Page 11 of Silver Fire

Sophie tipped her eyes at her friend. “Really Beth, I think there’s more to Derek. He didn’t have to offer me protection tonight.”

“You’re right,” the reporter conceded reluctantly. “Then again these MDI guys have a reputation for loving trouble, and we’re talking the getting dead kind. Which reminds me!” The last sentence was loudly spoken. “Maia Pierce is a Guardian? Holy fucking hell!”

“Keep your voice down,” Sophie shushed. “I signed a non-disclosure agreement. But I can hardly lie to you now, can I? Please Beth, if word gets out that Jack McCord’s wife is an AGS agent, can you imagine who would come after her?”

Beth shuddered. “Don’t worry, Sophie. Not even gonna touch it. I do not want Jack McCord for an enemy, or Maia Pierce’s hell on my hands.”

Sophie woke with a start,her throat was feeling parched and raw. The smoke trauma had scraped her pharynx real good. Her friend snored softly beside her. She was tempted to wake her up but decided this latest dream of Adam shouldn’t be shared just yet. It wasn’t about the night he was taken, it was one of their hazy interludes, except his eyes weren’t green any more, they were chocolate like Derek’s. Melty brown eyes that pinned her down as his body repeatedly thrust inside her.Oh god, Sophie thought, as she sat up. She glanced at her friend again; she should wake her up. It was Beth’s fault after all for making her all too aware of their sexy, charming host.

God,her subconscious just said sexy,Sophie groaned inwardly as she threw the blanket back and got out of the bed. She was wearing one of her friend’s babydoll slips. For all her brashness, Beth loved sexy lingerie and that included sleepwear. Sophie was tall, so the hem which was already short, came indecently just below the V of her legs. And she wasn’t wearing panties either. She didn’t have any, and she wasn’t about to wear Beth’s. Sophie peeked through the darkened hallway. It was 2:00 a.m., Derek had watched some sports after dinner while she and Beth retired early. Actually she and her friend chatted in bed until one of them fell asleep, Sophie didn’t remember who dozed off first. The condo was quiet. It was a full moon, the lunar light shining through the wide panes illuminated the living room and kitchen enough for Sophie to make her way around without bumping into furniture. Derek had a high-tech water filtration system, and the water tasted so good without the chlorine aftertaste of tap water.

As she filled her glass, she heard a moan come from the direction of the master bedroom. Thinking she had imagined it, Sophie shook her head and took a sip of water before hearing the unmistakable sound of a longer moan. She froze. Then came grunting, then a loud moan which was quickly muffled and then some light squeaking. She slammed her glass on the kitchen counter.Oh god, Derek was having sex with someone in his bedroom!

She shouldn’t, she really shouldn’t, but Sophie found herself walking toward the sounds of sex. The double doors were wide open. Right in the center in full view was the biggest bed Sophie had ever seen. And right in the middle of that bed was a woman writhing beneath the shadowed body of Derek, who had the woman’s legs under his arms baring her wide open for his forceful thrusting. Their heads were at the foot of the bed, the action facing the door.

“Oh god, I’m close,” the woman whimpered and moaned. “Derek, fuck me, fuck me harder, sooo good, so good, honey.”

Sophie’s mouth parted, her right hand skimmed down the length of her body and fingered the neat curls under the hem of her sleepwear. They were drenched; she was painfully aroused by her voyeurism.

Derek grunted and shifted the woman’s legs higher, her knees almost up to her shoulders and that was when he looked up. His face was obscured in the shadows, but he held his face steady. Sophie had no idea if he was watching her or his eyes were closed but his pumping increased and he emitted a tortured guttural sound. The woman had reached her orgasm and only when Derek’s face shifted again did the moonlight reveal the blackness of his eyes, which snapped Sophie right out of her trance.

She turned and quickly made her way back to the kitchen, grabbed the glass of water off the counter, scrambled to her bedroom and shut the door. But not before her ears burned with Derek’s groan of release.

3

Sophie did not wantto leave the room. She had not slept at all since her early morning escapade and her body was coiled like the proverbial spring ready for a release. If she were alone on the bed, she would have probably touched herself, but lying beside her friend while doing so just smacked of perversion. Sophie tried to reach release in the bathroom, but she couldn’t quite get there either, which added to her overall frustration.

“I smell coffee, why don’t you go ahead to the kitchen and get me a cup,” Beth said as she made her way to the bathroom to shower.

“I’ll just wait for you. Your coffee will get cold,” Sophie replied, toweling her hair dry. She thought a cold shower would help, but apparently that only worked on men and had only successfully hardened her nipples into pencil erasers. She was wearing a tank top and no bra, thanks to Beth being a double D to Sophie’s decent B cup. She had a barely-there ass resulting in borrowed cotton shorts hanging loosely around her hips

“What’s wrong with you this morning, you seem so uptight,” Beth observed, flinging her nightie to the floor and getting into the shower. “I’m telling you, girl, you need to get laid!”

You are not wrong, Sophie thought.

The smellof bacon assailed her nostrils as Sophie and her friend made their way to the kitchen. Derek was at the stove, cast-iron pan on top, delicious strips of pork rendering their fat, and beautifully transforming into fried golden crisps. He briefly glanced up and said, “I hope you girls eat meat. Help yourself to the coffee.”

He poured some batter into the waffle maker.

“Hmm, a man that makes breakfast, what else can you do?” Beth drawled.

A smile played on Derek’s lips as he leveled his gaze at Sophie, who felt electricity pass through her. She quickly averted her gaze. What was wrong with her? Why was she behaving like a besotted school girl in front of this man? She felt herself blushing and quickly turned away to pour herself some coffee. Derek transferred the bacon to a paper-lined tray and said, “Sophie, can you hand me another platter for the waffles. They’re right above the cabinet where you are.”

No, she didn’t want to. But Beth was already sniffing blood, being the investigative journalist that she was. She was watching them closely; she knew that look on her friend’s face.Damn, Derek.

“Oooh, I need to make a call,” Beth announced and disappeared back into the bedroom just when Sophie was about to hand the platter to Derek. Sophie, staring in panic at the direction her friend had taken, failed to notice Derek moving swiftly toward her. His hand snaked out to grab the plate from her hand and with the other, pulled her to him so her back was flushed to his front.

He clamped his right arm around her breasts while his other hand splayed across her belly. Derek lowered his head, his hot breath fanning her ears. “You like watching, Angel?” he whispered thickly.

He did see her! But Sophie’s first instinct was to deny. “I don’t know…hey!” Derek had clasped her harder, giving her a slight shake.

“Don’t deny it,” Derek rasped. He pushed his hips into her, lowering slightly, so she could feel his hardness. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” His playful tone belied his words. Derek trailed his lips down her jaw, sending shivers down her spine; her already sensitive sex spasmed.

“Oh god,” Sophie moaned as intense moisture surged between her thighs. Derek groaned and spun her around, his mouth tentatively brushing hers, teasing her lips open before deepening the kiss. One hand burrowed under her tank top to caress her bare breast, capturing and rolling her nipple expertly between a thumb and forefinger. His other hand purposely slid down her belly, its destination unmistakable. Sophie felt a thrilling heat rub her pulsating core.

But a pit suddenly twisted in her stomach, sending the dreaded yet familiar bitterness up her throat. Her body froze, overwhelming the warmth and turning her skin cold and clammy. Derek pulled back in time to see the rejection in her eyes.

“What the fuck?” Derek whispered as she jerked herself away. “Sophie…” She shook her head, biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling. Derek had turned her on like no other man since Adam, but the problem remained the same; she still couldn’t bear another man’s touch.

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