“Don’t do that,” I said, taking a bite of my sandwich. My taste buds sighed in appreciation. Just the right blend of spicy meat, tangy mustard, and soft, pillowy sourdough. I wasn’t a particularly religious person, but I was pretty sure this was what heaven tasted like.

“Do what?” He handed me the soda.

“You’re laughing at me.”

“No, I’m not.”

I nodded, feeling my bangs bob up and down as I took a sip. “You are. You’ve been silently laughing at me ever since you got here. You think I’m being childish.”

He leaned his butt against the side of my desk, giving me a long, assessing stare. He crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles flexing. I had to admit, they were impressive muscles.

I tried not to look as unnerved as I felt.

Finally he nodded.

“Okay, yes. I think you are being childish.”

“I knew it.”

“I know this arrangement wasn’t your idea, but I think you should take this threat seriously.”

“You’re right. People get killed through the telephone all the time.”

“You have a real sarcastic streak to you, you know it?”

“It’s one of my better traits.”

“I’m serious, Tina. This isn’t the kind of thing you should take lightly.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to stop me.

“Look, I know you think you can take care of yourself, that you don’t need anyone’s help, you’re a strong, independent woman, yada, yada, yada. I’ve heard it a million times.”

My turn to cross my arms over my chest. “Gee, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we were back in the nineteenth century.”

“I’d be giving the same lecture if you were a man.”

“Yeah, I see guys getting dissed for being ‘strong independent men’ all the time.”

“You know what I mean.”

I opened my Strawberry Shortcake purse and pulled out a five.

“Actually, Cal,” I said, spitting out his name like it was dirtying my mouth, “I don’t need your help. Because I’m not in any danger. In case you haven’t noticed, we are not in a Schwarzenegger movie, there are no bad guys gunning for me, and I write about celebrity hookups, not political scandals and government corruption.” I shoved the five at him. “And I can buy my own lunch.”

He took the five, turning it over in his hands.

Finally he tucked it into his pocket and silently moved back to his desk, unwrapping his own sandwich.

I sat back down and took another bite of salami. But some of the heaven had been argued out of it.

“What’s Audio Cloak?”

I swiveled in my seat to find Allie reading over my shoulder.

Instinctively, I closed the window on my screen.

“Nothing.”

“You think that’s what he used to disguise his voice?” Cam asked, coming up behind her.