Heart-Shaped Hack

  Georgie nodded. “Mine.”

  “Yes. It belongs to you. Merry Christmas, sweetie.” She kissed his temple. “Go play.”

  Ian had been standing nearby, watching. Kate wiped her eyes as she walked up to him.

  “You made that child’s night,” she said. “You made everyone’s night.”

  He put his arm around her. “So did you.”

  When they got home, Kate kicked off her shoes and Ian built a fire. He reached under the tree and pulled out the present he’d brought, setting it between them on the couch.

  “Go ahead,” he said. “Open it.”

  Kate untied the gold ribbon, removed the wrapping paper, and lifted the lid. Nestled within the layers of tissue were the most gorgeous items she’d ever seen. There was a black ribbed bustier, its lace bodice shot through with glittering metallic threads and covered with tulle. It zipped up the side but also laced up the back with black ribbons. The matching black thong had bands of wide lace on the sides.

  “It’s La Perla,” Kate said, her eyes growing wide when she noticed the tag. The Italian lingerie was a ridiculously indulgent gift, and she didn’t want to know how much it had cost.

  “Do you like it?”

  “I love it. But I’m perfectly happy with Victoria’s Secret.”

  “I know you are.”

  “Promise me you’ll be careful when removing it from my body.”

  “I promise to try.” He pointed at the box. “There’s more.”

  The second item was a diaphanous ecru Chantilly lace babydoll nightie. The full skirt had chiffon inserts and a tea rose design. Kate didn’t think she’d ever had a need for the word diaphanous before, but it described the lingerie perfectly. Accompanying the nightie was a tiny pair of lacy high-cut briefs.

  “It’s so delicate. And beautiful.” She looked at Ian. “You seem quite partial to babydoll nighties.”

  “With good reason. There’s a lot to like.”

  Using great care, Kate gently folded the lingerie and placed it back in the box. “Everything is gorgeous. Thank you.” She kissed him, then took a present from under the tree and handed it to him.

  “You weren’t supposed to get me anything either.”

  “It’s not from me. Santa must have dropped it off.”

  Ian unwrapped it, pulled out a bottle of Four Roses single barrel bourbon, and grinned. “Lingerie and liquor. The jolly fat guy sure knows how to party.”

  “There are glasses too,” Kate said.

  He pulled out one of the rocks glasses and then leaned over to kiss her. “Thank you. This is the perfect gift, and I think Santa would want me to start enjoying it right now.”

  He went into the kitchen and returned with the bourbon and a glass of wine for Kate. After throwing another log on the fire, he sat down next to her. Drinks in hand, they snuggled together on the couch.

  “What are your mom and dad doing tonight?” Ian asked. Kate’s parents had arrived that afternoon and were staying at a hotel downtown. Kate and Ian were going to join them for dinner on Christmas Day. Their relationship was still fairly new, and Kate didn’t want Ian to feel pressured in any way. But when she’d extended the invitation, he’d said yes immediately and told her he was looking forward to meeting them.

  “If he can’t be in his own home on Christmas Eve, my dad would prefer to spend it in a steakhouse with my mother, sipping whiskey. I do not begrudge him that desire. They had a seven-o’clock reservation at Manny’s.”

  “Well then, your dad and I have something in common already. We’re both spending Christmas Eve with Watts women and whiskey.” He took a drink and set the glass on the coffee table.

  “How is it?”

  “Excellent. You chose well.” He kissed her, and Kate found the combination of his warm mouth and the smoky yet buttery flavor of the bourbon highly arousing.

  When they’d finished their drinks, he went to the kitchen to refill them, and she slipped into the bedroom. She put on the bustier, zipping it up the side and admiring what it did for her cleavage. Kate thought she might be in danger of spilling out the top, but the ribbing kept everything in place. She stepped into the thong and then reached into her closet for her black stilettos. Her long limbs and full breasts were made for lingerie, and she felt sexy and bold.

  Ian was going to combust.

  She walked into the living room and watched his face as he took in the sight of her. He’d been in the process of raising his glass to take a drink, but he paused and stared. “Wow.”

  “I was dying to try it on.”

  “I’d say it fits perfectly.”

  She walked toward him, and he didn’t stop looking at her even when he finally brought the glass to his lips.

  “I need you to lace me up.” She sat down on the couch and turned so that her back was to him. He ran his hands through her hair, gathered it, and laid it over her shoulder. She took another drink from her wineglass while he cinched the ribbons tight and placed a kiss on the back of her neck.

  Leaning back on the couch, drink in hand, he watched closely as she made several trips across the room, chest out, hips swaying, one hand trailing along her neck and collarbone. Kate grinned when her back was to him because he appeared to be in some kind of trance. Men were so visual, and she had a hunch that while Ian took immense pleasure in seeing her naked, there was something about seeing her half-naked that really turned him on. She made a few more passes in front of the couch, reveling in the way he never took his eyes off her.

  “What do you think?” she asked.

  “I’m incapable of forming coherent thoughts because all the blood has rushed from my brain to a different part of my body. I’ve never seen anything so hot.”

  She sat down beside him and took a sip of her wine while he unlaced her. He reached around and cupped her breasts, squeezing them. Sighing, she leaned back and twisted her neck to kiss him. “Think you can handle the babydoll?” she asked with a mischievous smile.

  “Only one way to find out.”

  She went into the bedroom and slipped into the babydoll nightie and the tiny briefs. It covered more of her than the bustier had, and the off-white color made the garment seem more demure, but if Ian looked closely he’d be able to see her entire body through the nearly transparent fabric. Her nipples were dark pink buds under the tea rose pattern.

  When Kate returned, Ian was semi-reclined on the couch, holding the bourbon glass loosely in his hand. He stared, eyes half-lidded, lips parted. “Come closer.”

  Maybe it was the way he was looking at her or maybe it was the wine, because at that moment Kate suddenly found herself with very few inhibitions. Slowly she approached him and then turned in a circle so he could see her from every angle.

  “Beautiful,” he said, his voice heavy with desire. “Now take it off.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  When Ian came out of the bathroom on Christmas Day, Kate did a double take and clutched her chest as if she were having a heart attack. “You’re killing me. You know that, right?”

  He grabbed her hand and dragged the back of it along his clean-shaven cheeks.

  “No, no, no,” she said. “Way too smooth.”

  “Respectable,” he countered.

  Kate watched as he pulled a suit out of her closet and got dressed. “One minute you’re a free-spirited hacker, and the next you’re suiting up to meet the parents,” she said. “I never know what I’m going to get.”

  He tightened his tie. “That’s because being with me is never boring. I believe I promised you that, Katie.”

  “That it would not be boring was a bit of an understatement. You might have downplayed a few things.”

  Kate stood in front of the dresser mirror and ran a brush through her long curls, loosening them slightly. Then she applied her lipstick and spritzed on some perfume.

  “You look gorgeous,” Ian said. He watched as she stepped into a modest pencil skirt and pulled on a sweater. “What about the dress I gave you?”
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  “That one’s a bit short for Christmas Day.” She paused. “And my dad. Plus I’m saving it for New Year’s Eve. It’s perfect for downtown.” Paige had invited Kate and Ian to join her and her husband at a party at the W Hotel. Audrey and her fiancé would be there too. Kate stepped into her shoes, grabbed her purse, and said, “Okay. Let’s go.”

  They were meeting Kate’s parents for dinner at Nicollet Island Inn. She had no worries regarding any questions that might arise over dinner about Ian’s occupation, but it had been a long time since she’d introduced them to someone new, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves as they got out of the car.

  Ian seemed relaxed, smiling at Kate and holding her hand as they walked into the restaurant. Diane and Steve were waiting for them by the door. Her mother looked elegant in a wrap dress and silver hoop earrings, her hair blown out in a sleek bob that reached her shoulders. Kate thought if she looked half as good at fifty-five as her mother did, she’d be very happy. Like Ian, her dad had worn a suit, and after seeing his face light up when he spotted her, Kate realized how happy she was to be seeing her parents again.

  After she hugged them, she turned around. “Mom, Dad, this is Ian.”

  Ian shook her mother’s hand and Diane held it warmly in hers. “It’s nice to meet you, Ian.”

  Kate’s dad and Ian shook hands. Steve smiled, but Kate knew he was going through the mental checklist he’d been using to measure Kate’s boyfriends since she’d been old enough to have them.

  “It’s nice to meet you both,” Ian said. “Kate speaks of you often.”

  Diane couldn’t stop smiling at Ian, and it was adorable. Her mother had always been close to Stuart and had been genuinely fond of him, but Kate didn’t think it would be long before Diane pledged her allegiance to Ian.

  They placed their drink orders once they were seated in the dining room: wine for Diane and Kate and single malt whiskey for Steve and Ian. Kate felt herself relaxing as they made small talk and looked at their menus.

  “Have you heard from Chad?” Kate asked. Her brother was spending Christmas with Kristin’s family in Ohio.

  “Yes,” Diane said. “He called this morning to wish us Merry Christmas. He and Kristin are flying back tomorrow.”

  Kate had worried that her parents might ask Ian why he wasn’t spending the holiday with his own family, so she’d told her mom about Ian’s upbringing one day when they’d talked on the phone. She didn’t go into detail, but she’d told Diane about Ian’s dad and that he didn’t have much contact with his mom.

  “That’s heartbreaking,” Diane had said.

  “I know. He and his dad were really close. But he’s handled it well, and he’s doing fine on his own. Honestly, I couldn’t be more impressed by what he’s accomplished. I just don’t want you to say anything about his parents at dinner.” Diane had promised that she wouldn’t.

  Their drinks arrived and Diane took a sip of her wine. “How did last night go?”

  “We didn’t have to turn anyone away, so I’d say it was a success,” Kate said. “We served meals for about three hours. The kids were so excited to receive their presents.”

  “Were you there too?” Diane asked Ian.

  “Yes. Kate did a wonderful job organizing everything.”

  “Ian’s being very modest. His contribution helped bring it all together.”

  “Kate told me you two met when you made a donation to the food pantry,” Diane said.

  “Yes. I saw her on TV and wanted to help.”

  “Ian is very philanthropically inclined,” Kate said.

  He smiled at Kate. “It balances out my shortcomings.”

  “What shortcomings?” she said, smiling back.

  Diane looked at the two of them and beamed.

  Ian had once teased Kate that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree when she’d mentioned having a glass of wine with her mother. But Kate thought the tree she’d fallen from was more likely her father’s. He had the same need for excitement that Kate did, and he’d satisfied it in a courtroom. Maybe that was one of reasons Kate’s defection from the practice of law had bewildered him so.

  Steve had always been kind to Stuart, but during the five years they’d been together, she’d noticed a slight dismissal in the way her dad spoke to him, as if he knew as well as Kate that there wasn’t much under Stuart’s surface that needed excavating. Ian would be a more stimulating conversational partner for her father. She envisioned Ian sharing only what he wanted to and Steve always being aware that there was more.

  “Kate tells me you went to MIT,” Steve said.

  “Yes.”

  “And I hear you own your own company.”

  “For about ten years now. I specialize in computer security.”

  Kate’s dad asked several questions, and Ian gave him examples of the work he’d done for some of his clients. She was impressed when her dad seemed to grasp it so quickly. Steve Watts was a highly intelligent man, but he was definitely out of his comfort zone when it came to technology.

  “Sounds like you’re very good at what you do,” Steve said.

  “I genuinely enjoy it, which helps,” Ian said.

  “Do you think it’s true what they say about the next terrorist attack being launched by computers?” Steve asked.

  “Yes. We’ve only just begun to see the impact hackers will have on national security.”

  “What are the implications?”

  “It’s our infrastructure that’s most vulnerable. Electricity, gas, oil, water. Bringing those to a standstill would cripple us.”

  Kate had never seen Ian look so serious.

  Or so worried.

  After they finished eating, Kate and Diane excused themselves to go to the restroom.

  “He’s wonderful, Kate,” Diane said when they were washing their hands. “He looks at you like all he wants is to have you by his side.”

  Kate knew exactly what her mother was talking about. “I haven’t told him yet, but I love him. And I love him in a way I never loved Stuart. I can’t describe it.”

  Diane smiled and took Kate’s hands in her own. “One of the things I admire most about you is that you follow your head and your heart. Keep trusting your instincts. This is your life. Make the choices that will bring you the most happiness.”

  Kate hugged her mom. “I will.” She started to laugh. “You would not believe how much I didn’t like him at first. Someday when we’re alone and have time, I’ll tell you the whole story.”

  When they sat back down at the table, they ordered dessert and coffee. Kate and Diane made plans to meet for brunch and to go shopping the next day, and then Kate would spend some more time with her parents before they headed home the day after that. Kate hoped that next year Ian could come home with her for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Kate wanted Chad and Kristin to meet him too.

  When the check came, Ian didn’t challenge Steve about who would pay it, and Kate was relieved. There was a clear hierarchy about who picked up the tab for the first dinner, and Steve held the top spot.

  They walked to the door of the restaurant and said their good-byes. Kate hugged her parents and Ian shook their hands. Diane couldn’t resist giving Ian a hug too.

  “It was wonderful to meet you,” Ian said. “Thank you for dinner.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom,” Kate said, giving her mom another hug.

  Kate’s parents watched as Ian opened the passenger door for Kate, and she waved to them as they walked to their own car. Ian slid behind the wheel and pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “I think your mom approves. She didn’t stop smiling at me the entire time. Your dad might enjoy cross-examining me under oath or administering a lie detector test, but I’m guessing that’s standard operating procedure for any man you’ve ever introduced to him.”

  Kate nodded, laughing. “He’d love to do those things, but my mom won’t let him.”

  “I liked them. I’
m not just saying that either.”

  “I was a little nervous. I haven’t introduced them to anyone since Stuart.”

  “I could tell. But I’m pretty sure I passed.”

  “After watching you use your impeccable manners to charm the pants off my parents—my mother’s almost literally—I would have to agree.”

  Ian flipped on his turn signal. “When we get home, I’m going to build a fire and have some more of that bourbon Santa brought me. Then I’m going to take off all your clothes and lay you down on the rug in front of the fire. After that I’m going to make my way down your body until my face is between your legs. Then I’d like to hear what you think about my smooth cheeks.”

  Kate smiled and looked at him affectionately. “I was thinking just the other day about how I kind of miss that cocky, over the top, wildly inappropriate man I first met. But then you go and say something like that and I think, Oh… there he is.”

  When they got home, Ian helped Kate off with her coat and built a fire. Then he poured the drinks, and when they’d finished them, he did exactly what he’d promised in the car.

  And Kate decided his smooth cheeks felt very fine indeed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Loud electronic beeping roused Kate from a deep sleep. At first she thought it was her alarm clock, which was set to wake her at 8:00 a.m. But the bedroom was pitch-dark, and Ian would not have thrown back the covers and bolted out of bed if the noise had come from her alarm. A quick glance at the clock showed the time as 2:11.

  He moved fast for someone who had only moments before been curled around Kate, asleep, and by the time she pulled on her robe and caught up to him, he was already sitting on the couch, fingers flying across the keyboard of his laptop. He’d silenced the alarm, which she now realized had come from the computer.

  “Grab our phones and pull out the batteries as quickly as you can.” He spoke calmly, but there was an undercurrent of urgency in his tone.

  That woke Kate up in a hurry.

  Trying not to panic, she went into the bedroom and retrieved his phone from the nightstand, already prying off the cover as she walked back into the room. She reached into her purse for the phone he’d given her and sat down beside him as they worked, each of them silently absorbed in their tasks.