trapped.
For some reason it seemed absolutely imperative that she see Nick
tonight. She needed to reassure herself about her relationship with him.
Sophy realized in a blinding flash of perception that she badly needed
Nick Savage tonight as an antidote to Dr. Maximilian Travers.
Max shook his head at her suggestion. "I need the report typed up first
thing in the morning for a meeting with S & J management. Don't make
me pull rank, Sophy."
Rage swept through her. Sophy's chin came up and her eyes flashed
with warning. "Rank, Dr. Travers? Exactly what kind of threat are you
making?" Damn him!
Max leaned forward with an aggressiveness Sophy had not yet seen in
him. His palms were spread flat on the desk, and it struck her that he had
rather large, strong hands for an academician. Dangerous hands.
"Miss Bennet, may I remind you of what it's costing your company per
day to engage my services? Your boss would not be pleased to have to pay
for even one unnecessary day. When he discovered that that delay had
been caused by the intransigence of one of his secretaries, I think he would
be downright furious, don't you?"
Sophy went very still, watching him with bitter eyes. Max was
absolutely right about her boss's reaction. Frank Williams would be
thoroughly angered if he thought her stubbornness had cost an extra day
of Max's expensive time. He'd catch hell from his boss, and she'd probably
wind up being the scapegoat.
And right at the moment, Sophy knew, she couldn't afford to lose her
job. Too many of her future plans depended on the income.
But there was more involved here than her personal plans for the dress
boutique and her association with Nick. Max was making it abundantly
clear that on this level, at least, she was more or less in his power. And
that thought alarmed her more than any other aspect of the situation.
Instinctively she knew she should be putting as much distance between
herself and Max as possible, not allowing herself to slip into such
untenable situations as this one. But for the life of her, she couldn't see a
way out. She took refuge in sarcasm.
"Ah, Dr. Travers, how quickly the facade of the gentle professor
disappears. Give me your precious report. You'll have it by eight
tomorrow."
Max's mouth twisted. "Sophy…"
"If that's an apology hovering on your lips, let's just forget about it, shall
we, Dr. Travers? I'm not really all that surprised at the use of the threat,
you know. I've known all my life that, in the pursuit of their goals, wizards
have a way of not letting anyone or anything stand in their path. They
have some notion that they are the elite and the rest of us should be only
too happy to serve. My parents could be absolute tyrants when the
occasion demanded."
"Sophy," Max tried again, "I'm sorry the occasion demanded I play the
tyrant."
"I understand, Dr. Travers. And I'm sure you'll understand when I say
that something has arisen which will make it impossible for me to have
lunch with you tomorrow." It was a poor retaliation, but it was all she
could manage on such short notice.
"What has arisen?" he shot back, eyes narrowing.
"Your academic arrogance. Excuse me, I'd better get started on these
notes right away."
Damn it to hell, Sophy seethed as she began to work. Now she had to
call Nick. He wasn't going to appreciate this. And she didn't want him
mad at her. Not now. It was so important that he provide her with some
reassuring evidence that she couldn't possibly have begun to fall for
anyone as arrogant and as out of her world as Dr. Max Travers.
Three
« ^ »
H e had been arrogant, Max admitted to himself an hour later as he
carried a paper sack full of hamburgers and french fries and coffee up in
the elevator to Sophy's floor.
Incredibly arrogant.
Sophy herself didn't even appreciate the full extent of his arrogance! He
had deliberately set out to sabotage her date with the cowboy, and if she
ever learned the truth there