Loving Lindsey (An American Dream Love Story Book 2)

by Josephine Parker

  He thought of his brother’s words. Sometimes it’s good to get burned. Zach gripped the sink and raised his eyes to the mirror again as the cold droplets fell. He didn’t need to touch Lindsey to get burned. The very sight of her scorched him. Fire had filled his veins, but there was no way to quench it now. He had lost Lindsey forever by doubting her. She made that clear yesterday when she ran out of the room.

  She wasn’t a spy. She just wanted to finish college, live the dream she had lost. At least he could make sure that happened. He remembered what the dean had said: if this project didn’t come together fast, she might not get her degree at all. He dried his face and stalked back into the lab, making a beeline for his desk. He was almost done. He would finish the code, send it to the dean, and make sure Lindsey got her degree.

  Zach walked past Lindsey without a word and shut his office door. As he brought his monitors to life, memories of last night’s code lapped against each other like tiny waves; he just had to find a way to connect them. He frowned as the same problems popped up. Each time he found a link, one section would unravel and the whole string would fall away. He slammed down his laptop and rubbed his eyes. It’s got to be here, he muttered to himself, then heard a ding.

  Zach opened his monitor again and a white square popped up in the corner. It was an IM from Lindsey.

  “Are you alright?” It read.

  Zach opened his blinds to see her pixie face looking at him from her desk. He turned to his keyboard.

  “The data isn’t syncing,” he wrote, planting both feet on the floor “We are so close!” he continued. “I feel like the answer is right in front of me, but I can’t see it. My brain is just fried.”

  He turned and looked at Lindsey through the office glass, throwing his hands up in frustration. He saw her nod, then turn toward her own keyboard. A ding soon followed.

  “I think I have a solution,” her next IM read.

  “You do?”

  “Yes,” she wrote, “I’ll show you. Come here.”

  Zach looked out and felt his heart begin to thump a little harder. He stood, wiped his hands against the front of his jeans, and walked out.

  Lindsey spun once in her chair, then stood to face him, her mouth pulled in a serious line. “Are you willing to try something new?” she asked.

  Zach felt his skin flush. “Sure,” he said.

  With a nod, Lindsey turned back toward her computer. She pulled up a black screen saturated with strings of green code. As the two of them stared at it, she reached out and squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Trust me?” she asked.

  Zach felt the heat rising up his arm. “I do,” he said.

  Okay,” she said, pulling him by the hand. “Step back.” He followed her, and the two peered down at the screen. “Sometimes, I find if I step back, I see fresh patterns in the data,” she said.

  Zach squinted at the screen dubiously.

  “Okay,” she said, pulling him again.” Now, take a step forward.”

  Zach followed her lead, not wanting to let go. Her hand was so soft.

  “Now forward again,” she said. “Now back. Now to the side,” she said, pulling him by the arm. “Now cha-cha!” she laughed, grabbing him by both hands. “Now, we’re dancing!”

  Zach’s arms curled around hers, his head falling back into a laugh.

  “Twirl me! Twirl me!” Lindsey cried, and he did. He twirled her around and then pulled her close, their necks tilted down toward each other. As she laughed, he felt her breath coming rapid and hot against his neck and ear. He wasn’t afraid to be burned anymore.

  In a rush, he took her by the back of the head and brought his lips down on hers. Her mouth opened softly in surprise and then she pulled away. He saw a small frown of confusion pass behind her eyes, but then it faded.

  “Okay,” she said, gripping his hand. “Look again.”

  Zach blinked at her absently as he tried to remember what she meant. She pulled him by the waist and together they leaned forward. As his eyes adjusted to the screen, the code shone in a fresh, bright blue.

  “See?” she asked.

  “Wow.” He nodded, his eyes growing wide. “I…wow. It’s totally new.” He should have rushed to his keyboard to get down what he saw, but he turned toward Lindsey instead. He suddenly saw new possibilities in her eyes, as well. The click of the machines serenaded them as they stood alone in the lab, looking into the other's eyes. Zach reached forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. He saw her blink rapidly then tilt her lips toward his. He leaned in to kiss her again when he heard the door click open.

  Cedric walked in, wide-eyed. He grinned, then took the back of his heel and slammed the lab door shut behind him.

  “Cedric!” James called from the hallway. “Jeez! You shut the door right in my face!”

  “Sorry, pal,” Cedric called back, giving Lindsey and Zach a wink. “My bad.”

  Zach peeled away and got to his office door just as James walked in with a smug look smeared across his face. “Lindsey.” He grinned wider as he saw her. “How’s my favorite coder?”

  Zach stopped short and turned to lean in his office doorway.

  “Fine,” Lindsey responded as she sat abruptly and wheeled her chair into her cube. “Working, you know?”

  James sauntered over and leaned his hip against her desk. “Too much work, babe. Did you get my message about hitting Nicaragua for Winter Break?”

  Zach coughed into his hand, trying to hide a scoff that escaped his throat. The only reason James would go to a third world country was to play tennis and get a tan.

  James looked up at the sound. “Oh, hey, Professor.”

  “James.”

  “Anyway,” James continued, leaning in toward Lindsey. “I got your message. I like a girl who makes the first move.”

  Zach felt his muscles tense and his back straighten. He watched as Lindsey laughed awkwardly, then nodded.

  “If your message was a booty call, I like your chances.” He leered as his eyes lingered in all the wrong places. Zach felt his teeth grind as James continued. “Some friends are going to the bar tonight. Why don’t you come?”

  Zach saw Lindsey lean back slightly to see his face. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw a slight rise in her shoulders. Maybe he should go over and save her, make up some excuse about needing work done. Zach took a step forward, but halted when he heard her respond.

  “Sure,” she said. “What time?”

  Zach fell back against the wall as the air went out of him. Lindsey was going out with James? Was that who she was messaging earlier? The taste of Lindsey’s kiss still lingered on his mouth as he felt his last glimmer of hope disappear. He turned slowly and walked back into his office.

  Chapter 17: Lindsey

  Lindsey’s sleeve stuck to the table as she tried to pull her arms back and tuck her elbows close to her sides. With a high-five and a nod, frat boys squeezed into the booth from both sides, forcing the people next to her to shimmy closer and pin her in, the smell of booze and body odor wafting across her like a veil. She absently wondered how many more people could fit in the bar before the walls burst from the inside out.

  Across the beer bottles and shot glasses that littered the table, she could just make out the top of James’ head making his way back toward her with a tray teetering with glasses full of some dark, dangerous looking liquor.

  “Up!” he said to the row of guys next to Lindsey. “Up, let me in next to my girl.”

  Lindsey felt the bile rise in her throat, but swallowed it with a smile.

  “Sorry that took so long, beautiful,” he said as he scooted in. “It’s a zoo in here.”

  “I can see that,” she said.

  “What?” James yelled.

  “I can see that,” she said louder.

  “Right,” he laughed, drawing his arm around her shoulders. “Loud, huh?

  Lindsey tried to keep her back loose. “Yeah,” she said. “Crazy. Hey, speaking of crazy, w
hat’s been going on at the lab? Was it always like this?”

  James focused his dull eyes on her. “You tell me,” he slurred. “Like what?”

  “Like, weirdness. People testing the security.”

  “Wheeler’s just paranoid.” He scoffed. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll be out of there soon enough.”

  “Yeah, but aren’t you worried? Just a little?”

  James slid a shot glass her way. “About what?”

  Lindsey curled her fingers around the glass and looked into the oily liquid but didn’t take a sip. “I don’t know, like, worried somebody could get our code?”

  “Hell no, babe.” He sneered. “I don’t believe in worry. There’s no money in it.”

  As he stifled a drunken belch, Lindsey looked toward the bar, wishing her plan was working better. There she saw a girl flip her hair back and smile at the boy next to her. She had to learn this damned pantomime girls had. Turning to James again, Lindsey twisted her hair around a finger and leaned in. “Thanks for the drinks. You’re so smart. I bet I could learn a lot from you.”

  James pulled back, his eyebrows rising. “For sure. There are so, so many things I’d like to teach you,” he said, as his hand slid up her thigh.

  “Like, um,” she said, crossing her legs so his hand fell off, “that algorithm. That must be…some piece of work.”

  “You’re a piece of work.” He growled, pushing himself closer.

  Lindsey’s hands instinctively went to his chest, pushing to create some distance. “Do you have it here? Could I take a peek? I think algorithms are so…so…sexy.”

  “Woohoo! Listen! She thinks my algorithms are sexy,” James called to his buddies, gyrating his hips into the booth for a laugh. Then he spun toward her and leaned in so close she could smell the alcohol staining his breath. “It is sexy, babe. It’s big, and fast, and strong, too.”

  “Yeah?” Lindsey said, leaning back. “How so?”

  “It pushes people right to the edge,” he said, leaning in again. “It gets them just where I want them to go. I could show you…”

  “The algorithm?”

  “So much more,” he said, his breath pouring against her cheek in bitter puffs. “I can show you the man behind the brain.”

  Lindsey gripped her fingertips into the vinyl seat cushion and tried not to bolt. “I’d like that,” she said, trying not to inhale. “But, why don’t we start with the algorithm.”

  James’ chin receded so sharply into his neck it revealed deep lines where his spray tan had seeped. “Why do you have such a hard-on for my algorithm, Viper?”

  Lindsey searched his bloodshot eyes. Oops. I went too far, she thought. “I just, I like math, it…it turns me on.” She shrugged.

  “Well, too late!” he cried, downing an already empty shot glass then turning it over to double check the contents were gone. “I sold it.”

  Lindsey felt the tiny hairs on her arms rise, just as she heard a familiar voice behind her.

  “Ms. Monahan.”

  Lindsey turned. Zach was looming over their table, his jawbone like a rock. Fresh snow melted on the shoulders of his woolen pee coat and a light steam wafted up around him. His eyes landed hard on Lindsey as the table went quiet.

  James broke the silence with a slurred invitation. “Professor! Look who came out of his cave. Sit down! Have a drink.”

  Zach shot tiny daggers at James and the sight of his arm still stretched loosely over Lindsey’s shoulders. “Ms. Monahan,” he said, “I need you in the lab.”

  “Um, right now?” she asked, lifting James’ drunken arm off of her by the sleeve.

  “Yes,” he said, his eyes dark. “Now.”

  Lindsey felt the hot booth turn cold as she considered why he was there. She did a quick mental check of her system and reminded herself to stay calm. No way had he found her secret file.

  “Well,” she said, throwing up her hands, “guess that’s it for me. Gotta go,” she said, shimmying out of the booth.

  “No, boo!” called out a couple of frat boys. “Dad’s pissed!”

  Lindsey turned as she reached the edge and looked at James. His arms were crossed and the skin around his eyes had turned a deep red. “Bye, James,” she said.

  James’ head rolled around on his neck as his words fell loosely from his mouth. “Whatever, tease.”

  “Okay, that’s nice,” Lindsey said, grabbing her coat and turning toward Zach. “Let’s go.”

  Zach turned on his heel and Lindsey fell in next to him, each positioning to walk first as they dodged through people to exit the bar. As they pushed out into the cold night air and passed a final rush of students, Lindsey threw on her jacket and curled her scarf around her neck. “Thanks a lot.” She hissed.

  Zach pushed his fists down in his pockets. “Sorry I’m messing up your new love life.”

  “What? What are you talking about?” She glared at him. “You can’t seriously think I’m interested in James.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No!”

  Lindsey watched as his eyes darted from her to the bar. He was so gruff and sexy, dammit.

  “How was I supposed to know that, Lindsey? You won’t even talk to me.”

  “Why do you even care?” she asked, her voice raised.

  Zach exhaled. “I know what you’re up to.”

  Lindsey’s squeezed her eyes shut. Busted, she thought. He did see my files. That’s why he’s here. “I was going to tell you, I—”

  “I know,” he continued, “and I get it.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah, you missed out on college life, and you just want to experience what you missed.”

  Lindsey felt her eyes crinkle. “What? No...”

  “I understand.” Zach shrugged. “It’s just that, well, James has a creepy vibe. And I was worried.”

  “You were?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I know it’s not my place. I just—”

  Lindsey threw out a hand to silence him. She felt suddenly baffled. Was he flirting? She had spent so much time trying to prove herself to him, she’d never considered how to react if she got another chance. Words tumbled through her mind, she had so many questions, but finally, these simple words came out. “I think it’s…sweet,” she said carefully.

  Zach turned his face toward her. “You do?”

  “Uh huh,” she said, trying to organize her thoughts. “And, you’re right…about James. He is creepy. I was only here to—I just wanted to see his algorithm.”

  “That’s it?” Zach asked, confusion twisting his brow. “Why?”

  “I…I thought it might help me put something together. Like a puzzle. It doesn’t matter now. He sold it.”

  “He did? When?”

  “Don’t know. I might have found out, but…someone showed up and pulled me out of there.”

  “Oops.”

  She nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I have it, you know.”

  “What, the algorithm?”

  “I guess I could let you see it, if you want. It’s his IP, but it’s already in my system.”

  Lindsey took a breath. “No, not if it’s against the rules. I would never…”

  “Right.” Zach nodded, his jaw tightening. “Ethics. Important.”

  “Super important.” Lindsey nodded, rocking on her heels.

  For a moment the two of them stood in silence as fat white flakes fell around them. Lindsey looked up to see Zach’s eyes shining in the light of a distant car. He had a question poised on his lips as he looked down at her. “So, what’s next?” she asked. “With the program, I mean.”

  “I don’t want to talk about that now.” His eyes searched hers as if he were trying to decipher something. Lindsey felt her mouth open in response just as he reached out and took her by the hand. Gently, he raised her fingers toward his mouth and blew on them. “You’re cold,” he said.

  “I am,” Lindsey said, her heart racing. “But you have hot coffee in the lab, right?”

 
“I do,” Zach said, with a small shake of his head. “But you don’t have to…I wasn’t really coming here to drag you to the lab.”

  “I’d like to go,” she blurted. “I mean, if you’re going. We could share a cab…”

  Zach’s lips curved into a smile. “But I drove.”

  “Oh,” Lindsey said, anticipation swirling.

  Zach smiled. “We are going to the same place...” he said. “And cabs take forever.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Lindsey swung her shoulders and tilted her head up as she looked at him. His expression was no longer uncertain. She reached out and took him by the hand. “Let’s go,” she said.

  Chapter 18: Zach

  As Lindsey walked into the cool light of the lab, Zach felt his heart begin to pound. In the seconds it took him to turn and secure the door, he promised himself he would not squander this new opportunity. Lindsey was here; she was talking to him, and he saw possibilities in her eyes. Maybe it wasn’t too late.

  He turned to see her waiting in the center of the room. Her hands were clenched in front of her and one of her ankles was turned slightly, as if she might bolt. He saw a mixture of regret and hope wash across her face as he came toward her. For a moment, he just stood in front of her, their body’s inches apart. Then he took her two clenched hands in his and raised them toward his chest, where he held them as he spoke. “Lindsey,” he said, looking into her eyes, “earlier you asked me why I care. I can’t explain it, but I have cared from the beginning. I know I didn’t handle it well.” He drew her hands to his heart. “I should have trusted you.”

  Lindsey shrugged. “Things got weird, that’s all.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, his eyes imploring her to forgive him. “I’m so sorry. Can I fix it?”

  All hesitation left her face. “You already have,” she whispered. She lowered her head and kissed the top of his fingers, one by one. As her lips touched him, Zach felt his head spin. He was twirling on the top of a pin, every inch of his skin longing to be closer to her. He raised his fingers to her jaw and lifted her lips to his, first taking in her top lip, then her bottom. The soft skin of her neck arched against his lips as they trailed down to her collar bone, then the exposed skin above her collar. With one arm, he circled her back and lifted her so her lithe body was perched above him. As her delicate skin pressed into him, he heard a soft moan escape her lips.