She probably didn’t know as much as she should about her boss. “I still don’t see what that has to do with me. I study helium.”
“You run a lab at Genedyne. You knew the woman who recently died under what some people would call mysterious circumstances,” Kyle mused. “If I was running an investigation into Genedyne, I would put you under surveillance.”
“Someone’s been watching me?” She could feel panic start to surge.
Hutch stopped in front of her, his expression softening. “Hey, it’s okay. From what I can tell, there were no bugs in this apartment, no hidden cameras. We went over every inch of this place and you’re good. If they are surveilling you, I think they’re doing it to figure out where you fit into the picture. The truth is we don’t know what’s going on, but I’m going to figure it out. You’re going to be okay.”
She wanted to reach out and touch that strong jawline, run her hands over the scruff that hadn’t been there earlier in the day. That face of his was a work of art. And she was honest enough to know that she wasn’t even close to being in his league. That knowledge didn’t make her stop remembering how good it had felt when he’d hugged her. The whole time with the EMTs and Pete and security asking her questions, Hutch had played the boyfriend role to perfection. He’d held her close and made sure she was comfortable. He’d been the one to find her cane.
She would have to use her braces tomorrow. She could feel it. There were days she needed more support than others, and typically they came after a fall. She could already feel the ache in her hips from hitting the floor of the locker room.
She forced herself to give him a smile she hoped portrayed a confidence she didn’t feel. “Thanks.”
“We have to deal with the fact that someone needs to be in that building with Noelle,” Kyle said, breaking the odd connection she’d felt. “After today, you can’t deny that.”
Hutch stood again, his hand raking over his golden brown hair in obvious frustration. “Agreed. But I’ll do it. I didn’t like how she looked at you.”
“Ah, but it was the way she looked at me that means I’m the one who can get in,” Kyle replied softly. “If you try to hire on right now, it could take weeks.”
He was right about that. “I don’t think we’re hiring in tech support. I did hear something about security needing a couple of guys.”
Kyle stared at Hutch. “Hiring you on will take too long, and she basically offered me a job on the spot. I know I’m not the tech guy, but you can teach me what you need me to do and I’ll be there if Noelle needs someone. She already thinks I’m your brother. It won’t be odd for me to walk my brother’s girlfriend in and out of the building.”
Hutch’s phone pinged and he sighed. “I’ve got to go down and get the pizza. I’ll be right back.” He frowned Noelle’s way, a deeply forbidding look. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Where would she go? “All right.”
He’d obviously had a day. Perhaps he was the one who needed a big hug, but that look had told her he didn’t want it from her.
The door closed behind him and she turned to Kyle. “Is he mad at me for getting attacked?”
Kyle sat back. “Nah. He’s mad because his dinner date got canceled.”
“He had a date?” Wow. She didn’t like how that felt. He hadn’t had pictures of a girlfriend in his office, but then he hadn’t had framed pictures at all.
“Yep. He had it all planned, and I’m almost certain he tried to figure a way to cut me out. He was eyeing that fast-food place pretty closely earlier,” Kyle replied. “Lucky for me MaeBe picked up the chicken breasts and bought three, or Hutch would have used that as an excuse to shove me out the door.”
She was confused. “He was bringing a date here?”
A brow rose over Kyle’s eyes. They were a brilliant green, the most striking feature on the man. “Come on, smart chick. You can do this.”
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She wasn’t about to believe that. “He was only making dinner. That wasn’t for me. I bet he took one look at my sad refrigerator and decided I can make nothing but cookies and cinnamon rolls. He realized if he didn’t want frozen lasagna, he had to do it himself.”
Kyle’s eyes were gorgeous, but she preferred Hutch’s. There was a warmth to Hutch’s eyes, a pull to his stare that dragged her in even when he was frowning at her.
“Trust me. Hutch has eaten MREs that would make that sad lasagna look like a four-course meal. Nah, he was trying to show off,” Kyle replied. “And then he realized how late it was, and that was why he ordered the pizza on our way back here. He’s going to have to call Big Tag and tell him he almost lost you, and Big Tag can be a lot to handle. I also think meeting Jessica Layne freaked him out a bit. But mostly it’s about not getting the time he wanted with you, and you should think about that.”