Patrick

“I know.” She looked up at him with tear-soaked green eyes, and he felt as if his heart was breaking.

“I cannot see you again.” He used the pad of his thumb to wipe her tears. “I cannot even ask you to save yourself for me when I visit Europe.”

“No matter who I meet there, I will always have a place for you.” She moved against him.

“I am old enough to be your father, Sophia,” he murmured.

“I don’t care,” she said stubbornly. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he told her helplessly as he took her lips with his.

*****

Patrick found him later that night drinking in his den. He had come home and told his wife quietly that the situation was contained and he wouldn’t be seeing her again, but he was still sleeping in the cream and gold suite.

“Mind if I join you?” Patrick asked him as he poured himself some scotch. He had left Carrie going over some campaign ad for work tomorrow and decided that he needed to talk to his old man.

“Go ahead.” William felt as if he was numb. He had finally left the apartment with Sophia clinging to him, and he had ended up dragging her into his arms and holding her for a long time. He had wanted to go back to her and make love to her for the entire night.

“Are you in love with her?” Patrick asked him suddenly as he came and took a seat in front of his father’s desk.

William looked at him for a moment and then took a swig of the liquor. “Yes,” he said honestly. “But don’t worry, we are not going to be seeing each other again. She is going to Europe.”

“That is only a plane ride away,” Patrick reminded him, very disturbed to hear that his father had fallen in love with his ex. “Did you ever love Mother?”

“I love and respect her, but I was never in love with her.” William looked at his son for a moment. “I am happy you did not enter into that sort of arrangement because I have a feeling you are in love with your wife.”

It was Patrick’s time to look at him sharply. “Why would you think that?”

“It’s all over your face whenever she is in the room,” his father said smiling grimly. “She is quite something, isn’t she?”

“She is,” Patrick said softly, his mouth curving into a smile. “What are you going to do?”

“Work on getting back your mother’s trust. We have been through too much together for me to consider leaving her no matter how I feel.”