Page 35 of Cocky Tech God

Why had she hidden her face from me? None of this was like Lucia.

She continued, “I really needed this dinner. This time to talk to Graham. You don’t. You know him already. And from what I understand, you’re probably the candidate to win.”

Then she faced me, her dark eyes glittering. My heart sank at the prospect that she’d been angered this much. I could see clearly that she worried I’d get the contract, despite her outer confidence. Maybe she was right to worry because I probably would win despite her software being better.

“Let me help you,” I said, striding over to cup her shoulders.

“Hansen, how can you possibly help me?” The turmoil didn’t cease from her face.

I had to wonder why did she need this contract so badly? What was really going on with her?

“I’ll back out of the dinner tonight. I’ll tell Graham something came up.” Desperation came over me. I literally would do anything to help her in that moment. I hated to see her this way.

She chuckled, her turmoil being forced out by her confidence and ease she normally had. “No. Don’t do that.”

“I will. I just—”

“I’m good. No need to back out for me.” She brushed her long curls behind her shoulder and smoothed down the front of her dress. “The only thing I want from you are all those Os you keep bragging about.”

Upset Lucia of moments ago was gone.

But I didn’t want to be the Hansen who never took our conversations very seriously.

“It’s just a friendly dinner,” I said. Silence was long between us. But I still had to know more. “Is everything okay with LMS?”

That did it. Her eyes widened, and the pulse quickened at her throat. But I could see her determination to stay strong and unaffected by this conversation.

“I’ll see you down there, Holte. I’ll try not to crush you too bad.” She grinned, red lips pulling back to show her white teeth.

And then she walked out of the room, leaving me to wonder why I started to care this much about a conference fling.

Lucia

I rode down to the lobby on the elevator, my body surging with emotion. I’d nearly broke down in front of Hansen. Either this tropical climate or the incredible sex had weakened my defenses. I had shown weakness, maybe even some desperation. Luckily, I was able to correct myself before Hansen really started to ask questions. He had no idea LMS was in trouble. No one did outside of LMS C-suite. Even though Hansen’s adamance to bail out of dinner softened me, I would never tell him.

If I failed, I’d rather go in obscurity—just as I came. Not with pity from my competitors.

The elevator door opened to a mass of attendees gathered at the entrance and all over the lobby and bar. The attendee dinner was in full swing.

I walked to the bar, my mood lifting with the flowing creative energy, and I was tempted to have a pre-drink before dinner. But I decided against it. I wanted to be sharp, not dulled by alcohol. I glanced down at my watch. Almost eight. An upsurge of hot anticipation whizzed through me. And when I moved my gaze up, Hansen was easing out of the elevator casually with an attendee who might have been an intern trying to keep up with his strides. Always with groupies, or someone wanting a job.

Lucky him.

“Miss Mendez,” he said on approach, his face made more striking by the wide smile on his face. The young woman said goodbye and walked in the other direction, her backpack bouncing behind her.

God, I wanted to kiss him.

“Mr. Holte,” I said with a flirty tone. “I see you’ve got some fans.”

“She wants a job after MIT.”

“MIT, hmm. That’s my alma mater.” I thought back for a brief moment of my past life, when I was someone else. When I was someone’s. It was hazy, as if the memory weren’t even mine.

“Yeah…I know.” Hansen paused. “You okay, Lucia? You went somewhere else for a sec.”

I blinked, tamping down a lump that suddenly grew in my throat. “I’m fine. Just thinking about those MIT days. Seems so long ago now.”

“I know what you mean.” He glanced at his watch. “Graham is probably in the restaurant now. He tends to arrive early. I think he likes a pre-drink with his own thoughts before a meeting.”