Page 21 of Silver Fire

“Hello, Derek? I got her here.”

Sophie took the phone and childishly stuck out her tongue at Stephen. “Hey.”

“Hi, Angel,” Derek said softly.

“Stephen said you called this morning. We’re on track for the meeting Friday morning, there should be no delay—”

“I want to see you tonight,” Derek cut in abruptly, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I have plans tonight.”

“What? Watching American Idol on TV?”

“Ha—ha. Very funny. No, I’m having dinner with Christopher Blackstone.”

Silence.

Sophie refused to explain herself. She could feel the waves of fury reaching out to her through the phone line.

“And Connelly is letting you do this?”

“I told him to make it happen. I pay the AGS enough.”

“You are behaving like a spoiled princess.”

“Listen, Lockwood, you do not get to judge me, you barely know me. And you know what? I really don’t want to know you.”

With that Sophie hung up. The phone immediately started ringing again as she stalked over to Stephen’s office.

“Do not answer any call from Lockwood, I am not taking it.”

“What is going on?” Stephen took the phone from her and turned it off. “Tell me, sweetie.”

Sophie sank into the chair in front of his desk, shook her head and buried her face in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. “He…he confuses me. He annoys me, but I want to kiss him. I don’t know how to behave around him, Stephen and it’s…it’s unnerving.”

“Um, sorry, sweet girl, but that’s what you call infatuation and attraction.”

“He infuriates me!”

Stephen shrugged. “Foreplay.”

“Foreplay?” Sophie cried. “What planet are you on?”

“Same as you are,” Stephen said dryly. “Listen, sweetie. You are fighting this too hard. I get you are afraid given Derek’s reputation. But you’ve proven you can function in a relationship. You’ve dated David for three weeks with a bit of fooling around. Now, with Derek, things might, ah, go a bit faster.”

Sophie felt her cheeks burning. Her friend grinned at her. “In fact sweetie, I think it might go from 0 to 60 very quickly.”

“I can’t, you know I can’t.” Sophie stood up. She was having difficulty breathing. “Oh god, what if I freeze, what if I scream.”

Stephen came around his desk, put both hands on her shoulders and said, “Honey, you need to get out of your comfort zone otherwise you’re never going to clear those cobwebs out of your girly part. If you don’t wanna do it, just say no. For all his reputation, I believe Derek is quite honorable when a woman says no. But then you’ll be crazy if you did.”

“I still can’t talk to him right now.”

“Fine. I’ll screen your calls. But get a phone of your own soon. You know I have a weakness for those MDI boys.”

Sophie went backto the lab and was busy for most of the afternoon catching up work with Jan and Polly. When she walked back to her office, Derek was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed behind his head, his feet propped up on her table.

“All done, Angel?” His eyes were hooded, and his voice had a sexy lazy drawl.

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