Page 3 of Carnal Risk

“You’re joking, right? The stripper?”

“Singer.”

“Singer,” he conceded. Garrett took a swig of his drink and set it forcefully down on the table.

“MBA. Wharton.”

“Her?” His eyes darted to the stage. He watched with curiosity as she quickly wrapped herself up in a robe, concealing her costume. “So she’s smart. So what? It’s not enough. This isn’t just some tech job. Evan had his hands in all sorts of shit. He was working on several major projects. There are so many requirements for whoever comes into his position it isn’t even fucking funny. I’m not going to rush this.”

“She’s got clearances.”

“Not enough.” He glanced up and caught her staring at Lars. The flare in her eyes told Garrett that she wasn’t happy with him.

“Listen. I’ve known her for ten years. She’s the real deal. She’s brilliant. Has rocked all my top accounts.”

“What did she do for the government?” Garrett immediately wished he hadn’t asked. There was no way this would work.

“Hacker. White Hat. She’s in tune with problems our clients don’t even know exist.”

“Okay, great, well, we’re very specialized. You know this. Does she jump?” He held up his hands to Lars as his friend glanced away. “No? Okay, great. What does she do? Does she do anything?”

“She’s not so adventurous, but she can help you get the outsourcing project back on track, recruit for a permanent replacement,” Lars responded, ignoring Garrett’s question.

“What kind of a burlesque dancer doesn’t actually take her clothes off?” Garrett paused, putting together the pieces of the puzzle. “Don’t get me wrong, she was sexy, but it wasn’t lost on me that the ending was a little anticlimactic.”

“Give her a break. I just told you that she’s a singer, not a dancer. This is just kind of a hobby, anyway. It takes guts to get up and perform like that. She may be a little more cautious than most people, but she’s working on it.”

“Working on it?” He laughed.

“So she’s a little repressed, okay? What the hell difference does it make, if she can do the job?” Lars asked with a sigh. “Listen, I promise you that she is what you need now. Yeah, you’ll find someone to take Evan’s position eventually but it’s not going to be anytime soon. At least this way, you can keep things moving forward with our deal. Listen, you know I would not fuck with you. I’m telling you that she’s the best. And she’s tough. In fact, she’s probably going to kick my ass for bringing you here.”

“Why would she do that?” Garrett found it amusing that he’d misread the situation. Perhaps it hadn’t been lust in her eyes; she’d been pissed at Lars. Whatever this meant to her, apparently it had been a secret and she wasn’t at all pleased he’d mixed her worlds.

“She, uh, doesn’t really want people to know she does this.”

“Why did you bring me here then?”

“Because you need to get out and do something other than wallow in the office. And besides, if I’d told you about her without you actually seeing her sing, you’d have shot me down. This is the only thing she does that, you know, is risky.”

“Risky? Are you high? I’d hardly call singing a song risky.” Garrett laughed and rolled his eyes.

“You get up there, then, if you think it’s so easy.” Lars’ smile fell away as he grew angry with his friend’s resistance. “Look, this is the deal. I can loan her to you. We just ended the Elkinson account. I moved a few people around. She may not be Evan, but she knows her shit. I know you’re going to vet the hell out of her anyway, even though she already technically works in your network. Evan’s death has been hard on all of us, but you’ve got to keep these deals moving. You need help, and I’m offering it to you. She is what you need.”

“I need you to mind your own damn business.” Garrett blew out a breath, staring at the bottom of his glass.

What Lars had said about her already being in the network was somewhat accurate. All the subsidiary corporations were independently owned, yet Garrett had a minority share within each, ensuring the viability of Emerson Industries. But clearances to work in the corporate building were a stricter, higher level, having access to covert government contracts.

Regardless of his opposition to Lars’ suggestion, Garrett was aware that it could take months to find a suitable replacement for his chief technology officer. In the meantime, he’d been given a gift. A nice shiny one…very attractive and hard to resist. How he’d like to see what was underneath the wrapping she’d failed to peel away. Fuck it all, he knew he was thinking with his dick, but the temptation remained. It wasn’t as if she’d really be his employee anyway.

“Two weeks. That’s all she’s got. If she doesn’t add value, she’s gone.” Garrett shoved the chair out from the table and stood. “But if she screws up, she’s out. I’m not in the business of taking on interns. If she doesn’t hit the ground running, she’s done. I’m not messing around.”

“Good…because I don’t want you messing around. We should, uh, maybe have some rules.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Come on, G. I know she’s attractive but this is business. She’s not like us.”

“Yeah, I get that.”