Tempted & Taken (Men of Haven #4)(39)

He crowded close, the nearness more what she’d have expected from Knox after the night they’d shared than a man she barely knew. His voice dropped to a low rumble. “You ready to get set up so you can get to work?”

The words were right, but a suggested undercurrent wiggled beneath them. She inched backward. “Yes, absolutely.”

Beckett grinned as though he’d not only registered her discomfort, but that she’d somehow done exactly as he wanted. He motioned her toward the door he’d appeared from. “Well, then, let’s get busy.”

Weird. Something was off. Not quite big-bad-wolfish, but definitely something that told her to tread carefully. She nodded to Katy and cautiously started out in front of Beckett. “I’ll see you soon.”

If Katy had caught on to whatever was going on with Beckett, she didn’t show it, simply ducked her head back to the screen while her fingers flew across the keyboard. “Yep. I’ll be here when you’re done.”

At the door, Darya tried to open it, but remembered the hand scanner to one side when it wouldn’t budge.

Beckett moved in tight behind her and splayed his huge hand on the black pad. “Just relax,” he muttered low near her ear. “Trust me.”

Trust him? To do what?

The lock clicked open and he pulled the door wide.

She opened her mouth to ask her thoughts aloud, but he shook his head, a movement she’d have missed entirely if her gaze hadn’t been rooted on his face.

Definitely weird. Still she proceeded forward, her heels clicking delicately on the industrial tile.

“We’re headed to the last door on your right. Once we get your prints uploaded we’ll get you a computer and access set up.”

“Where’s Knox?” She hadn’t meant to ask it. Had promised herself she wouldn’t, but between Beckett’s odd behavior and her general first-day nervousness it leaped right out.

Beckett chuckled, a satisfied rumble that stopped just short of a caveman beating on his chest. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll take good care of you.” He splayed his hand low on her back, reached around her and opened the door so she could proceed him inside. “I promise.”

And so it went. Touch, tease and wink-wink all through the orientation process. Not once did he cross an inappropriate line, but by the time they’d scanned her prints and retrieved a computer from a tech lover’s utopian supply room, a soft breeze could have sent her leaping from her skin.

They’d just fired up her new equipment, Beckett leaning close over her shoulder while he pointed to her screen, when a low buzz sounded from somewhere.

Beckett grinned and murmured so low she could barely hear it. “Took him long enough.” He straightened and dug his phone out of his back pocket. “Yeah, what’s up?” He focused on the floor, his expression completely blank. “Not sure what you’re talkin’ about, brother. Just gettin’ our girl set up like you asked.” His lips twitched and he turned his back. “Now, why the hell would I do that? And even if I did, what difference would it make?” His shoulders shook, but when he spoke there was no trace of the laughter she’d expected alongside it. “Yeah, yeah. Got it. Message received.” He twisted enough to catch Darya’s stare and winked. “Later.”

He ended the call.

“Who was that?”

Ignoring her for the first time all morning, he stuffed his phone back in his pocket, typed a string of commands on the DOS screen, then pushed her computer back enough he could lean one hip on the edge of her desk. Gone was the man who’d flirted, cajoled and outright teased her all morning, replaced with the casual man she’d gotten to know Saturday night. “Okay, so you good on how the VPN works?”

“Umm.” She stared at her computer and gave her mind a few precious seconds to reboot. “Triple authentication. Use the fingerprint scanner, the key fob for the single-use password, then the pass phrase.”

“Perfect.” He stood and motioned to her desk. “You can work remote if you want, but my advice, you want to get on Knox’s good side, hit the office.”

Really? That surprised her. He seemed more of a work anywhere and all the time guy. Plus, if he wanted them to keep distance between them, coming into the office would make for more of a challenge.

Still, she agreed with the suit up and show up routine. The act of preparing and physically going to work, no matter how casual the environment, always sharpened her focus. At least it did when Beckett wasn’t crowding her space. She nodded. “I’ll be here. Every day.”

“Good call.” Beckett jerked his head toward the main lobby. “Katy worked late every night the first year she was here. Refused to leave until after Knox did. Totally paid off with her. He trusts her almost as much as he trusts me and that’s saying something.”

Interesting. Far more information than was appropriate for someone new and untried. Her instincts prickled.

Beckett stared back at her, steady and unwavering.

“Put in the hours,” she whispered.

“Definitely,” Beckett said back, though it sounded like he was asking more than telling. “You do, I gotta hunch it’ll be worth it.”

He stood and started typing a new DOS command. “A word to the wise, this unit’s got cameras and mics on all the time.” He hit the enter button, closed the command window he’d been typing in and straightened, the tone of his voice shifting to something more appropriate for discussing the weather. “You need me, you know where I am. Knox’s office is right next door.”