Chapter 16

"You are a remarkable woman…" Johnathan Derby said as he sat opposite Sophie in the dining room of Linga Longa enjoying a late breakfast. "I would like to spend more time with you."

"You flatter me Mr Derby…" Sophie said coyly. "But I am afraid I am to leave this morning."

"I don't think you want to leave do you?" Derby said reaching out and putting his hand over hers. "I certainly don't want you to leave."

Sophie smiled at him and tilted her head slightly. She had reeled the man in, they had had a long romantic dinner the previous evening and she had allowed him to walk her to her room. Before he could make any moves on her she had leaned in and placed a chased yet very sensual kiss on his cheek whispering to him that she was a married woman and that she was being watched, intimating though that she really wanted him to come in and spend the night with her. Now she had him where she wanted him.

"Well unfortunately my husband will not be that understanding should I not return home on time. My plane leaves this evening and as much as I have enjoyed this brief time with you I must unfortunately take my leave." Sophie said softly then glanced towards Eliot in a manner that Derby did not miss. "Besides…HE won't let me stay longer than instructed to by my husband, and let's just say that Eliot can be very insistent at times."

Johnathan Derby's eyes hardened as he listened to Sophie. He picked up on the slight hint of fear in her voice and assumed, as she had hoped he would, that Eliot would get violent if need be to enforce her husband's wishes on her.

"That is easily taken care of." Johnathan replied with a soft growl. He wanted this woman, she intrigued him more than any other he had met.

"No…" Sophie said pulling her hand away from his. "I will not be responsible for anything happening to you." Sophie said as if this man meant the world to her and she wanted to protect him even at her own expense. "You don't KNOW my husband…" She said and then glancing again at Eliot. "Or Eliot…"

"My dear…" Johnathan said leaning forward again to take her hand. "THEY don't know ME." He smiled. "You said yourself last night at dinner that you were ready to rid yourself of your husband and start over… You wished it, will I can make that wish come true." Johnathan said softly. "I have dealt with harder men than them and I know how to deal with them. Now I have some business to take care of near here and then we can go away somewhere and get to know each other properly." He said softly.

"I…I…" Sophie stuttered and then blushed slightly. "I have never met anyone like you. But you know we only met yesterday, to put yourself in danger for a woman you don't even know…"

"I do know you." Johnathan interrupted. "We are not children who don't know what they want, I KNOW when I see something I like... something I want." He smiled at her. "Besides, there is no danger…"

"You don't…"

"I do and believe me when I say he is easily taken care of…both of them." Johnathan said in a firm voice squeezing her hand gently to convey his meaning.

"Mr Derby." Sophie said sitting back and pulling away from him again. "If I do not leave here today, Eliot will tell him and he WILL arrive here to take me home. I will not be staying here another night."

"Lauren my dear…"

"No. I leave after breakfast." Sophie said with finality in her voice.

"Lauren…" Derby said looking in the eye and holding her gaze. He did not want this woman to walk out of the lodge because he knew if he did he would not see her again and that was unacceptable to him.

"Johnathan…"

"Please, at least come with me this morning, you can accompany me while I take care of my business, and, if you still feel the same way, I will personally deliver you to the airport this afternoon in time for your flight."

"Where are we going?" Sophie asked softly.

"Like I said I have some business to take care of. You can accompany me and we can take it from there."

"I don't know…"

"Lauren, I can see you are attracted to me as I am to you. It is also clear that you have no love for your husband, do you really want to pass up a chance to get away from him and be with somebody who will love you?"

"Johnathan… you don't even know me."

"No I don't. But I know I like you…I know I have been looking for someone like you and I do not want to let you slip through my grasp."

"And if you find you don't…"

"I won't. I have met many women in my life, many… I have had many women in my life…" Derby said watching as Sophie blushed slightly at that statement. "I know when I see one that is special, unique… I have not had these feelings for another woman. Please give me a chance, you will not regret it."

"You will take me to the airport if that is what I want?" Sophie asked softly.

"I will." Johnathan asked knowing she was weakening and giving in to him. "You have my word as a gentleman."

"What about Eliot?"

"I'll take care of him don't worry yourself about that. Just go get your things together and I will see you down here in two hours. Then we will go take care of my business and decide what to do after that."

"I'm…"

"Don't back out now my darling Lauren."

Sophie sat back and stared at the man. She knew exactly how to play this game, she was a master. How long to hesitate for, how long to resist and when to give in to requests. How to hold men in her grasp and get what she needed. Let them think they had the upper hand, that they had captured her, when in fact it was the other way around.

"Very well." Sophie smiled at him. "I will accompany you this morning, I have time before I need to catch that plane anyway."

"Good girl." Derby smiled at her, he was elated that she had accepted his proposal, now he had her and he had no intention of letter her go. He glanced over at Eliot who stood in the corner of the room watching them intently. He was an obstacle, but Derby was sure that he would not be too much of one. His men would take care of Eliot and Lauren's husband and then she would be his, that is until he tired of her...

Thanks again all for reading, hope you all still enjoying.