The dress was new. He didn’t have to hear her response to confirm it. She wouldn’t do things any other way.
She tugged on the sleeve of his T-shirt. “It’s not nearly high fashion as what you’re wearing. I drew the short straw, so I get to come nag you to join us in the courtesy suites.”
“Not happening.” His fingers twitched toward his phone. “We’re not done.”
She pursed her lips and trailed a fingernail down his arm. Once upon a time, the gesture would have been seductive. These days that moment was in the past, and he never questioned she knew it as well as he did. “You’re ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure they’re rumors.” There was no question in her voice. “The odds Hayden’s behind the gossip are so high, you couldn’t even find someone in this town to bet against it.”
He exhaled loudly. “But we’re not at one-hundred percent.” He pushed aside the part of his brain that agreed with her. Walking away for the night meant asking his people to do something he wasn’t willing to do. Making them work while he went out and had fun. And there was no part of him at all worried that if he ran into Mikki downstairs, it would be even harder to say goodbye tomorrow.
Her lips drew into a thin line. “How much worse do you think we look when you miss rubbing shoulders with the industry tonight because you’re chasing a rabbit down a hole that doesn’t exist? Executives smile and shake hands. Their people do the grunt work.”
A laugh slipped out, despite the tension permeating every inch of his body. “You’re good. If you didn’t wear that dress so well, I might have mistaken you for Tate.” He knew his friends well enough to realize even though Vivian had been sent to bring him downstairs, it wasn’t her idea.
She leaned her weight on the corner of the dresser the TV sat on. “I’ll tell him I made a valiant effort.”
He gave her a grateful smile. “Say I’m wrapping up negotiations with India, or have him make something up. You know no one will miss me.”
“I suspect someone will. Speaking of, if you need an extra set of eyes, I can put a contract in front of some new talent. Sounds like decent revenge for rumors like this, right? Steal Hayden’s prize out from under his nose at a trade show?”
Jared didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. His pulse quickened at the idea of getting into a different kind of hands-on work with Mikki. Actually seeing what she was capable of in front of a computer. Don’t linger on this. “She’s already turned you down once.”
She pushed upright again, and her gaze drifted to the ground. “When was the last time you checked your email?”
His teeth clenched before he could process how on-edge her question put him. “I shut it off hours ago so I could work. Why?”
She pulled her phone from the small bag hanging from her wrist, made a couple of swipes to the screen, and handed it to him.
Hesitation told him not to reach for it. That was ridiculous. If she thought it was important, he’d rather know now than later. He exhaled slowly as he read the company-wide announcement from Sterling Foster, and all the strength drained from his legs.
They’d named a new chief operations officer. Gone outside the company for the guy. The email even said they felt the external insight would be more beneficial to them than pulling from internal talent.
He forced a smile onto his face and handed Viv’s phone back. All his work... That job was supposed to be his. He couldn’t keep the strain from his voice. “Good to know.”
Her expression softened. “I’m sorry.”
He couldn’t even grasp enough of his thoughts to figure out how he felt. “No big deal. It’s not like anyone actually promised me the position.”
“As long as you’re all right.”
“Absolutely.” He wasn’t. Not that he knew what he was, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t all right. He nodded at his computer. “I need to get back to work. Make my excuses downstairs?”
“Of course.” Sympathy lined her smile, and he was grateful she didn’t push the issue.
MIKKI STEPPED OUT OF one heel and dropped her foot to the floor so she could take the weight off her other leg. The shoes were killing her. She scanned the faces in the Skriddie courtesy suite. He’s not here. She couldn’t ignore her disappointment.
Vivian was. The other woman stood at the far end of the room, smiling and laughing with a small group of people. Vivian’s heels were even more severe than Mikki’s, making her taller than several of the men around her. How does anyone do professional that gracefully?
Mikki had struggled with whether or not to dress up tonight. Looking now at what everyone else in the room wore, she was glad she’d gone with the simple suit she’d brought. Maybe she should have toned back the camisole, though, and found something boring and off-white in one of the shops.
It was true, Jared had played along with her last night. Gone along with her silly games. But she needed to prove she could be responsible too, and her bright red lace top in a sea of whites and grays couldn’t be supporting that image.
“What are you drinking, my dear?” A warm voice dragged her attention away from searching for Jared.
She slipped her shoe back on and turned toward the bartender. Shock and recognition raced through her. She’d never been introduced to Tate, but even if he hadn’t been the third Musketeer at the karaoke bar, his picture made more industry papers than anyone else at Skriddie. The face of sales for Skriddie Bust Media. And the best friend of the guy she wasn’t supposed to be falling for. “I, um...” She glanced around her. “Are you allowed to be back there?”
He winked and grabbed something from under the portable bar. “I am as long as no one complains.” He extended his hand. “We haven’t been formally introduced, but you’re the name on everyone’s tongue. I’m Tate.” His grip was warm and firm without being too tight.
His smile was so genuine, she couldn’t help but smile back. “I know.”
He grabbed a bottle off the shelves behind him. “You look like a 7 and 7 girl. Yes? No?”
She shrugged. To be honest, she hadn’t done a lot of drinking in her life, and since she knew she was a lightweight, it was taking her some time to figure out what she liked.
She hadn’t planned on drinking tonight, but Hayden had specifically sought her out and asked her to be on her best behavior. The request had gnawed at her. The implication she’d acted anything but professionally in public up to this point devoured her sense of decorum and wrapped it in spite.
It was true, she was travelling on the company dime, and this was a business function. She didn’t have a problem with that. What was stuck in her brain was his comment. His assurance he was just telling her as a friend and his implication that she didn’t know better without the warning. She was getting sick of it. One drink won’t hurt anyone. “Possibly.”
Tate handed her a glass with pale amber liquid in it and a swizzle stick. “Mostly sweet, just a little kick. I think you’ll like it.”
“Thanks.” She wasn’t sure what else to say to him. What kind of conversation did one strike up with the guy whose best friend she was sleeping with? The man who helped run the company she’d hacked as much to prove her skills to herself as anyone else? Her gaze drifted back to Vivian. Then again, none of them seemed to mind that she’d done either one.
“Did you lose someone?” Tate asked.
She stared at him again, heat flooding her cheeks that she’d been so obvious. She tried to joke it off. “Not that I’m aware of?”
He laughed. “You keep searching the room. You’re not obligated to sit here and talk to me.”
She tried to hide her embarrassment by taking a long drink. Sweet rushed across her tongue, followed seconds later by a smooth burn. “It’s not that, I promise.”
“I’m teasing. If I might be so bold as to guess, he’s working. We probably won’t see him tonight.” He slid her a cocktail napkin.
“Like, actual work?” That sounded so much more appealing than pretending for appearance’s sake
. “I mean, who is?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tate lean forward and rest his forearms on the bar. “The person you’re not looking for.”
How much has Jared told them? Had she been a conquest to brag about? The thought clenched in her gut. She swallowed more of her drink. “Let’s say I was looking for someone specific. How’d he get lucky enough to get out of the evening? Is that a perk of having a nice title?”
Tate’s brow furrowed and he studied her for a moment. “Perk. Right. Are you enjoying the show?”
Small talk. Yay. She turned her full attention to Tate. He was kind of cute when she thought about it. Blond hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders, and a smirk that said he was probably plotting something devious. Still, if he were Jared, the conversation would be about anything but the menial. The idea filled her with the temptation to walk away now and go find Jared. Down girl. “Are they all like this?”
“More or less.”
A yawn swelled in Mikki’s lungs, and she knocked back the rest of her drink to hide it. The liquor didn’t burn as much going down this time. She slid him the glass. “Having to make nice with a bunch of people who may or may not like you doesn’t really sound like the best way to spend work time.”
Why had she said that? Her head swam when she tried to pull up an answer. It was that damn insecurity rearing its head again. That voice that cared what people thought of her. The one that always sounded like Payton. She squashed it as best she could.
He filled her glass again. “I’m sure it works that way for some people. You, on the other hand, probably don’t have anything to worry about.”
The compliment mingled with her drink and warmed her from the inside out. But the vague gnawing in her gut didn’t believe it. “Honestly, before I got here, I didn’t think any of you liked me.” She winced at the honest words. Blunt was one thing, but spilling her guts and letting her vulnerabilities show was completely another. “I mean, not that you’re not all nice people, but after what I did...” She snapped her mouth shut. Babbling wasn’t making anything better.
He studied her, brows knit together, before smiling and topping off her drink again. “We’re all grown-ups here. There’s no reason to let the personal bleed into the professional.”
The words whirred in her brain, taking longer to find purchase than she would have liked. Did he think she was talking about her relationship—correction, non-relationship with Jared? A portion of her mind begged her to ask him directly, but some of the words stuck in her throat.
It was that damn bit of her caring what he’d think again that was keeping her from specifically asking how they’d dealt with her hack. “I mean what I did during my job interview with NSS. I thought—that is, Hayden said—I just... I thought it might be an unforgiveable sin kind of thing.”
He poured her another drink and leaned forward, forearms resting on the bar. “Signing with the competition? Some of us aren’t fond of Hayden personally—” he looked around him before locking his attention on her again, “—Not me if anyone asks, but there’s some tension. And I know V was disappointed, she has nothing but praise for your talent. But your life, your choice. No one blames you for that.”
Reality seeped into her veins, and her insides felt like they were about to liquefy. “I don’t mean signing with NSS. I mean what led up to it.”
He raised an eyebrow. “The need for more employees?”
She tried to keep her posture casual, despite the growing turmoil in her gut. He didn’t know. It was true, Vivian might not have told him, but something like that would be conversation fodder, right? Especially with Jared’s best friends? “Sorry. I’m just babbling.”
Tate smiled. “No worries. I promise there are no hard feelings about any of it. Not that I’m aware of. Business is business, right? It’s not like you’re plotting to take us down.”
“Oh, God.” They don’t know what I did. The realization crashed around her, and she almost emptied the content of her stomach. Hayden was supposed to tell them, and they have no idea.
“Are you all right?”
“No.” Acid churned inside, bubbling up in her throat. “I’m so sorry. I need to talk to Jared. Where is he?”
“His room, probably.”
“Thank you. And I’m so, so sorry.” Shit, what have I done?
She stepped into the cool of the hallway, needing the air to clear her thoughts. Except it didn’t help. The room spun around her. She hadn’t had that much to drink, had she? Maybe she shouldn’t have skipped dinner.
She wobbled, and the carpet danced to life beneath her. This wasn’t good. Stepping out of her heels, she bent at the waist to grab them. Her head threatened to float away when she straightened again.
There were too many people. She headed away from the crowds. The people faded into the background as she found a spot away from the suites. She leaned into a nearby wall, gulping deep breaths and trying to make the room stop spinning.
This was bad. This was so bad. She needed to tell Jared what she’d done. Her gut lurched. And then brace herself to never see him again.
Chapter Fifteen
Jared raked his fingers through his hair and leaned back in the chair. The frame creaked, but held. He blinked to restore the moisture to his eyes. Finally. He’d been through everything with Dewson. Made sure every last bit of hardware and software was checked. He could say with one hundred percent certainty his network was clean.
With the immediate problem cleared, his thoughts were free to ramble. To drift to the sexy brunette who was probably downstairs right now, mingling with his colleagues. His chest deflated, almost collapsing in on itself, as he exhaled. An unreachable ache throbbed beneath his ribs. It had been less than twenty-four hours since he’d seen her. How did he already miss her?
A quiet knock startled him out of his musings. He glanced at the clock. The suites would still be in full swing, with everyone taking advantage of the free booze. It wouldn’t be Tate or Vivian.
He peered through the peephole, eyes growing wide and gut clenching. His senses flared to life, a million prickles of desire dancing over his skin. Mikki stood in the hallway, gaze directed at the floor and shoes dangling from her fingers. So gorgeous.
He yanked the door open, and her head flew up, eyes wide. He shouldn’t stare but couldn’t help himself. The way her suit hugged her hips, the not-quite-sheer of her lace top enhancing her breasts, and the flush on her face. Except something was off in her expression. He forced words past his lips. “Not that I’m complaining. I’m glad you’re here. But are you okay?”
The pink on her cheeks grew, and the corners of her eyes tugged down. “I need to talk to you.”
Not quite the answer he’d been looking for, but nothing in his mind was prepared to turn her away. He liked the talking. And what it could lead to, but he’d take the just talking if it was her. “Of course.” He stepped aside and latched the door behind her.
She hovered in the middle of the room, staring at her feet. Alarms sounded in his head. Something was obviously wrong, but what? A million possibilities ticked through his head, each discarded before it could become a full thought.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” She whirled to face him and stumbled.
“Careful.” He wrapped an arm around her waist to help steady her. Even through layers of clothing, her heat threatened to sear him, and his pulse spun up another processor in response. Images taunted him of pressing her against the wall, sliding his hands under her shirt, and tasting every inch of her.
He mentally shook the temptation away, but his body didn’t stop reacting. Now was definitely not the time.
She fumbled a few times before finally extracting herself from his arms. “I have to tell you something.”
The wash of alcohol on her breath hit him, and he cringed inwardly. She was drunk. At least now he knew what was wrong. It didn’t erase his fantasy, but it did squelch any desire to act on it. “You look like you need to lie down.”
The corner of her mouth tugged up, and a high-pitched giggle slipped out. “Are you propositioning me?”
Any other night but tonight. He shook his head and held out his arm. “Come on. I’ll take you back to your room.”
She stepped back and wobbled on her feet again. “Does rescuing the fair maiden ever get you in trouble?”
His brain’s reaction to her slurred words battled with his body’s response to wanting her closer. “Sometimes.”
Even if she weren’t so drunk she could barely stand, this had to end now. It was already tearing a hole in his chest to admit they’d never see each other again after this week. The further he got away from her now, the better.
She lunged forward suddenly, fingers digging into his shirt and face buried in his chest. “I didn’t realize. I thought you knew.”
Knew what? Did she regret what they’d done? A screaming in the back of his head told him to look deeper, but he didn’t dare. She wasn’t making sense, and any drunken confession wouldn’t do either of them any good.
“Come on. You need to sleep this off.” He tried to point her toward the door.
She turned wide eyes on him. Smudged eyeliner rimmed her red gaze. “You haven’t even heard what I have to say, and you’re already throwing me out. I swear I didn’t know.”
Her head tilted up gave him an incredible view of her entire outfit. Jesus, the top really was almost sheer. Right, she was drunk. Fuck. He pressed his lips to her forehead, and then stepped back. “I’m not throwing you out.”
“I don’t want you to hate me.” She grasped his wrists.
Her palms on his bare skin flooded him with desire, and the impulse to strip all their clothes out of the way rushed through him. He couldn’t bring himself to break her grip. She pulled him closer and interlocked her fingers behind his head, hands resting at the base of his neck. A low groan tore from his chest when she pressed her lips to his. Soft, full, and hungry.
His hands slid to the small of her back, holding her captive. Her tongue darted into his mouth, the smooth ball at the tip teasing him and tempting his thoughts. She tasted like Seagram’s and 7 Up. He’d never thought that flavor combination could be intoxicating again. Seemed like a good excuse to replace the old memories with new ones. Her body molded to his. Her yielding curves send daggers of want through every inch of his frame. It took more restraint than he knew he had to keep from inching her shirt up, then yanking it over her head.
His Hacker (Love Games, #5) Page 12
