Page 76 of Silver Fire
“So now we’re done with the boring conversation, let’s move on to a more interesting topic,” Beth drawled. “How’s sex with Derek? And I want details.”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” Sophie said with mock demureness.
“Spill,” Beth insisted.
“No.” Sophie replied, but she couldn’t help grinning as she remembered the shower sex.
“Hell, look at that self-satisfied smile on your face.”
Stephen cleared his throat. Beth frowned at him. “What?”
“Sophie is worried about the demise of their relationship because they haven’t had sex in two days.”
Beth gave a shout of laughter. “Has Derek turned you into a nympho?”
“Beth!” Sophie exclaimed, mortified. Several patrons beside them turned to look at their group. Some with amusement, some with censure.
“Well, we’re talking about Derek,” Sophie said,sotto voce.
“So what did you guys do the past two nights? Play Monopoly?”
Sophie looked at her friend with annoyance. “Well, we do make out. But before anything gets too heated, he pulls back.”
“Maybe he’s taking it slow,” Stephen said.
“That’s the whole problem, I told him I wanted to take it slow, but now that he’s um, shown me great um, sex,” Sophie broke off and glared at her friends. “Stop laughing, both of you!”
“So now you don’t know how to take it back,” Stephen chortled. “Oh, sweetie, you’re such a typical female. See, that’s where men have no problem with gay men. Yes means yes and no means no.”
Their server arrived with their drinks, Sophie took a deep sip of her soda and said, “But I wanted to follow the natural progression of a relationship.”
“On what planet?” Stephen asked.
“Girl, you’ve hung around Stephen and I enough,” Beth said, still grinning. “Natural progression nowadays means you have sex then more sex, and then you decide whether you want a relationship.”
“Besides, with a man like Derek, who wants to talk?” Stephen added.
“Uh-oh, don’t look now, but the man of the hour just crossed the street,” Beth said in a quietly amused voice. “And he does not look pleased.”
Sophie watched Derek’s tall lean body negotiate the sidewalk leading to the outdoor patio of the cafe. Without a word, he sat down across from Sophie who was flanked, thankfully enough, by her two friends. Derek looked like he wanted to throttle her. He regarded her through narrowed chocolate eyes, daring her to say something.
“I hear the burger here is pretty good,” Sophie said, her voice pitched higher than normal. Derek did not intimidate her right now; his body was emanating sexual tension so strong, she felt a twitch between her legs.
“Don’t cute your way out of this, Angel,” Derek warned. “I thought I made myself clear.”
“It’s not like you don’t know where I am,” Sophie replied. “Don’t think I don’t know about the tail you have on me.”
“You knew the CIA was going to put someone on you.”
“That’s heartening, seeing that it was easy to clock him,” Sophie retorted.
“Taggart is a rookie. Besides, he wasn’t trying to be discreet. His presence was meant to make you feel more secure.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
Their server returned with their order and asked Derek for his. He ordered a beer.
“You’re not eating?” Sophie frowned as she took a bite out of her sandwich.