Chapter 1: Harassment

Amelia had been warned about being a woman at a gamer convention, but she was here to see the latest games and mingle with other white hat hackers. She did her job alone. She did her job on a computer and she interacted online with people, but rarely in person.

This was why she dragged herself to this convention in Philadelphia. She lived here so it had been convenient.

The bar was noisy at the end of the day with everyone blowing off steam. Men had gathered around various tables, but she chose the bar. She was one of a few women, and they hadn't primped enough to be here yet.

She didn't primp, but she thought she looked fine.

At least one table of males thought so because they were currently looking at her and then whispering among themselves. Not whispering since she would hear them.

"I bet you can't nail her," one mad said.

He had the spare tire of a man who sat too much and the pasty white skin of someone who worked, like her, inside all of the time.

"What can I get you to drink?" the bartender said.

He held her gaze with a pasted-on smile.

"Just some seltzer, please."

She would need to be sharp for whatever the men behind her were planning. She could go back to her room, but she was expecting at least one of the other women to show up to her. They chose to stick together and she wasn't ditching anyone.

Leave no woman behind.

"She's too stuck up. She didn't even ask to sit with us."

The bartender slid her drink to her and then rolled his eyes. "We have all sorts of conventions in here and all sorts of people blowing off steam." He motioned to the table behind her. "The gamers are the worst. It's like someone let them out of a cage."

Amelia snorted. "I can't disagree."

"Don't let them bother you. If you ignore them, they'll go away."

"I'm hoping that's the case," she said.

A man in a tailored suit slid onto a stool down the bar and the bartender strolled to him to take his order. Amelia resisted looking behind her as a chair scraped. Someone was standing, and she braced herself from some odd pickup line.

She didn't mind if someone was awkward. In fact, she found it endearing. But knowing she was part of the bet was a different story. She frowned into her seltzer as a man settled beside her.

Glancing his way, she took in that it wasn't the large, pasty man, but one who was more attractive. If she didn't know his end game already, she'd be open to his advances. She didn't come to a convention like this to hook up. It wasn't her style, and that was probably why she hadn't gotten past the third date with anyone in a long time.

"Hi," he said.

Original opening line.

"Hi," Amelia said back, not giving him her full attention.

Maybe he'd get the hint that he was losing this bet.

"I'm Jared."

"Nice to meet you," she said between clenched teeth.

She wasn't going to be a notch on anyone's bedpost.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked.

"I've got one, thanks. I'd like to be left alone."

"You're stuck up."

She sighed. "No. I'm at a professional conference and I'm here to gain knowledge, not a boyfriend."

Maybe she'd been harsh.

"You're a b*tch."

Maybe she was, but she had no time for little boys who thought she was an easy mark. She liked her man a little bit older than he was. Amelia shrugged.

The man leaned in a little closer. "You're a snob and probably a second-rate programmer."

Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Sorry I'm late, honey," a deeper voice from behind the man who was currently hitting on her. "Traffic."

The man next to her looked over his shoulder and then back at Amelia. He grimaced. "You're with him? He's a fossil?"

The man with a deep voice didn't flinch. His expression remained the same until he put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Could you give me your seat, buddy? I'd like to sit next to my girlfriend."

Amelia appreciated the man and thought she needed to be saved, but she wondered if she was getting into a worse situation when Jared rose. "Sure, man. No harm."

"No harm done. I know she's a beautiful woman. She's hard to resist," the deep-voiced man said.

"You're a lucky man."

Amelia snorted. A minute ago she was a b*tch.

Jared left and the man slid onto the stool. He whispered. "Alex."

"Amelia."

"How about I sit here for a few minutes then we can decide what to do next?" Alex said.

His voice vibrated through her. He wore a blazer and a button-down shirt. A smattering of hair peeked out from the open collar. She looked at him fully, his husky blue eyes took her in. He wore a small smile on his face.

"Sounds like a plan," she said, returning his smile.

Even if nothing happened, it would be nice to spend a few minutes with someone who might know how to treat a woman.

He leaned in closer. "I hope I didn't overstep."

Amelia shrugged. She'd been to these things before and knew what to do. She'd been in no danger. "I could have handled him, but you extricated me from the situation with more class than I would have had."

A low chuckle rumbled out of him. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Now that she didn't have to fend off the brigade behind her, she could let loose a little. She eyed Alex and his clothing that screamed money. She didn't care about that, but he had an undeniable presence. He was the alpha male in the room, and she was a sucker for that. "Jameson's. Neat with a splash of water."

Alex nodded.

The bartender stopped where they sat. Alex repeated her order and it sounded dirty. She was in deep trouble. This man could make the dictionary sound like a dirty joke.

"So, Amelia. Are you a programmer?"

"Among other things," she said.

She wasn't going to reveal everything to this man though she was sure that he was going to charm the pants off of her by the end of the night.