A Dangerously Sexy Affair by Stefanie London

Quinn sitting at her desk. With pink earbuds plugging her ears, she bobbed her head to the beat.
    He wondered what kind of music she listened to. Pop? Rock? Obscure German death metal?
    She looked up and caught his eye, her deer-in-headlights expression socking him in the chest. Why was she so fearful of him? Who had hurt her so badly to make her act that way?
    Before he could think how to react, her eyes were back down on her computer screen. But the bobbing had stopped, and she sat as still as a picture apart from her fingers flying across her keyboard. She had a wall around her stronger than steel, and stupidly he wanted to break it down with his bare hands.
    â€œHow long have I got before the first meeting?” he asked.
    â€œAbout forty minutes.”
    â€œI’m going to get a coffee from the Starbucks around the corner. Would you please ask Quinn to meet me there in a few minutes so I can talk with her?”
    â€œOf course.” Joan gave him a conspiratorial wink before bustling off like a woman on a mission.
    He would have preferred not to have anyone in the know other than Walt and Quinn, but the Third Planet Studios owner was determined to keep his HR manager in the loop. From what Aiden could tell, Joan seemed the least likely person to leak information on a game design engine. Still, his experience had taught him that criminals didn’t have a type; they came in different shapes, sizes and colors, and the less he assumed, the better off he would be.
    By the time he’d made it to Starbucks, lined up, bought two coffees—one real, one cupcake drink—and found a spot in the back of the store, Quinn walked in.
    â€œYou wanted to see me?” she asked, her eyes darting around the café to make sure none of her “colleagues” were there.
    â€œMake yourself comfy.” He gestured for her to sit and he handed her drink over. “Disgustingly sweet, just the way you like it.”
    Her eyes darted up to the ceiling, checking each corner methodically as if she’d done it a thousand times before.
    â€œAre you scared of cameras?” he asked, a theory developing in his head. One he hoped to hell wasn’t true.
    She squirmed, sipping her coffee as she fingered the lengths of her brown-and-pink hair. Today she’d worn it down except for a little section pinned by her ear with a tiny pink skull and crossbones. For the first time since they’d met, she had makeup on, a thick smudge of black under her eyes that almost concealed the puffiness there. But he didn’t miss that tiny detail.
    â€œWhat do you want?” she asked, ignoring his question.
    â€œFirst, I wanted to see if you were okay after...the other night. You’ve been avoiding me.”
    â€œI’m fine.”
    â€œI’m sorry if I pushed you. I didn’t mean—”
    â€œYou didn’t.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œPush me.”
    God help him, it was like pulling teeth. “I don’t think I’ve ever said this to a woman before, but can we talk about it?”
    â€œNo need to talk. I’m fine. You’re fine. Everything’s fine. ”
    Everything was so not fine, but Aiden had learned long ago that sometimes you had to know when to let go of a line of questioning. He sighed. “How is everything with the other employees? Have you heard anyone talking about the leaks or the engine?”
    She shook her head. “No, they’ve been talking about you, though.”
    â€œTell me.”
    â€œThe other girl who works on game design thinks you’re hot.” A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “She said she’d be your Princess Peach any day of the week.”
    â€œJealous?” he teased.
    â€œYeah, right. Only in your wildest dreams, Mr. FBI.” She swigged her coffee.
    â€œWhat about the other staff?”
    â€œNot sure you’re their type. Don’t take it personally.”
    They didn’t really have