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  “I could maybe start tomorrow,” he said.

  “You could start tonight.”

  He held up a hand. “Look, I came here as a favor to my sister. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

  “I do if you’re working for me.”

  She was right. If he took this job, she would have every right to tell him what to do. It was a right she’d undoubtedly exercise. The question was if he could stand it.

  As he stared down into those ice-blue eyes, his fingers once again itched to trace the curve of her neck. He knew then. He couldn’t take the job. He couldn’t work for the woman he still longed to hold even after she’d ripped his heart out.

  “I appreciate your thinking of me.” He tucked the flashlight back in his belt. “I don’t think it’s going to work.”

  Her eyes widened. She started to speak, but he shook his head. “I can give you a list of other contractors, but this isn’t going to happen.”

  Before she changed his mind, he walked out the way he came.

  Chapter Three

  Well, that could’ve gone better.

  Understatement of the year alert. That hadn’t gone well. In fact, Sarah mused silently to herself as she watched the elevator close behind Beck, the only way it could have gone worse was if the building had indeed caught fire as he’d suggested it might.

  Then he’d left. Abruptly and with no reason leaving her to wonder what had changed so suddenly.

  One minute he’d been outlining a work plan. The next, he’d been racing toward the elevator. He’d all but shouted, “Have a nice life,” without so much as sparing her a glance.

  It didn’t make any sense. Just like it didn’t make any sense that her heart was still pounding in her ears. A remnant of the thrill her traitorous body had felt when he was within arm’s reach. And, oh, how she’d wanted to reach. Just to let her fingers run across his stubble once. To feel the dimple that formed on his chin whenever he smiled at her. That was all.

  It was too much—much too much—to want from him. She knew that. She wanted the man to work for her for crying out loud. Any kind of physical contact between them would pass the boundary of right and wrong. More, she’d gone down that path before. It hadn’t ended well. Which was yet another understatement in what promised to be a long litany of them if she didn’t get better control of herself.

  She was better than this. On most days, she was as implacable as an iron fortress. Focused on the task at hand and what steps needed to be taken to accomplish her goals. Not today, it seemed. She could chalk it up to nerves. Sarah had a lot—or rather everything—riding on this launch. Bringing in the only man who’d ever threatened to take her eyes off the proverbial prize had only added to her concerns.

  It didn’t help that he was as handsome as ever. Had his chestnut hair always been so thick? When a lock had fallen over his forehead, she’d nearly lost her grip and reached to push it back. Throughout their brief meeting, she’d been incapable of meeting his gaze for more than a second. Those dark eyes of his had always seemed to see right into her.

  Maybe that was why he’d left. In the brief moment their gazes had met, he’d probably read her desperation. He’d probably had a vision of her standing over his shoulder every minute until the network was up and running at full capacity.

  Or worse, he had seen the longing there. He knew as well as she did that it would never work between them. It hadn’t before. What made now any different?

  Either way, he’d left. She couldn’t blame him. Even if it set her back to square one. No, their history was too complicated to travel down a path of any kind of relationship—professional or not—again.

  Now what?

  Sarah was still staring at the elevator doors when Maisie arrived nearly out of breath. Bryant, the CEO at LinkDigital and her longtime business partner, followed closely behind.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Maisie leaned over, palms braced against her thighs, breathing hard. “I ran over here as fast as I could.”

  “It’s my fault,” Bryant chimed in, also gasping for air. “I had her working on a line over at headquarters, and—“

  “Wait.” Maisie held up a palm and stood straight. “Where’s Beck? Didn’t he show?”

  “He was here,” Sarah said.

  Maisie glanced around, her chest still rising up and down. “And he left already?”

  Sarah nodded.

  “When does he start?”

  “Never.” Sarah stared at the gaping hole in the wall. “He said it wouldn’t work.”

  “Like in his timeline?” Bryant asked.

  “No clue.” The familiar licks of panic began to rebuild in Sarah. Just how on earth was she going to get the server back online—and keep it that way—in time for the launch?

  Maisie gaped. “Seriously?”

  “He offered to send a list of referrals.”

  Hopefully one of them panned out. Sarah’s hands balled into fists.

  “That’s weird.” A frown marred Maisie’s brow. “I figured he’d jump at a chance to make some quick cash. Not to mention what it would mean to his future customers to have your business.”

  Bryant raised a dark eyebrow. “Future customers?”

  Future customers?

  Sneaking a glance at Bryant, Sarah could tell his curiosity had been as piqued as hers.

  “Don’t customers go through the cable company?” he asked.

  “Now, yes. But Beck has been talking about starting his own tech support company.”

  “He’s starting his own company?”

  “That’s the plan.” Maisie pursed her lips. “Last I knew, he almost had enough put away to buy more equipment and cover the start-up fees.”

  Sarah said nothing, not wanting to show her interest.

  Luckily, Bryant was there to do it for her. “How much does he need?”

  Maisie threw out a number, and Sarah nodded as Bryant let out a low whistle. “Strange he’d turn down a job when he’s so close.”

  “Very strange.” Maisie’s brow furrowed. “He’d do just about anything to get that last bit of money.”

  Sarah certainly hoped that was the case.

  Clearing her throat, Sarah drew back Maisie’s attention. “Does your brother still hang out at that pizza place down the street?”

  “Any chance he gets.” A dimple formed in Maisie’s chin as a slow grin spread across her face.

  Funny, Sarah had only just noticed it did that. Just like her brother’s.

  “Would you guess he’s there now?”

  “Absolutely.”

  With a clipped goodbye, Sarah left the pair to watch as she briskly walked to the door of the stairwell. She had reached full speed by the time her tennis shoes hit the stairs. Her mind spun quickly as she flew down the stairs. By the time she reached the door to the street, she had a plan.

  During the past decade, she’d learned a thing or two about making business deals. While much of it came down to statistics, analysis, and facts, a certain amount of it depended on luck. But whether she was playing a game of cards or sealing a deal, it always helped to have a good hand.

  This time, when she faced Beck, she’d have more than an ace up her sleeve. She’d have a full house.

  Beck was still placing his order when Sarah sprinted into the pizza parlor. Pausing just a moment to take a breath, she pulled back her shoulders and stalked toward him. As he reached for his wallet, she plopped her credit card down on the counter.

  “I’ll take a slice of the black truffle and gorgonzola and a bottle of Shiner. I’ve got his order, too.”

  Jaw slack, Beck gaped. The college student behind the counter darted a nervous glance his way, but took her credit card and rang up the order. She scribbled her name and a healthy tip on the receipt.

  Turning to face him, she once again registered the disbelief and confusion on his face. She couldn’t blame him. She had, after all, just crashed his dinner. It was presumptuous. Rude, even. But at this moment, it was absolutely
necessary. Hopefully Emily Post—and her mother—would forgive the rudeness.

  “We need to talk,” she said.

  His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Yeah, okay.”

  Recovered, Beck strode toward a corner table near the back of the restaurant, leaving her to follow. Sitting down, he gestured for her to take the seat opposite him.

  “You want to talk? Talk.”

  As far as attempts to level the playing field and restore a balance of power went, it was halfway effective. And, if she was completely honest with herself, she respected that.

  Biting back a grin, she took the offered seat and rested her forearms on the table.

  “Since we already covered the niceties earlier, do you mind if we skip them now and get right into it?”

  One of his eyebrows quivered. “By all means.”

  “Great.” She leaned forward. “Here’s the deal. I know you need money to start your own business.”

  His eyes narrowed into slits. “Did Maisie tell you that?”

  She didn’t figure he needed an answer. It was obvious to anyone who her inside source was on this tidbit of information.

  “I’m prepared to offer you the exact amount you need. Plus—” she held up a hand before he could interrupt, “an additional bonus for every day you finish before the launch.”

  “How much of a bonus?”

  She threw out a number. This time his eyes widened. He leaned back in his chair, studying her closely to suss out whether or not she was bluffing.

  “Look,” she said, not wanting to let this deal get away from her. “I know neither of us wants to hop into bed together again—so to speak.”

  She cringed inwardly at her choice of terms. She’d always hated how sexual business lingo could be. There wasn’t time to dwell right now.

  “But we both need something. I need a reliable server before my launch. You need cash. Don’t you think we can put the past behind us for a few days?”

  Beck nodded slowly. She could practically see him making a list of pros and cons in his head. She’d done the same herself only five minutes earlier. Hopefully, like her, he’d come to the conclusion that the pros far outweighed the cons in this instance.

  “It’ll take a lot of hours and muscle,” he said at last. “I’m not sure it’s even possible on such a tight timeframe.”

  “So you’re worried you’re not up for it?” She clucked her tongue. “You never used to be afraid of getting your hands dirty or a challenge.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I’m not afraid.”

  “Sounds like it.”

  Letting out a rude grunt, he ran his hand over his dark hair. Not for the first time that day, she longed to reach out and straighten the freshly tousled locks. Or, better still, to make them even messier.

  “I already have work scheduled during business hours. It will take a lot of overtime.”

  “Like I said, I’ll make it worth your while.”

  “And I suppose you’ll be watching over my shoulder the whole time.”

  Annoyance flared in her fast and strong. “I’m not a micromanager.”

  He held up his hands, wordlessly calling for a truce.

  “But you’ll be around?”

  “I’m a week away from launch, and I have a lot riding on this. Of course, I’ll be around.”

  He gave a short nod. “You won’t interfere?”

  “Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

  He smirked. “Fair enough.”

  They fell quiet again, each silently studying each other like they were embroiled in an epic staring contest or a game of chicken.

  At last, Beck sighed. “Okay. I’m in. On one condition.”

  She ignored the thrill that bubbled in her chest. Surely it was just relief that this last obstacle standing in the way of GO’s success would soon be behind her.

  “What do you want?”

  “We start fresh today. As far as either of us is concerned, we’ve just met.”

  She understood what he meant. Hard as it would be to pretend that they hadn’t once enjoyed a relationship that had burned hot and fast, he was right. They couldn’t revisit it and keep this partnership professional.

  Sarah offered her hand. “We have a deal.”

  Beck accepted it and shook. She tried to ignore the jolt of pleasure his firm hand against hers sent down her back.

  “When do we start?” he asked.

  “How’s tomorrow?” Just like he’d wanted. See, she could compromise.

  His lips curved up, and he released her hand. “Whatever you say, boss.”

  Chapter Four

  Beck arrived at the GO offices promptly at six the following evening. Toting the equipment he’d need for the night on a flatbed, with his dinner packed in a small travel cooler, he should be good to put in at least five or six hours that night. The sooner he finished, the better.

  The money Sarah had promised to deliver would guarantee he could work for himself. At last. With half the money already deposited in his account, just like she’d promised, Beck could all but see himself as the master and commander of his own small enterprise.

  He only hoped this crucial step of getting there wasn’t a mistake.

  Pulling his cart over to the spot he’d been the day before, Beck glanced around surprised—but frankly relieved—to discover that Sarah wasn’t waiting for him. He had no doubt she’d be by to check on him sooner than later, but maybe he could get a little work done without her breathing down his neck.

  Or, rather, without him wishing she’d get close enough to breathe down his neck.

  He shrugged off that thought and went to work, setting up his materials. Ducking his head to survey the wire again, he saw he’d need to cut the power before he went any further. For that—unfortunately—he’d need to find someone in charge. And that someone, in all likelihood, would be the very person he most wanted to avoid.

  He briefly considered risking electrical shock, but quickly dismissed the notion. Much as he wanted the money this job would give him, he wasn’t willing to die for it. He could afford to give up a little of his pride, he supposed.

  Pulling out his phone, he was about to call Sarah when someone cleared his throat. Swiveling around, Beck came face to face with Bryant. It had been years since they’d last crossed paths, but Beck would recognize him anywhere. Back when they’d dated, Sarah had spent most of her waking hours with the other man. If Beck had wanted to see her, it meant hanging out with her business partner as well.

  The green-eyed monster had always poked his head up every time Sarah had stayed late at the office. Beck could admit it now, but he’d envied Bryant for all the time he spent with Sarah. More, he’d been jealous of the implicit trust and confidence she’d given her partner.

  It was more than she’d given him.

  It’d bothered Beck to be that clingy then, and it sure as hell bothered him now to revisit it. Fighting to dismiss the feelings he’d promised he’d ignore the next few days, Beck pushed himself off the ground and shook the other man’s hand.

  “Good to see you,” Bryant said with a nod, releasing his hand. “You have your work cut out for you.”

  That was an understatement.

  “Where’s the boss?”

  Bryant arched an eyebrow. “She’s finishing up a call with one of her overseas partners.”

  “And she sent you to babysit me in the meantime?”

  “Do you need a babysitter?”

  Beck’s jaw set. “I think the better question is, does Sarah think I need a babysitter?”

  The other man’s eyes crinkled around the edges then.

  “Maisie was right. You are the best person for the job.”

  That comment didn’t make much sense, but Beck wasn’t going to give it any more thought.

  Beck shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m going to need to cut the power.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” Bryant motioned for him to follow. “Sarah thought you might need
some help with that, so she sent me over.”

  A little of Beck’s annoyance eased up. He had to give her credit for thinking of everything. She could make an Eagle Scout look like a novice when it came to being prepared.

  Bryant showed Beck to a room that housed the building’s main server and power sources. He explained what did what, even though Beck could’ve figured it out for himself. This was his area of expertise.

  “Do I need to let anyone know before I cut the power?” Beck asked.

  Bryant shook his head. “The rest of the GO team is off for the night, and Sarah came prepared to work off the grid, so to speak.”

  He had no doubt.

  “I’ll leave you to it. Cut the power whenever you like. I’ll take the stairs.” Bryant turned to leave but hesitated at the door. “Hey, Beck.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I meant it when I said you were the right person for the job. It’s good you’re here.”

  On that note, he left Beck alone to cut the power and consider the other of the man’s cryptic messages.

  Even though Bryant had said he’d take the stairs, Beck gave the other guy a few more minutes before turning off the power. He also sent a text to the boss so she wouldn’t be surprised either. A moment later, she’d replied with a “Go for it.” Figuring that was enough due diligence, Beck turned on his torch and flipped the switch. With a whoosh, the lights around him went dark.

  Taking a deep breath, he sat in the dark silence for a moment. It had been years since the dark had stirred panic in him. As a boy, he’d been afraid of the dark longer than most of his friends. It had taken him years—and a lot of teasing at their hands—to get over the affliction.

  When he’d told Sarah about his old fear one night after a storm had knocked the power out, he’d waited for her to say something. To tease him like his friends. Or to murmur words of comfort like his mom had. Instead, she’d wrapped her arms around his waist while they waited for the power to return.