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I should be used to dodging this question since everyone, from Peggy to the mail clerk, has asked me how I know her. Word of my reaction to seeing that sexy scoundrel traitor in the conference room and my shattered laptop spread around the building like wildfire.
But if Tomer was curious, he would’ve asked by now.
He doesn’t care about interpersonal dynamics, and that’s part of what I love about working with him. He’s one of the few people I know who doesn’t come to me for emotional support. It’s refreshing.
Fortunately, he had a bit too much to drink that night at the Sassy Parrot, so he doesn’t seem to recognize her as the woman at the bar. The one with the salt, lime, and tongue.
Jonesy will probably remember her, though. Fortunately, he hasn’t been introduced to her yet. So I’ve got a few more days before I’ll have to fess up to our night together and then promptly suffer everyone’s judgment.
From that point on, I’ll look like a fool. Unless I can convince Jonesy to keep it between us. Knowing him, it’ll be a blackmail option.
In response to my nonsensical nonanswer, Tomer puts his palms up and shakes his head at me. “Never mind. I forgot I don’t care. But whatever it is, you need to get it together because I talked to Boss this weekend, andhemight—”
He’s interrupted by the feminine voice that’s been haunting my nightmares— and fine, also my sex dreams. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
Tomer rises instantly and meets her in the doorway, his hand extended. “Hey, Miriam.”
I stay seated, arms crossed at my chest, and let my angry scowl seep into her skin.
Petulant asshole here, reporting for duty.
No regrets about my current mood. My only regret is falling for her bullshit. I only wish I knew what she gained by hurting me. Other than all the orgasms.
“Call me Mia,” she responds to T. “I wasn’t sure if you knew I was starting today, so I thought I’d come and find you.”
Appearing puzzled, Tomer glances questioningly at me and shrugs. “I knew you were starting today.”
“Oh, so you’re intentionally ignoring me. I promise not to take that personally.”
The words she says are harsh, but her tone is playful and light. A confused look passes over Tomer’s face when he realizes he inadvertently started off on the wrong foot with his new teammate.
Tomer’s the best atpeopling, said no one ever.
No skin off my ass. The sooner she realizes we don’t need or want her at Redleg, the sooner Mia can fuck off out of my life.
Don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya, dame.
Tense silence fills the room as Mia looks from Tomer to me and back again. Neither of them seems to know what to say next. I’m certainly not going to bail them out. She’s Tomer’s problem now. Not mine. I’ll be back in the field by the end of the week once she’s up and running.
Wearing a fake-ass smile, she asks him, “Well, what are we working on first? Ready to read me into the current ops?”
“Uh… well…” Tomer clears his throat. “Klein and I are working on some enhancements for our server monitor prog—”
She interrupts, “Big Brother?”
Tomer’s lips press into a hard line. “Yeah. I guess you would know what the program is called since you already…” His words trail off, and his cheeks redden.
“Poked around inside it,” Mia finishes for him. “Like I said the last time we talked, I’m sorry about that. It was just part of my interviewing process.”
He’s still a tad butt hurt that she hacked into his baby, as he should be. The changes we’re making should prevent future breaches like hers. Although I hate to admit it, her cyberattack helped us find a vulnerability.
Tomer pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Big Al asked you to do it?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” Her pink tongue darts out of her mouth to swipe at her lower lip. Not seductively, just innocently. But it makes my dick stir anyway.
That’s just perfect.
She continues. “It was more like my way of interviewing Redleg to see if this was a place I could be useful.”
