Draco (Coded for Love 2)

Hackerboy flashed him a warning glance. “You heard the lady, Harry.”

Harry hesitated. “I’ll be just around the corner “

Lara gave an exasperated sigh. Harry’s shadow moved away.

“Alone at last,” Hackerboy whispered, in an intimate manner, studying her intently. “I would ask why you need a bodyguard, but if you do, he doesn’t look as if he’s up to the task.”

Wow, he’d been studying them both in the diner. She knew he’d caught her looking, but he’d also cottoned onto the fact she was with Harry. Inside a few minutes he’d figured it all out. Almost. “He’s just concerned.”

“Brother?”

“No. Colleague.”

Of course he was sharp, he had to be.

Moving, he rested his hands on the wall either side of her head. It meant he’d caged her in. Her body responded acutely, revelling in his presence, revelling in the sheer masculinity surrounding her. She hadn’t accounted for this. Questioning her own lack of action, she stared him in the eye challengingly.

With a soft laugh, he looked her up and down. “What are you, a cop?”

Lara relaxed, immensely. It was such a game changer, she gave a soft laugh. “No. If I was, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I’d have a badge in your face and you’d be the one with your back to the wall.”

He frowned. It made him look even more intense. “So why were you watching me?”

That accent, he really was Welsh, just as suggested by his net handle. His deep, gruff voice insinuated itself inside her like an intimate song, seductively calling on hidden parts of her. Focus. More importantly, he thought she was police. That was really interesting. If she offered him money and protection of a sort, he should bite. “I want to offer you an opportunity.”

She gave him her best wining smile.

“Whatever it is, I want to say yes already.” He stroked his thumb along the underside of her jaw, setting her nerve endings alight.

Her legs went wobbly, the brush of his fingertips on her skin taking the strength from them. His other hand moved closer to her side. He was almost touching her and it thrilled her.

Get a grip, she told herself. “Back off buddy I can’t think straight.”

All he did was grin. “You’re in my alleyway, I call terms in here.”

His alleyway? She rolled her eyes at him.

He shrugged, his green eyes locking with hers while he waited expectantly.

Why did he have to be so sexy and full-on? Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. “I wanted to ask, are you the hacker who goes by the name Welshdragon?” Her mouth went dry and her voice trembled as she said his cyber handle aloud.

His expression turned serious. “Who wants to know? If you’re not police, then what?”

She tossed back her hair, sure, now she’d started. “Consider me a client looking to employ you for a short contract.”

He shook his head. “I don’t hack anymore, that’s over.”

“It’s not hacking, as such.” She paused.

She’d practiced this speech in her mind so many times but it kept slipping away. His fault. How could she think straight when he was so drop-dead sexy? Masculine. And close. Touchable.

“‘As such.’ Right.” He looked disappointed, but still eyed her up and down as if trying to figure her out.

“Not illegal, I mean.”

He frowned. “How in the hell did you even find me?”

“I bribed the guy behind the counter to point out anyone who used to hang out with Sean Rattigan here.”