“Kiss him.”
“Okay, bestie, but how do you suggest I go about it?”
“You’ve always had a wonderful imagination. Use it.”
“You’re no help,” she grumbled unhappily.
“That’s because I’m walking out the door as we speak.” He blew her raspberries over the phone. “Later tater.”
“Another saying no one uses anymore!” she hissed, but he’d already hung up.
Kiss Sam? Ha! What a joke!she thought.He barely lets metouchhim.
Her steps were slow, weighed down her own defeat, as she walked back to the bank of computers. Sam had scooted his rolling chair directly in front of the monitor she’d been using, but her rolling chair was still next to his.
She purposefully brushed her hip against his shoulder when she went to sit down. And, sure enough, he pulled away from her as if she were made of battery acid.
Kiss him? I’d have better luck getting close to a crocodile.
“Everything okay with your roommate?” he asked absently, his eyes continuing to scan the emails.
“Fine. Pete, the golden god, is taking him to dinner at a swanky restaurant over in the Gold Coast. Cesar wanted to rub it in that he’s being wined and dined and I’m here staring at a bunch of emails that don’t make sense.”
“You’re being dined.” Sam shot her a quick glance. “I have a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese on its way as we speak. And if you want some wine, I’m sure Eliza has a few bottles down in the kitchen I could bring up.”
“You’re being purposefully obtuse.”
His grin was so wide and white, she almost went blind. “It’s one of my rare talents.”
“Pfft.” She rolled her eyes. “Says the baseball star who became a Marine hero who became a wildly enigmatic private defense contractor. When it comes to your talents,rareisn’t a word I’d use.”
“I’m no hero.” His tone had gone flat right along with his expression.
“Come on, Sam. Save the humble act for someone who hasn’t seen your military file.” She ticked items off on her fingers. “Two purple hearts, two bronze stars, and one silver star. You are, quiteliterally, a hero. You have the medals to prove it.”
“I’m no more or less heroic than any of the men I served with. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.” He seemed to think about his answer and then rephrased. “The right place at the right time for the bronze and silver stars. I was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to the purple hearts.”
She pointed to the gruesome scar slashing across his throat. “Would that be one of them?”
“How did we get off topic?” He waved a dismissive hand and then pointed to the monitor. “I see what you mean ’bout the emails not making sense.”
“Right?” She nodded. “It’s almost like their messages are coded or something. I understand Agent Beacham’s reports to Director Morgan. And I understand Director Morgan’s responses back to Agent Beacham. But it’s like…”
She trailed off, not knowing how to describe the disparity.
“It’s like two completely separate conversations that’ve been jammed together,” Sam finished for her. “It’s like there’s a ghost in the machine or something.”
She blinked when his words gave her an idea. “Scootch,” she told him, using her rolling chair like a bumper car to nudge him away from the keyboard.
“Whatcha thinking?” he asked.
“Don’t know yet. But it’s possible…” She trailed off as she concentrated on the task at hand. When her hunch was confirmed a few minutes later, she shot a fist in the air and yelled, “Jackpot!”
Grabbing Sam’s shoulders, she dragged him forward and planted one right on his mouth, careful to make it nothing more than a quick, friendly peck. Just like Cesar had said. Even still, she thrilled at the firmness of his lips, the heat of his watermelon candy-tinged breath, the titillating rasp of his beard against her chin.
When she released him, she found him wide-eyed and blinking. “You beautiful, brilliant man.” She smiled warmly. “You’ve cracked the case.”
Was it her imagination, or was his voice a little squeaky when he asked, “I have?”
