“You’d kind of deserve it if she does.”
I looked at him, trying to remain calm. “I didn’t need to see her tits hanging out. I just wanted to order a drink and speak with the man I hired about my case. We’re here for work, not tits.”
He stared at me, not saying a word as Lisa set our drinks down.
I ignored Lisa as she lingered a little too long. “This is a business meeting,” I added as I kept my gaze locked on his, wringing my hands together in my lap.
“I know, but you don’t have to be so uptight. It’s Friday, we’re at a bar, and I’m in good company. Unwind a little. We have a lot to talk about,” he said. Then his tongue darted out and swept across his lips.
My eyes dropped to his mouth. My skin flushed as his tongue swept across his lip. I fisted my fingers and kept them in my lap.
When his tongue disappeared, a grin spread across his face. “Can we drink to that?” he asked.
My eyes shot up to his. “To what?”
“Unwinding and good company?” He smirked, holding his glass up and covering his lips with the liquid.
“I’ll drink to something cold and a tit-free zone.” My gaze wandered down his arm to his biceps. I swallowed hard, noticing the way the T-shirt cut into his flesh.
“Fine.” He chuckled. “To titless women and cold company.”
I raised my glass, not realizing exactly what he’d said, and swallowed a mouthful.
As I set my glass down, I averted my eyes. “So, what news do you have to share with me?” I asked as I tapped the olive-laden toothpick against the rim of the glass.
He explained every procedure and boring fact he’d uncovered. At some point, I think I zoned out, because the next thing I knew, a new drink appeared in front of me.
Without interrupting him, I sipped my drink and listened to him babble on about tech bullshit. I let him go on and on and stared at his lips as they moved with each word. By the time I’d nearly finished the second drink, he was ready to give me the information I’d been waiting to hear.
“I tracked the IP address from your email and used other methods to find the culprit. I was shocked to find that the IP originated not in New York, but from right here in Tampa.”
I recoiled, my mouth falling open. “Tampa?” I asked, gaping at him.
He nodded, turning the beer in his hands. “Yeah. I was surprised. I thought, based on the information you gave me, that it would be from New York too. It doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be someone on the list you gave me, but we need to expand our search parameters.”
“Fuck,” I mumbled. “This is a complete clusterfuck.” I bit my lip.
“I’ll get it solved, Race. Don’t ever fear that.” He gave me a sweet smile. “Who here would want to harm your reputation?”
I winced as I shook my head. “The question is who doesn’t.”
His face fell. “Are you that unlikeable?”
I sighed. “I work in a male-dominated industry. I’m not the type of girl to take shit from anyone,” I said as I rubbed my face, barely having any feeling in my cheeks. “I’ve made a lot of enemies at work. No one likes a woman executive, especially the men who think they’re better than I am.”
“Is it really that brutal?”
“More brutal than you could ever imagine, Morgan,” I said.
He stroked his lip. “Let’s start with your competition at work first. Anyone who would be threatened by your success?”
I swirled the last of the liquid in my glass, trying to avoid looking at him. “I could fill a notebook,” I replied, starting to feel sorry for myself. “I think I need another.” I tipped my glass, noticing that it was basically empty.
God, I had so many haters.
Was it because I was a bitch? I hated the term. I thought I was tough, but I heard the murmurs in the office and the whispers about being the biggest bitch in the company when I walked by.
I never put much thought into people liking me. I didn’t give a shit if I made friends, either. The only thing I cared about was being successful and doing a good job. Now, I had to watch my back and wonder about who wished for my failure enough to threaten me.
