Page 115 of Silver Fire
“You never were,” Derek said ruefully. “You were always in your own world except that last time when we signed the contract. What changed?”
“Beth was giving me grief about my non-existent sex life and suggested I take you on.”
Derek chuckled. “Guess I have Ms. Turner to thank for that.”
He grasped both her hands and kissed the back of her fingers. “Now that we’ve unleashed the sex kitten in you, maybe your heart would follow?”
Sophie responded with a weak smile.
“I guess this is my penance for a life of debauchery,” Derek said wearily. It was getting oppressively hot.
“That’s a first step to redemption.”
“I’ll show you redemption later, minx,” Derek promised as he tackled her down on the picnic blanket again and kissed her thoroughly, ignoring the disapproving stares thrown their way.
* * *
“I’msurprised Lockwood let you out of his sight,” Beth said as she bit into her hotdog and just about rolled her eyes with the pleasure of the first bite. “Damn. I missed Captain Slappy’s dogs,” she mumbled with a full mouth.
Captain Slappy’s was a hotdog kiosk in front of the DC Tattler building. Sophie met her friend for lunch, and they sat at a park bench enjoying this fast food indulgence.
“It’s been two weeks. I think he’s decided that I’m not going to break my nail if he’s not by my side for an hour or two,” Sophie deadpanned.
Beth chuckled. “Getting on your nerves, huh?’
“Not really. I like spending time with him,” Sophie replied.
“All’s going well then?”
“He told me he loves me.”
Silence for a beat and then: “What? When?”
“A week ago.”
“And you’re only telling me this now?”
“It was kind of private—”
“And I’m your best friend,” Beth shot back. “So did you say it back?”
“No.”
“Uh, why?”
“Because I’m not sure I love him.”
“Hmm, let me see,” Beth tapped her chin in mock contemplation. “You get goo-goo eyes whenever he’s in the room—”
“I do not!”
“—your eyes sparkle whenever you talk about him. You have this stupid grin on your face whenever your phone rings and Caller-ID says ‘Derek’, and you refuse to talk about sex with him but instead you just turn this ugly shade of magenta.” Beth paused before saying sagely, “Baby girl, you are gone for him.”
“So yes, maybe I’m a little bit in love with him,” Sophie said.
“A little?”
Though the incident with Layla wasn’t Derek’s fault, it had made her wary of examining her burgeoning feelings for him and had somehow rebuilt some of her walls. Or she could simply be in denial.