The New Guy

by Kathryn Freeman

  Frustrated with her, he cursed and rose to his feet. ‘We’re back to that again, are we?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Back to the professional bullshit, when you know there’s something more between us.’

  He expected a fiery response, but instead she gave a slow shake of her head. ‘Cut it out, Ryan. Please.’ The defeated look in her eyes cut him to the quick. ‘I can’t handle anything else today.’

  ‘Fine.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets, battling to get his unruly emotions under control. ‘I dropped by to apologise for blurting out that stuff about you and Lynch. It was out of order.’ He gave her an ironic smile. ‘Guess you could say it was unprofessional.’

  ‘It was, but Becky and Lucas already know what went down with me and Damien, and I suspect Alice does too, considering how office gossip spreads, so no harm done. At least no more than was already done by Damien himself.’ Her eyes bounced from the ceiling to the floor as she inhaled a shuddering breath. ‘He’s beaten me, Ryan. I can’t see how we recover from this. It’ll be weeks until we’re ready to launch.’ Snatching up the empty tissue box, she threw it at the wall and let rip a choice swear word. ‘Lying, cheating, spawn of the devil, man-whore bastard.’

  Ryan felt his lips twitch. God, she was beautiful when she was angry. Especially when, for once, the outpouring wasn’t directed at him.

  Sam watched Ryan as he struggled not to smile. Typical. The one time she wanted him to glower, to empathise with her shitty mood. ‘Stop it.’

  ‘What?’

  The look he gave her was all innocence. ‘You know what. This isn’t funny.’

  ‘No.’ But his dark eyes glittered and his mouth curved upwards.

  She shot to her feet. ‘If all you’re going to do is laugh at me, Black, you can piss off back to your hovel. I’m not in the mood.’ She needed to stay angry, because angry felt strong.

  ‘I’m not laughing at you,’ he said quietly.

  She was only a few feet away from him. Close enough to see the sincerity in his eyes, and the sympathy. ‘Damn you,’ she hissed, shoving at his brick wall of a chest. ‘I prefer you laughing at me than pitying me.’

  He swore, stumbling back a step. ‘Stop telling me what I can do. How I can feel.’

  The anger, the hurt, the embarrassment at what Damien had done to her reared again and she started to pummel Ryan’s chest with her fists. In the back of her mind she knew it was unfair, that she was taking it out on the wrong man, but she couldn’t stop. Tears streamed down her face as she shoved at Ryan, the emotions pouring out of her.

  Dimly she became aware of his arms wrapping round her, holding her so close that he trapped her hands between them. She fought against his hold, trying to break free, but he was far too strong.

  Slowly the fight drained from her.

  Instead of feeling suffocated, now she felt secure in his arms. Safe. As she dragged air into her lungs, the fresh outdoor smell of his aftershave filled her nostrils and calmed her further. Gradually her body relaxed into his hold, and she sighed.

  ‘You done hitting me now?’

  His dryly amused voice entered her consciousness and she tried to wriggle out of his hold, but he held her firm. ‘Let me go.’

  She felt the rush of air against her hair as he exhaled before dropping his arms to his sides.

  Hugely embarrassed, she stepped around him. His eyes watched her and when she went to stand behind her desk, he smirked. ‘Is the desk for your safety, or mine?’

  She couldn’t be cross with a man who’d let her use him as an emotional and physical punchbag. Especially one who looked as sexy as Ryan did right now, with his amused dark eyes and crooked smile. But she could, and should, be cautious, hence her need to distance herself. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know where all that came from.’

  ‘Feel any better for it?’

  She sighed, slipping onto the chair. ‘I don’t feel like crying any more, which is good. But it hasn’t changed the facts. The company is still screwed.’ Sadness rolled through her. ‘All that effort wasted. Snatched away by a man who hasn’t even had the decency to come up with his own ideas. He’s just copied ours.’

  ‘You’re assuming his app will be a success.’ Ryan frowned, his dark features taking on their more usual brooding look. ‘What if your customers are more loyal than you think? What if their app isn’t as simple to use as ours? What if there’s a bug?’

  Sam snorted. ‘He’s a software genius. There won’t be any tech issues.’

  ‘You seem to have an awful lot of faith in a man you claim to hate.’

  Ryan’s sour tone made her look up. He clearly wasn’t happy with her view of Damien’s ability. In fact, she’d almost say he sounded jealous. ‘As a person, he’s a lying, cowardly, cheating bastard.’

  ‘You forgot man-whore and spawn of the devil.’

  ‘How remiss of me. Okay then, as a person, he’s a lying, cowardly, cheating, spawn of the devil, man-whore bastard.’ She smiled grimly. ‘Sadly, as a software developer, he’s still a genius.’

  Ryan seemed to fill her office as he straightened his shoulders and jutted out his chin. ‘No more of a genius than I am.’ He caught her eye, almost as if he was daring her to disagree. ‘You reckon his new app is a copy of the original Privacy app, together with the updates we’ve been working on?’

  ‘Aside from simplifying the user input, which you say nobody could do—’

  ‘They can’t.’

  ‘I believe you, so yes, his press release states they’re going to launch with an app that can tell the user what information is being kept on them, and by which companies. Exactly what Privacy 2 will do.’

  ‘Then don’t launch with Privacy 2 as it stands. Go one better.’

  ‘One better?’ As his words percolated through her brain, Sam began to feel a small kernel of hope. A teeny, weeny, buzz of excitement. ‘Hold off the launch until we have an app that outdoes his,’ she murmured.

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘We’ll lose our customers as they switch over.’ Even as she said it though, her mind was racing. What if they could stem off some of that loss by sending out a press release of their own tomorrow, talking of their plans for the updated Privacy app? An app that would do everything Damien’s app claimed to do, and more? They didn’t need to say what the more was, at this stage. Just have the confidence that they would be able to find it, then develop it. In a ridiculously short space of time. Yet there was no reason why they couldn’t. She trusted her team. Trusted in the company she’d helped to build.

  Reaching for a pen, she started to scribble some notes, her mind racing as the excitement began to build; no longer a buzz now, more a zing. They could do this. It would be bloody hard work. Time wasn’t on their side as their current users wouldn’t wait for long, but Ryan was right. Who wanted to keep swapping apps? It was a hassle, and it was costly.

  She scrawled another note. Offer a discounted rate for those who stayed with them.

  Her head in a spin, she glanced up to thank Ryan, but he’d already gone. All that remained was the lingering pine of his aftershave, and the impression he’d made.

  In her hour of need, he’d been there for her, a shoulder to cry against, a solid wall of muscle to thump out her anger on. But he’d also given her something even more precious.

  He’d given her hope.

  PART FOUR

  The Idea

  Chapter 17

  Ryan stared out of the minibus window, watching the scenery change from motorway to countryside. To sea.

  He was in frigging Cornwall.

  Lucas, whom he’d had the dubious pleasure of sitting next to during the four-plus hours of tedious travel, elbowed him in the ribs. ‘I hope you’ve brought your trunks.’

  There was a gleam in the man’s eye. Two months ago, it would have freaked Ryan out. Now he rolled with it. ‘You want to ogle me, you’ll have to get up early. I plan to swim before breakfast.’

  Lucas gave h
im a wicked grin. ‘I’m sure the view will be worth it.’

  Ryan shook his head, but laughter bubbled in his chest. Lucas was unbelievable. One minute he could deliver an eye-wateringly flirtatious comment, the next a blisteringly astute, professional summary. The second Ryan respected, the first kept him in stitches.

  ‘Hey, Sunshine Sam,’ Lucas shouted from the back of the minibus to the front. ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ Ryan shot him an I’m going to kill you for that look, and Lucas feigned innocence, whispering. ‘She doesn’t know it’s your nickname for her.’

  ‘Sunshine Sam?’ Sam popped her head round.

  Lucas gave Ryan a sly look before replying to Sam. ‘Of course. You bring sunshine into all our days, boss.’

  Beside him, Ryan slunk further into his seat. It served him right for letting the nickname slip. Lucas knew very well it had nothing to do with bringing sunshine into their lives, and everything to do with Sam’s wide, beautiful, blinding smile.

  Sam’s laughter bounced round the minibus. ‘I hope you’ll still be saying that after the next few days. And yes, we’re nearly there. About another fifteen minutes.’

  Lucas smirked at Ryan before settling back against the seat. ‘See, she likes the name. You’d earn brownie points if you used it.’

  ‘I don’t need any blasted brownie points.’

  ‘No?’

  ‘I’m still here, aren’t I? Officially two days past my probation period.’

  Lucas sighed, his expression pained. ‘You don’t need the points to keep your job, you muppet. You need them if you’re ever going to persuade her to go out with you.’

  Ryan swore under his breath, rubbing a hand over his hair and down his face. ‘For Christ’s sake, keep your voice down.’ Why the hell had he ever thought telling Lucas he fancied Sam was a good idea?

  He’d been drunk, that’s why. Not blinding drunk, more loose-tongued drunk. It had been the day that Lynch had come over and made Sam cry. Having been hit, then cried on, Ryan had left her office relieved to see her back to her old self, yet oddly put out that she’d snapped back so effectively, clearly not needing him. Of course he’d also been quietly seething about her faith in Lynch’s technical ability. Genius? He’d show her who the blasted genius was.

  That was when he’d bumped into Lucas, who’d suggested a drink. That had turned into two, then three. Before he knew it, under Lucas’s subtle-as-a-brick probing, Ryan had admitted he liked Sam. A fact Lucas had, predictably, found hilarious.

  ‘Nobody can hear me.’ Lucas pouted. ‘And stop being such a grump bucket. I’m trying to help.’

  Ryan snorted. ‘You seriously think I need your help to get laid?’

  Lucas was unfazed. ‘To get laid, no. To get any further with Sam?’ He gave him a smug look. ‘You’ve not exactly made a great deal of headway in that direction.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Thank God he hadn’t been so drunk that he’d told Lucas that he had, in fact, already made quite a lot of headway in that direction. Before she knew who he was, admittedly.

  Lucas smiled serenely. ‘Don’t you worry, big boy. I’m all over this. I happen to think a hot affair might be just what our Sam needs.’

  A hot affair? Was that all Lucas thought he was capable of? Or all he thought Sam would ever want from him?

  Not that it mattered, because Sam wasn’t prepared to give them a try. Still, it wouldn’t harm his cause to have Lucas in his camp, so he clamped his mouth shut.

  ‘Hot damn, look at that.’

  At Lucas’s irreverent words, Ryan looked out of the minibus window. They’d left the road and were heading up a winding driveway towards a big sprawling farmhouse nestled on a small hill, overlooking a beautiful bay. ‘You reckon that’s it?’

  ‘Not bad, huh?’

  Ryan felt a burst of unease. He’d been on team-building events before, and that’s what Sunshine Sam had decided they needed, apparently. Even though what they actually needed was to get a new version of their app out yesterday. What he hadn’t done was have a team-building do at the house of his boss’s parents. Nor had he ever wanted to date the boss he’d gone on the team building with.

  Briefly he had an image of his mum’s house. The semi with the broken roof tiles and peeling paintwork. Even the idea of a hot affair between the pair of them was totally frigging ridiculous.

  Maybe that’s why Sam had been so adamant she didn’t want it. Not because she didn’t want another work-based relationship, but because she didn’t want one with him.

  An hour later they’d stowed their stuff in their rooms – most of them were in the converted barn, Sam and Becky in the main house – and were sitting out on the huge patio. Lucas was next to him.

  ‘We’re almost an item,’ he remarked as he took a pair of designer shades out of their case and settled them on his face. ‘Sitting together on the minibus—’

  ‘You sat next to me,’ Ryan cut in.

  Lucas ignored him. ‘Sharing a room.’

  ‘You shoved your case in the room I’d chosen.’

  ‘Details,’ Lucas scoffed. Then he peeked at him over his shades. ‘Admit it, big man. You’ve got a soft spot for me.’

  ‘It’s soft all right,’ Ryan muttered, causing Lucas to burst into laughter.

  ‘Touché.’ Lucas eyed Sam pointedly as she walked through the French doors from the farmhouse to join them. ‘For how long, though, I wonder.’

  Ryan glared back, not interested in discussing the finer parts of his anatomy. Still, as he watched Sam throw back her head with laughter, red hair glinting in the sunlight, sexy curves outlined by her T-shirt and cropped trousers, he crossed his legs. Just in case.

  Sam scanned the group walking along the cliff path ahead of her. They must think she was bonkers. And yes, she didn’t need to look at Ryan to know he thought that, too. In fact, not looking at him was a good idea. Currently striding ahead with his new pal, Lucas, and wasn’t that a surprise combination, Ryan was wearing a white T-shirt that showed off his dark looks, and a pair of cargo shorts that drew the eye to his muscular legs. Her stomach dipped and she had to remind herself not to stare.

  Since her meltdown in front of Ryan last week, she’d managed to avoid him. Partly because she’d been arranging these days away. And because she was embarrassed to face him.

  Mostly because the sight of him made her wish for stupid, foolish things, like his arms around her again. One of his rare smiles, directly into her eyes. Those tantalising lips brushing across her skin.

  ‘Sam?’

  At the sound of Becky’s voice, Sam shook her thoughts away. These next few days would make or break the company. That was what she needed to be concentrating on.

  ‘Sorry, miles away.’

  Her friend snorted and stared pointedly at Ryan. ‘Hardly. You’re about fifty yards away.’ Before Sam had a chance to say anything, Becky was yelling at the men ahead of them. ‘Hey, wait for us.’

  They turned, Lucas looking like an Abercrombie model in his board shorts and sunglasses. Ryan looking … like a man who sent goosebumps flying across her skin each time she glanced his way. Big, muscular, rugged, his dark eyes seeing more than she liked.

  ‘This walk is supposed to be part of the team building,’ Becky protested when they caught them up.

  Ryan angled his head to the group walking ahead. ‘Tell that to them.’

  ‘Calm down, Becks,’ Sam soothed. ‘The team building will come later. This is a walk to stretch our legs, take in the scenery and just’ – she shrugged – ‘breathe?’

  They set off again, and Sam shook her head as she noticed Becky thread her arm through Lucas’s and ease away from them. Traitor.

  ‘Is this where you grew up?’ Ryan asked after a few minutes.

  ‘Cornwall? No, though we had a lot of family holidays here when I was a child.’ She paused and decided, considering what she knew about his mum, it was only fair. ‘Dad had a heart attack a few years ago. Overworked, overweight, over-stressed. They decided to sell t
heir business and move down here.’

  His gaze drifted over to her. ‘I can see the attraction.’

  As his eyes held hers, dark and full of double meaning, she felt an awkward blush sting her cheeks. She was used to men; flirty, chauvinistic, arrogant, she’d faced them all. How could this one unsettle her so easily?

  They walked on in silence for a while, navigating a stile and disturbing a field of sheep. Above them the sun shone in a cloudless blue sky. Below them the sea frothed against the cliffs. All around them was quiet, calm. Tranquility.

  It would be so easy to simply walk and enjoy, to steer clear of anything heavy, but Sam knew there was something she needed to say to Ryan. ‘I didn’t get around to thanking you properly.’

  He quirked a dark brow. ‘For?’

  ‘Allowing me to use you as a punch bag.’

  He laughed. She didn’t know whether it was the sun, the setting, or just being out of the office but he seemed lighter today. ‘You can use my body any time.’ His smile turned sensual, his gaze hotter. ‘In any way.’

  Though her heart began to pound, Sam tried to keep the conversation casual. ‘I do believe we’ve been here before. And decided it wasn’t a good idea.’

  ‘You decided.’ He tapped his chin with his finger in an exaggerated thought pose. ‘What was it again? Oh yes, you can’t have another office-based affair because we’re going to crash and burn and then it’ll be awkward.’ His dark eyes snared hers. ‘How about this. If it comes to that, I promise to quit.’

  Thump, thump, thump went her heart. ‘I can’t have you quitting.’

  ‘You value my tech prowess more than my sexual prowess?’ His expression turned to one of mild disgust. ‘I’m not sure how insulted to be.’

  ‘Don’t be.’ Because she needed to make the connection, to show him the attraction was still there for her, too, she squeezed his arm. ‘I value both, Ryan. I just need the first more than the second right now.’

  He glanced down at her hand on his arm, then over at her, his chest lifting and falling as a rush of air left his lungs. ‘Okay.’