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McCord Defense Industries could be a problem. Even if their companies were not after the same agenda, there was no question that McCord and Lockwood would do everything to protect their interests, which included keeping Dr. Leroux working in her laboratory.
Stoltz needed Dr. Leroux off-site to build him his bomb, and he had not decided if he would ever let her go.
* * *
“You’re walking funny,”Beth observed. Her friend was leaning against her car, waiting for Sophie.
“Seriously, Beth,” she replied irritably. At least Beth had waited for Derek to pull away before making that remark.
“Well, how was it?” Beth pressed. “You obviously got some last night.”
Sophie ignored her, took out the keys and opened the front door of the bungalow.Truthfully? The sex was mind-blowing. After Derek had woken her up last night with his tongue, he roused her again this morning by sliding into her from behind. It started out slow and deliberate and finished off hard, almost desperate. When he was done, Derek left the bed, walked to the bathroom and took a shower. He then headed to the kitchen, started coffee and made some French toast. He’d become closed off, made some small talk, and said Maia texted him earlier this morning about a meeting at AGS. Derek did not even touch her or make any move to kiss her. If this were a marathon, he had already put half that distance between them. The passionate man from last night all but vanished.
“I think it’s over,” Sophie mumbled.
“What?”
Sophie exhaled deeply. “We had sex. Amazing sex. Three times. And then this morning, he couldn’t even look at me. He dropped me off here without a ‘See you later, Sophie.’ He didn’t even kiss me. I mean that jerk just drove…off.” Her voice faltered.
“That asshole!” Beth said angrily. “You’ll come home with me. The last thing you need is some man who’ll blow hot and cold on you.”
“Next time, stop pawning me off on some guy.”
“The bright side is, you’ve gotten over the sexual hump. Lockwood has served his purpose.”
“Lockwood has served what purpose?” Stephen’s voice asked behind them.
Sophie turned around and smiled.
“You’ve finally had sex?” Stephen asked, stunned. “Damn, Lockwood is a miracle worker.”
“Don’t feel so awed, the sex god has clay feet,” Beth scoffed and repeated Sophie’s story with some embellishment.
“Are you OK, sweetie?” Stephen asked gently, but anger was lurking behind his blue eyes.
“Honestly, I don’t know how I feel,” Sophie admitted. “I feel relieved that I’m not destined for a sex-less existence. I’m also somewhat relieved that he’s lost interest before I’ve actually fallen for him. At the same time I’m feeling a bit rejected.”
“Baby girl, it’s not you!” Beth said furiously, though her anger was clearly directed at Derek. “This fucked-up shit is Lockwood. That asshole thought he could go the monogamous route and found out he couldn’t. So if he says to you that it’s not you, it’s him. It really is.”
Sophie snorted. “Of course it’s him. I didn’t even want to go home with him yesterday, but you were no help when he carried me off.”
“He carried you off?” Stephen asked, wide-eyed.
“Over his shoulder.”
He whistled. “And now he’s acting like the typical jerk.”
“Yep!” Sophie huffed a dejected sigh as she walked into her room and started gathering clothes—what little she had. She laid out her suitcase and started packing in some garments that still had price tags on them, twitching her nose at the new garment smell. Did nothing feel familiar right now? She kept telling herself that what had happened between her and Derek was for the best. So what was that pang in her chest, and why did she feel like crying? After making her feel so special yesterday, he treated her like gum he’d like to scrape off his shoe this morning. Her eyes started to sting.Damn him.
“Although,” Stephen said as he leaned on the door jamb watching her. “The advantage of having a gay friend is that we can give you a guys’s perspective. Maybe he’s running scared. Maybe he’s falling for you real hard and fast.”
“What kind of reasoning is that?”
“Uh, a guy’s?”
“Well that’s plain ridiculous.” Sophie scrunched her nose. “If all men acted that way, then I’m better off without those morons.”
“You said it, girl” Beth declared as she sat on the bed and watched Sophie putter around the room. “Now will you try batting for the other team? I know a couple of gals who are perfect for you.”
