Draco (Coded for Love 2)

The fact she thought she could just put it in a box and close it away irritated him. “There’s only one way to deal with this, see it through and fast.”

“What do you mean?” She had her phone in her hand, but stared at him in horror while she waited for him to respond.

She was standing there in wispy underwear, looking like all his dreams come true. God he wanted to grab her and kiss those luscious lips of hers, to silence the remarks angering him, those that made him feel used and betrayed. “This ‘project’ needs to be over. We’ll come clean, tell Compton Senior everything.”

“No way!” She dropped the phone and put up her bra. “I’m not ready.”

“There it is, you’re not ready. You never will be, it’s all about the adventure, actually braving it in front of dad with a confession is a step too far, I bet. Well I’m ready. I’ve had enough of this.”

/> She pulled on her outer clothing as she spoke. “But you haven’t even—”

He held up his hand to silence her. Frustration built inside him. What he wanted to do was go over there and hold her and kiss her, to lie down on the bed and push inside her body to make her feel the need in him.

Something inside him flipped. “I don’t need to be in the fucking office to tell you what’s going wrong in the finances. You knew it from the beginning, you knew I could hack in and give you the answers within hours. You never even ask what I’m doing when I go in remotely, but you enjoy parading around with your so-called buddy from University, your walk on the criminal wild side.”

“You rotten bastard, I wish I’d never met you.” She reached into the wardrobe snatched her jacket off a hanger and hauled it on. The color on her cheekbones was vivid. She was every bit as angry as he was.

The overriding desire he felt was to force her to feel what he was feeling to see how much he wanted her and how much more seriously he felt about her than she did about him. Lust was in his blood, vying with reason, driving his hunger for her. But he bit it back, recognizing his anger was making him senseless.

He had to keep his head together, because he was in it up to his neck and he could so easily end up like Sean, banged up in jail for the crime of being good with code and not sticking by the rules. Should never have got involved with her, he thought, should never have agreed to this ludicrous project.

He watched as she buttoned up her nakedness, glancing warily at him as if he was a stranger to her. “And there it is, Miss Prim and Proper is back in full force, your so-called office armor is nothing but a mask you put on to impress.”

“What the fuck do you mean? I don’t give a shit about Compton Finance, not really. I can make my own path in life.”

Astonished, Draco glared at her, “My god, you wouldn’t care if it went wrong, that’s it, isn’t it. Your mum didn’t want you to go there, and by setting off a hand grenade and walking out, you’re being the dutiful daughter to your side of the family.”

She stared at him, shock in her eyes. Her lips parted, but she was silent, as if she couldn’t find the answer.

Stunned, Draco realized he’d finally hit on the truth.

But when he watched her face as she took in his words, he discovered a new truth too. Lara hadn’t realized it about herself, not until now

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

They traveled by taxi in silence, the atmosphere rigid with tension.

Lara could barely breathe, and the row still raged on in her mind. It took some effort to keep her mouth zipped.

She was shocked and hurt about the way he’d acted. He’d been really angry.

She realized she didn’t know him at all, when she thought she did.

Not only that, but he had made her feel stupid and wrong. Of course he was spot on with what he’d said. She was ready for it to go belly up. Who wouldn’t be? It was the only way to go into it. She’d put so much on the line, and now his temper could see it explode. Why was he so upset by it?

Well he’d agreed to finish the job as quickly as possible and she had to focus on that as well. The taxi pulled in to the drop-off bay.

When they got inside the building it was a race to see who got to the elevator first. They stood side-by-side without touching, even though the elevator was packed. At their desks, he didn’t offer to go get her coffee, which he usually did. Instead he switched on his screen, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, throwing himself into work.

“This database will be complete before lunchtime,” he informed her.

“Good,” she replied, quickly.

“You can hand it over to Susanna, then I’m out of here.”

“But what about—”

“Don’t even say it,” he interrupted, sternly.