Free The Secret Life of Daydreams by Lucinda Whitney

then what?
    No, it was much better to keep a surface friendship with her, the kind of relationship that friendly acquaintances had, and nothing more. No more showing up to help when she had a situation. She’d been doing fine without him all these years and she’d still be fine when he left. Sofia didn’t need him and he didn’t need Sofia. It was as simple as that.
    The national holiday fell on Monday. Ordinarily the school would have been closed but Sofia had arranged a private tour for him. How hard had that been to pull off? Other than the first visit, he’d been there once again to take more shots of the exterior, including the courtyard. He’d managed to stage some photos without students during classes but an empty school was definitely better for the interior shots. This time he hoped to photograph the old library, the attic, and the laboratories. Would there be anyone else there or just him and Sofia? Funny how he could be excited and cautious at the same time. Now he just had to remember to keep a friendly, professional attitude with her, and everything would be all right.
    For a change from all the rain and humidity, the skies were partly clear, with an intermittent sun making its appearance through cotton-candy clouds. The air was clearer in Portugal, the sky bluer, and the sun brighter. He hadn’t paid much attention when he was a missionary, but his photography education and job had trained his eyes for the little differences.
    When Josh arrived at the school’s side entrance, Sofia stood by the door, facing the other direction. He stopped, taking advantage of the moment before she knew he was there.
    She wore her hair loose and down her back, a mass of cascading chestnut curls, both glorious and riotous and absolutely fascinating to him. So this was what she looked like when her hair was not braided or in a bun. He smiled. Against the morning sunlight, Sofia’s outline shone in contrast to the dark wooden door, lending her a diaphanous, delicate aura that he couldn’t let pass. He brought the camera up to his eyes, adjusted the focus on the lens to compose his shot, and pressed the shutter. When he checked the LCD screen, the corner of his lips rose in a smile.
    She wore dark fitted jeans and a light-yellow top with flowing sleeves. The color looked good on her but he had yet to see her in something that didn’t complement her. Her understated style appealed to him.
    Sofia turned as he approached. She shielded her eyes and smiled. “Bom dia.”
    “Bom dia para ti também.” Josh returned the smile.
    “Your accent is getting better.”
    He shrugged. “It’s definitely getting easier with each day in the country.”
    Up close, her hair was even more enticing, with light brown highlights as it caught the sun’s rays. He stopped at a safe distance from her to discourage her from brushing a beijinho on his cheeks. Not because he didn’t want it, but because he feared he’d want something more than a simple greeting. Already the temptation to reach his hand and touch the curls on her head proved stronger than he’d anticipated. It scared him the way he was attracted to her, how strong and how fast his feelings had grown in such a short time.
    Sofia drew a set of keys from her pocket.
    “Is anyone else coming?” Maybe it was better to have someone else come along. For one, it would feel less intimate.
    “Just you and I.” She pushed the door open then motioned for him to enter. He motioned back to her and she passed first.
    The movement of the door pushed the air in his direction, and in the confines of the room they’d entered, Sofia’s perfume wafted to him. Her hair blew in the breeze and she tucked a strand behind her ear. His awareness of her movements had all his senses on alert.
    His eyes adjusted to the darkness. “How did you pull this off?”
    Sofia flipped a light switch and light spilled in a short hallway. “I had to promise a date with the custodian’s son.”
    “Did you