me, his brows raised.
"Look at the model number," I told him. "Is
that a good model?" I asked Tad.
Tad pushed up his glasses and checked the
number. "It's a few years old now and was only ever intended for
small to medium data loads. Kind of surprised Austin still has
them. Maybe that's why we've been having problems with speed."
"Thank you," Reece said.
We filed out of the server room and headed
back up to the executive level. "Gather your things, I'm driving
you home. We'll talk on the way." He didn't sound like he wanted me
to question him. He sounded furious.
I shut down my computer and grabbed my bag.
"I don't need a lift," I said as we got back into the elevator.
"You're not catching the bus home at this
time of night on your own."
"How did you know I didn't drive in?"
His gaze slid to mine. "I just do."
I wasn't sure what to think. I didn't want
him to drive me home where Becky could see me getting out of his
car, but I liked the idea of spending more time with him, even
though he seemed in a frighteningly intense mood. In the end, the
need for secrecy won out. That's me, always sensible.
"I'll catch the bus," I said.
He blew out a breath and looked to the
ceiling. "Fine, if you don't want to get in the car with me, let me
pay for a cab."
"But—"
"You're not catching the bus home now. It'll
be dark soon." The doors slid open and we stepped out into the
foyer. There was no one about.
"If you insist."
"I do. Tomorrow, you can drive in and park
below."
I shook my head. "I can't. My sister
sometimes needs the car."
"She doesn't have her own?"
"No." We could only afford to run one.
We walked outside into the balmy evening. A
light breeze rustled my hair and carried the fumes of the city on
it. The sun had sunk behind the tall buildings behind us, its glow
reflected in the topmost glass panels of the high-rise opposite.
The lower reaches of the street were shrouded in shadows.
Reece looked for a cab. "How did you know all
that information about servers?" he asked.
"I've worked in a variety of companies. One
had the same problem as you—a slow system, apparently the latest
equipment, and a corrupt employee. I learned a lot there."
A cab pulled up and he opened the door for
me. "Thank you, Cleo," he said softly. "I'm glad I hired you."
I was about to say something off-handed to
lighten the moment, but as soon as my gaze connected with his, all
lightness vanished. There was no flirting in his eyes, no teasing,
just genuine admiration. It sent my heart skipping inside my chest.
I was well on the way to making myself invaluable to RK Financial
Group, and I couldn't be more pleased. And more worried. I liked it
when he looked at me like that. I could get too used to it.
"What will you do to Austin?" I asked.
"Fire him."
"Without allowing him an explanation?"
"What explanation can possibly make up for
what he did? It's not the loss of money that bothers me, it's the
deception. I thought he was a friend. I went to his wedding for
Christ's sake. Apparently that friendship meant nothing."
I gave a small nod and climbed into the back
seat of the cab, my blood pumping hot and thick through my veins. I
gave the driver my address and didn't try to stop Reece paying him
in advance. I couldn't look at him. Didn't dare let him see my
eyes. If he did, he would know I was deceiving him too.
CHAPTER 5
I worked late every night that week and the
next, as well as taking work home on the weekends. Becky complained
that she hardly saw me anymore, but I told her I needed to make a
good impression.
"Is your boss nice?" she asked one night as I
warmed up the chicken and rice she'd cooked earlier.
"He's okay."
"What's the company name again? I don't think
you told me."
"It's a financial corporation. They buy and
sell properties, shares, businesses, that sort of thing."
"Sounds boring."
I laughed, relieved that she hadn't noticed
my lack of a direct answer. "It's actually pretty interesting."
"I'm just glad
"Look at the model number," I told him. "Is
that a good model?" I asked Tad.
Tad pushed up his glasses and checked the
number. "It's a few years old now and was only ever intended for
small to medium data loads. Kind of surprised Austin still has
them. Maybe that's why we've been having problems with speed."
"Thank you," Reece said.
We filed out of the server room and headed
back up to the executive level. "Gather your things, I'm driving
you home. We'll talk on the way." He didn't sound like he wanted me
to question him. He sounded furious.
I shut down my computer and grabbed my bag.
"I don't need a lift," I said as we got back into the elevator.
"You're not catching the bus home at this
time of night on your own."
"How did you know I didn't drive in?"
His gaze slid to mine. "I just do."
I wasn't sure what to think. I didn't want
him to drive me home where Becky could see me getting out of his
car, but I liked the idea of spending more time with him, even
though he seemed in a frighteningly intense mood. In the end, the
need for secrecy won out. That's me, always sensible.
"I'll catch the bus," I said.
He blew out a breath and looked to the
ceiling. "Fine, if you don't want to get in the car with me, let me
pay for a cab."
"But—"
"You're not catching the bus home now. It'll
be dark soon." The doors slid open and we stepped out into the
foyer. There was no one about.
"If you insist."
"I do. Tomorrow, you can drive in and park
below."
I shook my head. "I can't. My sister
sometimes needs the car."
"She doesn't have her own?"
"No." We could only afford to run one.
We walked outside into the balmy evening. A
light breeze rustled my hair and carried the fumes of the city on
it. The sun had sunk behind the tall buildings behind us, its glow
reflected in the topmost glass panels of the high-rise opposite.
The lower reaches of the street were shrouded in shadows.
Reece looked for a cab. "How did you know all
that information about servers?" he asked.
"I've worked in a variety of companies. One
had the same problem as you—a slow system, apparently the latest
equipment, and a corrupt employee. I learned a lot there."
A cab pulled up and he opened the door for
me. "Thank you, Cleo," he said softly. "I'm glad I hired you."
I was about to say something off-handed to
lighten the moment, but as soon as my gaze connected with his, all
lightness vanished. There was no flirting in his eyes, no teasing,
just genuine admiration. It sent my heart skipping inside my chest.
I was well on the way to making myself invaluable to RK Financial
Group, and I couldn't be more pleased. And more worried. I liked it
when he looked at me like that. I could get too used to it.
"What will you do to Austin?" I asked.
"Fire him."
"Without allowing him an explanation?"
"What explanation can possibly make up for
what he did? It's not the loss of money that bothers me, it's the
deception. I thought he was a friend. I went to his wedding for
Christ's sake. Apparently that friendship meant nothing."
I gave a small nod and climbed into the back
seat of the cab, my blood pumping hot and thick through my veins. I
gave the driver my address and didn't try to stop Reece paying him
in advance. I couldn't look at him. Didn't dare let him see my
eyes. If he did, he would know I was deceiving him too.
CHAPTER 5
I worked late every night that week and the
next, as well as taking work home on the weekends. Becky complained
that she hardly saw me anymore, but I told her I needed to make a
good impression.
"Is your boss nice?" she asked one night as I
warmed up the chicken and rice she'd cooked earlier.
"He's okay."
"What's the company name again? I don't think
you told me."
"It's a financial corporation. They buy and
sell properties, shares, businesses, that sort of thing."
"Sounds boring."
I laughed, relieved that she hadn't noticed
my lack of a direct answer. "It's actually pretty interesting."
"I'm just glad
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