By the sounds of it they’d stood by each other through a difficult week.
And Rowan was on top of things at home, thankfully. Once he was done with this job, he’d head over and spend time with them, the women at base camp, as he thought of them. Once this job was done? The thought troubled him even more.
He wished the ticking clock away, because it was too soon.
He couldn’t bring himself to wake her, to begin the day. He could hear her breathing, feel her chest rise and fall against his side, and it held all of his attention. She was in the crook of his arm, her face against his chest, her long, honey-colored hair thrown back over his shoulder. Draco had never woken up with a woman in his arms, not before Lara. Beyond the bed, the sun shone in between the open curtains.
Minutes ticked by, and still he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.
He’d never wanted to share a bed with a woman for more than sex. Never wanted to have a girlfriend, someone he could talk to and laugh with, the way he had with Lara. He’d always figured he’d go home to Wales at some point and one of the lasses he knew would present herself. Several of them hung around on his Facebook page, pasting messages on the wall asking when he’d be back. It was an anchor of sorts, having a connection to home, but it didn’t feel real. Not the way this did. This thing with Lara was hyper reality.
Shifting slightly, he locked his arm around her and drew her closer. She murmured in her sleep then settled again. What would happen, when the project was done? Once she’d taken his information to her father, there would be no need for them to spend time together. He could disappear out of her life just as easily as she’d brought him into it. It disturbed him. He’d like to see her again, that was it. They got on well. She’s out of your league though, he told himself.
Frustration hit him. On top of all the family shit he’d been worrying about, he’d gone and fallen for Lara fucking Compton, and he was just her bit of criminal distraction for student placement month.
Right then she made a snuffling sound and opened her eyes, blinking sleepily. “Oh, what time is it?”
“The alarm went off a few minutes ago.”
“We’ll be in trouble if we’re late.”
Struggling to think of something banal to say, and not blurt out all the questions he had, he tried to think of an appropriate response. “Does your dad keep tabs on staff timing?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Good job he can’t see you lolling in bed when you should be at work.”
She laughed, “Yes, I can’t decide which would be worse.”
“Worse? Which what would be worse?”
“Whether it would be worse if my father knew I’d brought a hacker into his precious business premises, or the fact I’m sleeping with him.” She chuckled, like it was something she thought about often, to amuse herself.
Draco stared at her, his thoughts clouding. He wanted to deny what he’d just heard her say, deny the amusement he saw in her eyes, but he knew her a lot better than that. She didn’t do or say anything without thinking about it. It wasn’t just an off-the-cuff comment. She might have made it sound that way, but the words coming out of her mouth always reflected what she really believed.
She poked him in the ribs as if to encourage him to laugh with her, her eyes bright with amusement.
His gut tightened and he pulled away from her, tossing back the sheet. He sat on the edge of the bed with his back to her, trying to quell the rising anger he felt.
The touch of her hand on his back made him flinch and he rose to his feet.
“Draco, what is it?” Her voice, soft and filled with concern, made him edgier still.
By the time he turned around to look at her she was sitting up with the sheet clutched her chest. At least she realized she’d said something wrong, something that made him feel betrayed and used. It was as if she had an entirely different motivation to the one she presented to him. Rising to his feet, he jerked away from her outreached hand.
“You just want to get your father’s attention.” Pacing up and down he gestured at her, his disbelief turned into full on rage. “This isn’t about impressing him at all, that’s only half of it.”
Her eyes widened and flitted about. She was trying to think of an appropriate response. Draco saw it now, she was always thinking, always planning.
“Calm down,” she insisted. “You know what this has been about from the beginning. I want to do better than my brothers. I want him to give me the chance they’ve had.”
“I completely understand that, but what I don’t get is you’re so ready for this to go wrong, for him to find out what you’ve been up to.”
In a flash she was out of the bed in on her feet. “I am not!”
“You wouldn’t consider his reaction to you sleeping with a hacker if you weren’t ready to face up to it.”
She stared at him as if astonished. “I’d be crazy not to think about the implications of being discovered, in every way.”
“I know that,” he said, between gritted teeth. “It’s the fact you’re laughing about him finding about us that makes me wonder what the hell is going on in your mind.” Pacing to the chair he set about snatching up his clothes. He glanced back.
Lara was staring at the bedside clock. “Shit, we’re going to be late.” Gathering herself, she nodded at him. “I’ll call a cab and we’ll talk about this on the way to the office. Sensibly.” She gave him one of her looks, the look she always did when she was trying to exert her authority over him.
Draco’d had enough of it. “Late for nothing, I’m out of here.”
“No!” She looked at him, clearly horrified. “You can’t do this, our agreement.”
Instantly Draco knew he couldn’t and wouldn’t abandon her and her hokey project, but he wasn’t about to let it lie. She was a spoiled little rich girl walking on the wild side, she had everything to gain and nothing to lose. He was just another toy, something to play around with. She needed skills and she was following him into dangerous situations for the thrill of it. “I’ve figured it out,” he said as it dawned on him. “You intend to impress your dad one way or the other, either through making him proud or shocking him.”
Why did it feel so bad? A tight fist had planted itself in his chest.
It was the betrayal, the fact she was so glib. He’d started thinking they might continue to see each other—that she really liked him and it wasn’t just about the project and having a bit of fun.
Lara looked at him aghast. She started muttering under her breath as she moved to the wardrobe and pulled open drawers, throwing clothing onto the bed. Climbing into her panties she shook her head. “This is unbelievable.”
“No, you are unbelievable. I knew you were a risk taker, that was obvious. What I didn’t realize was how prepared you are for it to go wrong.”
She turned on her heel and glared at him. “I want to succeed.”
“But you’re thoroughly enjoying this image of yourself as the rebel outsider, the one who brought a criminal into the company, the one who’s having a fling with the bad guy right under daddy’s nose.”
“You’re wrong. I want this to go well. I’m calling for a taxi.”
The fact she thought she could just put it in a box and close it away irritated him. “There’s only one way to deal with this, see it through and fast.”
“What do you mean?” She had her phone in her hand, but stared at him in horror while she waited for him to respond.
She was standing there in wispy underwear, looking like all his dreams come true. God he wanted to grab her and kiss those luscious lips of hers, to silence the remarks angering him, those that made him feel used and betrayed. “This ‘project’ needs to be over. We’ll come clean, tell Compton Senior everything.”
“No way!” She dropped the phone and put up her bra. “I’m not ready.”
“There it is, you’re not ready. You never will be, it’s all about the adventure, actually braving it in front of dad with a
confession is a step too far, I bet. Well I’m ready. I’ve had enough of this.”
She pulled on her outer clothing as she spoke. “But you haven’t even—”
He held up his hand to silence her. Frustration built inside him. What he wanted to do was go over there and hold her and kiss her, to lie down on the bed and push inside her body to make her feel the need in him.
Something inside him flipped. “I don’t need to be in the fucking office to tell you what’s going wrong in the finances. You knew it from the beginning, you knew I could hack in and give you the answers within hours. You never even ask what I’m doing when I go in remotely, but you enjoy parading around with your so-called buddy from University, your walk on the criminal wild side.”
“You rotten bastard, I wish I’d never met you.” She reached into the wardrobe snatched her jacket off a hanger and hauled it on. The color on her cheekbones was vivid. She was every bit as angry as he was.
The overriding desire he felt was to force her to feel what he was feeling to see how much he wanted her and how much more seriously he felt about her than she did about him. Lust was in his blood, vying with reason, driving his hunger for her. But he bit it back, recognizing his anger was making him senseless.
He had to keep his head together, because he was in it up to his neck and he could so easily end up like Sean, banged up in jail for the crime of being good with code and not sticking by the rules. Should never have got involved with her, he thought, should never have agreed to this ludicrous project.
He watched as she buttoned up her nakedness, glancing warily at him as if he was a stranger to her. “And there it is, Miss Prim and Proper is back in full force, your so-called office armor is nothing but a mask you put on to impress.”
“What the fuck do you mean? I don’t give a shit about Compton Finance, not really. I can make my own path in life.”
Astonished, Draco glared at her, “My god, you wouldn’t care if it went wrong, that’s it, isn’t it. Your mum didn’t want you to go there, and by setting off a hand grenade and walking out, you’re being the dutiful daughter to your side of the family.”
She stared at him, shock in her eyes. Her lips parted, but she was silent, as if she couldn’t find the answer.
Stunned, Draco realized he’d finally hit on the truth.
But when he watched her face as she took in his words, he discovered a new truth too. Lara hadn’t realized it about herself, not until now
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
They traveled by taxi in silence, the atmosphere rigid with tension.
Lara could barely breathe, and the row still raged on in her mind. It took some effort to keep her mouth zipped.
She was shocked and hurt about the way he’d acted. He’d been really angry.
She realized she didn’t know him at all, when she thought she did.
Not only that, but he had made her feel stupid and wrong. Of course he was spot on with what he’d said. She was ready for it to go belly up. Who wouldn’t be? It was the only way to go into it. She’d put so much on the line, and now his temper could see it explode. Why was he so upset by it?
Well he’d agreed to finish the job as quickly as possible and she had to focus on that as well. The taxi pulled in to the drop-off bay.
When they got inside the building it was a race to see who got to the elevator first. They stood side-by-side without touching, even though the elevator was packed. At their desks, he didn’t offer to go get her coffee, which he usually did. Instead he switched on his screen, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, throwing himself into work.
“This database will be complete before lunchtime,” he informed her.
“Good,” she replied, quickly.
“You can hand it over to Susanna, then I’m out of here.”
“But what about—”
“Don’t even say it,” he interrupted, sternly.
When she glanced at him his face was still dark with anger. It made him look sexier still. How was it even possible? Even when he was glaring at her and shouting his mouth off sexual tension electrified the atmosphere between them. No escape, not now. It was bad news, because she was angry and upset and horny as hell and she felt restless as an alley cat. Muttering silently to herself, she tried to take deep breaths and opened up her email.
The first message in her inbox was from her dad. Scanning the contents, her stomach knotted. “Oh, shit!”
“What is it?” he snapped.
“My dad has invited us to dinner.”
“Us?”
“Yes. Both of us, a family dinner, he calls it.”
“Jesus Christ.” His forehead wrinkled.
“Oh god, what a fucking mess.”
“It’s the perfect opportunity for you to launch one or two of your destructive hand grenades.”
“Stop saying that!”
”Why? You’d actually relish causing chaos for your dad and you’ve either fooled yourself into believing you’re on a mission to impress him or you’re just all about fooling me, Princess.”
Horrified, she got up strode off to the kitchenette.
He followed close behind, blocking her exit.
Her heart thundered, rage and lust triggering responses throughout her body. “Don’t do this, please.”
“Why not? It’s danger you crave.”
His eyes were narrowed, his handsome mouth set in a grim smile, but he was turned on too, and it was too much to bear, she had to get the upper hand on things.
“Just remember who put you in a position of power, who dressed you in a suit.” The words were out and it was too late to haul them back.
His hand was on her waistband and he yanked her against him, stalling her breath in her lungs.
“Just remember who made you enjoy sex, who made you cry out for more. It cuts both ways, doesn’t it, Princess?”
“That’s low,” she swiped. “Sex is an intimacy.”
“And the rest wasn’t? You treated me like someone you scraped out of the gutter. I put you on a pedestal.”
Her lips opened, but she didn’t have an answer.
Eyes blazing, he continued. “If we walk away from each other now, would you want more of that special kind of ‘intimacy’ or could you live without it?”
She whimpered, struggled, but couldn’t deny his words or his hold on her,
He was revealing her to herself, and it was devastatingly emotional, and sexy as hell. Then he touched her, stroking his thumb over her cheek.
It was too much. He had her in a puddle when she needed to get a grip. “Draco, don’t do this. I’m crazy about you, and you know it.”
With triumph in his eyes, he grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the kitchenette and down the corridor alongside him.
Teetering on her heels, she had to break into a run.
Glancing over her shoulder she looked back at the cubicles. Everyone she could see had their heads down. Thankfully. Anyone could look up and see them. The idea filled her with dread. She promised her dad she would always act professionally even though she was only on a student placement. This was not only unprofessional it was inappropriate. She didn’t have the first clue where he was taking her, but her heart was pounding with excitement and she wouldn’t have let go of his hand for the world.
Draco reached out to a door handle in the corridor. She didn’t even know where it led. Moments later she found herself in a dark cupboard, and once he shut the door behind them, only a small blue emergency light lit the space.
Quickly looking around she realized they were in a storage cupboard. On either side, boxes of printable forms filled the built in shelves. In front of them a small sorting table was wedged in against the wall. She didn’t even know this was a cupboard. In a matter of days he learned more about the building of what went on in it than she was sure her brothers or other employees had done in months and years being with the company.
He closed on her, one strong arm around her back hauling in against
him. The feeling of his hard body against hers was fantastic, but they were so close to dozens of people working.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Crazy about me? You can’t expect to say things like that to me and get away with it. Not now, not here, not any place.” He ducked his head and started to kiss her behind her ear in that place that drove her crazy.
“No, not here, we can’t.”
“You like the danger. That’s what this is all about for you.”
“Not here, not like this. Anyone could walk in.”
“You’ve always liked the danger, that’s why you came after me, that’s why you slept with me.” He spoke in between the kisses he rained on her neck and collarbone.
Every word he said was true, she couldn’t deny it but there was too much risk. She was about to object again then his mouth covered hers, his hands molding her body, owning it, making in his.
Trembling and research she pulled away from the kiss. “We can’t.”
“This has to happen, it always has to happen. We need to burn this off.”
He turned her around, and tugged her skirt up.
It tightened around her hips, like a harness. She could feel the hard bulk of his erection through their clothes. It didn’t matter that she was angry with him, and it didn’t matter she was afraid they’d be discovered. The need multiplied inside her, a vital burst of energy— mirroring the need in him, and it wouldn’t be denied. She shimmied against him, humming her pleasure aloud at being held against his rock hard body.
“Don’t move, don’t say another word.”
She shook her head. “Draco...”
Silenced by his hand on her panties, she swallowed hard. Willing it to be fast and hard, willing their not to be on interruption, she braced herself.
“Face down, over the table,” he commanded.
Lara blinked, staring down at the small table. Realising his intention she stared down at the table and shook her head, “We can’t.”
The hard bulk of his body locked her in place. He reached past her, jolted the table away from the wall, and then he put one hand between her shoulder blades, and eased her upper body down. Her heart raced then missed a beat. Even as she shook her head in silent denial, she wanted it, badly.
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