Rules of Engagement

“Nate? Why would somebody be copying the program?” she repeated.

“That’s easy, it would have to be to sell. Wintersoft has dozens of competitors who would love to get their hands on this program before its release.”

“Of course, a copy of this program would be worth lots of money.”

“A small fortune,” he agreed. “We’ve heard through the grapevine that one of our competitors has more information about the Utopia program than they should. I’m thinking someone in their technology department has figured out a way to break into our system.”

“Okay, then I guess the best place to start is at the beginning.” With the lightest of touches, she pulled up the icon for the Utopia program and typed in the password he’d given her.

“Before I can really start any investigative work, I need to spend some time with the program.”

He looked at his watch. “I’ve got a meeting to attend on another matter. I should be back here in an hour or so.” He hesitated, hating the fact that he was leaving her alone in his private sanctum for any length of time and yet desperately needing some space.

“Don’t worry, Nate. I won’t bounce on your sweet leather sofa or drink all your booze while you’re gone. I promise I won’t even open one of your desk drawers.”

He hoped not. The last thing he wanted was for her to open his bottom drawer, look inside and see the magazines that had the articles on her inside.

“I’ll see you when I get back,” he said tersely, and left the office.

He’d lied. There was no meeting to attend, no reason for him to have left. Rather, he’d needed to get some air, get the smell of her out of his nose, calm the nerves that she’d seemed to get on from the moment she’d first entered his office.

He stood in the hallway, for a moment unsure where to go. He didn’t even know where the employee lounge was. He’d never been there.

Taking the elevator, he went down to the bottom floor of the building and stepped outside, where he hoped a blast of frigid air would freeze out all thoughts of a beach, a blanket and a woman named Kat.

He’d been brilliant five years ago when they’d both gone to the same specialized school in California. She’d been there as a scholarship student and he’d been there under his own financial auspices.

Although she’d immediately been drawn to his brooding, dark good looks, his mind had attracted her as well.

As she worked through the Utopia program files, his brilliance was evident once again. If he was independent, this program would make him a multimillionaire, as it was she could understand why Wintersoft was worried about a breach in the security of the program.

As she scanned the files, she tried not to notice the subtle scent of expensive cologne that still wafted in the air. It was a different scent than what he’d worn five years before, but certainly just as appealing.

She got up from the desk and grabbed an orange from the fruit basket on the coffee table. After sitting back down at the desk, she peeled the orange and stared at the monitor, her thoughts still filled with the man who had just left the room.

The school they had attended in Silicon Valley had been a six-month term and it had taken her two months to get the bright, handsome Nate away from his computer and into enjoying life.

“Ancient history,” she muttered aloud as she finished peeling the orange. As she ate the slices, she marveled at the complexities of what he’d developed and all that was at stake if a hacker was stealing portions of the program.

She lost track of time as she explored the features of Utopia. She had just hit a glitch in the program when Nate returned to the office.

She saw his look of dismay as he took in her orange peels on a napkin in front of her. “Sorry,” she said, and scooped the peels into a trash can next to the desk. “Guess you don’t munch and work in the same place.”

“I never eat or drink at the computer.”

“I always eat and drink at the computer,” she said. She’d forgotten how rigid he could be, how compulsive in habit. “Did you know you have a glitch?”

He stood behind her and saw where she was at in the program. “Yeah, that’s the only problem I have left to solve before it’s done.”

“It’s brilliant, Nate,” she said, and enjoyed the first real hint of a smile that crossed his face.

“Thanks.” He slid into his chair and his features lit with animation, making him not just handsome but sexy as all get-out. “I’ve worked it in my head for months, visualized it for years. I still can’t believe it’s finally coming together.”

“All we have to do is catch one little nasty hacker before he messes it up,” she said.

The half smile fell from his lips and he nodded. “So far a total of five sections have been copied and subtly changed. I haven’t been able to find out how the hacker is entering the system.”

“You must have an open back door somewhere,” she said.

“I’m aware of that. I just haven’t been able to figure out where it is.”

He’d seemed rather churlish to her before he’d left for his meeting and she’d hoped he’d be in a better frame of mind when he returned, but if anything he seemed more tense.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to find the portal and close it up tight,” she said in an attempt to ease his mind. Her words seemed to have the opposite effect on him.

“If I’d just had a little more time I’m sure I could have figured it out on my own,” he replied.

Pride. Good grief, she thought. What she was dealing with here was apparently wounded male pride. “I’m sure that’s true. But, hopefully with time being of the essence and two of us working to solve the problem, we can do it in half the time.”

“Hopefully, we can solve it in no time at all and you can get back to your life in California.”

She was suddenly tired, and more than a little bit irritated. From the moment she’d stepped into his office, he’d done nothing to make her feel welcome. She’d had a long plane ride, hadn’t eaten properly all day and decided at that moment that what she wanted to do was check into her hotel room, get a hot meal and better prepare herself for working side by side with the reluctant Nate.

“There’s nothing I’d love better than to solve this problem right now and get out of your hair, but I’m going to get settled in my hotel for the night and start fresh in the morning.” She stood and turned off her monitor.

She picked up her coat from the arm of the leather sofa and pulled a key from the pocket as he got up from his chair. “If you could just direct me to the Brisbain Hotel.”

“It’s two blocks from here. As you exit the building go left and you can’t miss it. I’ll call you a cab.” He picked up the phone.

“No, it’s ridiculous to call a cab to take me two blocks. Besides, I’d rather walk. I definitely could use some fresh air. I’ve noticed it’s very stuffy in here.” She hoped he got the jab. She pulled on her coat and grabbed the handle on her suitcase. “I suppose you’re in at the crack of dawn most mornings?”

“Nine will be fine,” he replied. Had she ever really heard his voice radiating with warmth? Or had it always held that cold, sardonic tone?

She opened the office door. “See you tomorrow, Nate.” She pulled her wheeled suitcase out into the hallway and breathed a deep sigh.

She was tired, too tired to concentrate on the program with her thoughts focused too intently on Nate. She’d thought she’d see him again and it would be no big deal. She hadn’t expected his surliness and she certainly hadn’t expected the twinge in her heart.

Pressing the button on the elevator, she promised herself that this evening she’d resolve her emotions where he was concerned so she could begin tomorrow focused solely on solving the problem, as she’d been hired to do.

She stepped into the elevator and was surprised when Nate slid through the doors to ride down with her. He’d pulled on a midlength gray coat and looked every inch the successful businessman.

“Going home to the little lady?” she asked as the elevator door whooshed closed.

“There is no little lady.”

“Ah, going home to the big lady?”

Almost…almost he smiled, but it was only a promising glimmer in his eyes before it was snuffed out by a scowl. “There is no lady at all. I figured I’d better walk you to your hotel. It’s late enough you shouldn’t be walking the streets alone.”