Silver Fire (Guardians)

by Victoria Paige

  “If you don’t want this, tell me now. I can’t stop if we go past this point,” he muttered through his teeth.

  Sophie rocked her hips underneath him, rubbing against his rock hard erection. Fuck, he was going to lose it in his pants if she continued doing that. “I want you,” she breathed and he was lost. Yes! Derek groaned as he devoured her lips once more. His hands drifting to her hips, teasing the edges of her panties, giving her another opportunity to say no. When she simply ground herself into him, he pulled away, ignoring her protests at the loss of contact and said, “Easy, Angel. I may be close to exploding right now, but I want to take care of you first.”

  He fell to her side and using his right hand, he threaded her panties out from under her. He heard her gasp, her eyes widening as they flew to his.

  “That’s right, Sophie. Look at me. Let yourself go.”

  Derek touched her, using all his self-restraint not to replace his fingers with his mouth as he discovered how soaking wet she had become. He watched her eyes flutter close in rapture, a small smile forming on her lips as her orgasm built within her. She was reveling in her pleasure and that turned him on like nothing else. Her female dew quickly coated his fingers and fuck if his mating instincts didn’t kick in. He ached to taste her, to lick and partake of all that honey flowing from her pussy. Unable to resist any further, Derek spun her legs around and buried his mouth between her legs.

  “Derek,” Sophie gasped. “I...oh god...stop...don’t stop.”

  He knew enough that when he got mixed signals from a woman, she. Was—Fucking—Gone.

  Derek licked her fully on her slit; she was sweet as honey. The musky scent of her arousal was driving him insane. He lightly latched onto her swollen clit and sucked gently. She instantly came apart with his mouth on her. Fucking incredible. He slipped one finger inside her to test her readiness. She was tight. He knew this morning that penetration could be a problem. He gave her nub another tug. Feeling her juices pooling, he tested two fingers like he did this morning. She stiffened.

  “Derek.”

  “Does it hurt, Sophie?”

  “It’s...it’s...uncomfortable.”

  “Angel, you need to relax. You’re clenching. Can you relax, baby? Like you did this morning?”

  “I don’t think. Oh—”

  Derek pulled his fingers out and hit her between the legs again with his tongue. Gnawing and biting and getting her hips bucking in a frenzy. He stopped before she came.

  “I wasn’t finish.”

  “I know.” Derek quickly pulled her dress from her and unhooked her bra. “If you orgasm, you’re going to get tighter. But I need to get you wet to a certain point before I push inside you.”

  “You’re still fully dressed,” Sophie complained.

  Derek had only removed his jacket and tie when they got home. He now unbuttoned his shirt, but left it on. He found it erotically stimulating to bury himself inside her with most of his clothes on.

  Leaning over her, he undid his trousers, pushing them down a little with his boxers. His heavy erection sprang free.

  Crawling back up her body, he lowered his mouth to her breast to circle her nipple with his tongue, tracing maddening circles around the peak. He smiled when her fingers dug into his hair and heard her moan. When she bucked her hips, his fingers tested her readiness again. Two fingers in, she was still a tight squeeze. He knew three fingers would make her panic.

  “This might hurt a little, Sophie, just keep your eyes on me,” Derek murmured. He kissed her lightly on her lips.

  “You um, smell like me,” Sophie groused, turning her face away.

  Derek chuckled and didn’t say anything. She was adorable, but right now he couldn’t wait to be inside her.

  He fisted his cock and coated its head with her slickness before feeding it in slowly.

  “Derek—” She was starting to panic, her hips tried to shift away, and her core muscles clamped down around his shaft. Shit. He was going to lose it.

  “Sophie...relax,” Derek grit his teeth.

  “I am...but,” she gasped and squeezed tighter.

  Groaning, Derek felt like a noose had collared the head of his cock. Cursing under his breath, Derek withdrew and spread her thighs apart, pushing her knees close to her collarbone and draped her ankles on his shoulder, effectively tilting her pelvis up.

  “Derek!” Sophie cried in shock and he took the opportunity to bury himself inside her in one swift thrust. He bent down and swallowed her cry of pain with his mouth, consuming her in a deep searing kiss, taking her mind off the sudden intrusion. His mouth moved fiercely over hers, probing her depths with his tongue until she started to whimper, begging him for more.

  Retreating from the kiss, he muttered. “Did I hurt you too much? I’m sorry, Angel.”

  “No...it’s fine,” Sophie said weakly, uncomfortably. “You feel so...big.”

  Derek chuckled softly into her hair, relishing the sensation of being planted balls deep inside her but fuck he had to move.

  “Angel,” he said raggedly. “I need to move, baby.”

  Sophie nodded.

  Derek slowly withdrew to the tip, and then thrust forward, the delicious slide sheathing his cock like a warm wet glove. This was nirvana; he never wanted to leave. She felt fucking incredible. He wanted to stay buried inside her forever.

  “Fuck, Angel,” he groaned as he began to flex his hips, taking slow measured strokes to have her get used to him.

  “Harder,” Sophie urged. One of her legs was still draped on his shoulder, the other one cocked to his side, her heel digging into the small of his back.

  That was all she needed to say, Derek’s control evaporated and he unleashed his pent-up craving for her, plunging into her so hard, she slid up the bed. Locking her into place, he pounded deep inside her. Fast. Hard. Relentless.

  “Eyes on me, Sophie.” He wanted to watch her come. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he moved inside her, their hips rubbing against each other felt like fucking heaven. He alternated thrusting and grinding erotic circles on her clit. Her eyes grew hooded again, she was close, she mewled and then she screamed, writhing beneath him, he continued thrusting into her until suddenly he bucked and swore as he felt an orgasm so powerful, he was unprepared for its intensity. He shoved into her one last time, his neck muscles bunching as he threw his head back and roared his release. He gripped Sophie convulsively, burying his face in the curve of her neck and bit her shoulder in a mark of possession.

  ***

  Sophie scrutinized the red imprint on her shoulder. The skin had not broken, but it was caused by a bite. Derek had marked her. She felt weird about it, thrilled and anxious at the same time. The man was intense, but he definitely knew his way around a woman’s body. When Sophie first saw his erection, she was certain she would be ripped apart. The slight hesitation on Derek’s part only spurred her anxiety. Luckily with his experience, he was able to distract her from the impending penetration, and he slid inside her with some discomfort and little pain. Everything that followed was pure ecstasy. He had ruined her for other men. She was sure of it.

  He had carried her to his bathroom and cleaned her up. Now he was laying on the bed, naked, relaxed and lazily watching her move around the room.

  “You didn’t say anything about marking me,” Sophie teased lightly.

  “I’ve never done that before,” Derek murmured in a bemused tone. “You just taste incredible. Eat you up.” His last words were mumbled.

  Running a brush through her hair one last time, she made her way to his massive bed. She frowned. “This bed could fit four people. Custom-made for orgies?”

  “Damn it,” Derek said impatiently. “Get into bed. We are not having this conversation now.”

  Sophie shrugged. “Just saying.”

  Derek suddenly knifed up and caught her around the waist, dragging her down to the bed and rolling on top of her before she could even squeal.

  “Minx,” he muttered into her hai
r, inhaling deeply. “I want you again. Are you sore?”

  Sophie nodded sadly. Her female bits were swollen for sure, but she quivered at the thought of him taking her again.

  Derek sighed. “Like I just fucked a virgin.”

  “Well, you’re not exactly Mister Average, you know,” Sophie retorted

  The man grinned wolfishly. “That sounds like a compliment.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes and yawned. “You know it is. We don’t have to cuddle, if that’s not your thing.”

  He scowled at her. “Most women like to cuddle.”

  “I’m not most women.”

  “I can tell.”

  What’s up his ass now?

  “Come here,” he ordered. Sophie wiggled her body beside his and he wrapped his arms around her, her head in the crook of his arm. Sophie inhaled his clean masculine scent. She took the opportunity to admire Derek’s lean-muscled frame. He wasn’t bulky in a way body builders were built; he wasn’t too lean either. He was simply perfection. He had the physique befitting a sex god, not a single gram of fat on him. Sophie couldn’t decide which part of him she loved more: the perfect cut of his shoulders or his sharply-defined abdominal muscles. She snuck a peek at his face. And he was so handsome. Ruggedly handsome. The chiseled planes of his face hinted of an innate arrogance and she found the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes so sexy. Nothing like a man who exuded experience and humor. She sighed contentedly. He was a beast between the sheets and he was currently emanating serious heat. After a few minutes of trying to sleep, she pushed away. It simply was not a comfortable position. She turned around, scooted away and plopped her head on the cool pillow.

  She felt his warm body hit her from behind.

  “Derek. Not comfortable,” Sophie grumbled.

  “You were fine yesterday,” he murmured, nuzzling her nape before he reached over her to switch off the night lamp. Sophie sighed and let herself drift off to sleep. She was too tired and relaxed to argue.

  Sophie was dreaming. She was sitting on a red silk divan in an outdoor patio, luscious vines were hanging from a slatted roof. Sheer fabric was draped across her naked body as though to cover her. Her thighs were spread wide, her left calf hooked on the sloped side of the divan while her right knee was bent on the edge, foot on the floor. A naked Adonis with dark blond hair had his face buried between her legs. He was licking her, sucking her and nudging his nose deep inside her as if he wanted to inhale all her essence. She was about to come, all he had to do was flick her clit with his tongue, and she would explode in his mouth. He did just that.

  Sophie blew apart in her dream and woke up finding herself convulsing and half sitting-up to the same Adonis buried between her legs.

  “Derek!” she cried as she tried to gain her bearings after waking up with an orgasm. But Derek crept up from between her legs and pushed her back into the pillows and swiftly entered her, burying himself to the hilt. Sophie gasped at the sudden uncomfortable fullness that hit her, but Derek had no intention of letting her adjust. He started pounding into her like a man possessed. His deeply feral grunts oddly titillating. He didn’t say anything, just dipping his head once to kiss her savagely before concentrating on giving her another release. Sophie forgot about her soreness and gave herself up to the pleasure that was building crazily inside her, a tight pressure emanating from between her legs even as her muscles began to quake.

  “Oh...ahhh ...” She wanted to prolong the buildup, but she couldn’t. And when Derek lowered his fingers between her legs, she gave in. Screaming and raking her nails down his back, she shook violently, bucking her hips beneath him, her toes curling even as he plunged deeply inside her. She was still coming down from her high when she felt Derek stiffen and shudder above her. This time, he yelled her name before collapsing on top of her.

  He was heavy, but she welcomed the weight as a part of his possession of her. Just when she was about to wriggle out from underneath him, he rolled on his back and pulled her into his arms. This time she stayed and as he stroked her hair gently, she felt him kiss the top of her head and she fell into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Damian Stoltz clicked through the images on the widescreen in his private office. Information about the redhead who was at the bar with Sophie Leroux had just come back from his analyst. Her name was Maia Pierce, she was a marketing executive for Volynsky Pharmaceuticals—a Russian-based company. Flight itineraries, credit history and cell phone records all seemed to check out. She was married to Jack McCord of McCord Defense Industries—a company that had recently concluded negotiations with Silver Fire Research, which would explain her acquaintance with Dr. Leroux. Stoltz clicked through the company’s organizational structure. There were two red flags. McCord himself, who was an ex-Navy SEAL, and Derek Lockwood—the VP for Operations and Design—who was ex-Special Forces.

  His secure line started flashing. Punching the speaker button, he answered: “Stoltz.”

  “Boss.” It was Justin.

  “Did you get my files?”

  “Yes. The guys from the bar last night were McCord and Lockwood. Lockwood has some sort of claim on Dr. Leroux.”

  “Damn it! We need to get rid of him before he becomes a problem. He may have too many connections.”

  “I know. I’ll take care of it. How about the redhead?”

  “She’s a corporate type, we shouldn’t worry about her. But keep tabs on her just the same, so we can use her for leverage against Dr. Leroux if we have to.”

  Stoltz ended the call.

  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.