“Suit yourself.” Gordon grabbed his mouse again. “I’m studying my next case anyway.”
“What is it?”
“The princess.” Gordon clicked the mouse and turned the laptop Jake’s way. A blond woman with green eyes stared back at him, not a hint of a smile on her lips. She seemed untouchably regal, and drop-dead gorgeous. “She’s nothing but a spoiled…well, princess, who’s used to getting her way on everything. Should be a fun assignment.”
Jake laughed and started for his office door. “Yeah. Good luck with that one.”
“Thanks, man. Back atcha.”
Jake took a steadying breath and elbowed the door open. Tara sat at his desk, her lower lip caught between her teeth. The furious typing had stopped. She looked as if she was concentrating, but he knew she was bullshitting him. She was perfectly aware of exactly what to do to save his ass—and hers.
But she didn’t want to tell him.
He might need to force it out of her. His other methods were obviously failing. Bullying. Cajoling. Befriending. Hell, he’d seduced her last night, not that that had been all about the job. He’d wanted her, plain and simple. But giving in to the urge had been a huge mistake. He had nothing to offer her.
Not anymore.
The thought of never seeing her again sent a knife through his chest. No matter what she did, she would be leaving him. He felt nauseous just thinking about that.
Maybe he didn’t have anything to offer her, certainly not a future. But he didn’t want her to throw her life away in prison. Deep down she was a good person. Look at the way she’d gotten him to laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time that happened. And if he were honest, he felt protective of her.
That hadn’t changed in all the years they’d been apart.
Yeah. But he was fucking altruistic. Beyond the job that had to be done, there was the sex. Mind-blowing—no, mind-fucking great sex. Even now, when he was angry at her for lying to him, he had a hard time keeping his hands off her.
One taste wasn’t enough for him.
He set the coffee on the desk and came around behind her. She had the code open, and her fingers rested on the mouse. His phone dinged in his pocket, but he ignored it. “Did anything in particular stand out to you? Some part that doesn’t seem right?”
She picked up the coffee, pressing her soft lips to the rim and blowing. He wished he was the mug. That’s how bad he had it. “No, not really. I don’t know why this case is fighting me. Usually, I can remember what I did without any issues.”
He leaned on the desk and crossed his ankles, massaging his thigh. His leg was hurting like a bitch today, probably because of last night. It had been the first time he’d had sex since his injury, so he might have pushed himself a little too hard. “Maybe you’ll remember once we go to the site.”
“Yeah.” She glanced down at his thigh, taking another sip. “Maybe.”
His phone buzzed again, and he took it out of his pocket. As he skimmed the message, his shoulders tensed. He had apparently gotten signed up for some bullshit dating website, and he had a love match. Wait…a male love match. Did hackers have nothing better to do with their time than fuck with other people’s lives?
“What the—?” Another email lit his screen. “Fucking brilliant.”
Tara set her mug down. “Is there a problem?”
“No.” He shoved his phone into his pocket, but it buzzed again before he released it. Another match, no doubt. “It’s nothing.”
Her lips twitched, and she lowered her head quickly. “Okay.”
He watched her, not missing the amusement that was clear in her voice. Had she…? No. She had only been alone in his office for five minutes, tops. How would she have gotten all his relevant information so fast?
“Tara.” He crossed his arms and frowned at her. “Look at me.”
She stared at him, her expression innocent. Too innocent. “Yeah?”
“Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
She didn’t blink. “About?”
“Did you sign me up for a gay dating site?” His phone buzzed again. Fucking A. “Was it you?”
She burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. “Yes.”
First his house. Then his car. Now his office.
Was nothing sacred to her?
He lowered his brows, torn between being amused and annoyed as hell. Amusement was winning. Especially when his phone buzzed again. His Tara was so delightfully unpredictable. “Why did you do that?”
She stood and pushed his chair back. Tilting her head, she shrugged. Actually shrugged. She was too much. “I was bored. And you weren’t here.”