“If he lays a hand on me, he won’t have a hand for very long. Now, if you’re ready to blow our cover, then go ahead and repeat what I said.” She pushed up from the table and crossed her arms, daring him to argue. “Or you can keep your big mouth shut.”
“Since when are you the levelheaded one?”
“I’ll take that as a win. Score one, Pink.” She touched her fingertip to her tongue and drew an imaginary line in the air.
“You’re still at least negative seven,” he called out after her, but the saunter in her gait told him she wasn’t giving him an inch.
About five minutes later, a text came through on his phone from Quinn.
I can look after myself, but thanks for the gesture.
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his mind that she could handle herself, but it killed him that she’d been put in a position where she’d have to.
However, he couldn’t let it occupy him. He had an assignment to complete and a rat to sniff out. Ruminating over Quinn’s past—and trying to figure out why he had this sudden compulsive desire to protect her—would have to wait.
* * *
“WHAT DID THE cabbage say?” Zach asked as Quinn came back to her desk after taking a call from Rhys in one of the meeting rooms.
It was lunchtime and most of the staff had gathered in the kitchen or gone out to get a bite. But not Zach. It almost seemed as if he’d waited for her.
He leaned back in his chair, cold gray eyes running up and down her body, as they often had over the past two days. Scooting his chair closer, he rested an elbow on her desk. Invading her space.
There was no way in hell she’d give him the satisfaction of letting him see how uncomfortable he made her. “The cabbage?”
“Yeah, big beefy guy with no brains.” He jerked his head toward the meeting room where Aiden now sat. Alone. “A cabbage.”
The insult prickled under her skin. “How would I know? I didn’t talk to him.”
“I noticed you took a call in the room next to him. I figured you did it so you could listen in and see who’s getting fired.”
“I don’t think he’s firing anyone.”
Zach stretched his bony arms above his head. “Probably leaves the dirty work to someone else. He must be too important for that.”
“Jealous?” The word slipped out before she could stop it. So much for not antagonizing him.
“Hardly. I graduated at the top of my class, Harley Quinn.”
Her skin crawled at the nickname he’d given her without asking if she wanted it. “I bet your parents are proud.”
“Of course they are. What parents wouldn’t want a child like me?”
From her vantage point, Quinn watched as Aiden poked his head out of the meeting room. It wasn’t fair how her heart skipped a beat when his eyes swept over her. The assessing gaze was not dissimilar to the way Zach looked at her, minus any of the calculating intimidation or sleaziness, of course.
One action, two intents. That made all the difference, but for a long time she’d been unable to distinguish between the two. She’d grouped everyone in her life into two categories: her ever-shrinking personal circle and everyone else.
“See, it’s obvious by the way he hangs on to the door frame he’s trying to show off.” Zach made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those pathetic girls who goes crazy for a guy with muscles.”
If only he knew. “I don’t go for anything.”
“Does that mean you’re off the market?” His eyes snapped toward her. “You sure don’t act it with all...that.”
That was a pair of fitted jeans with a rip at the knee. She gritted her teeth. “My relationship status has nothing to do with my work here.”
“Single, then.”
She wanted to rip the smug look off his face with her bare hands. “None. Of. Your. Business.”
“Very single.” He rolled back to his desk on the opposite side of their pod, chuckling to himself. “Duly noted.”
How had this guy not been fired for sexual harassment? Her knuckles ached before she even realized she’d clenched her hands into fists. If she had anything to do with it, Zachary J. Levitt would be eating dirt...preferably from a dusty patch of ground far, far away from her.
Aiden reached their desks by the time Quinn calmed down, though she stuck her headphones in and pretended she hadn’t noticed him. Not that his presence could ever be so easily ignored. People dodged out of his way as he walked, giving him space and room to move. Though whether it was because he was a guy—a big guy—or because he exuded confidence and authority, she wasn’t sure.
She tapped the button on her phone to pause her music, but she left her earbuds in so Zach and Aiden wouldn’t realize that she could hear them.
“I don’t have to go anywhere with you,” Zach said. “I have work to do.”
“It’s just a chat, one that your boss has given me authority to execute.” Aiden rested his hands on the edge of the low wall behind their desks. At first glance he might appear to be stopping by for a friendly chat, but the way he tilted himself forward spoke volumes about his desire to show Zach who was boss. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Quinn gave a little cheer in her head but forced her eyes to stay on her computer screen. Zach shoved his chair back so hard it knocked into hers.
“How about you keep your temper tantrum to a minimum and show your colleagues a little respect?”
The words on her screen blurred into one another; she couldn’t concentrate while Aiden and Zach were having a pissing contest next to her. She plucked one of the buds from her ears.
“Is there a problem?” She shoved Zach’s desk chair back toward him.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head,” Zach replied. “This’ll be quick.”
He stalked out of the pod and headed toward the meeting room. Aiden’s eyes flashed like blue lightning when she caught his gaze. He sucked in a breath—his chest expanding and collapsing in a way that made her fingers itch to touch him. Soothe him.
“Let it go,” she said softly as she popped her earbud in and turned back to her desk.
The second that Aiden left, Quinn sagged against her seat. As much as it pained her to admit it, he was damn good at his job. He’d handled Zach with authority and had kept a lid on his temper in the process. She had no doubt he’d be able to tear that little piece of shit limb from limb—in the most professional way, of course—behind the closed door of that meeting room.
“What the hell was that all about?” Another junior programmer, and the only other girl on their team, appeared at her desk like a meerkat popping up from behind a rock.
Quinn pulled her earbud out of her ear again. Seemed she wasn’t going to listen to much music today. “Just two guys trying to beat their chests.”
“I’ll put my money on the new guy.” Natalie grinned, her red curls bouncing as she plonked herself on Quinn’s desk. “Seriously, though, you’ve got to watch out for Zach. He’s a loose cannon.”
“What do you mean?” She tried to act casual.
Natalie’s eyes darted around. “He’s got a reputation for being a little rough on female programmers.”
“So why is he still here?”
“He’s Walt’s nephew.” She shrugged. “After the last time, Walt gave him a talking-to...but I think it only made him better at covering his tracks.”
“The last time?”
“You didn’t know?” Natalie blinked at her. “The last intern we had here ended up leaving rather suddenly...apparently, Zach cornered her after work one night when they were alone. Tried to use his relationship with Walt to convince her that she’d have to ‘keep him happy’ to get ahead in the company.”
“That son of a—”
“But there was no proof. No cameras in the offices or in any of the meeting rooms. All that she had was footage of her running out of the reception area like a ghoul was after her.” Natalie’s freckled legs swung back and forth beneath the hem of a floral dress. “She made a complaint but ended up leaving soon after. I’m not sure exactly what happened to make her drop the complaint.”
“Has he done anything to you?”
She swallowed. “He tried a few things but I’ve got older brothers, so I know how to protect myself. I can throw a punch or a knee. But it didn’t come to that, thankfully. He backed off me when Sarah started.”
“And he hasn’t done anything since she left?”
Her red curls bounced around as she shook her head. “I was worried he might...but no.”
“Why not?”
For a moment Quinn thought she might not answer, but Natalie’s mouth set into a grim line and she nodded to herself. “You arrived.”
9
QUINN HAD TO fight every natural response in her body and talk to Zach when he came out of the meeting room. Hopefully, he would be cocky and stupid enough to divulge some valuable information to her in the heat of the moment...he seemed the kind of person who would do that.
Unfortunately, other than slinging around some unique—and rather creative—insults about Aiden, he had nothing useful to say. So she’d posted herself in the staff kitchen, claiming the need for a change of scenery. But really she wanted to keep her ear out for any tidbits from the other employees as Aiden conducted his interviews.
When the office had mostly cleared out and it appeared as though she’d be going home empty-handed, one of the more senior programmers walked into the kitchen. His name escaped her—something monosyllabic like Tom or John. Or maybe it was Tim.
He had his phone tucked between his ear and his chin as he poured a cup of coffee from the pot, turning toward her.
She forced herself not to look up, instead bobbing her head to an imaginary beat and typing gibberish on her keyboard so he’d assume she couldn’t hear him.
“I don’t know.” His voice was hushed. “They’ve got some guy in asking questions. He looks like he could be a cop, but he’s not in uniform.”
As he turned back to the coffeepot, Quinn lost track of what he was saying, her ears only catching chunks of the conversation. She took in his Hawaiian shirt patterned with green leaves, making a mental note to identify him to Aiden.
“I can’t...it’s classified... I understand. Yes. Yes, I’ll get it to you soon.”
It wasn’t anything concrete, but he seemed nervous as a sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves. He grabbed his coffee and ended the call, shoving the phone into his back pocket as he walked out of the kitchen, leaving her alone again.
Don’t draw attention to yourself. Nice and easy, just act normal.
Resisting the urge to call Aiden immediately, she packed up her laptop and notebook. Hopefully, Zach the Horrible—if he could give her a nickname, she’d return the favor—wouldn’t be at his desk. There was only so many times in a day she could stop herself from punching a person in the nose.
Back at her desk, her phone rang. When Aiden’s name flashed up she caught herself smiling. Which was stupid.
Oh, so stupid.
“Hello?” She answered the phone as if she had no idea who was calling.
“Quinn, it’s me. I wanted to check in on you.”
“No need.” She clicked her laptop into the docking station on her desk, and fiddled with the cable lock while keeping her phone wedged between her ear and shoulder. “I can handle myself.”
“I know you can.” Pause. “Is there any chance you’d be able to get together tonight? Maybe we can grab a bite to eat.”
She bit down on her lip. It would be a legitimate business dinner because she did have information for him. While she was contemplating a response, Zach came back to his desk, leering at her openly.
“Sure,” she said slightly louder than necessary. “I’d love to. When do you want to meet?”
Better to make it obvious that she had a date than to have to fend off more innuendo from Zach the Horrible.
“How about we catch up in an hour? That’ll give us time to get away from the office.”
She swallowed against the little bubble of nerves that had started its ascent up her throat. “Why don’t we meet around here?”
Aiden might be proving himself to be a better guy than most other men she knew, but she wasn’t ready to let him see what her life was like outside work. Manhattan was safe, far removed from her tiny apartment and all the issues she kept locked up there.
“Less risk of getting caught if we go somewhere else. Since we both live in Brooklyn, why don’t we find a place there? Then you’ll be close to home.”
Damn, he had a point.
“Ah, okay, why don’t you pick a place and text me the address? I’ll meet you there.”
“Do you like Italian food?”
“Does Mario like mushrooms?”
The booming sound of his laughter pulled at the corner of her lips, but she forced them back down. This was a business meeting, pure and simple. Nothing wrong with being excited about progress with their assignment. It certainly had nothing to do with seeing Aiden again. She hung up the phone and sucked on her lower lip, forbidding herself from smiling.
Jeez, Quinn, you’ve got to get a lid on this. The swoony teenage girl act is not a good look on you.
“Got a hot date?” Zach asked as she slung her backpack over one shoulder.
“Just meeting a friend,” she replied with a tight smile.
“Where?” His gaze held hers as if challenging her. Would he be the type of guy to show up uninvited? Probably.
“Not sure. He’s going to text me the address.”
“So it is a date.”
Maybe she should have called him Zach the Nosy Jerk. “It is possible for men and women to be friends, you know.”
“Without sex?” He laughed, the sound firing warnings all through her body. “Not in my experience.”
“Well, it is in mine. Good night.”
She walked as quickly as she could, hoping that he couldn’t smell her anxiety. His type was all too familiar. Entitled. Selfish. Nasty.
Please don’t let him follow me out, please don’t let him follow me out.
How many times had she told Aiden that she didn’t need his help? Right now she would have eaten those words to have someone else with her as she waited for the elevator. Saying Zach gave her the creeps would be putting it mildly.
The elevator dinged and Quinn rushed inside, jabbing at the close button until she was safely locked away. Alone.
* * *
AIDEN HAD PICKED Gustoso not only because they made the best carbonara in the state, but also because he knew the owner, and part of him wanted to impress Quinn. If she liked Italian food, Benedito and Carmela’s menu would knock her socks off.
He’d taken quite a few dates to the restaurant over the years because he could relax there. Be himself. But this wasn’t a date at all. He shook his head as he logged into his Cobalt & Dane email.
This was work.
And he had to remember that. This job was an opportunity for a new beginning, for him to build the reputation he wanted. He needed to remain focused.
“How can you concentrate on my delicious cooking if you’re working while you eat?” Carmela walked past his table and set down a bottle of water and a glass.
The older Italian lady wore the same floral apron she always did. The thing had to be at least thirty years old. Covered in stains from pasta sauce and flour. But she still managed to smell like fresh-cut parsley and lemons, no matter what she’d been cooking.
“I’ll need another glass tonight.” He winked at
her.
“You have a date?” Her eyes twinkled as she shook her head, the tightly wound salt-and-pepper curls shaking around her face. “Tesoro mio, I thought you were going to marry me one day?”
“Benedito would have my hide.”
Laughing, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Certo. I’ll get you another glass.”
“And some bread?”
“Va bene. A growing man has to eat.”
He didn’t point out that he’d reached his full height of six foot one by college. In Carmela’s eyes, he’d always be the cocky boy who’d come in to get a gelato every Sunday afternoon. She’d teased him about how the girls giggled whenever he walked in, how they fluffed their hair and preened for him like colorful little birds.
Gustoso had been his safe haven over the years. He’d come to Benedito after his accident to talk through his options with the FBI. Not because the old man knew anything about his career, but he’d cared. More than he could say for his father, who was more concerned with protecting his legacy than with what Aiden wanted. Or needed.
Something brushed his shoulder out of nowhere and he jumped, shocked out of his thoughts. He held his hand up out of reflex and then snatched it back to his lap when Quinn squeaked.
“You frightened me,” she said, a little breathless. Her cheeks glowed like pink flowers, her chest heaving beneath her top.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you walk up.” He hid his embarrassment by finishing off the email he’d started. “I thought you’d come from the other side.”
Her features softened. “Sorry, I forgot you wouldn’t be able to hear me. It’s a tight squeeze in here.” She shrugged out of her backpack and stowed it under the table. “I probably should have taken that off.”
Carmela chose that moment to swan past and not so subtly check Quinn out, her lips pursed as she placed a water glass in front of her. “Can I get you anything else to drink? A wine or aperitivo?”
“Water is fine.” She nodded, her face impassive.
A Dangerously Sexy Affair Page 9
