Sex, Lies and the CEO. Barbara Dunlop

      “That he’ll be top dog and not me? Nah. More time for me to goof off.”

      “Because being second in command is such an easy job?”

      “It is if you—”

      “You’re done.” Shane reappeared, scowling at Tuck.

      “Looks like I’m done,” Tuck agreed, letting her go. “Thank you for the dance, Darci.”

      “Thank you,” she replied, surprised that Shane had come back to her.

      He pulled her rather forcefully into his arms.

      She immediately felt the difference in his posture. He was stiff, his movements jerky.

      “Was that fun?” he asked her in a tight voice.

      “It was fine.” She struggled to find the rhythm.

      “You like Tuck?”

      “Tuck’s perfectly nice.”

      “Nice?”

      “Nice.” The circumstances suddenly struck her as ridiculous, and she fought a grin. “Stop doing that.”

      “Doing what?”

      “Acting like I betrayed you by dancing with Tuck. You can’t lay claim to every woman you’ve known for two hours.”

      “Three hours.”

      “I stand corrected.”

      He went silent, but his movements gradually smoothed out and his shoulders seemed to relax. As the minutes ticked by, he drew her nearer, once again bringing his cheek to rest against her hair.

      “Friday night?” he asked.

      She saw no benefit in being coy. “On your deck? With another fine bottle of wine?”

      “Absolutely.”

      “Then okay. It’s a date.”

      His tone was a deep, sexy rumble. “It’s a date.”

      She swallowed. Her stomach flip-flopped with trepidation, but she knew she had to see this through.

      * * *

      “Run that past me one more time,” said Jennifer.

      “It’s the best, probably the only way to get back into his house,” said Darci from the third rung of the stepladder, as she tapped a picture hook into the wall. She had no intention of repeating the details of her dance with Shane.

      “So, you’re dating Shane Colborn.”

      “I’m pretending to date him.”

      “But, he won’t know you’re pretending.”

      The hook seemed solid, so Darci went backward down the ladder. “That would be the entire point of pretending. You think the orchids on this wall or the sky scape?”

      “The orchids. But you’re attracted to him?”

      Darci moved to the breakfast bar to retrieve a measuring tape and level. The five connected, abstract orchid paintings needed to be hung with precision.

      “He’s easy to be attracted to,” she said.

      Jennifer began tearing the brown packing paper off the largest of the orchid paintings. “And you don’t think that’s dangerous?”

      “I’m saying I think I can pull it off without anything personal getting in the way.”

      He’d likely kiss her. In fact, she was positive he’d kiss her. And that was fine. What was a kiss? She could handle a kiss.

      “And if you can’t?” Jennifer asked.

      Darci took a measure and positioned the level on the wall.

      “If you’ve got a better idea,” she said, “I’m all ears.”

      “You’ve checked the entire Colborn records center?”

      “I’m still working through the stacks. I haven’t found anything that old in the computer system. But there are a lot of files on paper only. It’s going to take some time.”

      “Maybe you should finish with the office first. It seems a lot safer.”

      Darci made a mark with her pencil and reeled in the tape measure. “I’m doing it concurrently. I can’t spend the rest of my life at this.”

      She needed to find her father’s schematic drawings, restore his reputation as an engineer, get justice for him and quit her job at Colborn.

      “I suppose.” Jennifer sounded dubious.

      “What exactly are you worried about?”

      “That you’ll get caught, of course.”

      Darci climbed back up the ladder, hammer and hook in hand. She had to admit, getting caught was a definite risk. She wasn’t an experienced spy or a cat burglar or a con artist. This playacting and clandestine snooping was definitely out of her comfort zone.

      “I don’t think it’s a really serious crime.” She hammered as she spoke. “It’s not like I’m taking anything valuable. I’ll even give it all back, once I’ve proved my point.”

      Jennifer spoke over the sound of tearing paper. “If you’re right, those drawings could net you millions and millions of dollars.”

      Darci countered, “It’s not about the money.”

      “Maybe not to you. But it’s definitely going to be about the money to Shane Colborn. All the money he stands to lose. What do you think a man like that would do to protect millions of dollars?”

      Darci gave a laugh and went back to work. “You think he’ll lock me in the tower or hire a hit man?”

      “Hit men have been hired over a lot less.”

      “You’ve been watching too many crime dramas. Quit worrying. Now, tell me you didn’t call Ashton today.”

      “I didn’t call Ashton today.” But there was a thread of guilt in Jennifer’s tone.

      This time Darci turned more slowly, gazing incredulously at Jennifer, who was balancing a painting against her legs. “You’re lying.”

      “I didn’t talk to him. I swear.”

      “But you tried,” Darci guessed. “You tried, but you didn’t get through?”

      Jennifer glanced guiltily down. “I got his voice mail.”

      Darci groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t leave a message.”

      “I didn’t leave a message.” Again, there was a distinct thread of guilt in Jennifer’s tone.

      “But?”

      “I might have breathed for about five seconds. But I made the right choice. I hung up. I didn’t say anything.”

      “He’ll see your number.”

      “It’s blocked. I blocked it.”

      “So that you could call Ashton?”

      Jennifer tapped her fingertips along the top edge of the painting. “Maybe.”

      “We need to get you into a twelve-step program.”

      “Big talk from a woman embarking on a life of crime.”

      “My life of crime will have a net positive outcome. You calling Ashton is only going to mess up your life.”

      “I wish I could say you were wrong.” Jennifer lifted the painting, then stepped forward to hand it up to Darci. “It’s not that I can’t see the danger. But he’s like chocolate-ribbon cookie dough. You know you’ll regret it in the end, but sometimes a girl just has to go for it.”