Page 15 of Decoding Emma

I kept my gaze fixed on her face as her eyes moved over the screen, then she tapped the keyboard.I had to force myself to look at the screen.What the…?I watched as she inserted new information.

I was good at my job, but this was a whole other level.

“Emma…”What the f—

“I won’t break anything.”

I was riveted—as in couldn’t look away even if I’d wanted to—as she tweaked my code.My code!Damn, this woman was good.

“Try it now.”She pushed the keyboard toward me.

I pulled in a deep breath and entered the command to run the preliminary program for operations.The one I could never get to work right.The information scrolled along the screen, then stopped, and an error code appeared.

“See.”Vindicated.Validated.I was right.Mental fist pump.

Emma wrinkled her nose.“That’s different,” she whispered and began scrolling through the code.“I need to study this.”She was speaking more to herself than to me.

“Not tonight.”I pulled the keyboard away from her.

“Asher.”She was squinting when she gave me the evil side-eye.

“It’s quitting time.You’ve worked hard all week.We both have.It’s time for the weekend.”

She stuck her tongue out but didn’t argue as she saved the changes and shut down her workstation.I made quick work of shutting mine down because I didn’t want her leaving without me.

“Would you like to get a drink and maybe a bite to eat?”Maybe in a relaxed setting, I could find out more about her.

She hesitated.“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Please.I’d like to learn more about you outside the job, if that’s okay.”I wasn’t going to push her.

I could see her mulling over everything in her head before she said, “Yes, I’d like that.”

I thought for sure she was going to say no.Elation filled me at her yes.

Reveal nothing, Asher.Keep cool.

She grabbed her backpack.

“You can leave that here.”

Emma stared at me.“I need this over the weekend.”

“You can pick it up before you go home.The room is locked, and you, me, Ben, and security are the only ones with access.”

She still hesitated.

“Emma?”

“Sorry.You’re right.”She pulled her wallet out, grabbed some cash and a credit card, and what looked like her driver’s license, then stuffed them in the pocket of her jeans.“I’m ready.”

“Let’s go.”I gestured for her to walk ahead of me.And yes, it gave me a chance to admire her swaying hips as she walked to the elevators.Emma fascinated me.We were both silent in the elevator, but it was a relaxed, companionable silence.In the lobby, I waved to the security guard, and we walked outside.

We were getting some nice late spring weather for the Seattle area, as in very little rain, and no lingering clouds to hide the sunset.“The Whistle Stop Pub is two blocks down.Up for a walk?”I gestured to the right.

“Definitely, after all that sitting.At least it’s nice out,” Emma commented as we started to walk.

“Yes.So, how do you feel your first week went?”I wanted to know what she thought about everything.She’d been quiet all week.