Draco (Coded for Love 2)
Draco shook his head. “Too dodgy to do it here, people are curious about what we’re doing. The systems are easily accessible but it’s almost like an open gateway, you know?”
“What do you mean,” Lara asked.
“Well it’s too easy. You don’t want to step through and open door when somebody’s watching.
“So what are you going to do?” Harry looked genuinely intrigued for the first time.
“I’ve been working on it at night. We’ve got the access codes and no one looking over our shoulder.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Lara asked. “I mean won’t IT be able to see and track those times you access it remotely?”
“I cover my tracks either way, that’s not the issue. I can do it more easily at a distance without people br
eathing down our necks all the time.”
When Harry had gone, she took the chance to ask him. “Why did you say that about taking the rap?”
He smiled at her, a slow suggestive smile.
“Was it because of…You don’t owe me any special favors” As soon as she’d said it, she regretted it.
His eyelids lowered and he looked back at his screen. “There’s no point in both of us taking the rap. I just figured out a story to avoid that.”
It might not work, and she wasn’t comfortable about him taking the blame for her project. She would own this, whatever the outcome “What if I don’t want you to take the rap?”
With a quizzical expression, he looked back at her. “You’re making me think you want to be standing in front of your dad, accused of causing trouble in the ranks.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Flustered, she turned away.
It was too weird he’d said that, because her mode of operation had always been to consider all eventualities and be ready for them. She would face up to it herself. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Silence hung heavy between them. Then Draco leaned in and touched her knee with his hand under the desk.
Lara’s head dropped back and she had to take a deep breath and try to control her erratic pulse. He just had to touch and she melted. “Okay… Scrap that, I’ve obviously upset you and I don’t want to do that.”
She almost wished he wasn’t being so caring. It was making it more and more difficult. When they were at odds she could stand her ground.
“But answer me this,” he added, “how in hell did you get Harry on board?”
Relief hit her hard and fast and she giggled. And she did want to tell him, because it was too funny, as far as she was concerned. “Harry had a bit of a crush on me.”
And you, you hardhearted woman, are making the most of that?”
It wasn’t that way, not at all. But his scrutiny made her wonder what he was thinking.
“Mind you, I don’t blame him for wanting you.”
There it was again, flaring between them, hot and undeniable.
Looking into his eyes she knew he was thinking about sex too.
“It’s hard isn’t it?” His tone was insinuating.
Breathless, aroused and startled, she laughed softly. Glancing around she saw everybody was working. Only Draco was looking her way. “It is. This wasn’t part of the bargain. This…thinking. About sex.”
“You can’t blame me, you’re doing it too.”
The mutual pull between them locked her into the moment, refusing to let her turn away. It was as if he was holding her, but al he was doing was looking in to her eyes. How was that possible? she wondered, trembling.