Shot in the Dark (Blackbridge Security #2) - Marie James Page 0,13

head, his top lip twitching slightly in the corner. “Sounds a little juvenile. Is this person online or did you finally get away from your computer long enough to run into a normal woman?”

“Women online are normal,” I defend. “Mostly.”

“So online then?”

I nod. I could get angry for his roundabout insults, but I’m desperate here.

“I’m not an expert on women,” he adds. “But I imagine an online interest would be easier. You can take your shot and if it doesn’t work out, you can just move on.”

He shrugs with the simplicity of his plan.

Has he lost his damn mind?

“Just move on,” I confirm.

“Yep.”

I don’t want to move on from her. I’ve never felt such a connection before. At first, of course, it was purely physical. She has the look I love, amazing tits, and even her scowl when she’s unhappy gets me thinking dirty thoughts.

After playing with her online, hearing her voice, discovering how funny she is?

It would be impossible to just walk away.

“Good chat,” I tell him and turn back to my computer screens.

He chuckles as he leaves, and the sound grates on every last damn nerve.

There is no way to move on. That just means when I do take my shot, I have to make sure it’s an offer she can’t refuse.

And honestly, at this point, I’m not completely opposed to kidnapping. I mean, what’s one more felony?

Chapter 6

Whitney

Slow blinking didn’t make the message disappear. Neither did rapid blinking.

Nope.

It’s still there.

W45PN357: Meet me for coffee?

We’ve been playing Orc’s Realm nightly for over a week, but it’s too soon, right?

When we discovered yesterday that we lived in the same city, it should’ve skeeved me out, but at the time I felt a little zing of excitement. We clicked. This guy is hilarious, and his voice over the mic is like melted butter.

Granted, I’m certain he’s like most of the guys who play online, living with his mother, drinking energy drinks to stay alive, and bathes so infrequently each shower is like a brand-new experience, but the idea of him being normal is nice.

RachelNRoss4Eva: No.

See? That was easy.

“Did I freak you out?” he asks through the mic.

Less than it should’ve, I think.

But I don’t say it. What I do find weird is that our mics are open, but he made his request via the chat box instead of the words coming out of his mouth.

Is he actually shy? That’s a possibility, but since my character flaws tend to lean in the direction of pessimism, I also wonder if he’s tracking our chats for some nefarious reason.

He could’ve easily asked his question. Not that the answer would’ve changed. It would still be a hard no. I don’t meet people. I don’t leave the building unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’m not exactly a hermit, but why put extra strain on myself when there are so many conveniences in today’s age?

Groceries delivered? Check.

Taco Bell delivered? Check.

Medications delivered? Check.

Everything I could ever want is dropped right off at my door. Hell, I don’t even have a car because everything is brought directly to me. If I can’t have it delivered immediately, then Amazon is my best friend. They literally have everything.

Meeting a guy I met online a week ago? I don’t want that delivered to my door.

Or do I?

I shouldn’t be sitting here in silence wondering if I’m going to regret the decision to turn him down.

“Rach?”

Damn it.

“I’m not freaked out,” I begin to explain. “I just don’t meet people.”

“Ever?”

“Not usually.”

I hit a few keys on my keyboard, trying to track his IP address, but I come up blocked. It’s not unusual for many gamers to have tons of protection on their systems, but I’m usually able to infiltrate them with a few keystrokes.

“What do you do for a living?” I snap my jaw shut the second the question leaves my lips.

“Will knowing that change your mind?”

Is he purposely being evasive? Is his question to my question a red flag, or normal since I’d have done the same thing?

“I think getting to know you better might help some.”

“So it’s a no for now, but not a no forever?”

I shrug as if he can see me. I never game online with active video. My avatar is very similar to what I look like in real life, but people are very hard pressed to find actual images of my real person. It’s a way to keep me safe, and honestly, I find it creepy to have stuff out in the cyberworld that makes it easy for