Derek’s frank remark caught Sloane off guard. She wasn’t sure how to interpret it, and she angled her head to gauge his reaction. “Do you want to meet her?” she asked offhandedly. “She’s smart, single, and just broke up with her boyfriend. Could be a match made in heaven. So what do you say? Shall I make the introductions?”
One dark brow arched. “Not amusing. And not interested.”
“Too bad. She’ll be impressed when I tell her you’re an FBI agent. And she’ll be really impressed if you show her your Glock.”
“Tempting.” Derek shrugged, with a glint of humor in his eyes. “I don’t need to flaunt my assets. Any way you slice it, I’m an impressive guy. Women just can’t keep their hands off of me. It’s a curse. But I’m learning to live with it.” He chuckled as Sloane jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “You asked for that one.”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I have to like your answer.”
“True.” Derek pressed his palm into the small of her back, guiding her into the room. “You know,” he commented. “That reaction of yours sounded a lot like jealousy. Come to think of it, so did that whole speech about the redhead.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
“I’m not. I’m just making an observation—one that happens to be a real turn-on, by the way.” Lightly, he caressed her back, his fingers warm against the cool silk of her blouse.
Sloane couldn’t help the inadvertent shiver that ran through her. She felt it, and so did Derek.
“Yup, this party is definitely looking up,” he declared. He steered her toward the buffet table. “Let’s get some food and something to drink.” A quick wink. “Once I’m fortified, I can charm throngs of women into bed. Punch?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
He chuckled. “Not me. That mysterious liquid stuff in the bowl. Do you want some?”
“Sure.” Sloane wished that Derek’s cavalier attitude didn’t make her feel so irked. She wished she didn’t give a damn whom he slept with. She just wished she didn’t give a damn, period.
Derek leaned past her, ladling out two cups of punch. “Stop fuming,” he murmured near her ear. “You’re all I want. If you don’t know that by now, then you’re not just high maintenance, you’re dense.”
Sloane felt his words down to her toes—which irked her even more.
“Still pissy, huh?” Derek grinned as he handed her the punch. “If I play by your rules, you’re pissed. If I tell you I want you, you’re pissed. What you really want is not to want me. Well, that ain’t gonna happen. So just give in to the inevitable.”
“No.”
“Fine. Your choice.” With another offhand shrug, Derek handed her his glass of punch so he could reach around her to fill two plates with food. “There’s just no satisfying you, Sloane Burbank,” he said in a low, husky voice, his breath grazing her hair. “Except in bed. Now, there I seem to be getting straight A’s.”
“Say that any louder, and I might choke you,” Sloane warned, accepting her plate of food and taking a pointed step away from Derek.
“I appreciate the warning. I’ll keep my intimate comments to a whisper.”
“Hey, you two.” Elliot strolled over, his plate piled high.
“What, no Krispy Kremes?” Sloane inquired. “Your stomach might go into shock.”
“Nah. Krispy Kremes are for work. Real food is for parties.”
“Where’s Lillian?” Sloane asked, her gaze darting from person to person.
“In the ladies’ room. Luke’s waiting outside for her.” Elliot saw Sloane’s expression, and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Actually, it’s a good day. I haven’t seen Lillian so energetic in weeks. I think being the guest of honor agrees with her.”
On cue, Luke wheeled Lillian into the room.
Sloane couldn’t deny Elliot’s words. Despite her pallor and obvious loss of weight, Lillian looked pain-free and in good spirits. She had Luke stop the wheelchair several times so she could talk with her guests. Then she spotted Sloane, and twisted around to tell Luke.
He managed a smile as he pushed his mother’s wheelchair over to where Sloane, Derek, and Elliot stood.
If it was possible to age in a matter of days, Luke had done so. He looked positively haggard, as if he hadn’t slept in weeks, with deeply etched lines around his eyes and a tight furrow between his brows. It hadn’t been that long since Sloane had seen him, yet his shoulders were stooped as if he were carrying the weight of the world on them. Then again, maybe he was.
“Hey,” he greeted her. “It’s good to see you.”