Wizard by Unknown Read Free Book Online

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