to bring herself to ask him that question. She didn't want him to say something that might hurt her even more, and she didn't want him to have the impression that he could hurt her either, so she shook her head, "I really don't know what you are talking about. I didn't hear anything," Sonia stubbornly insisted.

It was apparent to Bryan that she was lying to him, but he couldn't understand why, "I have no idea why you are being so stubborn or denying this, but if you're feeling upset because of what you heard, you really shouldn't be," Bryan said as he raised her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm, making Sonia blink at him as heat spread from her hand to the other parts of her body, and her heart fluttered in her chest. 

"What are you doing?" She asked in a small voice. 

"Trying to make you feel better? I don't like you like this. I like you better when you are happy and acting like a witch," Bryan said with a small smile even though he couldn't understand why he was saying things like this, or trying so hard to cheer her up when he had decided that he didn't want her to know about his feelings. 

"Acting like a witch?" Sonia asked with a scowl even though she somehow found his words amusing and comforting. 

"Are women generally fault finders, or is it just a Sonia Bardi thing? How come you skipped the part where I said I like you better when you are happy?" Bryan asked, making Sonia roll her eyes. 

"Are you here to pick a fight or to apologize?"

"Ah! So finally you agree that I did something to make you upset?" Bryan asked with a grin, and Sonia picked up the pillow to hit him, but Bryan quickly caught hold of it. 

"What did I do?" 

"How could you ask me such a stupid question?" Sonia asked with a slightly raised brow.

"Well, you kept insisting that you weren't upset, yet you kept giving me that silly attitude like you were having a mood swing. What was I to think? I was only trying to understand what was up with you," Bryan pointed out as he placed one hand over her shoulder and pulled her close to himself.

"I never gave you any silly attitude," Sonia said defensively.

"Yes, you did. Your smile was fake, and you weren't even looking at me like you did during the interview earlier. And please stop denying it, it's not cool," Bryan said with a scowl.

"Whatever!" Sonia muttered as she turned her face away from him.

"Ever heard the saying that eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves?" Bryan asked as he lifted her laptop off her lap, and dropped it on top of his wheelchair, before placing a finger under her chin.

Sonia swallowed as she reluctantly turned to look into his face, but she couldn't raise her eyes to meet his gaze. She feared that her eyes might reveal her emotions to him.

"I'm sorry you heard that."

"You didn't say anything that wasn't true. It's not like we are in a real relationship anyway, so I had no reason to be upset," Sonia pointed out with a sigh. 

"Yet you were upset, weren't you?" Bryan asked hopefully as he looked into her face.

"Maybe a little?" Sonia asked, making the corners of Bryan's lips twitch. 

"Now you sound cute," Bryan murmured in amusement as he brushed his lips against her forehead.

They both adjusted in a way that they were seated on the bed with their backs resting against the headboard and Sonia's head rested on his shoulder, while Bryan's left hand was around her shoulders, and their right hands were intertwined.

Neither of them said another word to each other for some seconds as they both remained in that position. After a while, Bryan sighed, "I don't know what to say to you, but I can honestly assure you that within the last couple of days I've stopped seeing you as a nuisance. I enjoy your company and love having you around me," Bryan said, making Sonia lift her head to look at him as butterflies fluttered in her belly.

"You are not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?" She asked hesitantly.

"Why would I try so hard to make you feel better if I didn't care about your feelings?" Bryan asked dryly, and Sonia gave him a nod. 

Although that wasn't a declaration of love from him, she was happy to know that he cared about her feelings, and he liked having her around. That was way better than him not feeling anything for her. It gave her hope.

"The feeling is mutual," she rushed to assure Bryan, who grinned at her. 

"Of course, it is. Why else would you be so upset over what I said if the feeling isn't mutual?" Bryan asked as he looked into her eyes.

Even though he wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling for him yet or what she wanted from him, he was relieved to know that she cared enough to be hurt because of what he had said. That gave him hope. 

Because I'm falling in love with you, Sonia thought, "Perhaps because my ego was bruised?" She said with a teasing smile.

"Then I'm doing this because my ego is bruised too," Bryan said, making Sonia giggle.

"Can you do me a favor?" Bryan asked now that she seemed less upset. 

"What?" Sonia asked curiously as she looked at their intertwined fingers. 

"I don't have telepathic abilities. I can't tell why you are upset if you don't tell me. So I think it will be best for our arrangement if you can always tell me whenever I do something wrong instead of acting up. I really don't like having misunderstandings like this," Bryan pleaded. 

Sonia sighed to herself. Without a doubt, she knew that in days to come he was probably going to ignorantly say a lot of things that would upset her, and she wouldn't be able to tell him about them. Maybe if she wasn't already developing feelings for him, she would have been less sensitive to some of these things, but she liked him, so even some of his 'harmless' words might easily get to her. 

"I can't promise, but I will try. You should also try not to say things that you don't mean," Sonia said with a yawn.

"I will try. It has been a long day, you should rest," Bryan suggested as he sat upon the bed, even though he didn't really want to leave her. 

"Yeah," Sonia said as she also sat up on the bed, wishing he wouldn't leave.

"Uhm, I should return to my bedroom then," Bryan said with a nod as he started to get off the bed.

He reached into the wheelchair and picked up her laptop which he returned to the bed, before getting on the wheelchair, "See you in the morning. Goodnight," he told Sonia who was still staring at him. 

She gave him a nod but said nothing for fear that if she opened her mouth she might end up asking him not to leave. She watched as he made his way to the door.

"Sonia?"

"Bryan?" They called in unison as Bryan turned around in his chair to look at her. 

"Yes?" Each asked, looking at the other hopefully.

"Ladies first," Bryan urged her. 

"You go first," Sonia urged him. 

"Uhm, if you're not feeling too tired, would you like to see a movie with me? And maybe we can plan on what to do for tomorrow's show?" Bryan asked, and a happy smile split Sonia's face as she rolled off the bed. 

"I was going to suggest that too!" Sonia lied, and Bryan smiled at her as she followed him out of the bedroom.