Free Unzipped? by Karen Kendall Page A

entertainment. Nice, huh? Those were the days before caller ID.”
    “I’m so glad I remind you of this girl. Sheesh.”
    “Actually, Sam’s not such a looker anymore.” Hal grinned. “I didn’t actually attend my high school reunion, but I hear she’s now the size of a whale, has three horrific kids by her high school boyfriend and he’s a deadbeat drunk.”
    “What goes around comes around,” said Shannon.
    “Seems like it,” he agreed.
    They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. Then she said, “Hal…I don’t want you to think I normally have sex with people after knowing them six hours.”
    “What, you like to know them at least eight?” His tone was teasing, but his glance was sharp and evaluative.
    “At least.” She played along and was flip. “No, really. I’m pretty picky. But I had some upsetting news the other day—no, I still don’t want to talk about it—and then I just felt this spark with you, and all of a sudden it seemed right and natural and…and…urgent.”
    “Urgent?”
    “Yeah. The connection part. I wasn’t just horny—though of course that was part of it—I needed to reach something in you. Something rare and elusive that you have. Though I can’t say I know what it is.” She peeled off the rest of the label.
    Then she stared him straight in the eyes. “I might have started off using you for comfort sex. But it didn’t end that way. I want you to know that.”
     
    H AL HAD HEARD pretty speeches before. He gave them about as much credence as he did pretty women. Maybe this one was nice, but she was obviously letting him down easy. She was saying, “Don’t think you’re going to get lucky again,” while at the same time trying to make him believe that the encounter was more than it was.
    She was throwing him a bone.
    Some things never changed. There were goddesses and there were dorks. He might be a dork with money and prospects now, but he was still a dork.
    “Did you hear me?” Shannon asked.
    He realized that he’d been off in mental space and hadn’t responded. “Uh. Yeah. Thanks.”
    “Thanks?” She seemed taken aback.
    He nodded.
    “What are you…can I ask what you’re thinking?”
    You can ask. “Oh, I’m just preoccupied.” True. “About an information leak in my company. I’m worried about it, and whether it will affect the IPO. And it pisses me off that I can’t find the source. I don’t know where it’s coming from.”
    “Is someone hacking in?”
    “They’d have to be really, really good to get by my security. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s unlikely. And I can’t find a trace of the hacker.”
    “Could it be a corporate spy? Someone on the inside?”
    Hal thought about it. Was Declan the culprit? No. The taciturn Irishman was honest to a fault. He filled out time sheets to the minute. Was it Trent, his marketing guy? Doubtful. Trent wanted to protect his job and his stock holdings in the company. He’d have no reason to betray Hal, since he’d be sitting pretty after the IPO.
    Again, Hal’s thoughts turned to Ryan. He hated to think that someone he knew and liked and trusted would sell him out. Ryan didn’t really have a motive…except for envy, perhaps. A couple of years ago, he’d been part of a business venture that had gone belly-up. He’d lost a lot of capital.
    Ryan knew more than the average attorney aboutcomputers. He had a key to Hal’s offices. He’d had the access.
    Hal pushed the thought away. Ryan was his best friend. He wouldn’t sabotage Underwood Technologies. Would he?
    “Well,” Shannon said. “I can’t say that I know much about corporate theft. I can tell you what a spy should wear, but not how he would go about his business.” She shrugged.
    Hal blinked at her. “What a spy should wear? You’re kidding, right?”
    “Yes, I’m kidding. Is anybody lurking around your office in the stereotypical trench coat, black turtleneck and dark glasses?”
    He laughed. “Now that