Lip Lock

by Susanna Carr

  Molly didn’t think she would survive that long. “Human resources won’t yell at you for the delay?” Because she sure would like to.

  “No,” Sara said. “As long as you get the review before your next paycheck, we’re fine.”

  What’s your definition of fine?

  “So next Friday at three o’clock?” her boss asked as she headed for the glass door.

  Like I have a choice. “Sure, next Friday.” But she might get that latte now and drown her sorrows.

  Kyle looked out of his office window and watched the sun set behind a snow-streaked Cascade mountain range. Pink and lavender smeared across the darkening sky and the colors reminded him of Molly.

  Why didn’t Molly take him up on his offer? She didn’t even want him touching her. Was it the whole employee/employer thing? He could understand that.

  “Kyle?”

  But was it more than that? Maybe she didn’t like him. Or men. Or computer geeks. These things happened. But he could have sworn he saw the interest gleaming from her eyes. The want. The need.

  Or was that his want and need reflecting off of her? Damned if he knew.

  “Kyle!”

  Oh, yeah. He was in a meeting. Kyle turned and looked at the chief financial officer. “What?”

  “Our security systems have been upgraded and tightened,” Glenn said, obviously annoyed. “But there’s no guarantee that it will foil any attempt.”

  “Any progress in finding the accomplices?”

  “Accomplices?”

  “Come on, Glenn,” Kyle said as he loosened his tie. “Even Julia at the last meeting said she bet the programmer didn’t act alone. Surely you listen to every word she says.”

  Glenn flinched. “What?”

  “Never mind.” He wasn’t going to pursue that line of questioning. It wasn’t top priority. “I’m not going to play cat and mouse with these thieves. Let’s draw them out. Set a trap.”

  “But we don’t know what level, or even the department the thieves are in.”

  “So?” Kyle unbuttoned his collar. He never was a suit and tie guy, but he liked how they conveyed a sense of power. He’d suffer through a tie just for that.

  “It’s going to require a trap of…great…great magnitude!” Glenn started to bluster. “A strategy that would take time we don’t have!”

  “Glenn, subterfuge is not your strong point.”

  The guy blushed. Kyle watched, almost fascinated, as the chief financial officer’s face turned brick red.

  “You are making it more difficult than it actually needs to be,” Kyle continued. “Keep it simple.”

  “How?” Glenn asked as his flushed skin slowly faded.

  “Add a fake spec.”

  When Glenn frowned, Kyle remembered once again he wasn’t dealing with a programmer.

  “We are going to add a fake form to our patent process. It’s going to say that we want our product to include”—Kyle thought for a second—“an online image search application.”

  “Say what?”

  Kyle didn’t know how to break it down into simpler sentences, but he’d give it a shot. “You can train the program to recognize people’s faces.”

  Glenn’s forehead puckered. “Our product can do that?”

  “No. It’s too expensive right now, and we haven’t researched how to develop this. We only know of a thousand ways that it won’t work.”

  “But it’s a great idea!”

  “Wait for the upgrade. But our competition doesn’t know this. They are going to try and take this spec before we file it.”

  “Why are we going to throw a really good idea to our competition?”

  “Stay with me, Glenn. It’s not a good idea. Not unless we want to delay our release date by years. Or make our product too expensive for our target customer. Or lose money on our new product.”

  “Oh.” His brow cleared as understanding dawned on him. “So it’s going to be a good idea in five years.”

  “Right,” Kyle said as he unbuttoned the cuffs of his dress shirt and started folding them. “So let it be known that this spec is going to be added to the blueprint, but it’s not going to be available online. This addition will force the thief to make a grab for the blueprint.”

  “Okay. Got it.” Glenn rose from his seat and stopped. “Where do I get this bogus spec?”

  “There’s not going to be one,” Kyle said slowly. “We’re telling people that there’s one.”

  Glenn nodded and then hesitated. “Just out of curiosity, how far-reaching do you think this theft is?”

  “I think it’s on every level.” Kyle leaned back in his chair and sighed. “We are going to clean house with this.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this? We have the best in the business working for us.”

  “And they are possibly working for the competition,” Kyle replied as he reached for his keyboard.

  “You don’t trust anyone, do you?”

  “I don’t have any reason to,” Kyle admitted. When he noticed Glenn didn’t move or speak, he looked up from the computer screen.

  “What about me?” Glenn’s face was tight and drawn. His eyes were flat and his mouth pinched.

  Kyle didn’t want to get into this right now, but some things had to be said. “You’ve been my friend since college.”

  “True.”

  “We’ve been through hell and back. Suffered crushing defeats and celebrated every major and minor achievement.”

  “Yeah.” The guy’s face softened as he remembered some of the wild parties of their past.

  “I don’t think you have anything to do with this property theft.” And Kyle meant it. Sad to say, but Glenn was too ignorant about the technical aspects to steal his ideas.

  “Okay.” Glenn looked relieved and turned for the door.

  “But,” Kyle continued, “if I ever find out that you lied or betrayed me…”

  Glenn froze.

  “On anything”—Kyle made sure to emphasize that point—“then you’d better watch your back.”

  His friend looked sharply over his shoulder. “Same here,” he said and left the room, softly closing the door behind him.

  Kyle stared at the closed door, stunned. Glenn was questioning his loyalty? After all this time he protected the guy’s job? Glenn’s MBA was stretched to the limit, but he would never force his friend out. He wasn’t bringing in another CFO. He wasn’t giving Glenn a fancy, useless title and making him obsolete.

  He instinctively looked at the framed picture on his desk. It was the only decoration he allowed in his office. The only personal item, now that he thought of it.

  It was a snapshot of him with Glenn, Timothy, and Annette outside his first pathetically small office space. He remembered that moment vividly. It was the first day Ashton Image Works was in business.

  They had worn T-shirts and jeans, the wind ruffling their hair. Their smiles were proud and big as the sun shone down on them. Turned out that they were clueless of the challenges that lay ahead.

  Kyle picked up the picture. They were incredibly passionate about dominating the world together. These guys were the only family he had. A dream held them closer than blood ever could.

  Or was he being nostalgic? Kyle returned the picture to its place. And was his loyalty going to destroy him? He protected what was his—his friends and his territory—but who was going to protect him?

  Molly took a bite of pizza and closed her eyes. She savored the spices and thick, chewy crust, wondering if she had died and gone to heaven.

  Someone belched loudly and a spate of male laughter burst the comforting silence.

  Nope, not heaven, Molly reminded herself as she opened her eyes. More like one of the research and development teams late at night.

  “Hey, Molly,” Curtis said as he turned the corner into the miniscule workstation she claimed for her dinner spot. “This is a great idea. Why haven’t we done this before?”

  Molly swallowed her bite and said, “Becau
se you don’t believe in taking breaks.”

  “There’s that,” Curtis said as he opened another pizza box and pulled out a hot slice loaded with vegetables.

  The spicy aroma hit her head-on. She wanted to grab the threads of the gooey mozzarella cheese and stuff them into her mouth. She had to be careful. “And you guys don’t believe in having a social life.”

  “Waste of time,” Brian, another programmer, said over the cubicle wall.

  “So have a social hour at work,” she said with a shrug. “Makes sense to me.”

  “Party girl,” Brian teased.

  Molly choked on her pizza. Party girl? Was that what they thought of her? Why?

  She couldn’t remember the last time she went to a party. Or went out for fun. It must have been after her good-for-nothing ex-boyfriend left and before she got hit with the bills he ran up.

  When it came to hitting the party circuit, she was no different than these computer geeks. Well, except for the fact that they were bazillionaires in the making. And that they refrained from going out as a matter of choice rather than necessity.

  Okay, scratch that idea, Molly thought as she sank her teeth into the pizza slice. She had nothing in common with these guys other than choosing to stay at the office on a Friday night.

  But at least her decision made sense. It was bitterly cold outside and she wanted to stay in this warm office for as long as possible. Even if it meant dragging out this impromptu pizza party to last all night.

  Now if only she could drag it to last a week. She had seven more days before she got her promotion. And she had no idea how long it would be before she found another place to live.

  The wait stretched out before her and she couldn’t take another moment of it. She briskly stood up and got busy. Molly surveyed the small group of guys as they sat on the floor and on desks. “Who wants more pizza?”

  Everyone groaned with pain. Heh. These guys must have had big lunches. She, on the other hand, didn’t think she would ever feel full again.

  “Xbox!” someone yelled out. The guys bolted up from where they sat and ran for an alcove in the department.

  Okay, that was strange. Molly stood up and decided to follow. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

  She stepped into a shallow room that was filled with arcade games, bean bag chairs, and a big-screen TV.

  “I didn’t know you had this,” she said as the guys dove and fought over the game controllers.

  “Every department has one,” Curtis said.

  “Not on the executive floor.” She looked around the room. “Exactly how does this relate to image processing software?”

  “Research,” they all said in unison.

  “Riiight.” Now she understood why the programmers stayed late. The offices had top-of-the-line computers, games, a cafeteria, a fitness room, and all-you-can drink free soda. Why leave? Smart guy, that Kyle.

  Hey…could she stay in the building? All night? Nah, too risky. They had security guards. Cameras. Probably ultraviolet rays that would set off an alarm and a really mean-looking SWAT team.

  But it might be possible, if one did it right. “Wow,” she said, not sure how to form the question without revealing her intentions. “You guys have all the comforts of home right here.”

  “No,” Brian said as he turned on the Xbox console. “They don’t have the premium channels.”

  Cable? They have free cable TV?!

  “You could stay here all night,” she said as she sank into one of the bean bags.

  “We have.”

  “You work all night?” She was surprised when they all nodded. “And then you just go home, change, and come back again?”

  “Nope,” Brian said, his eyes glued to the screen. “There are lots of places to crash here. Couches. Recliners. I slept under my desk one week during that last deadline.” He shuddered at the memory.

  “And the guards don’t have a problem with that?”

  “No, why should they?” Curtis said, sitting down next to her on the bean bag. “They know we work here and the hours get crazy.”

  Yes! She wanted to pump her arm and shout. Guess who was sleeping here tonight? Heat, lighting, and a bathroom down the hall. She was set.

  “You want to try?” Brian held out a controller.

  “No, that’s okay.” She knew the offer meant something from these rabid gamers, and she was touched. “I’d rather see how you guys do it.”

  And maybe she could organize a gaming championship that would last all week. And she could sit here with the excuse of moderating. Sit here with her eyes closed, nestled deep in the bean bag chair.

  She wasn’t sure if she fell asleep, or what stirred her into realizing that something wasn’t right. The heavy silence? Her sixth sense?

  Whatever it was, Molly opened her eyes and saw Kyle Ashton standing at the doorway.

  Her breath hitched in her throat as she stared at him. She really wished he wasn’t sexy. But she liked how he wasn’t wearing a jacket or tie. His appearance was still sophisticated, especially among the programmers, but he wasn’t as intimidating.

  Molly leaned over to Curtis. “I thought you said you’re allowed to be here,” she said through the side of her mouth.

  “We are. But Kyle rarely drops by.”

  And wasn’t it just her luck he paid a visit today? Were they too loud? Did security have a problem over a pizza delivery? It didn’t matter. Right now she had to act natural.

  “Hi, Kyle.” Molly greeted him with her best hostess smile. “We have some pizza left if you want some.” Especially since, in a roundabout way, you footed the bill.

  Kyle slowly turned and ensnared her with his bold gaze. She felt pinned beneath his intensity. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to think of an escape. She couldn’t come up with one. It was like her brain froze.

  The programmer leaning against the wall next to the doorway jumped into action and offered him a soda. Kyle accepted it and returned his attention to Molly.

  She was in trouble. She wasn’t sure what kind, but her skin was tingling and her muscles were tense and ready to bolt. Whatever rules applied during office hours were null and void.

  Another programmer whose name she forgot motioned for Kyle to see the action on the big screen.

  “Curtis,” Molly said, as an idea began to form.

  “Yeah?”

  “If anyone asks, we’re dating.” Kyle wouldn’t move on another man’s woman. Would he?

  “We are?”

  She turned and faced him. “No, we aren’t, but if anyone asks, we are.”

  Curtis gave her a strange look. “O…kay.”

  She better explain herself before wild rumors circulated the building. “I don’t…want Kyle wondering why I’m here.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “For the pizza.”

  Curtis laughed. “So don’t tell me. That’s fine.”

  The one time she told the truth, no one believed her. From the corner of her eye she could see Kyle turning at the sound of Curtis’s laugh.

  “Does this mean we get to have sex?” Curtis asked.

  Molly’s mouth dropped open in shock. “No!” she whispered fiercely.

  “But we’re dating.” Curtis leaned in closer to her.

  Molly set her jaw. “I’m going to hit you.”

  “Oh, you’re into that kind of thing.” Curtis shook his head with regret. “I’m not into kink. I’m not sure if this relationship is going to work.”

  “I should have asked Brian,” she muttered to herself.

  “Hell, no.” Curtis draped his arm over her shoulders and Molly did her best not to jump from the unexpected and overly familiar touch. “Brian’s gay. Everyone knows that.”

  Then she’d made the right choice.

  “Hey, Kyle,” Curtis called out and motioned for him. “Come sit down with me and my girlfriend.”

  Or not.

  Chapter 4

  Curtis and Molly?


  No.

  Even though he saw it, his body rejected the idea. His mind tried to block the image of the two cozy with each other. His iron control stamped out the urgency to rush over and tear them apart.

  He caught Molly’s eye. She slowly blinked and smiled wide. Oh, yeah. Something was up with Molly. He was going to find out what. Either that or he was going to find out why she picked that guy over him.

  There was no way that could happen.

  Kyle made his way to the couple. “Curtis. Molly.”

  “Sit down.” The elite programmer gestured to the other side of Molly. “There’s plenty of room.”

  He’d rather sit between Molly and Curtis. Then shove Curtis off the bag and have Molly all to himself. But he’d be good. For now.

  Kyle sat down next to Molly. He could feel her heat. Inhale her scent. Brush his arm against hers.

  What the hell was he doing? He could grab Molly by the wrist and haul her against him. Carry her out of this room and show her every reason why she should be with him. In graphic detail.

  No one would stop him. Might add to his legend. Why was he playing this game?

  Kyle took a long sip from his soda can. “So, how long have you guys been dating?”

  “Very recently,” Curtis said before he pressed Molly against his side. “Isn’t that right, sweetie?”

  “We sort of drifted together,” Molly explained as she shifted position and tried to sit up straighter.

  Kyle knew Molly was lying. But why? “What about your wife, Curtis? Did you guys separate?”

  Molly’s body tightened and her eyes went wide. Although she kept herself very still, Kyle could feel her muscles quivering with rage. He guessed Molly didn’t know about the wife.

  “Oh, the missus and I have an understanding,” Curtis said with an exaggerated wink.

  “Uh-huh,” Kyle drawled out.

  “And Molly,” Curtis said as he curled his hand on her knee. “She doesn’t mind sharing.”

  Molly discreetly crossed her legs, trapping Curtis’s hand between her knees. He didn’t see her applying force, but Kyle saw the other man wince.

  “Hey, loverboy,” Brian said from in front of the TV. He held up his Xbox controller. “You’re up.”