Page 19 of Fox in Plain Sight

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date,” he admitted, sounding almost embarrassed about it.

“How long?”

“Too long I guess, since it appears that the rules have changed since I last had one.”

“The rules haven’t changed,” she admitted. “I just don’t go on many dates.”

“Well, we’re a pair, aren’t we?” He squeezed her hand and pulled it to his mouth, pressing a quick kiss on her knuckles. “So how about I start with something to break the ice?”

“I think we already broke the ice earlier.”

Nick let out a belly laugh. “You’re something, Michelle. I’m surprised no guy has snatched you up yet. Girls like you don’t stay unattached for long.”

She shrugged. “I’m not really the kind of girl who’s looking for something permanent.” It was a lie, of course, one she’d had to tell herself for a while now. Her life was way too chaotic to be thinking of settling down anytime soon.

“Mmm.” Nick looked at her from the side.

To bridge the awkward pause that was building between them, Michelle asked casually, “So, what were you gonna tell me about yourself to break the ice?”

“What I do for a living. But if you’re not interested, we can talk about something else.”

“No, no, please. Tell me what you do.”

“It’ll probably sound boring. Maybe I should just make something up instead.”

She stopped walking and turned to face him. “No, please don’t. It can’t possibly be all that boring. Besides, you don’t have to impress me. You already got me into bed, remember?”

“How could I forget?” He winked and took her hand again to continue walking. “I work with computers.”

“Doing what?”

“I make websites for people. You know, small businesses mostly. It’s not a bad job, and I’m pretty good at it.”

“That’s great. You work for yourself, then?”

He nodded. “Independent contractor. I prefer that to being shackled to some company and having to be accountable to a boss.”

“Yeah.” Like she had to be accountable to Mr. Smith. And she hated that, hated that he was blackmailing her.

“How about you? What do you do?”

“Consulting,” she shot back. “But I’m looking to make a change.”

Like flee the country and disappear just as soon as she could set everything up and make sure Mr. Smith couldn’t track her down. Until then, she had to play by his rules and execute his orders.