Exploited
Page 16
“Well then, I think we need to rectify that as quickly as possible. What about tonight?” I asked.
She held out her hand and I gave her a questioning look. “Let me have your phone.”
Without thinking, I handed it to her. It was only after she had entered her phone number that I realized I shouldn’t have done that. It was my work phone. My work emails and correspondence were on there. She could easily have seen them.
Why hadn’t I thought about that?
But she simply entered her contact details, including her address, and handed it back to me. I felt a little foolish for jumping to the conclusion that I was dealing with an evil mastermind.
I looked down at what she had saved on my phone.
210 Willow Park Lane.
“Pick me up at eight?”
It wasn’t so much a question as a request.
I noted the subtle difference. I appreciated her take-charge attitude, even if some sort of anxiety continued to cling to her like a second skin.
I leaned in close, mostly because I liked the smell of her. Vanilla and flowers. I hated overpowering perfumes. Hannah’s scent was discreet. Almost hidden.
Tantalizing. Just like her smile.
Damn, I was being ridiculous.
“Eight it is. I can’t wait.” I looked down at the white bag in her hand. “Since it seems your bagel is getting cold, how about I walk you to your car. I don’t want to be responsible for your tardiness.”
Hannah looked at her watch and cringed. “Too late.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, Hannah. I feel like an ass.”
Hannah put her hand on my sleeve and gave me one of those smiles I was coming to enjoy so much. “It’s okay. Just don’t be late tonight. Otherwise I may have to rethink the douche label.”
I briefly rested my hand over hers. “Deal. Now let me walk you to your car.”
I put my hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the door. She paused for a moment, looking up at me. “Aren’t you going to order anything? You must need a coffee IV drip with the whole working-since-four-this-morning thing.”
She was right. I needed caffeine. Desperately. And my stomach was starting to growl. But I wanted to spend a few extra minutes bantering with her first.
“Don’t worry about me. Coffee will be here once I make sure you get to your car safely,” I assured her.
Hannah grinned. “And they say chivalry is dead.”
We walked together out into the too-bright morning sunshine. I wished I had brought my sunglasses. My eyes were having a hard time adjusting today. An occupational hazard from staring at monitors all day.
I felt Hannah’s body angle into mine, her side brushing against me. “It’s awfully bright out here today,” she complained, shielding her eyes.
I chuckled. “I was just thinking the same thing. We may be the only two people on the planet who complain about the sun.”
We reached her car, a tiny, beat-up Mazda Miata. She jingled her keys in her hand for a moment, still standing close to me. “I guess I’m too used to being holed up inside with my head in a computer,” she explained.
I arched an eyebrow, intrigued again. “Oh yeah? Do you work with computers?”
“I’m an undercover agent too,” she whispered, bumping her shoulder into my side.
“Are you making fun of me?” I laughed.
She licked her lips. Slow. Purposeful. I watched. Transfixed.
She flicked her hair behind her shoulder and I couldn’t help but stare at the long, graceful slope of her neck. The hint of cleavage beneath her shirt. She shifted on her feet, her slim hips jutting out just slightly.
Hannah put her hand on my chest, leaning her head back so she could better look into my face. For the first time since I was a teenager, I had butterflies in my stomach.
I sure as shit didn’t feel this way when Madison took off her clothes.
It was insanity.
She was the perfect combination of coy and shy that had always attracted me. She gave off the right amount of interest without being desperate.
As far as first impressions went, she was ticking all of my boxes.
And then I paused. The niggling voice wouldn’t stop its incessant paranoia.
She plays the part almost too well.
Why was I thinking that?
It was momentary. A fleeting flash of a thought that I quickly dismissed.
I had been an agent too long. I saw ulterior motives in everything. Deceit in sincerity.
I had forgotten what it was like to interact with people without second-guessing and looking for the truth behind their honey-tongued lies.
I could feel Hannah’s breath on my face. She had sucked on a mint at some point. The sweet smell tickled my nose.
“I would never make fun of you. I promise.” Her eyes flashed and heated.
If I had been more of a macho guy, I would have growled.
She finally turned and opened her car door. “See you tonight, Mason.”
With that, she climbed in and started her engine. I backed up, giving her room to reverse. I stood there, unable to move until she was long gone.
I wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, but I had the sense I had been railroaded in the best way possible. She had deftly maneuvered the exchange and I had been happy to go along with it.
I blinked as if waking up and headed toward my car, all thoughts of breakfast and coffee now gone.
Chapter 6
Hannah
“I know you can do some really cool shit.” Kyle was bugging me.
Pestering me to the point of making me fantasize about smashing his face into the keyboard.
I was on an incredible high. I felt a tingling deep in my veins. It was euphoric.
And Kyle was a freaking buzz kill.
Last night’s attack had been incredible. Smooth.
Sleek.
It had been all over the local news this morning.
Hell, it had even made some of the national publications.
The Ryan Law attack wasn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but to me it was revenge nine years in the making.
“Seriously, Kyle, can we not talk about this right now?” I waved him away, trying not to get annoyed. He was just an eager beaver.
I should be more understanding. Flattered, even, that he thought I was someone he could learn from.
Kyle wouldn’t really look at me. My reprimand had clearly stung.
I should have more patience with him.
After all, I had been that way once.
She held out her hand and I gave her a questioning look. “Let me have your phone.”
Without thinking, I handed it to her. It was only after she had entered her phone number that I realized I shouldn’t have done that. It was my work phone. My work emails and correspondence were on there. She could easily have seen them.
Why hadn’t I thought about that?
But she simply entered her contact details, including her address, and handed it back to me. I felt a little foolish for jumping to the conclusion that I was dealing with an evil mastermind.
I looked down at what she had saved on my phone.
210 Willow Park Lane.
“Pick me up at eight?”
It wasn’t so much a question as a request.
I noted the subtle difference. I appreciated her take-charge attitude, even if some sort of anxiety continued to cling to her like a second skin.
I leaned in close, mostly because I liked the smell of her. Vanilla and flowers. I hated overpowering perfumes. Hannah’s scent was discreet. Almost hidden.
Tantalizing. Just like her smile.
Damn, I was being ridiculous.
“Eight it is. I can’t wait.” I looked down at the white bag in her hand. “Since it seems your bagel is getting cold, how about I walk you to your car. I don’t want to be responsible for your tardiness.”
Hannah looked at her watch and cringed. “Too late.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, Hannah. I feel like an ass.”
Hannah put her hand on my sleeve and gave me one of those smiles I was coming to enjoy so much. “It’s okay. Just don’t be late tonight. Otherwise I may have to rethink the douche label.”
I briefly rested my hand over hers. “Deal. Now let me walk you to your car.”
I put my hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the door. She paused for a moment, looking up at me. “Aren’t you going to order anything? You must need a coffee IV drip with the whole working-since-four-this-morning thing.”
She was right. I needed caffeine. Desperately. And my stomach was starting to growl. But I wanted to spend a few extra minutes bantering with her first.
“Don’t worry about me. Coffee will be here once I make sure you get to your car safely,” I assured her.
Hannah grinned. “And they say chivalry is dead.”
We walked together out into the too-bright morning sunshine. I wished I had brought my sunglasses. My eyes were having a hard time adjusting today. An occupational hazard from staring at monitors all day.
I felt Hannah’s body angle into mine, her side brushing against me. “It’s awfully bright out here today,” she complained, shielding her eyes.
I chuckled. “I was just thinking the same thing. We may be the only two people on the planet who complain about the sun.”
We reached her car, a tiny, beat-up Mazda Miata. She jingled her keys in her hand for a moment, still standing close to me. “I guess I’m too used to being holed up inside with my head in a computer,” she explained.
I arched an eyebrow, intrigued again. “Oh yeah? Do you work with computers?”
“I’m an undercover agent too,” she whispered, bumping her shoulder into my side.
“Are you making fun of me?” I laughed.
She licked her lips. Slow. Purposeful. I watched. Transfixed.
She flicked her hair behind her shoulder and I couldn’t help but stare at the long, graceful slope of her neck. The hint of cleavage beneath her shirt. She shifted on her feet, her slim hips jutting out just slightly.
Hannah put her hand on my chest, leaning her head back so she could better look into my face. For the first time since I was a teenager, I had butterflies in my stomach.
I sure as shit didn’t feel this way when Madison took off her clothes.
It was insanity.
She was the perfect combination of coy and shy that had always attracted me. She gave off the right amount of interest without being desperate.
As far as first impressions went, she was ticking all of my boxes.
And then I paused. The niggling voice wouldn’t stop its incessant paranoia.
She plays the part almost too well.
Why was I thinking that?
It was momentary. A fleeting flash of a thought that I quickly dismissed.
I had been an agent too long. I saw ulterior motives in everything. Deceit in sincerity.
I had forgotten what it was like to interact with people without second-guessing and looking for the truth behind their honey-tongued lies.
I could feel Hannah’s breath on my face. She had sucked on a mint at some point. The sweet smell tickled my nose.
“I would never make fun of you. I promise.” Her eyes flashed and heated.
If I had been more of a macho guy, I would have growled.
She finally turned and opened her car door. “See you tonight, Mason.”
With that, she climbed in and started her engine. I backed up, giving her room to reverse. I stood there, unable to move until she was long gone.
I wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, but I had the sense I had been railroaded in the best way possible. She had deftly maneuvered the exchange and I had been happy to go along with it.
I blinked as if waking up and headed toward my car, all thoughts of breakfast and coffee now gone.
Chapter 6
Hannah
“I know you can do some really cool shit.” Kyle was bugging me.
Pestering me to the point of making me fantasize about smashing his face into the keyboard.
I was on an incredible high. I felt a tingling deep in my veins. It was euphoric.
And Kyle was a freaking buzz kill.
Last night’s attack had been incredible. Smooth.
Sleek.
It had been all over the local news this morning.
Hell, it had even made some of the national publications.
The Ryan Law attack wasn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but to me it was revenge nine years in the making.
“Seriously, Kyle, can we not talk about this right now?” I waved him away, trying not to get annoyed. He was just an eager beaver.
I should be more understanding. Flattered, even, that he thought I was someone he could learn from.
Kyle wouldn’t really look at me. My reprimand had clearly stung.
I should have more patience with him.
After all, I had been that way once.
