Page 49 of Silver Fire

“That’s an outdated anthropological custom. You’ve regressed from millions of years of evolution.”

“It’s a primal instinct.”

“What, being a caveman?”

“I shouldn’t be enjoying this, but I am,” Beth broke in.

“Beth!”

“Oh, chill Sophie. You need some manhandling in your life.”

“I can’t believe this!” Sophie cried in a frustration.

Derek had lowered her and bleeped the locks of the Escalade. Keeping an eye on her, he moved to the back of the SUV, opening the liftgate and deposited her bag into the cargo area. Rounding to the passenger side he opened the front and back doors. “Get in Sophie. Beth, can you drive? I can take you back to your apartment and we can figure how to pick up your car tomorrow.”

Sophie hesitated getting in. Taking one look at his face she complied, but not without flipping him a mutinous glare. Beth got in merrily behind her friend.

“Thanks, Derek, but I’m sober enough to drive. Drank three glasses of water over the last hour.”

Derek nodded and rounded the front of the Escalade to get into the driver’s seat. Beth continued to make small talk as they made the short drive to her car. She got down and waved to Sophie. “Call you tomorrow, baby girl. Be good both of you.”

“Traitor,” Sophie whispered under her breath.

She continued to ignore Derek even as they got back on the Beltway to head back to New Park City.

Derek sighed. “So is it going to be the silent treatment now? Come on, Sophie, grow up.”

“What do you expect me to say?” Sophie snapped. “You humiliated me, carting me off like some damned Neanderthal.”

He fell silent trying to justify what he had done. Hell, Jack had tranquilized Maia when she was being stubborn, what Derek did was more acceptable.Was it? All he knew was he had to get Sophie alone so he could make it up to her. But he wasn’t sure if his methods only aggravated the situation. Now he had just added abduction to his asshole behavior earlier.

* * *

Sophie walked aheadof him into the condo and headed straight for the guest room. This was not going to be easy, and Derek figured would require some form of groveling. He followed her into the room and dropped her overnight bag on a chair.

She was fumbling for her phone in her purse as he came up behind her and pulled her fully into him, burying his face in the crook of her neck and mumbling, “I was a dick.”

Sophie stiffened but did not pull away. “Which time?”

“At the bar,” Derek said, then added, “When I told you I don’t date.”

“And carrying me off like a Neanderthal?”

“That wasn’t being a dick, and I won’t hesitate to throw you over my shoulder again if you insist on being stubborn,” Derek said.

She tried to pull away, but he tightened his arms. “Let me go Derek, I want to see your eyes when I ask you something.”

He loosened his arms and allowed her to turn around but kept their bodies flushed together, her breasts pressed against his chest. It took all his willpower to keep his erection down. Five days without sex was absolute torture and from the looks of how things were going, there was going to be a sixth day.

“Are you saying we’re going on dates now?”

“I was planning that all along. I just don’t want to be told what to do.”

“You didn’t have to be a jerk about it.”

“I know, that’s why I’m apologizing.”

“I didn’t exactly hear the words.”

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