Page 63 of Silver Fire

Downing the last of his beer, he prowled down the hallway to her bedroom. It was locked, so he hauled back and kicked it open.

“Derek! Are you nuts?”

“We’re talking.”

“What else is there to say?”

“Angel, I freaked out this morning.”

“I think I got that.”

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t get it, Sophie. You just have to wait it out.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to go on.

He sighed. “I shouldn’t have shut you out, but for the first time in my life I was losing control and that did not go over well. This thing between us is new. Angel, I will fuck up.”

Derek moved closer to her and was encouraged when she did not back away. Uncrossing her arms, he pulled her stiff body into his embrace and inhaled the scent of her hair.

“You have the power to hurt me, I got scared,” Derek said softly. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“I get where you’re coming from, Derek, but I don’t want this rollercoaster,” Sophie whispered. “You’re too complicated. And for that matter, what makes you think after all these years, you’re cut out for a relationship? Wait, let me guess. You see Jack and Maia happily married and you think you can have that too. Is that why you’re trying, Derek?”

Is she psychic too? Derek thought.

“I see I’ve hit a sore spot,” Sophie said as she extricated herself from his arms. “I’m not an experiment, Derek. I’m a person. You do not get to test things out on me to see if monogamy works for you.”

“You are not a damned experiment,” Derek said roughly. “I’ll admit I’m feeling envious of my friends’ marriage, but I’m genuinely attracted to you.”

“You’re attracted to all the women you sleep with.”

“You’re different.”

“You expect me to fall for that line?”

Shit. He was going about this all wrong. Everyone he knew was fucked up in handling relationships. Jack seemed to be muddling through that minefield fine, but his friend could hardly give a lecture on “Relationships 101.” And forget Viktor.

“Is it working?” Derek asked hopefully and shot her his boyish grin.

Sophie shook her head. “Derek, stop. Give it up. I’m not giving you another chance. I’m getting a new car and finding an apartment and I will be out of your hair.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No. You are not moving out. We can go get you a car, but I’m driving it until we’re sure all the threats against you are under control. I take you to work, I pick you up. And I don’t give a fuck if you don’t give me a second chance because I’m taking one.”

Derek realized he was letting Sophie control their dynamics, and to a certain extent he was allowing it after his behavior this morning, but their discussion was going nowhere. He had to take over.

“Are you deaf?” Sophie cried. “We’re done.”

“No, we’re not,” Derek shot back evenly. “You’re the one shutting me out now. I messed up. Angel, I will fuck up again. You will fuck up. We do not walk away from each other.” He yanked her back into his arms and said thickly, “Baby, after you gave me all of you last night, I’m not fucking giving it back. I’m not letting you go.”

“And I don’t have a say in this?” Sophie hissed.

Derek grinned. “No, you don’t.”

“I shouldn’t have slept with you.”

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