Her Spy to Hold (Spy Games Book 2) (14 page)

He hadn’t expected her to figure out what he’d spoken to Dan about, which was dumb on his part. So far, she’d figured out everything. She was going to figure out about that camera too, and being under a direct order not to tell her about it wasn’t going to save him. He’d really screwed up and he didn’t know how to fix things with her. This was why he didn’t date women with brains. Trying to keep a step ahead of them was exhausting.

One of her feet slipped off a rock, leaving her dangling in midair, legs flailing. She made the mistake of looking at the floor. Panic skittered across her face. “Bring me down!”

No way. She could do this. She simply had to have more confidence in her abilities beyond those attached to her computer. He held the brake steady while he called out reassurance, then instructions. “I’ve got you. You aren’t going to fall. Grab onto the wall and take a few seconds to calm down and catch your breath. Move your left foot a little higher. That’s it. Keep your eyes on the wall, not the floor. Once you get your balance back, then you can decide if you want to come down or finish the climb. You don’t have much farther to go.” She was only a few yards from the top. He hated to see her lose her nerve now. “You can do this.”

“My arms are tired.”

“That’s good,” he encouraged her. “You’re supposed to be using your upper body the most. But if you’ve got a good foothold now, rest your weight on your legs and give your arms a break.”

She wasn’t in any danger. This was an easy climb meant for beginners. It was how she felt, however, that really mattered to him. If she did decide to quit, he wouldn’t judge her. It hadn’t been her choice of entertainment to come here tonight. Next time he’d have to think of something she would enjoy.

She clung to the wall, pulling herself together. “I’m going to finish,” she said, sounding as determined as if she’d decided to crest the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Everything she did, she did with such serious focus it made him smile. He was never going to forget the lesson she’d given him in female anatomy. He’d never look at a clitoris the same way again either.

She made it to the top. A short while later she was back on the mat beside him. He began unhooking her harness.

“I did it,” she said.

The glow of pure pleasure flushing her cheeks punched his brain because he’d seen that expression before, only under much different circumstances. She was so right. He should have kept his mouth shut about them sleeping together. If he had, he could take her in his arms right now and congratulate her the way he wanted. But if a video of that night in her living room should ever turn up, Dan needed to be prepared.

She should be prepared too. There was a very good chance that if he told her about it, however, she’d be afraid, and he’d rather she remained angry. She was a scholar. A researcher. Designing weapons systems placement was nothing more than an intellectual pursuit and a paycheck to her. He doubted reality had ever factored into any of it before. Someone was phishing for information on her computers, and if they couldn’t get it one way from her, what would be the next method they tried?

Best not to head down that road.

Not yet.

“You did indeed,” he congratulated her. He went to one knee to help her step out of the harness, sliding one hand over her hip, taking unfair advantage of an excuse to touch. He wasn’t going to get too many opportunities now that he’d been told to back off.

She stiffened. She gripped his arm to keep from falling over as she lifted her foot. Her fingers tightened. “I’m still angry.”

“I know.”

He glanced into those sea-green eyes, almost at a level with his. Her pink lips were pressed tight. His heart clenched with regret. She was so freaking adorable. Sleeping in the room next to hers was all kinds of torture. One night hadn’t been nearly enough, and it bugged the hell out of him that she’d given him the
This isn’t going anywhere so let’s just have fun
speech. They’d had more than fun.

He lengthened the straps on the harness so it would fit his bulkier frame. Once everything was secure and he’d fastened himself to the floor, he scouted out which route on the wall he’d take to the top, but he had a lot of other things on his mind too. Most had to do with Irina. He hadn’t yet figured out a way to convince her to hack into the RBN. That was going to be a lot more difficult than climbing a wall wearing safety gear.

And a whole lot less fun than getting her naked.

* * *

Friday night, they arrived at the bowling alley fashionably late.

Irina’d had difficulty deciding what to wear, obsessing over her appearance for a full forty-five minutes before Kale finally, in desperation, insisted she go casual. She’d settled on a pair of black yoga pants topped with a modest pink cotton T-shirt, and twisted her hair into a knot on top of her head that she secured with an elastic band. While personally he liked it loose best, the result was sloppily sexy, as if she’d just crawled out of bed. Girl problems were hot as hell. He loved them. Another ten minutes and they wouldn’t have been leaving the house. He’d have peeled her clothes off, tossed her on her back, and licked that luscious
labia minora
until she screamed out his name. Again and again.

And he wouldn’t have cared what Dan might have to say about it either. Dan had obviously never suffered from a five-day erection.

The sounds of balls clattering down the alleys and pins crashing greeted them as they walked through the doors. This was their first real public performance and tonight, he got to touch and tease as much as he liked—within reason of course. It was part of the game. He ran his hand over the small of her back. He’d been trying to figure out what she had on underneath those stretchy pants and that T-shirt since they’d left the house. The distinct lack of panty lines offered his imagination plenty of possibilities.

She was killing him.

She edged away from his hand, going Dr. Glasov on him. “My usual man candy for work functions tends to be more circumspect.”

They wouldn’t be if they knew of her preference for thongs.

The walls and ceiling were built to deaden sound. While there was little chance they’d be overheard past the racket from the balls and the pins, he really did dislike discussing anything about their working relationship in public. He made his living listening to other people talk and making observations. Their body language, too, was a factor that could give them away. And right now Irina’s said volumes. She was nervous, whether of him or the crowd he couldn’t be certain. Either way she needed to loosen up.

“If you had a usual man candy it would be bland vanilla. I’m the whipped cream, sprinkles, and cherry on top of your sundae. Now play along,” he chided her. “We’re a couple, remember?”

“Since I’m playing the gainfully-employed role in this relationship, I’ll buy the beer.”

She had a quick sense of humor, another well-hidden quality that fascinated him. He watched her cross the promenade to the bar, those curvy hips swaying with an unconscious but very erotic allure, bringing vividly to mind the striptease she’d done for him. It had been…memorable. No one would ever believe it of her.

Not unless it had been caught on camera.

He went to get the bowling shoes. While he waited for the attendant to find their sizes, he checked out the crowd. There had to be easily fifty people from Irina’s workplace, although he had no idea how many might belong in her actual department. Most of them had already divided up in teams and were occupying lanes. Since he couldn’t imagine Irina insinuating herself into a group of people she didn’t know well, he was going to have to decide which one they’d join.

She reappeared with two bottles of beer, squeezing between two men who were standing with their backs together and talking to different people, oblivious to her passage behind them. She popped free, then traded Kale one of the bottles for a pair of shoes.

“That’s it for me and beer, babe,” he said as they made the exchange. The bottle was a prop. He didn’t plan on drinking when he still had concerns for her safety. “I’m the designated driver. You might want to take it easy too,” he teased her. “You’ve already proved you’re a lightweight.”

She made a face at him and took a healthy swig, just to be contrary. He commandeered a seat on a low wooden bench and kicked off his sneakers. He patted the empty space beside him, indicating for her to sit down. She crowded up next to him, so close they were touching, and he lifted an eyebrow at the sudden about face. She’d spent the week keeping her distance. Only moments ago she’d chastised him for getting too far into character—not that he planned to let that stop him. Teasing her had the added benefit of taking her mind off worrying over how the evening would progress. She thought things to death.

“What happened to circumspect?” he asked.

“I hate things like this,” she muttered, her eyes reflecting anxiety. “It’s noisy and chaotic, I feel underdressed, and I don’t know what’s expected of me.”

None of this came as any great revelation to him. If not for the fact it really was a work event—for them both—he’d encourage her to have a few more drinks and loosen up.

“You’re expected to have fun and mingle with people. Think of it as a networking event without the suits and ties.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “And by the way, you look beautiful. As usual. I already told you those clothes are completely appropriate. This isn’t the Oscars.” He bent his head to whisper in her ear. “Although for what it’s worth, I’m expecting an Oscar-winning performance from you.”

He tied his shoes, waiting while she dawdled over lacing up hers. He’d already figured out which group they should join. Seven women were having a very good time at lane number five. They ranged in age from early twenties to late fifties. One was Christine, the admin assistant Irina had introduced him to. Two others looked as if they might be serious bowlers. The rest appeared more interested in enjoying themselves. With any luck a few of them were executive assistants. EAs always knew everything that went on in a company.

He took Irina’s hand. “We’re bowling in lane number five.”

The women’s reactions ranged from guardedness to speculation and outright surprise as he and Irina approached them.

“Hi, Dr. Glasov. Kale,” Christine greeted them, her blond ponytail swinging as she stooped to pick up her ball from the return system. “I’m so glad you both made it.”

Irina, cool and polite, slipped immediately into her professional persona. “I hope no one’s competitive. I can’t guarantee my performance.”

Christine’s smile faltered. Inside, Kale winced. Irina needed to learn how to separate her two personalities when she was outside of the workplace. The dig at him about her acting abilities, he could admire. That really was clever. But remaining professional didn’t mean she had to keep a giant stick up her butt all the time.

He slid an arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Not to worry, babe. I’ll help you out with any performance issues you have.”

Irina’s face reddened and everyone laughed, breaking the ice. They had so many double entendres flying around now, it was anyone’s game.

A tall, fiftyish woman with short platinum hair, graceful figure, and a commanding presence shook her head. “I think we’d better put you two on opposite teams. Dr. Glasov will bowl with Christine.” She held out her hand to Kale. “Hello, new teammate. I’m Meghan.”

Once the introductions were made, and Kale established that Irina was going to be OK on team Christine, he took a seat beside Meghan.

“So how do you and Dr. Glasov know each other?” Meghan asked.

Kale dodged the question by countering with one of his own. “Does everyone here call her Dr. Glasov?”

Meghan’s eyes twinkled. She drew in her lips, rolling them over her teeth as if biting back whatever she really wanted to say. “Her reputation at the office is somewhat…formidable.”

While Irina was all soft and feminine at home—pink sofas never lied—she did seem hung up on the importance of being Dr. Glasov in public. In his head he ran through all the possible ways he could respond to Meghan’s comment that might help make Irina appear less stuffy before deciding to let it go. Rome wasn’t built in a day and he wasn’t paid to be her social advocate. “Do you work in her department?”

The older woman laughed. “Good lord, no. They put all the smart people in the computer science and systems design department. I work for the executive vice president.”

Just as he’d hoped, he’d found his primary source of information. If anyone knew anything about any unusual interest in Irina stemming from inside the company, it would be Meghan. “I’d imagine your EVP hires only the best and the best don’t always own IQs that start at 145.”

“My IQ, whatever it is, appears to be adequate for everyday function. I’m assuming yours is good too.” She slid him a sly, knowing look. “I can’t see Dr. Glasov being interested in a man strictly for his…appearance. She’d get bored. Eventually.”

We both already know this isn’t going anywhere.

Irina’s words echoed, emphasizing the uncomfortable amount of truth to Meghan’s statement. He shoved it aside. “I don’t know about that. I’m awfully pretty. And not to brag, but I’m a pretty good time.”

Meghan laughed again. “I’m sure you are. Let’s hope you’re also a good bowler, handsome. You’re up.”

Kale had never played candlepin bowling. The ball was small, without any holes, and the fallen pins remained in play. Nevertheless, he acquitted himself reasonably well with a strike and a pair.