HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE: Part 3 (2 page)

Riley had her own cubicle at the new company until her job was done. She could have worked offsite, but the owner wanted her onsite. A little controlling, but she was getting used to that with CEOs.

That led her thoughts to Dirk. Who was the last person she wanted to think about. Then a man walking by caught her eye. Not because he was that hot, but because she knew him. Not only did she know him, but she’d dated him in college.

“Justin?”

He stopped. His face turned to her and then lit up with a smile. “Riley?”

“Hey.”

“You that consultant we hired?”

“Yes.”

Justin didn’t look that different from when they’d been in college. His hair sported some gray, but he’d been an older student when she knew him. He probably had five years on her. He was a young soul, but he’d been more serious about their relationship than she’d been.

She’d been having fun in college while he’d been looking for a wife. He rested his left hand on her cubicle wall, and she noticed no wedding ring. Guess he hadn’t found that wife yet.

“How long you here for?”

“Probably only a month. I just need to code some stuff and clean up what the last person didn’t do well.”

“Really?” He checked his watch. “You free for lunch?”

“I can break away in about an hour. That work for you?”

He nodded, flashed her that thousand watt smile that she remembered, then walked away. Her day was looking up. Her month was looking up. Justin was the most normal, down-to-earth man she’d ever met.

Might be nice to have normal in her life again.

The hour went quickly, and she found herself in a Honda on her way to a deli for lunch. No Aston Martin. No driver. No fancy restaurant. No worries about picking up the wrong piece of silverware.

They ordered sandwiches and then found a table by the window.

“So how long have you worked for this company? Justin asked.

“Three years. They’re pretty good to me. Lots of flexibility. Good benefits. I can’t complain.”

“So we can’t woo you away from them?” Justin said.

His dark brown eyes bored into her. That’s what this was about? He wanted to offer her a job?

“I doubt it, but we can talk. I like to keep my options open. What would I be doing? You know I love being a code jockey.”

“Not sure I can offer that.”

She shrugged. “Not sure I can enjoy doing much else. It’s my thing. Code is pretty simple compared to people.”

He sipped his soda. “Sounds like a woman who has had her heart broken recently.”

She didn’t really want to talk about it. “I guess.”

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

“Not really. I’d rather just enjoy a lunch with an old friend. Not think about the bad things in my life.”

“So name something good,” he said.

“Well, I love my job. I’m never in the same place for more than a month. I work with all sorts of different people.” She reached across the table and touched his soda with hers. “And sometimes you get to see some people from your past.”

He nodded. “You look good, Riley. Like you’ve been happy.”

She’d been happy. At least part of the time with Dirk. Too bad it had become too complicated. “I have been.”

“I’m guessing, even though you don’t want to talk about, that he complicated things.”

She laughed. “Must we talk about it?”

“I’m just feeling you out as to what you might still feel for this person.”

“Oh?”

“Well, I did have feelings for you, and maybe I never got over them.”

“Hm. Not sure I’m ready to jump right into anything now. I’d like some time to myself.”

He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Then we’ll be friends for now.”

That was a relief. “Okay. I can do that.” She sipped her soda, her mouth suddenly dry. “Tell me what you’ve been up to since college.”

“Well I actually have worked for this company since I graduated. They’ve been good to me. I have had some moderate success.”

“I’m guessing that you never found that wife you were looking for.”

Why did she ask that? Maybe because that was the one thing that had broken them up.

He frowned. Crap. Sore point with him.

“You don’t have to answer that.”

“No, it’s fine. I did marry someone right out of college. It didn’t work out. We divorced after a year.”

“No kids?”

“No kids.”

She pondered that as she ate her sandwich. Justin could offer her so much more stability if she wanted. Unlike Dirk, he was a normal guy. No dating supermodels. No jetting off to Martha’s Vineyard in his own helicopter.

She’d have a simple life with him.

“That’s sad.”

“I think I wanted marriage too much and settled,” he said.

His gaze had never left hers. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the room. She didn’t remember Dirk looking at her that way. He was always involved in something else. Even if they were together, she’d sensed he was thinking of something else.

Didn’t do a girl’s ego much good. No, someone like Justin would treat her properly.

Someone like Justin would be happy she was in his life and not try to control everything she did. But would the sex be good? She didn’t remember what it had been like in college.

“That’s sad.”

“It is. I was young. I didn’t really know what I wanted in a partner.”

“You have a better idea now?”

“Yes, I do.”

He looked pointedly at her. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she wasn’t over Dirk yet. She needed more time. She looked at her watch. “We should probably get back.”

He rose and smiled. “I had a good time, Riley. Hopefully we can do it again.”

***

Dirk sat in his office, which was where he spent most of his time. Across his desk was someone from the detective agency he’d hired to follow Riley. He wanted to keep her safe, and she never would have agreed to another bodyguard.

Since she was going to help him with his leak, she could be in danger.

So he’d hired some people to follow her. At this point, she hadn’t figured it out. The photos in front of him were of her with another man. He wanted to storm over to her place and confront her, but he couldn’t. That would reveal that he had someone keeping an eye on her.

Or he could play it cool and say he saw her himself.

He blew out a breath. “Do you get the sense that anyone else is watching her?”

“No. We’re the only ones. I’ve had teams doing this, and neither of them has spotted anyone.”

“Good. Keep on looking. This case is going to heat up again. I want to keep her safe.”

“She means a lot to you.”

Yes, she did. More than maybe he’d ever admitted to her. More than he admitted to himself. The man left him with the pictures. Riley looked happy. He was selfish enough to want to put that smile on her face.

He didn’t know who the other guy was, but he didn’t consider him competition.

But, Dirk needed to see Riley. Today. Before this other guy got ahead of him. How should he do it in a non-stalker way? Call her.

He picked up his phone and called Riley. Straight up. Tell her he’s coming over.

His call went to voicemail, so he left her a message. He paced in his office, hoping she would call back.

She did. Half an hour later. Yikes.

“Dirk?

“Riley. I wanted to come see you tonight. Talk about the case.”

“I don’t have anything to report. I’ve only sat down today to do anything. I do have a full time job besides yours,” she said.

“I get that, Riley. Let me bring some dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“We both have to eat. I’ll bring some dinner.”

She let out an exasperated breath. “Okay.”

“I’ll be there in forty minutes.”

He hung up and did a happy dance. She couldn’t resist him. The trip took only thirty-five, so he was early. He still knocked on her apartment door. She let him in. She seemed a little jumpy.

He laid out the food, and she put plates and silverware on the table. Finally they sat.

“You want some wine?”

“No, I have to work tonight. Right? We have to figure this out.”

“I’m upset the FBI guys haven’t done more.”

“You’re one of several cases they have to deal with, Dirk.”

He’d brought her favorite Italian food. She was eating slowly and almost moaning between bites.

“How’s your new job?”

“Can’t complain. I have an office. I don’t have to pretend to be anything but a consultant.”

Yikes. That was a jab just for him. “Okay.”

“I’m working with a friend from college.”

Dirk’s heart leapt. A friend? He didn’t have to worry about this guy. He was already in the friend zone if she was mentioning it to him. “A friend?”

“Someone I knew in school. We haven’t talked since he graduated.”

“He?”

She looked at him square on. “You don’t get to say who I see or don’t see, Dirk. We’re done. Remember?”

“Well, now that you’ve brought it up. We don’t have to be done.”

She shook her head. “You’re too much, Dirk.”

“Too handsome?”

She put down her fork. “Too controlling. Too in my face. We’re not starting up again.”

To her that was probably her final word, but Dirk was a man used to getting what he wanted. He never stole anything. He never demanded. He just made it so the other person wanted to give it to him.

Riley wouldn’t be any different.

“I can tell you’re plotting, Dirk. Forget it. I’m done.”

“Fine. We’ll talk about business.”

That was the last thing he wanted to talk to her about. He liked how her hair was down. She’d put highlights in it. Made her look younger. She talked about her new assignment, her face animated.

He could watch her talk like this all day. He was enjoying himself even though he knew that sex was off the table. Still he was getting hard. Down boy. No release tonight.

Sadly, he had to admit that he’d never looked at her quite like this. He’d been the one in charge, and now she had all the power. If they ever had another relationship, it was up to Riley. He’d never been in this position.

What a stupid man he’d been. Dirk had taken her for granted. Tried to control her when she was such an independent spirit. How awful for her.

This other guy was no threat. That he knew, but he’d have to figure out how to do this whole thing properly. Change his ways. Not assume that just because he snapped his fingers, someone would jump. Riley wasn’t jumping.

She was her own person, and that was one of the things he found sexy. He couldn’t change it, and he didn’t want to. His usual ways of getting a woman were not going to work.

Riley waved a hand in front of his face. “Where did you go?”

“Sorry. Just deep in thought.”

“Plotting again.”

He shook his head. “Actually not.”

She eyed him, but he could tell she didn’t believe him. “Doesn’t matter. Won’t work.”

He began to clean up the mess they’d made. “Maybe we could talk another night. I’ve had a long few days doing damage repair. This way you can work on my project for me. Let me know when you have something.”

He could see the mistrust in her eyes, but he was going to play it cool. Hopefully he’d outlast her.

Justin stopped at Riley’s cubicle. He did every morning. Some days he brought her coffee. One day a donut. She was being romanced, and she liked it. No pressure. No changing what she wore. No criticism of how she was doing her job or living her life.

How refreshing.

Justin stopped by her cubicle later in the week. “Are you free for lunch?”

“Yes, I am.”

She smiled up at him.

“There’s a new taco place I want to try out.”

“Sounds yummy. I’ll be ready in half an hour. Does that work for you?”

Justin nodded then left her. She met him at the elevator at the appointed time. They took her car this time. He directed her, and they parked.

A car pulled in right behind them. Maybe she was being paranoid, but no one got out. At lunch, most people didn’t linger. They had to get the meal done and be back to work. She thought it odd that no one had left the car. She glanced back at it, memorizing the license plate.

She wanted to see if it was there when they finished.

“Is something wrong?” Justin asked as he held the door for her.

“Uh, no. Just had the sense I was being watched.”

“Really?”

Justin glanced out at the parking lot.

“I’m sure I’m just being paranoid,” Riley said.

They were seated and ordered immediately. They chatted about work as they waited for their food.

“Are you making progress on your project?” Justin asked.

She didn’t work directly with him, so he didn’t know what she was working on. She certainly hadn’t shared with him that she was still helping Dirk out. Justin didn’t need to know that.

If this was going to be a relationship, she didn’t want to talk about Dirk. How would she explain who he’d been to her? They’d been lovers. Nothing else. No emotion involved.

“I am. It’s going faster than I thought. I will probably be done early.”

“I have to admit, that would make me sad.”

“Sad?” Riley asked. She could be coy if necessary.

“I enjoy our lunches together,” Justin said. “In fact, I’d like to take you out for a date.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

“I have tickets for the science museum.”

“That would be fun.”

She looked forward to that. No stuffy art museums for Riley. She was a hands-on gal.

“Saturday?” Justin said.

“Sure.”

She could play hooky from helping Dirk. And she would delight in it. He didn’t have any control over her.

They finished up their meal then Justin walked out with her. She spotted the same car in the same spot. She didn’t want to confront the person with Justin here. This could be something left over from the case with Dirk. It was not fair for her to put Justin in any danger.

She drove them back to the office. As they walked in, the car parked in the lot. Not great surveillance if she noticed.

“I forgot something in my car. You go ahead,” she said to Justin.

“Sure. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Thanks for lunch.”

She waited until he was in the door then turned back as if she were going to her car. She bee lined at the last minute and approached the car she’d spotted following her. The person suddenly looked to be interested in his phone. She tapped on the window.

He looked up, startled.

He rolled down his window.

Before he could speak, she said, “Why are you following me?”

“I’m not following you.”

“Yes, you are. I’ve seen this car several items this week.”

“I work in the building.”

She saw food wrappers strewn about the car. Coffee cups littered the seat next to him. He was a slimy sort, which made her think he was a private investigator, not a bad guy.

“What office?”

He stammered out a name.

“There is no such office in there. They moved out a month ago.”

The man had read from a sign in the lot and had picked the wrong office. She waited with her arms crossed. Finally she said, “Did Dirk hire you?”

“Dirk who?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Answer my question or I call the cops,” she said.

She’d had enough of this cloak and dagger stuff. She had more than one reason to be sorry she’d ever gotten involved with Dirk.

“Okay. Yes, Dirk hired me.”

“Why?”

“To follow you. To make sure you were safe. He said he was worried.”

“Have you reported in on my activities?”

“Of course. That’s what he’s paying me for.”

“So he knows that I’ve been having lunch regularly with someone.”

Not that it was any of Dirk’s business, but she was going to have to confront him. This was too much. He had to stop. They weren’t together anymore.

“Well, you report back to your boss that I’ve seen you. And I don’t want to see you again. If you are out here when I leave this evening, I am calling the cops.”

She stalked away. Dirk could manage to get under her skin.

She ended up finishing work early, so she drove into Manhattan to see Dirk. Only a face to face meeting would get the point across. She was pissed, but she rehearsed what she would say. Dirk was smooth and could get past her if she was out of control.

At least Justin hadn’t seen her exchange with the man following her. He might be jealous of Dirk, and he had no reason. Dirk was her past. Hopefully Justin was her future. One with a man who had no problem with an independent woman. One who didn’t need to control what she wore.

In fact, she wasn’t going to continue with his project. That way he would have no reason to contact her.

She rode the elevator up to his office, fuming. She wanted this done. She wanted Dirk out of her life. Once and for all.

***

Dirk had expected Riley to come see him, and he wasn’t altogether unhappy about it. Face to face he could persuade her to do anything.

He hoped. She’d be mad. She’d been nice to his investigator, but she wasn’t going to be nice to him. At least with her here, he could convince her to come back.

He eyed the photos of her and the man she’d been having lunch with. He didn’t want to admit he’d been jealous, but he wasn’t going to stand by and let this interloper win. He knew how he felt about Riley.

Maybe. His blood had boiled at the pictures. They looked cozy. He’d had his investigator do a background check on the man. He came up clean, but still. Riley was his. Or maybe he should say he wanted Riley to be his. He’d messed up.

Riley was currently stewing outside his office. He had to compose himself before he would let her in. If he didn’t play this right then he’d lose her forever. That would not do. Not just because he was a man who often won, but because this time was important to him. Riley was not some woman he’d bedded.

No, Riley was most likely his future. Not that he’d figured out that future with her yet. He shouldn’t be possessive. He didn’t have much to offer. He was superficial. He was driven. Work took up most of his day.

Maybe this guy was the best thing for her, but he still wanted to keep her safe. He didn’t know if anyone would target her from her investigation. This was about her safety. That’s how he’d play it.

Finally he asked Marcia to let her in.

He sat behind his desk as Hurricane Riley stormed into his office. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He glanced up from some papers he’d been staring at. “Work. What else?”

She put a hand on the middle of his desk, leaning down to him. Her blouse opened up enough that he could see her luscious tits. He tried not to look, but his mouth watered at the thought of them. In his hands. In his mouth.

“My eyes are up here.”

Busted. His gaze went reluctantly up to her face. “I’m sensing that you’re mad.”

She straightened and seemed to get ahold of herself. She knew she was being baited. That had been his tactic. Get her off-balance then go in for the kill. He’d underestimated her. Seemed to be his problem most of the time.

Riley was the smartest woman who had ever been in his bed. Even smarter than the first woman he’d fallen in love with in college. The one who had ruined him for smart women by breaking his heart.

Riley wasn’t like that. He didn’t think she would ever intentionally hurt him. Probably the reason he wanted her so badly.

Her expression softened, but her hands were still fisted at her sides. “Dirk, we are now colleagues. Nothing more. The job is essentially finished. Whatever work is required of me now does not include a turn as your girlfriend.”

He put down the papers he’d been looking at. “I’m having you followed for your own safety.”

“Safety? I doubt that, Dirk. You don’t like that you can’t control me.”

The words hung in the air between them. They had a certain ring of truth, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Riley.

“Should I remind you that you were in the hospital twice because of this case? And that you might be in danger?”

“No one but you knows that I’m working on this still.”

“Well, I don’t see any reason not to be careful.”

“Call him off. I’ve moved on, and if I see anyone following me again I’m going to quit. You’ll have to find some other woman who can fall for your charms and find your leak.”

He cocked his head. “I guess you hold all the power.”

“I do. Remember that. I can walk away from this anytime.”

He stood, then walked around the desk. He didn’t exactly get in her personal space, but close. Her pupils widened. He wanted to smile. She still had feelings for him. At the very least she still had an attraction to him. He could play on that.

“Okay.”

“Okay? You’re giving up just like that?”

“Yes. You won. You hold all the cards.”

She took step away from him, her look skeptical. “I’m trying to figure out your angle.”

“No angle other than I want to save my company.”

“I don’t doubt your company is important, but I think your ego is more important.”

He put a hand over his heart. “Ouch.”

“You’ll live.”

“Probably. You free for dinner?”

She blinked. “Dinner?”

“That meal you eat at the end of the work day.”

“I know what dinner is. Why are you asking me?”

“Because I would like to share a meal with you.”

She took a step back. He did have her off-balance. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

“Sex is off the table. We’ll go out in public and eat a casual meal. I’ll even take off my tie.”

She stared at him for a moment. Her brain was going over many possibilities. “I don’t have anything to update you on.”

“I don’t need one. I have the utmost faith that you are doing a good job, Riley.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What game are you playing?”

He put up his hands. “I want to go to dinner with an attractive colleague. That’s it.”

“I doubt it, but I’m game. I have nothing in my fridge at the moment, and you can afford to buy me a nice meal.”

He smiled. Even though he knew they weren’t going to end up in bed, he was going to enjoy the meal anyway. Spending time with Riley was never a waste. He wanted to remind her how good they’d been.

Even out of bed.