Shit. He’d really blown her trust. “No. Tansy, I wouldn’t invade your privacy like that unless your life was at stake. Then all bets are off. But I think your safety might be an issue. I’d like to see the tone of his emails, see what he’s saying. If there’s private stuff in them, just delete it when you forward it to me.”
Tansy lifted her infuser and let it drip over the cup for a few seconds. Then she rested it on a small, cracked saucer. “I’ll think about it.”
That was probably as much as he could expect at the moment.
Before she could pick up her tea, Sam took her hands and tugged her toward him. He wrapped her in his arms and held on. It took a long minute, but eventually, her arms wrapped around his waist and she held him back.
Relief coursed through him. “I’m so sorry about earlier today, Tansy. I hurt you and I’m incredibly sorry for that. I promise to try not to be an idiot in the future.”
A huff of laugh was his response to that. He kissed her hair and held on some more.
When she started to move, he eased back, but kissed her forehead before she moved away. “You go ahead and head up. I’m going to do a quick check of the basement and the doors and windows.”
She frowned at that, so he smiled. “Paranoid comes with the FBI territory. I’ll see you in the morning, Tansy.”
She picked up her mug of tea and headed toward the stairs. When she looked back, she gave a faint smile. “Good night, Sam.”
He doubted he’d get much sleep, but she wasn’t kicking him out or shutting him out, so he’d call that good enough for today.
With Friends Like These
Tansy found her phone on her nightstand where she’d apparently left it charging that morning.
She set down her mug and picked it up. She hadn’t bothered to check her emails at the cabin. Not when she’d been a bundle of hurt looking for an escape from emotions.
Tansy put the phone back on the nightstand and then picked it up again. She didn’t want to be a coward, and Sam’s words had reminded her she was acting like one.
With a sigh, Tansy opened the email program. Nothing new from the DOD. Not that she’d expected anything until she started turning in results.
That left two emails. Both from James.
For a bit, she simply sat and looked at the subjects. The first read,Please Open. The second didn’t have one.
She felt like a wimp. Was James pleading or threatening?
Until now, she hadn’t felt a lot of curiosity. Mostly, she’d been annoyed that he was contacting her. They were done. She had nothing more to say to him. Ever.
Apparently, he didn’t feel the same.
After a deep breath, Tansy opened the first email.
Tansy, I know you’re upset, but you need to hear my side of the story.
Fat chance. It didn’t matter. Stealing her idea was a definite deal breaker. Add in attempting to sell it and sleeping around while they were in a relationship.
So many deal breakers.
Still, she couldn’t stop her eyes from scanning the rest of the email. The second paragraph was different.
I have several buyers interested in our holographic technology.
Our? Tansy slapped the phone on the nightstand upside down.
Idiot.
How could he possibly believe he had any claim of ownership on her work? He only knew about her idea from one conversation.
Unless he’d hacked into her computers?