“I hear you.” Revealing a painful secret also created a bond. That’s why Alice and Natalie were so special to Dawn.
“Speaking of Tully, he reminded me that we need to be careful.” Leland’s tone was serious. “If Chad is running an illegal operation on the dark web, he won’t want to be found out. That could make him dangerous if he gets suspicious of you. Point him out to me and I’ll strike up a conversation with him.”
“Won’t that make him suspicious of you?” She was torn between being offended that he thought she couldn’t be subtle about her probing and being gratified that he was worried about her.
“I don’t work with him, so I can avoid further contact if necessary.”
“That doesn’t make sense. He could still come after you.” Chad was a big, burly guy. Not that Leland was any slouch when it came to body tone.
“I have Tully on my side.”
His partner was ex-FBI, so that made sense. “Fine. You talk to Chad. You know a lot more about computers than I do anyway.” That was the real reason she was backing off.
“You’re much more amenable to reason than my other partners.” He sounded surprised but in a good way.
She coughed out a laugh. “It doesn’t happen often, so don’t get used to it.”
“That’s a shame. I was going to invite you to join our meetings so I have an extra vote on my side.” His voice had gone honeyed again.
“You’re drawling so you must be trying to disarm me.”
“I gave away my secret and now you’re going to use it against me. I should have known better.”
He was definitely flirting. She relaxed into the corner of the sofa and stretched her legs out. “Jersey girls are tough that way. Not like the New Yorkers you find so easy to fool.”
“I would never attempt to fool you. We’re partners, remember?” A ridiculous thrill zinged through her at his acceptance of her designation. It turned to equally ridiculous disappointment when he continued with what sounded like regret in his voice. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow for our next training session. Don’t hurt me too much.”
Before Dawn could respond in kind, he had disconnected. Dawn looked at the time on her phone. He was getting back to work at nine forty-five at night? She knew why she put so much time in at the gym; it was her sanctuary. But what kept Leland at the office so late?
She hoped she’d get the chance to find out. After all, he’d been honest about how he used his accent. And he’d flirted with her until duty called.
She sighed and forced herself to consider Chad instead. Would a dark web criminal pester a coworker to go out with him? Wouldn’t he want to fly under the radar rather than annoy her? She just couldn’t imagine Chad being either a computer wizard or a criminal mastermind. He’d have to be a really skillful actor to make himself seem like such a dopey jock to cover his real self.
Although maybe criminal masterminds were smart enough to seem dumb.
She rubbed her temples to stop her mind from spinning in circles. She would see what Leland thought of Chad tomorrow.
Even better, she would see Leland tomorrow.
Chapter 5
When Leland walked through the gym’s entrance doors, the afternoon sun caught him in its warm light, painting his hair gold, highlighting his broad swimmer’s shoulders, and tracing down his long, long legs. Desire slid through Dawn like warm molasses, thick and sweet. She continued to lean against the reception desk, partly to have the pleasure of watching him walk toward her with that delicious smile curling his lips and partly because her knees had gone weak.
“You’re early,” she said, still gripping the edge of the glass countertop. “I like an eager client.”
The sun flashed off his glasses as he shook his head. “Well, darlin’, you mentioned I should warm up on the treadmill before we get started. I do my best to follow my trainer’s instructions.” The slow southern drawl was out in full force.
Delight tickled through her.
“Besides that,” he continued, “I figure the sooner we begin, the sooner the torture will be over.”
“Hmm. Not the attitude I was hoping for.” She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and gave him a slanting smile. “For that you’ll get an extra five pounds on the barbell.”
“But I used my slowest southern accent on you.” He raised his eyebrows. “It’s supposed to charm you.”
“I’m immune.” But she wasn’t immune to the dancing imp of mischief in his blue eyes. That charmed her right down to her toes.
“I’ll have to resort to different methods, then.” His voice dropped to a rough purr that rippled over her skin.
“Okay, where’s my next victim?” Chad’s booming voice ripped through the delicious cocoon that seemed to envelop Dawn and Leland.
She squeezed her eyes shut briefly in disgust before she remembered that Leland needed to talk to the other trainer. Her eyelids snapped open and she moved close to Leland to murmur. “The blond guy who just walked up to the reception desk is Chad.”
The fun vanished from Leland’s eyes as he cast a sharp glance in Chad’s direction. “Got it.”
“You can ask Gina at the desk about that,” Dawn said, raising her voice and hoping Leland could come up with a plausible question. After all, he was a genius. “I have to check on one thing before we get going. I’ll see you at the treadmill.”
Leland smiled and nodded to Dawn. “Thanks. I’ll get a good sweat going before you arrive.”
She could see his brain shifting into high gear as he started toward the unsuspecting Chad. She wished she could stay to eavesdrop on the conversation. Watching Leland use his impressive brain to run circles around the annoying trainer would be a treat and a half. However, she didn’t want to screw up the investigation, so she strode toward the door to the locker rooms as though she had a real purpose.
Several minutes later, she found Leland running at a brisk pace on one of the treadmills. “Don’t overdo it,” she said, enjoying the way the muscles in his calves flexed with each stride. “I have big plans for you.”
He stumbled slightly and muttered something under his breath.
“I missed that. What did you say?” Dawn asked.
“For my ears only.” Leland slowed the treadmill. “I’m trying to loosen up all the stiff spots you left me with.”
Dawn waited until he was looking her way before she scanned down his body. “Your stride looks pretty fluid to me.”
“If only you knew,” he said, dropping his speed to a walk. “Let’s get this over with.” He sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth.
He’d been happy to flirt before. Why was he suddenly in a rush? Maybe she should drop the intensity a little. “You know I was kidding about the extra weights, right?”
“Do your worst,” he challenged.
After a quick warm-up, she moved into the strength section of the day’s program. She could use spotting him as a way to hold a private conversation.
As he stretched out on the weight bench, she picked up two twenty-five-pound dumbbells from the rack and moved to the end of the bench where his head lay. When she looked down at him, he smiled, his eyes gleaming behind the lenses of his glasses and deep creases bracketing the corners of his mouth. “You’re going easy on me, aren’t you?” he asked, holding up his hands for the weights.
That smile hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. “I . . . what? No.” Except the heat it brought spread through in a delicious wave. “Maybe.”
“Don’t go easy. I like a hard workout.” He took the weights and held them up straight-armed, his lips still curled into that teasing smile. “What next?”
She had to pull together her scattered thoughts. Were they back to flirting? “Skull crushers. Bring the weights down beside your ears and then back up, elbows in tight. Don’t straighten your arms all the way at the top, to get the maximum benefit. Okay, start.” She knelt in spotting position, which brought her down almost to the level of hi
s head. “What did you think of Chad?”
“Aha! That’s why you’re getting up close and personal.” He bent his elbows and she held her hands under the weights. Sweat sheened his forehead and his sexy scent tantalized her nostrils again. She resisted the urge to breathe him in.
“Is Chad a criminal mastermind?” she asked more sharply than she meant to.
“He’s not a computer expert, unless he’s very good at playing dumb. But I wouldn’t count him out. There’s a certain shrewdness behind those sports clichés. By the way, he told me I was training with the best in the gym.” Leland’s gaze locked on hers as he pushed the weights upward. “You.”
“Chad said that?” Dawn was stunned. “He generally tries to lure my clients away from me. Maybe he’s using some kind of reverse psychology on you.”
“Which could support my theory that he’s not as unsophisticated as he lets on. I told you I was always right.”
“I was kidding. Watch the elbows there. You’re flaring out slightly.” Dawn put her hands against the outside of his elbows as he bent them again since he didn’t really need spotting with twenty-five-pound weights. The feel of his skin sliding against hers sent a tingle racing up her arms, but she didn’t pull away. “So you think Chad could be involved in some aspect of this dark web thing?”
“I don’t know,” Leland said, his voice tight with effort. “The timing is suspicious. But we’re still looking for a computer expert.”
“I’m going to talk to my friend Natalie. You might remember her from Alice and Derek’s engagement party.”
“Blonde, well groomed,” Leland huffed out.
“You got her.” There was a little twinge of pique that he’d noticed Natalie’s grooming.
“I’m not clear on why she would be able to pinpoint the computer expert.”
“Right. She owns a hair salon here in Cofferwood and she trains at the gym. She pretty much hears everything about everyone at the salon and she knows all the gym’s staff. Not to mention that she’s a great judge of character.”
“I think the fewer people who know about our project, the better,” Leland said.
“She’s totally discreet.”
He gave her a sardonic look. “Except when you ask her not to be.”
“That’s different. We’re friends and I’m just as discreet as she is. Okay, you’re done.” Dawn curled her hands around the bar of the weights so her palms met the backs of his fingers. She’d done the same thing with a hundred other clients, but never had she felt such a shock of awareness. She had to remind herself not to drop the weights on Leland’s head as he released his hold. Something made her look down, and she saw the same awareness in his eyes. Heat flashed through her and she almost staggered as she stood up.
“Um, let’s get to the lower-body work.” She winced as the unintentional double entendre of her words sank in. Or maybe it was her primitive subconscious being quite deliberate and enthusiastic.
His lips quirked into a half smile. He must have had a similar thought. She stalked over to the weight rack and slotted the weights into place, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself.
“What new torment are you dreaming up for me?” His deep, slow voice sounded as though he was murmuring directly beside her ear. When her eyes flew open, the mirror showed that he stood right behind her, watching her in the reflection. She had an intense desire to press herself back against his sweat-darkened gray T-shirt and hope he would wrap his arms around her.
“Traveling lunges,” she blurted out, even though she had no memory of including them in her plan for today’s session. She sidestepped to get away from the gravitational pull he exerted over her. “With a barbell on your shoulders to challenge your balance.”
He blew out a breath and nodded. She managed to get through the rest of the exercises without touching him again, a good thing for her concentration. “Okay, time to stretch,” she said, as he finished a series of squats to cool down.
A look of what she could only interpret as pain crossed his face. “If I swear to stretch after I swim, may I skip this part?”
She stiffened as hurt jabbed at her. It was the second time he had tried to dodge her training. Had she overstretched him yesterday? Or was he trying to avoid her touch because he reacted to her physically? The possibility sent heat sizzling through her.
“If you’re not going to stretch now, I should add more exercises so you get your full hour in.” She put a little bit of seduction in her smile.
He grabbed his sweat towel and scrubbed at the back of his neck. “I need to get back to the office sooner rather than later, so even my swim will be brief.” He softened that by giving her a rueful look. “Believe me, I got my money’s worth from you. Chad was right about you being the best.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a tight-lipped smile, still unsure why he was leaving early.
He bent down closer. “Let me know what Natalie says.” Then he pivoted and strode toward the locker room.
She refused to allow herself to stand and watch him go, so she grabbed a spray bottle and began to wipe down the weight bench, giving it a hard scrub in frustration.
However, she volunteered to help a newish member program her treadmill so she could keep an eye on the pool. Luckily, she had just saved the program to the machine’s memory when Leland walked into the swimming area, wearing a pair of dark-red swim shorts.
Dawn forgot about the treadmill’s speed and incline as her gaze traveled over the beautiful planes of Leland’s body. She’d guessed at what he looked like under his workout clothes, but seeing him stripped down to bare skin made her gasp in a breath and hold it as desire burned through her veins. She imagined skimming her hands down the ridged rectus abdominis of his abdomen, tracing the line of his quads from his thigh to his knee, flattening her palms against the powerful deltoids of his shoulders. His skin would be warm and smooth over the hard press of muscle and tendon.
He stopped on the edge of the pool, tensed for a moment, and then arced into the water in a shallow racing dive, surfacing with his arms already thrusting like a piston-driven engine, perfectly calibrated and propulsive. He cut through the water without apparent effort, his strokes never varying as the wet-slicked, flexing muscles in his back caught flashes of light. She waited for him to resurface after he hit the pool’s far wall in a perfect flip turn, taking much too long to emerge from under the water so she could savor the sight of him again.
The alarm on her smart watch sounded, making her jump. Glancing down at it, she saw that her next client was due in ten minutes. Maybe it was a good thing that she had another commitment to drag her away from drooling over Leland.
Leland fell into the familiar, mind-freeing rhythm of moving through the water. Except his mind kept taking cues from his body, which was still humming with arousal. He’d seen the baffled look in Dawn’s eyes when he’d turned down stretching, but he didn’t want to risk the strong possibility that his desire for her would become visible when she put her hands on him. The day before, it had been a near thing. Today the intensity of his attraction had been amplified by nothing more than her proximity during their training session. The few times her skin had come in contact with his, her touch had sent a streak of arousal straight to his groin.
He’d taken a cold shower before putting on his swim trunks, but that had offered only a temporary fix. Now her face, her body, and her voice—rough velvet with a weirdly sexy touch of Jersey accent—clouded his mind with lust.
Summoning every ounce of mental self-discipline he possessed, he focused on the Fincher RFP he’d promised Derek. Tully had been right, damn him! Leland didn’t really have time to do it justice. Especially not with Dawn undermining his concentration at every turn.
What the hell was wrong with him?
He hit the wall and flipped feet over head, launching himself in the opposite direction underwater.
He had to stay focused on the job. That’s where he knew who he was. That’s where people depe
nded on him. Where he didn’t have time to think about the hole in his heart.
Although Dawn was proving to be an effective distraction from his grief. Maybe he should go with that. No, he couldn’t use her that way. She deserved to be more than a sort of temporary bandage.
He forced himself to work through the next step in solving the mystery of the dark web node. That was what he was here for, after all.
He’d gone as far as he could with his monitoring software. He needed to get into the router itself. He’d been a little surprised to discover that it had the latest security protocol and had been set up so administrative access was authorized only through a physical Ethernet connection. Someone knew their cybersecurity. Which was unusual for a business like Work It Out, a single-owner gym without particularly sensitive data to protect.
That made the dark web activity all the more suspicious.
He’d have to ask Dawn where the router was located, although he would take a guess it was in the boss’s office. Getting in there with his laptop was going to be tricky, to say the least. He could ask Tully for help, but he suspected his partner would insist on coming along.
He kick turned and his thoughts inexorably returned to Dawn now that her name had floated across his consciousness again.
One more lap, during which he would allow himself to fantasize about peeling her exercise clothes off and running his hands over her naked skin.
Then he had to get back to work.
Chapter 6
“Nat, I need your opinion about something.” Dawn bit into a fried zucchini stick, a specialty at Winenfood that she allowed herself to indulge in no more than once a month, even though she and her friends generally met at the local bar once a week.
“And I thought you’d invited me out for a drink for the pleasure of my company,” Natalie said, her slim fingers curled around the stem of her Manhattan glass. She had her short blonde hair smoothed back into a sleek, sophisticated style and wore a simple white cotton blouse that she had somehow turned into a fashion statement by adding a couple of delicate silver necklaces.
The Hacker Page 6