Fearless

by Weber, Tawny

  “You really are in love with him.”

  “I am not,” Gia exclaimed, sounding as insulted as if her friend had just accused her of buying her shoes at the dollar store.

  But she couldn’t meet Caryn’s steady gaze for more than a few seconds. Blinking, Gia looked at her computer screen. She tried to read the code, with Luke’s encouraging comments, but her eyes burned too hot to see.

  She barely noticed her friend’s movements until she slid the Giuseppe Zanotti peep toes onto the floor next to her feet. Gia looked up, blinking away tears as Caryn balanced on one foot, then the other to put on her own shoes.

  “You’ll get over him,” Caryn assured her quietly. “But like anything, the first step is admitting you have a problem.”

  “Why didn’t you get that psych degree again?” Gia asked, trying to sound upbeat instead of defeated.

  “Too neurotic.” Caryn’s hand was warm as she rubbed it over Gia’s shoulder. “You need to make some decisions.”

  “Like, leaving-my-job decisions?”

  It’d been so much easier when Luke was the one leaving. She’d never have gone for him if she’d had any clue that he’d stick around.

  “Not the job, but maybe the project.”

  Gia sniffed, blinking again until the code on her monitor came into focus. She loved this project. She’d been rocking it, too.

  Still, she could only play this hide-and-seek game for so long before it all blew up at her. Hanging on now was pure stubbornness. Thanks to Luke, she knew she wasn’t average. She had the best sexual adventure story ever, and because he kept pushing her, questioning her on this project, prodding her to go further than she’d thought she could, she now realized she was good.

  Not average.

  Damned good.

  “I’ll go talk to Pete about a transfer,” she murmured.

  There. She was safe. Her secret would stay tucked away in Vegas, where it belonged. She should have been relieved. And she would be, she promised herself. Just as soon as she got over the misery of knowing she had to stay away from Luke.

  For good.

  Caryn’s fingers tightened on her shoulder for a second before she moved away. Then, in that upbeat, overly cheerful tone people used when someone was dying or had gotten a really horrid haircut, she said, “At least now you can go back to wearing cute shoes.”

  Gia forced a weak smile. She didn’t change into her peeptoes, though. Instead, with care and using the side of her foot, she slid the Giuseppe Zanottis to the side of her desk. She simply wasn’t ready for them yet.

  She felt like pure crap. Misery wrapped around dejection soaked in hopelessness. And that was the kind of thing not even Giuseppe Zanottis could fix.

  Luke stared at the whiteboard, the brightly colored writing a rainbow blur.

  “Dude, you ready to go?”

  “Head on without me,” he told Matt without looking toward the door. “I’m going to be here for a while.”

  “Hitch in the project?”

  Luke just shrugged. He wasn’t a sharing kind of guy. And this wasn’t something he wanted to talk about.

  So he was glad when he finally heard his friend’s footsteps depart.

  Luke looked at the board, noting the name of each team member and their progress. Gia was twice as far into her own assignment as anyone else.

  She was also the only name on the board with a red line through it.

  Transferred.

  He ground his teeth together to keep from cussing.

  The best player on his team.

  Gone.

  Figured.

  Gia was a smart gal.

  Smart enough to run circles around the geek twins and the rest of the team.

  Smart enough to rewrite complex code in a way that made this project smooth enough to skate on.

  And smart enough to seduce the hell out of him in Vegas, leave him panting for more, then hide her identity while working with him.

  Luke’s fists clenched in his pockets, the blurry whiteboard taking on a red haze.

  Oh, wait.

  She was almost smart enough for that last one.

  Unable to stand still for a second longer, he shoved away from the desk to storm from one end of the room to the other. The chat with Landin had gone long, so he’d had to postpone the project meeting. He’d got back to find a notice waiting. Gia had transferred off the team. Luke had actually laughed. She wouldn’t leave. They were kicking ass together. Sure it was some kind of error, he’d gone in search of her cubby. But she hadn’t been there. Her station had been shut down, and there hadn’t been a purse or jacket lying around.

  What there had been, what he’d only noticed as he was halfway out the door, were shoes.

  A very sexy, very red, very familiar pair of high heels.

  He’d stared at those shoes for a solid minute before the implication of what he was seeing sank into his brain.

  Sonofabitch.

  Not only had she freaking ditched him. Again. But she’d straight up lied. Played him for a fool.

  Gia, his dream tech, was actually Vanna. His dream woman. The realization had made his head spin, his body harden and his fury mount.

  He should have pushed her into a face-to-face sooner. Should have made her play with the rest of the team.

  Should have used the blindfold to tie her to that damned hotel bed so she couldn’t escape while he was passed out in a fog of sexual exhaustion.

  So much frustration churned in his gut that Luke was ready to punch something. He pulled out his cell and tried calling Gia.

  Again.

  It went direct to voice mail.

  Again.

  “This is Luke Monroe. We need to talk. Call me,” he said into the phone. Again. This time being pissed won over good sense, causing him to threaten, “If you don’t call back today, I’ll come find you tomorrow. That’s a promise.”

  He threw the phone on the desk with enough force to send it bouncing off his monitor, then ricocheting back at him.

  “I’d heard those new iPhone cases were crazy durable. Nice way to test it.”

  “I thought you left,” he said, giving Matt a dismissive look before sliding the phone into his pocket.

  “And leave you all stressed out? What kind of friend does that?” Matt crossed the room, holding up two Starbucks cups as he came. “Can’t bring booze in, so I figured caffeine was the next best thing.”

  Luke offered a half smile in thanks as he took the cup.

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Women tell me I’m easy to talk to,” Matt said. “At least, I think that’s what they say. I don’t really listen.”

  Luke gave a short laugh, knowing his friend expected it. But he still shook his head.

  “I’m not six, this isn’t sharing circle, and we’re not girls. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Matt didn’t push. Instead, he scanned the project board, making impressed noises as he drank his coffee.

  “Looks like you’re ahead of schedule. Guess you’re on your way to padding your rep as the golden boy.”

  Setting his untouched coffee on a table, Luke crossed the room to glare at the board.

  “This was a mistake.”

  “What was?”

  “Taking the lead job.”

  “But you’re rocking the project.”

  “No. I’m rocking at motivating my team. At pushing them. I’m a people person. Not a tech.” If nothing else, at least he’d figured that out this week. He hated this stuff. He missed interacting, selling, teaching.

  “Is that what’s wrong? You’re bumming over the realization that you don’t like your new job? Now, that’s a serious waste of energy. Just go get your old position back. Or call Kettlemens. They’d still grab you up.”

  Luke shrugged. He didn’t want his old job, nor did he want the Kettlemens gig. He thought of Vanna’s—or was it Gia’s—scoffing comment that he had it all too easy. She was right.
He wanted a challenge, but he wanted one he’d enjoy.

  Like finding her, stripping her naked, tying her to a desk and forcing her to confess her every crime. He was pretty sure he could maintain his righteous anger before he gave in to the desperate need to lick his way up and down her body.

  “I’ll figure it out,” he said dismissively. Then, figuring he’d explode if he didn’t spit it out, he said, “Job issues are a hell of a lot easier to handle than women.”

  With a toast of his coffee cup, Matt laughed in agreement.

  “Dude, I don’t care how easy you make it look figuring out women is one huge pain in the ass. Especially when they count.”

  “When they count…”

  Which was really the core of the issue.

  Gia counted.

  “Why do you think I play the field?” Matt asked, tossing his empty cup into the trash. “I keep it light and loose. Otherwise my head’d be all messed up. That’s what women do. Mess with our heads. Make us question every damned thing. Make us think about all that crazy stuff like fidelity and commitment and, you know, that ugly l word.”

  That pulled a laugh out of Luke. Before he could respond, though, a couple of women passed the open door. Their voices were like loudspeakers, their tone the one some women used to share secret gossip they wanted everyone to hear.

  He and Matt exchanged eye rolls.

  “Did you hear?”

  “About the girl in Marketing and the new VP of sales?”

  “She thinks she’s going to get a promotion on her knees, I’ll bet.”

  “Oh, yeah. Like that poor tech last year? The one who had an affair with her boss? Remember how fast she was fired. I think she still had her keyboard in hand when her butt hit the curb.”

  “She should have known better. She claimed it was love. But I didn’t see him loving her enough to take the hit when they were busted.”

  As the voices faded, so did part of Luke’s anger.

  “And then there’s that,” Matt pointed out. “Women get ugly when other women are happy.”

  And Tri-Solutions’ policy against fraternization meant there was plenty of opportunity for them to spread that ugly. Which was probably why Gia hadn’t wanted their weekend fling making rumor rounds. It didn’t explain her deception, though. Or her glaring omissions when it came to sharing the truth with him.

  Did it?

  “You gonna be okay?” Matt asked.

  Luke saw him glance at the clock on the wall and nodded. “Yeah. I’m good. I’ve got some decisions to make, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Gonna change jobs?”

  “Probably. Maybe a few other things, too,” he declared, returning his friend’s hand-slap and nodding his goodbye.

  As soon as Matt left, Luke resumed his trek back and forth across the room. He’d realized a couple things in the past ten minutes.

  One, he was done with this job. He just had to figure out what his next one was going to be. Something he was good at but that held a challenge all the same.

  Two, while she still had a lot to answer for, he couldn’t fault Gia for not being open about their Vegas fling. She hadn’t come through the building looking for him. She’d been assigned to the team and had probably freaked.

  And three, he knew that no matter how much she wanted to avoid it, he’d be getting answers out of her. He just didn’t know how yet.

  By the time he’d paced the length of the room a dozen more times, he was all out of mad and cursing his reasonable personality.

  If he had the mad going on, he could justify confronting Gia. Forcing a confession. Making her explain why she’d snuck out. Or lied about her identity. Or taken off without a word. Or tried to pretend the weekend hadn’t happened.

  And worst of all, why she’d left him.

  Luke’s head dropped. Damn.

  It really all came down to the fact that he was hurt.

  She’d left him.

  Twice, dammit.

  And he wanted to know why.

  But more importantly, he wanted her back.

  Chapter Nine

  Girlz Guide Words of Wisdom…

  Sooner or later, life hands you the bill. So make sure it’s worth paying.

  “Friday. Thank God,” Gia muttered, swinging her bag over her shoulder and getting ready to scurry out of the building. She was starving.

  She’d managed flextime for the past couple of days, but Fridays were mandatory. When she’d arrived, she’d heard the bosses were making their rounds, which meant that Luke was probably roaming the halls, too. So she’d hidden in her office all day, surviving on warm yogurt, an apple and a bottle of water.

  Pathetic.

  See what stupid lies and stellar sex got her?

  A paranoid twitch, an empty stomach and memories hot enough to keep her vibrator in action for years.

  She had one foot out the door when someone called her name.

  “Hi, Mr. Landin.”

  “Gia, just the lady I need to talk to. I’m running behind, though. Can we chat while I walk?”

  Known for his eccentric ways, knock-knock jokes and habit of offering random bonuses, Landin was the oldest VP in the company and the head of her department. Figuring he wanted to discuss her transfer, she had her excuses and tidy lies all lined up in a row.

  But he didn’t mention the transfer. Or her work. Instead, he went on and on about the new health-care package and changes in the retirement plan. It wasn’t until they reached the other side of the building, heading toward Luke’s office, that she realized where they were going.

  Fear bubbled up in Gia’s throat like molten lava, ready to spew any second.

  The old guy was taking her to see Luke.

  Why?

  Over transferring off the project?

  Or had Luke figured out the connection between her and his Vegas Vanna?

  She muttered something about needing to run to the bathroom.

  The old guy kept walking.

  She said she felt ill.

  He waved a dismissive hand, then told her how the new health-care package included vitamin coverage. It was like being escorted to her execution by a very cheerful, very oblivious jailer.

  “Here we are,” he said, gesturing to Luke’s office. “You just finish up this employee review with Mr. Monroe and we can get your promotion completed.”

  Promotion.

  Right.

  Because everyone got a raise and better position after bailing in the middle of a key project.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, offering the VP a stiff smile. Her fingers on the handle to Luke’s office door, she waited to see if the man would leave so she could sneak away instead of going inside.

  He made it as far as the elevator before he was stopped by Matt something-or-other. Gia didn’t know the guy personally, just his rep as a horndog and a good friend of Luke’s. Which did nothing to settle the butterflies duking it out in her belly.

  When both men glanced back her way, Gia forced her fake smile up a notch, shook her head as if having a little more hair around her face could disguise her features and swallowed hard.

  A deep breath, another glance toward the blocked escape, and she turned the handle.

  “Ah, Gia. I’m glad you got my message.”

  Luke leaned against his desk, arms crossed over his chest, the image of masculine assurance. He looked so good, it was all she could do to keep from grabbing him. Hoping there was some way to get through this without him realizing she and Vanna were one and the same, she shook her hair into her face and kept her head averted.

  “Message?” she asked, keeping her tone a little higher than normal. Without thinking, she reached up to rub her throat. Heck, the strain on her vocal cords had been as much reason to ditch the team as fear of discovery.

  “Message, escort, whatever.” Gia cringed at his emphasis on the word escort. “Come on in. Shut the door.”

  A glance toward the elevators assured her there was no escape. At least, not wit
hout outing herself completely.

  For a brief second, she considered running. Ignoring the audience and the probable consequences and just taking off. But good sense overcame fear. What? Was she going to throw away her job on the off chance that this was about Vegas? Or was she willing to gamble on hiding her identity one last time?

  Not sure which way she was rolling the dice, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room and shut the door. The click was so loud she flinched.

  Avoiding looking directly at Luke, as if eye contact would instantly fill his head with visions of her naked body straddling his, she fixed her gaze on the window view.

  “I’m confused. Did you need to talk to me about the project?” she bluffed.

  “The project?” he asked in a musing tone, his eyes narrowed as if he were a cat about to pounce all over her mousy self. “Why would you think that?” He took a seat behind his desk.

  “Did you have an issue with my transfer?” she asked, determined to play innocent until there was absolutely no other option.

  “No. I mean, the team suffered losing you. I had to bring in three people. Two to handle your workload and another one to take over the project.”

  That got her attention.

  Unable to stop herself, she met his gaze.

  He’d stepped off the project?

  Was he leaving Tri-Solutions?

  Would she be excited if he did?

  Nerves churned in her stomach, making it hard to tell if they were mixing with joy or misery.

  He looked thrilled, she noted.

  And gorgeous, damn him.

  His blue eyes danced, and he looked more chill than she’d ever seen him. Relaxed and at ease. As though he’d found nirvana and the answer to all his life questions and had some chick under the desk servicing him, all at the same time.

  She squinted, trying to see around the desk.

  “Did you need me to go over some project issues, then?” she asked, seriously confused. What was going on here?