Hide and Seek - Lara Adrian Page 0,57

his groin with a speed he couldn’t quite comprehend. All he knew was that this woman intrigued him on so many levels, the least of which was a professional one.

In dark blond waves, her hair fell to her shoulders, drawing attention to her spaghetti-strap top with the built-in bra that accentuated her firm breasts— which were the perfect size for her lean five-foot-seven frame. Her cleavage was of the same olive skin as her face, a skin that tanned easily. And perhaps without tan lines. Not that his mind should go in that direction. After all, he wasn’t here to pick her up. Not for any romantic reasons anyway. Though, of course, to further his mission, he needed to get close to her. Just how close he didn’t know yet.

For an instant, he wished that this woman wasn’t the hacker he was after, but simply a regular customer of the quaint coffee shop. But the pendant and the computer bag that was slung bike-messenger-bag-like across her torso suggested otherwise.

“Uh… sorry… uh…” he stammered, both to convey the hapless man, but also because for a second he did feel just a little bit tongue-tied at so much physical perfection. “Uh, Michelle, is it?”

She tilted her head to the side, suspicious now. “How—?”

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The barista called out your latte; the one I spilled. Sorry about that again.”

Michelle seemed to relax. “No worries.” She motioned to his torso. “At least you spilled your drink on yourself and not on me.”

Nick flashed a warm grin, knowing that it was one of his special assets, one that made women feel comfortable with him. “Yeah, bit clumsy of me, wasn’t it?” He reached for a napkin from the counter and patted the stain on his shirt, but there was no way of removing it. All he could do was pat it as dry as possible. “Well, guess that one’s ruined.”

Michelle chuckled. “Brown looks good on you.”

Nick winked and used her light-hearted response to draw her in further. “Yeah, sure, have your fun. Laugh at the guy who’s just made a fool of himself in front of a pretty woman.”

The resulting blush on her cheeks looked good on her and confirmed that his charm was working. This would be the angle he could use to get to her and find out what she knew. With a bit of luck, he’d know in a few days—maximum a week—whether she could help him get what he needed.

4

He’d called her pretty, and that made her smile. After the day Michelle had had so far, the stranger’s compliment felt like soothing lotion on a sunburn. Her meeting with her blackmailer—yes, blackmailer, because that’s what he really was, no matter what government agency he was working for—had left her rattled. The pressure was on. Either she produced, or she would land in jail, and that was a place she didn’t want to go to.

She’d much rather be in the company of a cute stranger, even if said stranger was a bit clumsy. At least the guy was no threat to her. The only danger she faced from the brown-haired hunk who was smiling at her, was being doused with coffee. And that was something she could easily survive.

Michelle watched as he dumped the soiled paper napkins in the trash bin and grabbed a new lid for his half-spilled coffee, securing it on the cup.

“I don’t mean to be pushy or anything,” he suddenly said, “but can I buy you a biscotti or a muffin to go with your latte?”

Michelle shook her head. “That’s really not necessary. Besides, it’s not like I need the extra calories.” Keeping a trim figure was hard enough since she spent most of her days and nights in front of her computer. She needed no sugar to jeopardize her health and weight.

A charming smirk, accompanied by a long look up and down her person, was his answer. “I’m sure you’ll burn them off in no time.”

She opened her mouth, not really knowing how to reply to that, when the barista interrupted.

“Michelle, your drink is ready.”

Michelle nodded to the stranger and reached past him. “Thanks, Elise.”

“Let me pay for that,” the hunk insisted once more, pulling his wallet from his pocket.

“Not necessary,” the barista replied. “Spills happen all the time. Besides, Michelle’s a regular.”

“Well then,” he said, “thanks, and sorry again.” He took a step away from the counter to let her pass.

Michelle took her drink and brought it to her lips, taking