Dani blinked, unsure why this was something he felt the need to admit. “I know. You’re a hacker. One of the best, according to Deacon and Adam. You’ve helped on a lot of their cases. Kate and Decker’s, too.” Kate and Decker were FBI agents who sometimes worked with Deacon, and who had been firmly enfolded in their circle. “Did you think I didn’t know?”

He shrugged uneasily. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it. It is illegal, y’know.”

Her lips twitched. He was . . . cute. Not a word she’d ever thought she’d associate with the man. But he was. And sweet, too. “I’m not the goody-goody everyone thinks I am.”

His brows shot up, his cheeks growing flushed. “You’re not?”

“No. I’ve even recorded Major League Baseball without permission. It’s a slippery slope,” she insisted when he snickered. “I could go all Ocean’s 8 any day now.” She’d loved the heist comedy with the all-woman cast. She and her friends had watched it together one night and laughed till they’d cried.

“I can see it now,” he said. “You, Scarlett, Faith, Meredith, and Kate, sneaking into Jeremy O’Bannion’s wine cellar to steal his Château Lafite Rothschild, all wearing black masks that Kate knitted for you, armed with Mer’s pink tactical pens with the engraved hearts that she buys on Amazon.”

Dani laughed, unexpectedly charmed. And momentarily breathless at the smug smile of pride that curved his lips. It made her want to kiss him again.

She swallowed and shook her head, giving herself time to gather her composure. “Nah, the girls and I don’t need any thousand-dollar wine. We’re good with the stuff in the box. Now, fine chocolate? That we might risk prison for.” She pointed to his laptop. “Seriously, if you hacked the Pentagon, I wouldn’t tell. You’ve saved my life and the lives of my friends so many times . . . We owe you discretion.”

The twinkle in his eyes dimmed and she wondered what she’d said.

“You don’t owe me anything, Dani,” he said quietly. “Everything I’ve done has been freely given.”

Oh. Way to go, Novak. Make him feel like you’re obligated by gratitude. She was filled by the sudden need to make him feel wanted. For himself.

Because he was. And at some point I might even admit that to myself.