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“This?”

“You know, Mr. Annoying Confidence over here.”

Connor’s lips quirk. “People change. Plus, working with Elijah these past years hasn’t exactly encouraged modesty. What else do you remember about me from back then?”

Everything? Like that, you only drank water, although you were at a coffee shop and were always sitting in the darkest corner with your eyes trained on the screen. I wondered what it would be like to have these eyes on me…

“Not much except seeing you brooding in the back of the coffee shop all the time. You had this aura,” I say.

“An aura, huh?” Connor leans back in his chair, studying me intently. “What else?”

I hesitate, weighing my options. Do I tell him the truth? That I used to watch him from across the coffee shop, wondering what he was thinking about. That I had the biggest crush on him, even though we never spoke a word to each other?

“Not much.” I shrug my shoulders. “Like I said, you kept to yourself mostly. Didn’t really seem interested in making friends, that aura.”

“I was waiting for the right person to come along, and I think I found her.” His voice is low and suggestive, and my heart skips a beat.

Ugh. Why does he have to be so damn charming? And why do I have to be so damn susceptible to it?

I twirl more pasta around my fork as I consider my next words carefully. “I guess I never imagined you’d end up working for my father’s company.” Or that I would kiss you and have a sex dream about you. Again.

I hover over the mark on my neck with my fingertips.

One dream that felt real.

“You okay?”

I drop my hand. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just lost in thought for a moment.”

Connor’s eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn’t press further. “So, what else do you want to know about me? I’m an open book.”

I snort. “Yeah, right. You’re about as open as a locked safe.”

“Try me.”

“Okay, fine. What made you decide to go into cybersecurity?”

Connor takes a sip of his water before answering. “I’ve always been interested in technology and how it can be used to protect people. Plus, I’m good at it.”

“Modest, too.”

He grins. “Just being honest. What about you? What made you decide to work for your father’s company?”

I shrug. “It seemed like the natural choice. I’ve always been playing around here with my sister.”

“But is it what you really want to do?”

His question catches me off guard. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, is working for your father’s company your dream job? Or is it just something you fell into because it was expected of you?”

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. The truth is, I’ve never really thought about it before. Working for my father’s company has always been my plan ever since I was a kid. But is it what I want to do with my life?

“No, I like it.”

Connor nods as if he expected my answer. “Really?”

“What should I do instead? Become a professional hacker like you?” I meant it as a joke, but Connor’s expression turns serious.

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