Part 16 (1/2)
Silence.
”AND HE WAS okay too?” Mason immediately texted the others. This guy needed to be picked up and questioned.
”What's happening with the program now?” he asked. ”Is someone still trying to get in?”
”No. They are going to wait until I get out.”
”Can they track you?” he asked in alarm.
She was busy clicking on the keyboard. ”They likely are. That doesn't mean they will succeed.”
He shook his head. ”d.a.m.n scary, you know that.”
”Yeah, but not the first time this has happened. Still, given the timing definitely suspicious.”
”When did it happen last time?”
”About a year ago.”
She leaned closer, her focus on the screen in front of her. None of what she was doing made any sense to him. There was nothing legible on the screen but it was scrolling at a fast pace, so he knew she couldn't be reading it, yet she gave every impression of doing so.
She hit the last key extra hard and a window opened. A small one with a white box in the middle and a series of numbers and periods. She highlighted it and opened yet another window.
Mason wanted to know what she was doing but didn't want to disturb her.
At the new screen, she popped in the number he belatedly realized was an IP address and realized she was tracking the person trying to break into her system.
”Do you have someone close to Robert's place?” she asked quietly. ”If so, have someone go in and make sure he's alive.”
”Why?
”This is coming from his place. But it's very much not his style of writing.”
”How can you tell?” he asked, staring at the screen. ”There is no writing anywhere to be found.”
”He writes code but not splashed on the page full of garbage. His code is very clean and elegant. Something he takes pride in.”
”Where does he live?” Mason asked.
”Several hours away,” Hawk said, yawning at the doorway. ”We need to have someone else there faster than that.”
Mason grabbed up his phone. ”We'll find someone.”
Chapter 21.
NOW THAT SHE had done what she'd planned to do, and the worry s.h.i.+fted to something from her mind to action, she felt worn out and back to being tired again. She checked her program, doubled up on the security with a few clicks and locked it down. She had it on her hard drive as well, but no one would know and they wouldn't be able to get into it on there either.
”Tired?”
”Yeah.” She stopped mid yawn, and gave a small laugh. ”Sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought.”
”Come on, you can lie down while we handle this.”
She nodded. ”If you're sure there's nothing I can do, I should try to grab some more sleep.”
He walked her back up to her bedroom. She crawled into bed, pulling the covers up over her shoulder.
”Good night.”
Silently, he walked out to the hallway to stand guard.
She loved it. And she hated it. She wanted him here with her.
”Mason?”
He came running. She smiled. ”I don't suppose you could lie down beside me. Make it easier to sleep.”
He immediately lay down on the bed and rolled over to face her. ”Sleep,” he whispered. ”It's all good. Just close your eyes and drop off to sleep.”
She closed her eyes obediently. Then the wonderful cologne he wore teased her nose. She'd been drifting through it all night at the reception. She didn't think she'd ever be able to smell it without thinking of him. And he was something.
”You're not sleeping.”
”I can't. You smell too good.” She opened her eyes and grinned at his startled expression. ”You smell wonderful. Male. Strong. Caring.”
”Hey, those are hardly scents. They are all qualities. And hardly fit me.”
She leaned up on her elbow and stared down at him. ”They are so much like you,” she teased. ”Look at you.”
He chuckled. ”You're sweet and delusional.”
She snickered. ”So not.” She shoved her face toward him. ”Kiss me.”
His eyebrows shot up. He leaned closer, and with his lips a hairbreadth from hers, whispered, ”Why would I?”
”Because I want to feel your lips on mine.”
Heat flashed.
Under hooded gaze he whispered so close to her that his warm breath wafted over her lips, ”It's not a good idea.”
”I think it's a wonderful idea.” She couldn't resist pus.h.i.+ng the line. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. But she desperately wanted him.
”It's a terrible idea. You need your sleep.”