Chapter Three
Eli stood in the doorway to an office Mrs. Bennet told him to go to and watched Kinley’s fingers fly over the keyboard. The man she was helping stood behind her and off to the side, staring at her in amazement.
“Hell, Kinley. How in the heck do you do that?”
“What?” she asked while she still typed.
“Go that fast.”
“I don’t know,” she said in a slow, distracted way.
Eli grinned. Her focus was on the monitor, but she was still able to have a conversation.
“Ah, Don, do you see here?” she asked.
“All I see is gibberish.”
She snorted. “You messed up the algorithm somehow.”
“You’re talking over my head again. Just tell me it’s fixed.”
She chuckled. “I’m fixing it now. After this, try not to push any buttons that you don’t know what they are. I’m also putting a more powerful firewall in. Vic just told me about what the eggheads came up with. I told them I’d help get it on the computers since they don’t have a lot of time. It’s on our main system, so they’re not too worried.”
Eli grinned when the man rubbed the back of his neck, looking confused.
She stood up and got out of the way. “There you go. Call me if you have any problems.”
“You might as well just stay here,” he groused.
She laughed. “You’re not that bad. Foster in Research and Development calls me every day about something.”
Don grunted. “I think you need to have someone else deal with him.”
Eli’s back stiffened in interest.
“Why?” she asked.
“There’s something off about him.”
“Like how?”
“I don’t know. Just be careful and don’t be in a room with him alone.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Bye, Kinley.”
Eli straightened when Kinley turned his way.
“Oh, Eli,” she said and smiled.
“Hey, I was looking for you.”
“Well, I’m done here. Have you met Don?”
Eli came forward and shook the older man’s hand.
“Don does payroll.” She turned to Don. “Eli is one of the new partners, right?” she asked him.
Eli smiled. “That’s right.” He looked at the other man. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’d really like to ask you some questions about your concerns.”
“That would be great. Call me, and I can come to your office.”
“Good.” Eli turned to Kinley. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She waved to Don and followed Eli back to his office.
He opened the door and let them in. “As you can see, I don’t have anything besides the desk and one shelving unit. Travis told me about a store they use. Do you think you could go with me and help me pick things out? I’m not good at it.”
“I would love to. When?” she asked.
“Now, if you’re not busy.”
“Let me ask Mrs. Bennet.”
“All right.”
They stopped at the woman’s desk.
“Mrs. Bennet, Eli needs me to help him. Is there anything I need to do?”
Mrs. Bennet looked at Eli over the top of her glasses, narrowed her eyes, and then nodded. He could tell she was protective of Kinley, and it pleased him. It seemed everyone was. It told him a lot about her, and it just added to his attraction.
“No, dear.”
“I’ll be back later.”
“Don’t rush. You work too hard. It would be best if you had a break. Enjoy the day.”
“I will.”
“I’ll take good care of her,” Eli told her.
“I can see that. Just be warned if she’s hurt, you deal with me.”
Eli grinned and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Eli saw the confusion on Kinley’s face and directed her with a hand on her lower back toward the elevator.
Kinley turned to him when the elevator doors closed. “Why was Mrs. Bennet mad at you?”
He stroked his finger down her cheek. “She wasn’t mad, baby. She’s just being protective of you.”
“Why?”
“Because she cares about you.”