JUST CHILLING

ROBERT'S POV

Sophia stood up with a little smirk on her face and said, “Guess it’s time I whooped your ass.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, leaning back against the couch, shaking my head. “We’ll see about that,” I said, getting up. I was already planning on winning this, and I wasn’t going easy on her just because she was Sophia.

I led her down the hallway to my gaming room. As soon as we stepped in, you could see the whole place was set up to impress. Dark walls, LED lights running under the shelves, the kind that changed colors based on your mood. There was this sleek, matte-black gaming setup with dual monitors, high-end gaming chairs, and a sound system that could probably wake up the entire estate if I cranked it up. Posters of classic games lined the walls, framed like artwork, and the controllers were all neatly organized on a rack like weapons ready for battle.

Sophia glanced around, taking it all in, but I could tell she wasn’t gonna back down. I liked that about her. She had this fire that made things… fun.

“Alright, pick your poison,” I said, arms crossed, giving her that confident, alpha-male grin.

She thought for a second, then smirked. “How about some Call of Duty?” she said, knowing damn well that was a challenge. Fine by me—I was gonna crush her.

We grabbed our controllers, settled in, and the game started. The sound of gunfire, explosions, and the rapid pace of Call of Duty filled the room. She was good, I’ll give her that. Hell, she was better than most people I’ve played against, and she wasn’t afraid to talk shit the whole time either.

“You’re slow as fuck, Robert!” she laughed, as her character took me down for the second time in a row.

I grinned, not even phased. “Enjoy it while it lasts,” I said, leaning forward, getting more into it. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through me, my competitive side taking over. No way in hell I was letting her win this.

We went at it for a solid half-hour. Back and forth, kills, and revenge kills. She was keeping up, which only made me want to push harder.

“Oh, come on! Is that all you’ve got?” she taunted after hitting me with a surprise headshot.

I gritted my teeth. She was really trying to fuck with me, but it wasn’t gonna work. “You talk a lot of shit for someone who’s about to lose,” I shot back, my fingers moving faster over the controller. I was in the zone now, blocking out everything except for the game.

And then, when it mattered most—when the score was tied and the next kill would seal the deal—I took her down with a clean shot. Game over. Victory.

Sophia dropped her controller and stared at the screen. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” she muttered, obviously pissed, but in that playful way.

I leaned back in my chair, giving her the most smug smile. “Told you, Soph. You can’t mess with the best,” I said, running a hand through my hair, feeling that alpha pride swell up. “Better luck next time.”

She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she wasn’t really mad. She liked the challenge, and honestly, so did I. There was something about competing with her that got my blood pumping, in all the right ways.

“Whatever, Robert,” she said, crossing her arms, trying to act like she didn’t care. “I’ll get you next time.”

I stood up, towering over her, and smirked down at her. “We’ll see about that,” I said, low and confident, my voice practically daring her to try again. Fuck, I loved that fire in her eyes. But for now, victory was mine, and I wasn’t gonna let her forget it.

I smiled at her when she asked, “Wanna go for another round?” but I was already thinking ahead. “Nah, we should start planning for our shopping,” I said, leaning back in the gaming chair like it was no big deal.

“Where should we go?” she asked, sounding curious.

I shrugged, trying to keep it casual, though I knew what I had in mind. “Anything for the boat cruise. We’ll pick some clothes, jewelry, just cool shit we might need for the trip.”

Sophia was all in, that excitement showing on her face. I told her I’d need to change into something more “presentable and comfy.” As I stood up, I put a call through to my secretary, telling her to contact a private designer boutique and get a VIP code ready for me. Sophia’s expression shifted—shock, maybe a little disbelief—after hearing that.

I hung up, stretched my hands in front of her, and said "Ok, let's get going". She was already standing up from the gaming chair, still processing what I said. “Wait,we are leaving now, I thought you said you were going to change,” she said, giving me this questioning look.

I grinned, loving the little confusion. “Yeah, and that’s where I’m inviting you to,to help me get dressed” I told her, casually dropping the bomb.

She laughed, giving me that “you’re silly” look, and I laughed too, throwing in a quick, joking comment. “You better get used to seeing me half-naked if I’m acting as your boyfriend for two weeks.” I started walking toward the door, making it clear it was just a joke—but deep down? I meant that shit, at least a little.

Leading her back to the living room, I noticed the TV was already on, something for her to watch while I got ready. I figured it would keep her entertained. She didn’t say much, just got comfortable, and I headed upstairs.

I didn’t waste time in my room. Changed into something fresh—nothing too fancy, but good enough to match the vibe for the day. I grabbed the keys to my Rolls Royce Wraith, knowing the car was already waiting for us. As I made my way back down the stairs, I caught sight of Sophia, lounging and watching some kind of cooking show on the TV.

She looked so damn peaceful, just sitting there, all gentle and pretty. Her face had this softness to it, and yeah, maybe it was the lighting or whatever, but I couldn’t help but feel a little… something. Not too deep, but enough to make me pause for a second.

“Ready?” I called out, making my way down the stairs. She glanced over at me, smiling, and for a brief moment, it felt kinda nice, like maybe this two-week thing wouldn’t be as much of a game as I’d thought.

But hell, I wasn’t about to overthink it. We had shit to do, and the day was just getting started.