Of course, Mallory was only living what she’d learned from him. Live for the moment and don’t dwell too much on the future. Just like the way he’d led her into a life of crime.
But Duke had helped his daughter change directions once he’d recognized their career for the potential problem it was. He would help her fix this problem, too. He just needed to be craftier about it, because Mallory was older and savvier now.
After draining his glass, he set it on the counter. “I need to pull my thoughts together. Why don’t you two meet me at Polish Paul’s tonight?”
“Are we meeting with a client, boss man?”
“In a manner of speaking. I have a job for us. Something’s up with Mallory and Trinity. I want to know what.”
Opal shook her head, sending platinum waves tumbling sexily around her face. “Stop worrying, Duke. Let her enjoy herself.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Eddie said. “Mallory will take you out if you start messing in her business.”
Duke nodded his head in agreement. Mallory definitely wouldn’t appreciate his interference. “I got a feeling about this. Something’s off with these two. I want to know what, and I need your help to find out.”
That was all he had to say. Both Opal and Eddie nodded. Duke’s feelings were gospel. His feelings had kept them all out of prison more times than he could count.
Except for him, of course, but there was a story there.
JAKE BLINKED when Mallory flipped on the light. Stepping off the last riser, he gave his eyesight a chance to adjust to the bright track lighting before peering around the basement that she’d transformed into a workshop.
“So this is where you work your magic.”
“I work my magic in the bedroom.” She tossed a bold gaze back over her shoulder. “This is where I work.”
Under normal circumstances Jake would appreciate the distinction. As it was, he still hadn’t recuperated from the shock of being caught in a compromising situation by Mallory’s father. Nor had he recovered from his surprise that after a lengthy get-acquainted conversation, the man had actually said good-bye and left with Jake still in one piece. Then to top matters off, the lust that had died a swift death upon the man’s arrival was back in force after watching Mallory dress in a casual sweat suit that hugged her curves in clingy white jersey.
She’d left her hair free to air-dry down her back, and it shone like obsidian. The memory of those cool strands between his fingers assaulted his senses, and, as an admittedly desperate attempt at distraction, Jake surveyed the room around him, taking comfort in the calming familiarity of business.
Mallory’s workshop quickly revealed itself to be a high-tech world of bright lights and expensive power tools, large drafting tables and cutting-edge electronic gadgetry that brought to mind a small-scale version of his own labs at TSS.
“You studied business and engineering,” he said. Both were reflected in her workspace.
“You did your homework.” It wasn’t a question.
“Public records, client references. The usual stuff.”
He didn’t add that the usual stuff had been the extent of his research. He wouldn’t offer up his limits on a platter, and she didn’t need to know that he didn’t have the kind of connections that she had. If she didn’t already know.
“Even with my impeccable references, you still don’t trust me?”
He would have answered her in the affirmative, but he didn’t, realizing his feelings weren’t as clear-cut as they’d been earlier. “I want to get to know you.”
She didn’t miss the significance of that statement. “You didn’t trust me before we slept together.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“And yet you’re willing to consider it now.” She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and smiled wryly. “Does sex always affect you this way?”
“Not always.”
The honest answer was never, but once again he wouldn’t give honesty to Mallory. He’d never actually slept with a woman he didn’t trust. If he were equally honest with himself, he’d have to admit to never actually sleeping with a woman that he’d wanted to get to know this much, either.
Jake couldn’t be sure there wasn’t an us. Something was going on between them, something that had started ten years ago when they’d been nothing more than accidental strangers. He wanted a chance to find out what that something was. In order to do that he needed to understand Mallory, to know how she worked, how she played, how she lived and how she reasoned.
“You brought the specs,” she said, suddenly all business.
Striding to a worktable, he snapped open his briefcase. She helped herself to the contents, and he retreated, glancing at a wall that housed an assortment of gear hanging from hooks and metal shelving.
He recognized rappel lines and harnesses and an image filtered through his memory of his first glimpse of Mallory. The sight of her sinuously descending a rope, the slim lines of her body softened by darkness.
He’d been shell-shocked by the sight of her then, a reaction he’d always attributed to youth. As the only child of upper-middle-class parents, Jake had been focused on his accomplishments from a very young age. He’d planned for his future, been fortunate enough and privileged enough to be able to realize his dreams.
Hindsight told him that he’d had life too easy. When he’d been thrown a curve in her shapely form that night, he simply hadn’t had any frame of reference for someone like Mallory Hunt. He’d experienced an unfamiliar indecision that he’d paid for dearly, and it had taken considerable time and effort to develop the skills he’d needed to deal effectively with having all his careful plans derailed.
But Jake had grown from the experience and was content with his accomplishments and the path his life had taken. So he found it a little surprising now that youth hadn’t been solely responsible for his intense reaction to this woman. He’d been shell-shocked by her ten years ago; the woman who pored over the blueprints for the Sentex 2000, seemingly unaware of his presence, fascinated him.
Jake watched as she reached for a table light, bent it forward on a retractable arm to closely view the specs. Her hair swept in front of her shoulders as she leaned over, concealing all but her profile, the silky dark brows, the lush lashes, the straight nose, the kissable mouth.
He cocked his hip against the table and folded his arms across his chest and almost smiled. Almost.
No, youth had nothing to do with his reaction to Mallory. Nothing at all.
“You’re operating with utility and environmental systems controlled at the source,” she said.
“For my full-service clients.”
“You’re one point of service for the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico? Instantaneous signals to the central alarm monitoring station and police dispatch. You’ve got that kind of satellite coverage?”
Jake nodded, satisfied that she sounded surprised. Looked like his resources weren’t the only ones with limits. “I’ve just negotiated a deal to expand my coverage so I can accommodate clients with multi-site businesses.”
She nodded approvingly, flipped the page and reached for a large magnifier attached to the worktable to position it over the electrical schematics of the alarm.
From the power specifications, Mallory would find that his circuitry ensured the integrity of the microprocessor under any conditions. And when she flipped the next page, he knew she would recognize that his central monitoring stations were the most up-to-date on the market.
His gaze drifted across the room to the corner desk that housed her office equipment, which, while small by comparison to the space allotted the rest of her workshop, was clearly a cutting-edge set-up that included a computer with flat-screen monitor, fax machine, telephone system and free-standing copier.
“So, Jake,” she said. “TSS’s monitoring stations are utilizing uninterruptible power supplies, power generators and redundant systems that allow each facility to be backed up by other locations during emergencies.”<
br />
“You sound like the blurb in my promotional brochure.”
When she didn’t reply, he turned around and found her holding a copy of TSS’s promotional brochure. He smiled.
She smiled back.
“You’re providing some serious closed circuit TV and video surveillance capabilities with the Sentex 2000. Indoor, outdoor and covert cameras. Twenty-twenty lenses with pan, tilt and zoom. Interactive video to monitor critical systems. Is all this really cost-effective?”
“It will be. I plan to customize each system personally to suit my clients’ needs.”
She leveled that crystal gaze at him. “Oh, now I see. The real reason you want to work with me. You need my expertise so you can compete in my field.”
“Only for my clients.”
“Your clients could be my clients. They won’t be though, if you can offer my troubleshooting services.”
Jake laughed. “I think it’s fair to say I’ll never compete with your level of expertise. That’s why I’m considering creating a position for you in my organization.”
“Oh, you are, are you?”
“I have big plans for TSS’s future. Someone of your particular talents would only strengthen my position in the market. Especially if you’re not assisting my competition.”
Mirroring his position, she folded her arms across her chest and stared up at him. “But you decided to contract with me for only one job and pick my brain about the way I work. You’ve piqued my curiosity, Jake. Why?”
“Aside from the trust issue, I couldn’t come up with a package I felt was lucrative enough to attract your attention.”
“Were you worried I’d laugh in your face?”
“There was that, too.”
She laughed, a silvery sound that underscored their closeness, the space of mere inches that separated their folded arms, their hips that rested against the edge of the worktable. “Well, you read me right on that score. Money talks, but it’s not the end-all and be-all of my existence.”
He’d gotten that part loud and clear. Being challenged was clearly a motivating factor, and he was obviously providing her with a big challenge right now. “For the time being, what I learn from you will help me target my clients’ needs. I’ll be satisfied with that.”
“For the time being?”
“I told you, I have plans for the future of my company. I’ll eventually need to create your position.”
“And here I thought I was offering a unique service.”
Unable to resist the urge, Jake brushed his thumb along her full lower lip. “You are, which is why I’m willing to pay your fee.”
She darted her tongue out and Jake’s blood heated in the wake of the moist path she traced along his skin. “I hope you won’t be sorry.”
He couldn’t be entirely sure that she was referring to their new status as lovers when the memory of her father’s security consulting business was still fresh in his head. “Is that a warning?”
“Still worried about my dad, are you?”
Jake found it a little unsettling how easily she’d read his thoughts. Lowering his hand from her mouth, he met her gaze evenly. “I’m willing to take you at your word.”
“My contract legally binds me to confidentiality.”
“I know. My attorneys went through it.”
“Passing along information to my dad would be a bit obvious, don’t you think?”
“Only if a court could prove complicity between your father and a burglary ring.”
She arched a dark brow. “You have given this some thought.”
He nodded.
“Well, Jake. I suppose it all boils down to your willingness to make a leap of faith until you know me better and believe I’m trustworthy. Are you willing to make it?”
“I wouldn’t have made love to you if I hadn’t been.”
Something flashed in her clear gaze, some emotion he couldn’t nail down, but when she said, “You’re very noble and romantic aren’t you? A regular knight in shining armor.” He knew she wasn’t complimenting him.
“Just someone who considers all the angles.”
“How wonderfully…thorough. So we’re all set then. Papers are signed and we understand each other.”
He nodded.
“Good, because your Sentex 2000 is very impressive on paper. I’m looking forward to seeing it in action.”
She was suddenly all business, and he had no doubt that her statement translated to mean she was looking forward to proving there were imperfections. “You’re not seeing any red flags at first glance?”
Jake honestly didn’t expect her to say yes. He was confident in his work and the engineers on his staff, successful in his field only because he put forth the extra effort it took to cover all the bases. The introduction of the Sentex 2000 onto the market would elevate TSS into the big leagues of commercial security, and he’d carefully planned for that event.
“Not at first glance. You’re utilizing traditional system components in some innovative ways,” she said generously. “There are two things here that I question, but I won’t be able to target my concerns until I see your system in action and the kind of coverage it provides.”
“No problem. I’ve chosen a property for us to burglarize.”
She inclined her head, but that slight smile playing around the corners of her mouth suggested that his liberal use of the term us amused her. “You understood everything in my introductory packet then? Have you made the arrangements with your client yet?”
“We’ve discussed the situation.”
“Good. And he’s okay with us breaking into his property?” she asked, closing the folder and rummaging through the stack of papers in his briefcase. “Did you bring the signed releases?”
Jake pulled his briefcase across the worktable toward him. Withdrawing a stack of documents, he handed them to her. “All the paperwork you need to cover your ass legally. I had my attorneys check these over, too, and recreate a set for me.”
“They’re essential, I’m sure you’ll agree.”
Jake inclined his head, but before he had a chance to answer she said, “You were that sure I’d agree to your terms?”
“I didn’t intend to take no for an answer.”
“Not only romantic and noble, but determined, too.”
Leaning toward her, he inhaled deeply of the freshly showered scent wafting from that mass of still-damp hair and whispered close to her ear, “Very.”
He was rewarded by the shiver that rippled full length along her body. She lifted her gaze to his, a slight smile playing around her mouth. She was clearly comfortable with her sensuality, and he decided he liked that about her.
“Then we’re all set,” she said. “All I need to know is the name of the business and what you want me to steal.”
All thoughts of shivers and sensuality flew out of Jake’s head, and he frowned.
“Forgot that part, did you?” Tracing the arm of his glasses with a fingertip, she raised up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “It’s no fun if there isn’t anything to steal.”
Now it was his turn to shiver as every drop of blood in his veins plummeted, and he was sporting a promising erection before he’d managed to suck in another breath.
“Why don’t you go get me something to steal, and then I’ll start walking you through the process of how I plan a burglary.”
Somehow she made that sound like a promise.
7
THE SKY was melting into the golden shades of sunset when Mallory settled onto her sofa with a cup of freshly brewed espresso. She sipped appreciatively, admiring the view through her living-room windows before reaching for the contracts bearing Jake’s signatures.
He hadn’t said specifically when he’d return, but she figured his arrangements would carry him through the end of the business day. If she read him right, Mr. Noble and Romantic would show up on her doorstep at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, raring to begin his first day of burglary training.
>
The thought made her smile.
Mallory took another fortifying sip and watched the golden glow of sunset fade over the trees in the park across the street. Jake Trinity was providing her a challenge she hadn’t expected, and after her initial surprise had passed, she couldn’t say she was sorry. Her sex life hadn’t been serving up any challenges lately—so few in fact, she hadn’t even bothered making the effort to meet anyone in quite a while.
Maybe Jake was exactly what she needed. Not only could she exorcise the man and their baggage from her system, but she could jump-start her lethargic libido in the process. She really hadn’t needed to brew this espresso to wake her up right now. The memory of their awesome sex still radiated through her. She wanted to stretch and purr, and jump Jake’s bones again.
She had needed to brew the espresso to figure out what she was going to do about her dad, though. While he often expressed interest and opinions about her work, he was too curious about Jake for her peace of mind. She certainly hadn’t expected him to show up during their consultation today.
For a moment, she’d worried that she’d been wrong and her dad did know that Jake had been the informant on the Innovative job. But after seeing them together—especially given the logistics of the situation—she didn’t think so. Her dad hadn’t been picking Jake’s brain to play cat and mouse. He’d been…visiting with a man whose work he admired.
Now her dad thought she was involved with Jake, which was exactly the occurrence she’d hoped to avoid. She’d intended their working relationship to cover up their sexual one. But that plan was bust now. Bust in a big way, too, if she read her dad’s approval rating correctly. Mallory had no doubt he’d tell all the crew, if only to enlist their aid in supporting his position, which would lead to awkward questions and lies for everyone when she ended her relationship with Jake.
Her dad was well-intentioned, Mallory knew. He wanted to see her have the security of a conventional future, which did absolutely nothing to change the fact that she had no interest in settling down to a house with a white picket fence.
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