by Nia Simone
“So, how’s it going?” Stew said.
“Not well.”
Stew shook his head in sympathy. “What are you going to do?”
“Ask her out again.”
Stew looked skeptical. “I’d hold off.”
“Why? I’ve waited long enough.” Jared stopped pacing and adopted a casual slouch.
“Long enough for what? You go in now, you’ll drive her off. Cool it. Work on your car. Distraction always works when you’re in a waiting game.”
“Before, you told me not to wait. Besides, my car’s back east.”
“You want to work on mine?”
“A new Tesla? Sure.”
Stew frowned. “Offer withdrawn. It’s not for tinkering. But let’s go for a spin.”
“It might blow my cover.”
“Nah. I take new employees to coffee all the time. Part of the culture I want to create here. I’m the boss, but at the same time I want people to feel comfortable talking to me. Otherwise, I get cut out of important information.”
“Makes sense.” The sounds of typing, phone calls and hallway conversations surrounded them as they headed down the hall in the direction of Ally’s office. This time, her door was ajar.
“Let’s stop here for a minute,” Stew said, knocking briefly before walking in. When Ally looked up from her desk, her cheeks flushed. Interesting. She definitely reacted to him. But there were no flowers in sight.
“Hey, Ally,” Stew said.
She straightened. “Yes, Stewart?”
“I need someone to go pick up blueprints for a new chip design over in Fremont. Would you mind driving over with Darren here?”
How obvious could you get? Like she wouldn’t see through Stewart’s suggestion. It was high school all over again. Having the popular quarterback help you get a date.
“Okay,” she said.
Then again, whatever worked. His heart sped. She’d said yes. Now he’d get his chance. And he wouldn’t blow it this time.
No pressure at all.
****
“Why wouldn’t you let me drive?” Ally said, as Jared started the quiet electric engine. He wasn’t wearing cologne today. A hint of menthol came from him instead. His shaving cream.
“Stew wanted me to drive. Don’t worry, I won’t speed.”
“Maybe you are better then.”
“You speed? I didn’t take you for a scofflaw, Ally.”
“Why does everyone think I’m so innocent?” She batted her eyes.
He chuckled and stole a glance before returning his attention to the road. “I know you aren’t innocent.”He drove carefully. His friend’s property was safe with him and so was she. At least when he was driving.
“Thanks for the roses,” she said. He’d scanned her office when he and Stew came in. She should have thanked him when she received them, but it was too hard. She’d spent the week fighting giving in and talking to him. Engaging in any way would have killed her resolve. Now she was on this errand with him. She must not have much fight left though, because it was the happiest she’d been all week.
His gaze cut to her then returned to the road. “Did you like them?”
“I’m allergic to roses, but I appreciate the gesture.”
He slapped the steering wheel with his hand. “I never should have listened to Stew.”
He’d consulted Stew? Oh, lord. Now she could never look Stew in the eye again. How was she supposed to be professional when her boss was discussing her love life with Jared? On the other hand, it was kind of flattering.
They passed several high-tech companies lining the freeway.
“Ugh,” Jared said. “What’s that?”
“Alviso. The bay turns to swamp, causes that sulphur smell.”
“How do people live here?”
“They don’t really. Not anymore. The town was condemned.”
“Really?” Jared glanced out the window and changed to the right lane.
She laughed. “Are we going for a tour?”
“I guess we shouldn’t.”
“We’re on a work errand.” She liked his curiosity and spontaneity, though. Maybe those qualities went with the leaver type. Her heart sank. She stared out the window and for the rest of the trip they drove in silence. Jared seemed preoccupied with driving, which was just as well. She didn’t want to keep finding things to like about him.
They arrived at the company and Jared pulled into the parking lot, which was packed with cars. They had to park a long way from the building. A brush of thin clouds softened the light. The walk refreshed her.
“You like California?” Jared said. He only glanced at her, paying as much attention to their surroundings as he had to the road when he was driving.
“What’s not to like?”
“Most east coasters tire of it. How ‘bout you?”
“Yes and no,” she said.
“Want to clarify?”
“California takes a lot of getting used to. I miss the weather variations in New York. Plus the fact you can walk everywhere. Silicon Valley is a car culture.”
“True. This Tesla cost Stew over a hundred grand.”
She whistled. “I don’t get it.”
“I noticed.”
“You takin’ a shot at my car?”
He grinned. “It’s fine.”
“It’s also broken. Which leads me back to what I don’t like about California. Public transit is nil. And taxis have to be called. You can’t just step out and hail one.”
“When did your car break down?”
“Today.”
“So you don’t think you’ll stay?”
“Oh, I’m staying. Business is good here. A lot of hiring is going on. But one bad apple snuck through. Have you found out who’s stealing?”
“Yes.”
Her stomach lurched. “Who?”
He named an employee who’d been there when she started.
“I didn’t screen him.” The headache she’d been fighting since she learned about Jared’s operation at NST diminished.
Jared’s gaze roved over her face as a slow smile warmed his eyes. “No, it happened before your time. You do good work, by the way.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve checked out your cases.”
“You snooped my files?”
“Stewart gave me full access.”
“Well, I didn’t.”
“True.”
“No apology?”
“Why should I? You’re not above snooping yourself.”
“Wh—” A guilty lump settled in her throat. Had he found out about the background checks she’d run after he left? Or what about the spy-craft she’d employed over the past week, dropping into the security office to peek at the surveillance camera that covered his area? She swallowed hard.
“What do you mean?” She clutched the lapels of her suit jacket. The temperature was dropping in the late afternoon but the chill came from dread.
His dark lashes framed eyes lit by a wicked gleam. “Your poking around in my background didn’t go unnoticed.”
“That’s different.”
He arched a dark brow. “How so?”
Embarrassment flushed the chill from her veins. “You left without saying goodbye. I had no choice.”
Jared’s brow arched higher, the lashes drawing together just enough to frame the square of light glinting in each brown iris. The traffic from Highway 880 provided a constant background noise, like a river.
“Sure you had a choice. But you wanted answers so you used your professional skills to get them. How can you blame me for the same thing?”
“You tricked me.”
He shrugged. “Turn-around’s fair play.”
“What else did you find out?”
“Why do you work out of NST? You have other clients. Why not have your own office?”
“NST is my main client. Like I said, they do a lot of hiring. Stewart lets me hang my hat there. It’s a big help at this stage
of my company not to pay rent.”
“Smart. And you’re still a one-man shop.”
“So to speak.”
He chuckled. “A one-gal shop. But you do the work of five people.”
She shrugged. Working hard was something she took in stride.
“Not only are your Internet searches expert,” Jared continued, “your notes show you go the extra mile, interviewing references in person.”
“Sometimes. A lot more information comes across in body language than you can get on the phone. And I can find out when employer references are just friends.” They’d been walking for some time and her feet were beginning to hurt in her high heels.
“I bet. Your hard work shows up any competitors I’ve run across.”
His approval warmed her. She shouldn’t need it, but he was FBI. She looked up to him.
They arrived at the lobby and he held the door for her. Once they retrieved the tube of rolled-up blueprints from one of the employees, she called Chapman to let him know they were heading right back.
“I have to leave,” Chapman said. “Just bring them in on Monday.”
“I thought it was a rush.” She glanced at Jared who was leaning against a desk, tossing the tube back and forth, the cardboard making a hollow slapping sound whenever it connected with his big hands. He had a good beat going. Those hands had steered her hips around a dance floor with a lot of rhythm in New York. Steered her hips around a bed pretty well, too.
“I just needed to make sure it was handled by people I trust,” Chapman said, “not some courier.”
After the call, she said to Jared, “Seems Chapman doesn’t need the blueprints so fast after all.”
He snatched the tube from the air with a final slap, releasing her from the mesmerizing effect of the sound. “No?”
“Nope.”
He shoved off the desk, nodding to the door. “Shall we then?”
Had Stew played matchmaker sending them on this errand? Had Jared been in on it?
On the way back, Jared asked about her car.
“It’s dead in the driveway. Can’t even get it into the shop. I haven’t had time to call a tow truck.”
“The tow truck will cost another small fortune. How ‘bout we stop by there and I’ll take a look?”
Jared’s backside as he bent over her engine would look fine. “Okay. I do have towing insurance though. And the shop said they’d work on it right away.”
“Those places rip people off. Especially women.”
“It always costs at least two hundred bucks,” she said, with a sigh. “No matter what it is.”
“Describe the symptoms.”
“It just wouldn’t start.”
“Did it turn over?”
“No. Nothing.” She smiled. He was taking care of her. In a really basic way. Maybe she should have asked for help with her car in New York. She didn’t have one there, but if she’d known what it would bring out in him, she would have borrowed one or something.
“Sounds like a battery.”
“The shop said if it was just a dead battery, you’d still get a little action when you turned the key. They said it was a sola—sola—something or other.”
“Solenoid. Of course they did. That’s at least two hundred bucks.”
His deep chuckle blended well with her laughter. This conversation was so homey and normal.
After parking on the street in front of her townhouse, he came around and opened her door. His warm hand closing over hers comforted. He pulled her out and reached for her other hand, which was folded over her keys. His squeeze triggered the remote lock release and her car answered with two chirps.
“We unlocked it,” he said, his face so close his minty breath warmed her face. “We make a good team.” So close she could lean forward and nibble the full lips of his arrogant mouth. Much too tempting. He stepped back and the spell broke. He waved at the overgrown foliage around her place. “These trees and hedges need to be cut back.”
“Why?”
“Someone can hide in there and jump you. I’ll call the landlord for you.”
Now he was taking over her life. “That won’t be necessary.”
He opened her car door, reached in and popped the hood.
“You’ll get grease on your nice clothes,” she said.
He bent over her car’s engine and she couldn’t hear what he said. Nice perspective, though. The fabric of his cotton shirt, which fit loosely when he was standing, tightened across his back. The sight of his shoulder muscles flexing and his dark hair gleaming in the sun stirred a melting desire low in her middle. She shifted her feet. Working on her car, wanting to ensure her safety around her apartment, he was protecting her. This was different from last time. This was good. A lightness, like fresh champagne, fizzed in her chest.
He straightened and turned to her. Shifting her attention to the urgent matter of the cracks in the driveway, she let her hair drop over her cheeks. Would he see them flame with heat again? Why was he always catching her at things? He was too observant.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
He studied her. She tried not to squirm. An orange leaf fluttered to the ground and a cool breeze carried the scent of crushed foliage mixed with salt water. “It’s hot today.”
“Is that why you’re pulling your jacket tight?”
“Yes.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I can’t fix this now, but I’ll come back with my car and jumper cables.”
“Doesn’t Stewart have those in his car?”
“He might, but I don’t want to futz around under that hood.”
She’d like to futz around under Jared’s hood.
Instead, she grabbed a paper towel from her trunk and handed it to him. He wiped his hands, then reached for her and pulled her into his arms.
“What are you doing?” she said, leaning into his warm, strong body.
“I thought if I could see your eyes up close in the daylight I could figure out their color.”
“It’s getting dark, but they’re green.”
“It will take a while to find the right combination of words to describe your eyes. Green doesn’t cut it. Though the word suits you in other ways.”
Her heart flipped. What was he suggesting? His lips curved before he dipped to brush his lips against hers. The tender, teasing touch of him filled her with heat and she reached for his neck. He backed away, leaving an inch of space between their lips.
“You smell so good,” he whispered. “You always did.”
“So do you.” Menthol, motor oil, and male hormones.
“I’ll go get my car and come back. After I jump your car, will you have dinner with me? We can drive someplace far enough away to give her a good charge.”
She nodded. His grin flashed, warming her heart. After he backed out of the driveway, he paused to wave before turning down the street.
****
“I’m busy with this case,” Jared said to his Special Agent in Charge. He’d returned the car and delivered the blueprints to Stewart, and then Stew drove him home. He was about to shower and head back to Ally’s when his phone rang. It was his boss, telling him about a kidnapping suspect who had crossed from Nevada into California. A child. The worst kind of case.
“We need you there now,” his boss said.
“As lead?”
“No, Agent Moreno’s on point. Give him a call.”
Jared hung up, his heart pounding. Once he had the info from Moreno, he raced to his car and punched the address into his GPS before heading out. He’d call Ally as soon as he could.
****
She’d watched the street for Jared’s arrival but all she saw was the sun setting over the neighbor’s palm trees. She was a fool. A lead weight settled in her stomach. The TV droned in the background. If only she’d given Ralene’s friend a chance. Then she would have been dating someone and not so vulnerable to Jared’s charms.
Her cell phone played Ralene’
s tone. Ally ignored it, but when the second call came around ten, she had to answer.
“What’s going on?” Ralene said.
“How do you know I’m not in here making out with him?”
“Because I passed by your house earlier and your car’s in the same spot, by itself. And I saw the TV through the blinds.”
“Gee, maybe Jared’s right. I need more security.”
“He didn’t show?”
“Nope.”
“Dang. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Ally changed the channel. A reality show about finding the perfect wedding dress. Great. She left it there to torture herself. To drive the lesson home. Maybe this time she’d learn.
“I pushed you toward him. Given his track record, I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.” Ralene’s words were tear-choked.
Ally’s eyes filled and her throat tightened. She bit back tears, tasting cherry lip gloss. “Not really, Ralene,” she muttered. “I can’t seem to resist the type.”
“He must have a reason for not showing.” Ralene sounded more like her optimistic self. “He’s got that kind of job.”
“Maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact he’s gone again.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“No, thanks. I’m just going to bed.”
****
The next day she rode her bike to work, getting drenched by a cloudburst on the way. When she arrived at the office, her clothes spewed water everywhere. A glance in the lobby’s mirror showed her hair flat and red. Water always darkened the strawberry blond to red. She sighed. At least she hadn’t worn mascara.
“Hi, Ally,” Stewart Chapman said. He was bending over the receptionist’s desk, talking to the young woman. “Looks like you were caught in the rain.” When she shivered in answer, he straightened to his full, lanky height. “I have a towel in my office. Let me get it for you.”
“Thanks.”
Chapman showed up in her office five minutes later and handed her a gym towel. In the meantime she’d at least combed out her messy hair.
“Hey,” he said, “thought you’d want to know. The guy stealing the IP has been arrested.”
She stopped blotting her face with the towel. “That’s good news.” She dabbed her jacket with the towel, feigning interest in what she was doing. “And I guess Darren’s gone now?” Her question would betray her interest in Jared, but now may be the last opportunity to weave it into conversation.