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What the hell was wrong with him? Brozek was right. It had
been too long since he'd been with a woman.
    "No, I wouldn't think so," Dillon said,
forcing his attention back to the conversation. "He probably came
in a couple of days ago and programmed the attack to occur at a
later time. Another safeguard to prevent being traced."
    "So what happens next?" She leaned forward
and clasped her hands on the edge of the desk. Her knuckles turned
white from the pressure. Claire must be feeling the same tension.
Dillon was glad he wasn't the only one.
    "I think the hacker's getting ready to break
into the data systems again. There's been a consistent pattern to
his attacks. I want to be ready for him."
    "What are you going to do?" Her brown eyes
dropped to his mouth, then away. She caught his gaze and tried to
smile, but it didn't work. He wondered if she knew she was driving
him crazy.
    "I want to install security cameras in the
cafe."
    Claire frowned. "Security cameras? I'm not
sure--"
    "We need to know who comes into the cafe,
what computers they're using and when they're using them. It'll
help us nail the guy. You do want us to nail him, don't you?"
    "Of course. Why didn't you put the cameras in
place when you wired the computers?"
    "There was a delay in shipment. The equipment
didn't come in until a couple of days ago."
    "So why didn't you install it then?"
    "Think about it, Claire. When could I install
it? You've been out of town."
    "Oh, right." She frowned. "When do you want
to do it?"
    Anytime. Any place, babe. She was
killing him here. Slow, but sure. She was killing him.
    "The sooner, the better. Tonight would be
good." Dillon quickly banished the thought of being alone with
Claire in the hushed atmosphere of the cafe. After hours. Again.
He'd deal with it. He had to deal with it. There was no way he
would give in to the desire crackling between him and this
woman.
    "Won't the cameras attract attention? Alert
the hacker that you're on to him?" she asked.
    "It's state-of-the-art surveillance
equipment. No one will know they're there."
    Claire smiled. "I'm hearing that Mission
Impossible music again."
    Her smile pole-axed him right in the gut. "I
wish you'd treat this situation a little more seriously," Dillon
said gruffly.
    "I am," she said. She wasn't smiling any
longer. "I'm taking this situation very seriously. More than you
know."
    ****
    After Dillon left her office, Claire sat for
a long time thinking. She had never reacted to anyone like she
reacted to Dillon. Never remembered having a man attracted to her
like he obviously was.
    She lifted the ballpoint pen from the holder.
Her innocent fidgeting had inadvertently not been so innocent.
Instead, it had provoked a blazing desire in Dillon's eyes. The man
had radiated a heat that climbed across the desk and grabbed her.
Even now, she shivered in response. He'd made her want to feel his
arms around her. Taste his kisses. And much more.
    But Claire couldn't let that happen. She'd
played with fire before. Granted, it had only been a tiny flame
compared to the raging inferno that threatened to consume her
whenever she and Dillon came together. No, she didn't want to play
with fire. She'd been burned already. And she had sworn, never
again.
    Claire tossed the pen in a drawer and got to
work. At one-thirty, she stopped for lunch and walked out into the
cafe. The place buzzed with activity. Lunch hour was winding down,
but almost every seat was occupied. Some customers were still
eating, some studying, and a few were asleep in the overstuffed
chairs. That was okay. It pleased Claire that her customers treated
the cafe as a home away from home.
    What didn't please her was to think one of
her customers was using e*Claire's to commit a crime. She hated
looking at everyone with suspicion and hoped Dillon caught the
hacker soon. Then things could go back to normal and he would
leave. She ignored the little voice whispering that she didn't want
to go back to normal. Didn't want the