“I have no defense, really. I was curious about what you were up to, so I poked around until I found your company, and then I couldn’t resist trying to crack your code.”
For the first time, a spark of humor lit his eyes. “Well, that’s typical.”
“I know. And I have to say, it was fun figuring out how to unlock the database.”
The corner of his mouth curved in something that resembled a smile. “You always did relish the idea of outsmarting me.”
“I did. It gave me a challenge.” She’d missed their intellectual sparring more than their sex, and that was saying something. “But I’m sorry you’re on the hook because of my prank.”
“Then get me off the hook, Taryn. Come to Colorado and strengthen my security so even you can’t get in.”
It was a gold-plated opportunity to have her personal question answered. But if she was still attracted to him, and he was over her, spending a few days working together could be hard on her ego.
He cleared his throat. “You do realize I’ll compensate you for your time, right?”
“Well, yeah. You said in the beginning you wanted to hire me, so that usually involves money.” She wished she could figure out what was going on in that excellent brain of his. “Unless you had some other type of compensation in mind?”
Heat flared in his eyes for just a moment. “No.”
Interesting. That bit of heat had indicated he wasn’t totally immune to her. But he might not be available. “Forgive me if that was inappropriate. You probably have a steady girlfriend. Maybe even a fiancée.” She could at least satisfy her curiosity on that score.
“I don’t.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
She waited to see if he’d ask about her love life. He did not. So if she’d cherished a tiny hope that he had something besides business on his mind, she should kill that hope right now. Once she’d thought he was in love with her, but then he’d abandoned her without a word. She’d been hurt and confused, but she hadn’t been able to convince herself that his feelings had been bogus.
Perhaps she should finally face the possibility that he’d grown tired of her and hadn’t wanted to say so. Honest as he was, he would have blurted the truth if she’d asked him. She wanted to ask now, but she hesitated. Sad to say, he still had the power to hurt her.
He focused his green eyes with laser precision. “Are you in the middle of a project you can’t leave for a few days? Is that the stumbling block?”
“As it happens, no. I only take small local jobs in December, so I have time to celebrate Christmas and my birthday.” It was the truth, but she didn’t mind that it also served as a little dig. Ten years ago she’d invited him home for Christmas and her birthday, and he’d accepted. Then he’d bailed without an explanation.
“Right. Your birthday.” His expression once again became difficult to decipher. “I promise you’ll be back here long before then. I remember how much you looked forward to Christmas.”
“I do.”
He glanced at her tree. “But if it’s Christmas cheer you’re after, you’ll find plenty of it in Gingerbread. It’s Christmas year-round there, but winter snow adds a lot to the ambiance.”
“I saw the pictures online when I was looking up Evergreen Industries. Cute little town.” The landscape had reminded her of the long walks in the snow at MIT when she and Cole had been lovers. They’d often debated the merits of some new computer technology, and whenever they’d disagreed on some obscure point, the argument usually had turned into a snowball fight, which led to kissing, which led to racing back to his apartment to have sex.
“I’ve booked you a room at the Nutcracker Inn.”
His comment detoured her trip down memory lane. “You’ve already booked me a room?”
“It seemed like a good idea. They’re extra busy in December. The place is loaded with Old World charm. All the rooms have feather beds, and yours is one of the few with a woodburning fireplace.”
“I admit that’s tempting.”
“There’s more. The proprietor, Mrs. Gustafson, bakes apple strudel every morning. She brings a tray to your door with warm strudel, fresh-squeezed orange juice and hot coffee.”
“Sounds pretty cozy.” Too bad when she pictured staying at the Nutcracker Inn, she automatically put Cole in the picture, too. He wouldn’t be there, and she needed to remember that.
“It is cozy. Or so I’m told by anyone who’s stayed there.”
“You mentioned hot coffee as if that’s a selling point. Don’t tell me you’re a coffee drinker at last.”
“Nope.”
“Wuss.” She used to tease him about that all the time.
He smiled. “Addict.” His gaze held hers, and his voice softened. “Whatever happened to those big glasses you used to wear?”
“Got contacts.” As she looked into his eyes, she remembered another very important thing. Before they’d been lovers, they’d been good friends. Sex had been an enhancement of that friendship, at least in her mind. But sex had raised the stakes, too. At the time he’d left, they’d been so deeply enmeshed that they couldn’t have dialed back the relationship to a friendship level.
After ten years, though, they ought to be able to do that. She’d like to stay in touch. Not many people communicated on the intellectual level that she and Cole had.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll take the job.”
His shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
“I’m doing it as a friend, though. I’ll be insulted if you try to pay me.”
“That’s not right. You should be paid your going rate. In fact, because I’m hauling you away during the holidays, you should get more than your going rate.”
She folded her arms. “Then you’re willing to insult me?”
“No! But let me pay you. Please.”
“Nope. Either I do it because I’m your friend or I don’t do it at all.”
He opened his mouth as if to offer another objection. Then he closed it again. “All right. I’ll take you any way I can get you.”
Her traitorous pulse leaped at that comment, damn it. She’d have to ride herd on her emotions and not allow them to get the best of her. Agreeing to this might have been a mistake, after all.
Cole had what he’d come for, and now he wondered how in hell he’d survive the next
