Chapter 1

What is Dad up to? Why the secrecy? The urgent message left on Jeff Banning's answering machine last night had raised more questions than it answered. "I'll be in town for a computer trade show," his father had said. "We must talk business immediately. Say nothing to anyone, and meet my plane."

So, here Jeff was, waiting at the Minneapolis airport window for the arrival of his father's plane from Milwaukee, and dreading it. Two years ago, he'd quarreled with his father and left his family's computer firm to become a tour guide.

Worried, he paid little attention to the noise around him.

He felt wary and resentful because of their quarrel, but he was here. He'd talk business, because he had a large financial interest in Banning Corporation. But he was not getting personally involved!

Jeff watched his father deplane and walk toward him. Vince looked tired and strained his iron-gray hair in disarray as though he'd been running his fingers through it.

They gruffly greeted each other and Jeff reached for his father's carry-on. Falling in with the moving crowd, they walked down the concourse toward the parking lot.

"Did you bring any other luggage?"

Vince shook his head. "Just this one bag. I'll only be here for two days. My assistants brought everything for the booth at the trade show. They'll have it all set up."

"Yes, of course."

A curvaceous, young redhead cut in front of them and hurried through the door to the street.

"Quite a figure," Vince said.

Jeff glanced over to see his father watching the girl swing her lithe body into a waiting taxi and give the driver a wide smile for his help. "Still an eye for the ladies, I see," he said dryly.

"Now, let's not start on that old subject," Vince warned as they reached Jeff's white Mercedes. He took his case while his son unlocked the car door. "I thought we agreed last time not to discuss my new marriage. Getting along will take some serious effort from both of us."

"Sorry." Damn! Jeff walked around his car and got in. Why can't I keep my big mouth shut? I promised not to mention our quarrel over his marriage to Lucille.

Jeff met his father's gaze, feeling remorseful. "It just slipped out." He had his father's stubborn streak and hadn't spoken to him more than a few times since that bitter quarrel. Jeff's mother had died a slow, painful death. A short time later, Vince Banning had brought home Lucille, one of his work associates, announcing they'd just been married. Jeff sighed, remembering the pain and feelings of betrayal that announcement had caused him. Jeff and his father had said hurtful words then that were hard to forgive and forget.

He'd been unable to tolerate working in the same office with his father and Lucille. Too loyal to help their competitors, he'd opted for a change of career.

Vince looked unconvinced at his apology. "I didn't object when you left our firm to become a travel guide, because I knew you needed time to adjust to your mother's death and all the changes. Besides, I thought the traveling would be good experience for you."

Jeff ran a frustrated hand through his hair and nodded. "I know. I guess I didn't deal with your remarriage very well." That was as close to an apology as he could manage. The emotional events that had separated them had left scars that still hurt when touched.

"That was two years ago, Jeff. Let's try to put it behind us. Now, I have something far more serious to worry about than resurrecting old battles. As I told you on the phone last night, both our futures may be at stake."

Jeff stared at his father, then started the car and followed the arrows down the parking ramp to the street. Thankfully, there was little traffic this late, so he could concentrate on what his father was telling him as he headed toward Vince's hotel.

"What's going on back at Banning?"

Jeff frowned. "Someone inside the company would have to be sending it out, wouldn't they?"

"Exactly. Our security is too tight for them to carry CDs out, so they've managed to get it out this way."

"What about our security ID trail? Can't you trace who was on-line at the time or who downloaded it?"

Vince's mouth twisted mirthlessly. "We tried that. No go. Whoever is doing it evidently knows how to remove that information."

Jeff whistled. "So, he has to be well versed in our system."

"Exactly," Vince repeated, his face morose.

"But who? I thought you had most of the same trustworthy crew?"

"I wish I knew. We have some new employees since you left. Several of the older guys and I have figured out how it's being done. Now, I need a plan to stop it and fast. I don't know who else I can trust for this job. I must have a solution soon. That's why I need you."

"How about Bill? He's good."

His father shook his head. "I can't have someone working on it at Banning. Everyone knows what everyone else is up to immediately. Even my best and oldest programmers might let slip that they were working overtime on a special project, and the cat would be out of the bag."

A leaden knot formed in Jeff's stomach. He could feel himself being sucked back in. He loved programming and knew, someday, he'd return to it, but not yet. The pain of working with his father and Lucille after their betrayal of his mother was too fresh. "But, Dad, I've just gotten started here. I can't leave, now."

"I don't want you to leave or come back to Milwaukee. At least not right now. I can slip away to consult with you here easier. My office wouldn't even know when I'm out of town. I often take an afternoon off. Flying here and returning by the next morning won't even be noticed."

"Yes, I suppose that'll work."

"You moved your computer to your apartment here, didn't you? It's all set up, ready to go?"

"Of course. I still spend a lot of time at the keyboard. But this is no small assignment.…"

Vince touched his arm. "Don't you understand? Banning Corporation could go bankrupt if I don't find a way to stop this drain. We'd lose everything your mother and I worked for years to build, and you too, Jeff. Don't forget the years of work you contributed yourself."

Jeff swallowed and nodded. All through college, he'd spent every spare minute with his nose in a manual or his eyes glued to a screen. It had always been more important to him than running around. "Yes, but...." The air crackled with tension as their eyes met.

Vince's voice softened. "Do this for me, Son. You're the best programmer I know, and I've got to have the best for this."

Jeff let out his breath. All things considered, he was the most logical person to do this. "Okay." Some of his bitterness ebbed with that decision. Jeff watched the tension ease from his father's face and knew he'd made the right one.

"Good. Let me register at the hotel and drop off my bag. Then I'll fill you in on what we've found so far and what Joe and Bill think you might be able to do."

"And of course, you brought it all with you." It was a statement, not a question, because Jeff already knew the answer. He groaned, then grinned at his father, some of their old camaraderie resurfacing. They both knew Jeff wouldn't be able to resist this challenge.

"What I didn't bring has been shipped and should arrive at your apartment in the morning. Okay? We'll put on the coffeepot and work for a few hours."

"Tonight? How about in the morning?"

Vince shook his head. "I'm due at the show in the morning and both days will be very busy ones. I've got to fly back for an important dinner meeting in Milwaukee after that."

"And, besides, I might change my mind?" Jeff glanced at his father. He had a feeling his father's tight schedule was planned to rush him into a commitment. But it didn't matter. If his father needed his help badly enough to put aside the hard feelings that had separated them, the least he could do was meet him halfway. He had believed in Banning Corporation enough to sink a lot of his own money into it, as well as his inheritance from his mother, which had been a considerable chunk of cash. Dad knows I have good reason to help him win this one.

"I recognize that excited gleam in your eye. You can't resist a programming puzzle or a good battle." Vince tossed him a relieved grin.

"How do you know I wasn't thinking of some woman?"

His father grinned at him. "I know you."

At Jeff's apartment, Vince looked around the sparsely furnished room approvingly. "Nice place, Jeff. Glad you're getting settled okay." Sitting on the brown leather sofa, he spread the papers he'd brought with him over the coffee table.

Jeff made coffee. Then they spent several hours going over the details of how, where and when each bit of evidence revealing the pirating had turned up.

At last Jeff stood up and stretched. "You've got to get some sleep. I'll drive you back to your hotel."

"I suppose." They walked out to the car.

Jeff pulled out into the late-night traffic.

"We'll need a reason to be suddenly calling each other. We must have complete secrecy on this. I don't know who at Banning Corporation might have remembered where you moved or if I was followed today."

"Followed? Dad, you're being melodramatic."

Vince shook his gray head, a sober look on his face. "I mean it. Promise you won't discuss this. With anyone."

"Of course." Jeff stared at his father, wondering if the financial pressures were getting to him. He certainly looked tired and older. On the other hand, there was a lot of money involved, enough that this could become very nasty. A chill slid down his spine. Was his father in danger?

His father's face lit up with inspiration. "I've got an idea. Banning has a good-sized travel budget. We need to try a new travel agency for our annual trip anyway. Why not the one you're at?"

Jeff chewed his lip thoughtfully, then nodded. "I agree-scheduling a Banning employees trip with Special Tours would make a good cover. Can Banning afford that trip for everyone this year?"

Vince shrugged wearily. "Not really. Though we've always taken the Banning top brass on a nice vacation as their yearly bonus. I think we have to keep everything as close to normal as possible. Rumors of financial problems would cost us much more in lost business than the trip."

Jeff nodded as he stopped in front of the hotel. "I suppose you're right about that. Okay. You call my new boss, Alice, and schedule it, but tell her you want me to be in charge of the trip. That should do it."

"Thanks, Son. I knew I could count on you."

"Take care. I'll be in touch."

***

Shivering, Diane Foerman walked quickly toward the Minneapolis travel agency where she worked, ignoring the noisy bustle of traffic beside her. Although rain was predicted, the morning was beautiful, but chilly for late September in Minnesota, and she wished she'd worn something heavier than her red raincoat.

Yesterday, she'd been away on a day tour, so she was anxious for her co-workers to arrive. She hoped that today might be her day...the day she might at last get the promotion she'd been working toward: to be assigned as tour guide for the dream trips to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Venezuela, or Mexico. It had been rumored for a week that their bosses would make a decision soon. Diane knew she was the best candidate in their office for that position.

The new office building that housed Special Tours was a building like many others around it, thirty stories high with sleek horizontal lines. The windows in the slits between the black and gray granite stripes looked like eyes squinting with fear.

She was a little early since she'd had to drop her car off for repairs, and take the bus from the repair shop.

Diane hummed to herself as she made coffee. Inhaling the delicious aroma, she enjoyed a cup alone in the strangely quiet break room.

Two co-workers, Sally, a short, chubby girl with distinctive freckles, and Carla, a lean, angular blonde, arrived bringing their lively chatter.

Carla poured herself a cup of coffee. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Diane asked, her stomach feeling suddenly queasy. She knew Carla could only mean one thing. The job she'd been hoping for had been filled...and since she was the last to know, it had, of course, gone to someone else.

"They're bringing in a guy from the Milwaukee office to be the new Foreign Tours guide. I hear he's rich and a real hunk, too!"

Sally met Diane's gaze sympathetically. Sally knew how hard Diane had worked for this promotion and how much she'd been counting on it. Diane looked away and managed to mumble something appropriate. Carla didn't notice and went right on enthusing about this new guy, Jeff Banning.

Excusing herself, Diane picked up her coffee and returned to the office area with its rows of desks.

She stood at the window, sipping the coffee. Her life had suddenly turned as gray as the clouds that were so appropriately moving across the sky to spoil the beautiful fall morning. She'd gotten her hopes up for nothing. Alice had sounded so positive in her interview, too.

How like the head office to bring in an outsider. Would she ever get to take any real trips as a bona fide travel guide or was she destined to spend years here, mailing brochures and taking reservations? Rich and a real hunk, too. Another self-centered playboy like her ex-fiancé? Geez, how she hated men like that.

Suddenly everyone in the sixth-floor suite snapped to attention and moved to their desks. Diane looked up to see that their boss, Alice Cortell, had arrived.

Alice hung up her coat and checked her perfectly coifed, silver hair in the closet mirror. With a smile and friendly good morning to everyone, she walked to her glassed-in office at one end of the large room.

Diane had just settled down at her computer when Alice came over to her carrying two big stacks of brightly colored vacation folders.

She gave Diane a smile and dropped the folders on her desk with a loud smack. "These finally arrived from the printer, Diane. Please send them out immediately. They're well behind schedule already. Wheeling Wholesale has been on the phone to me three times this week about them. This is their first trip outside the United States, and their retailers are really excited."

"Of course." Diane struggled to keep resentment out of her voice and even managed a weak smile. Alice obviously hadn't realized how much she had been counting on that promotion. Evidently, Alice hadn't agreed that Diane was ready for it.

"Here's the mailing list. Be sure to include the notice about the deadline for cancellations. And this address list," she handed Diane another, "is for the seating assignments for the banker's convention next month. You filled out the seating assignment cards on Friday, didn't you?"

"Yes, I've finished them except for printing the labels."

"Oh, there's Jeff, now. Jeff, come here a minute!" she called.

Diane's gaze swept the six-foot, lean, yet muscular man as he walked towards her. He had rugged features and could be considered attractive, though she wouldn't call him handsome. Early thirties, she judged. So, he's the one who got the job I worked so hard for. Automatically, she shook his proffered hand.

"Diane, I'd like you to meet the new tour guide who is joining our office, Jeff Banning. Jeff, this is Diane Foerman. You two will be working together on tours. Well, I'll leave you to get acquainted." Smiling brightly at them, Alice patted her hairdo and went back to her own office.

Warm brown eyes met hers as Diane scrutinized Jeff's strong features beneath curly brown hair. Her disobedient heart speeded to a fast tattoo, and she seemed to have lost control of her breathing.

He grinned at her in a friendly way. His eyes showed a real interest in her, unaware of the way he had dashed her dreams by coming to Minneapolis.

She chalked up her wild reaction to him as anger. Then she realized she was still holding the hand he'd extended when Alice had introduced them. Quickly, she dropped it.

"So, you're Diane. Alice told me all about you." he said softly. "I'm sure we'll get along fine."

His pleasant, deep voice had a trace of accent she couldn't quite place. But the admiring male assessment she saw on his face as his eyes traveled over her was all too familiar, and it brought out the ice in Diane. Get along fine indeed. Not likely. He reminded her far too much of Cory, another rich playboy she wished she could forget. She'd learned her lesson with that kind of man. She might have to work with him, but that was as far as it would go, and she didn't have to like it.

"So nice to meet you, Mr. Banning," she said coolly. "I hope Alice didn't tell you everything. She does get carried away at times."

"She didn't tell me nearly enough. I'm looking forward to lunch. Alice says everyone in our department is going to a restaurant together today."

"Oh? How nice." No doubt to celebrate the new employee. Diane didn't feel like doing that.

Smiling again, to cover her frustration, Diane indicated the piles of folders on her desk. "I'd better get at these, Mr. Banning."

"Call me Jeff," he said wrinkling his nose. "Alice said everyone is on a first name basis, here. See you later, Diane."

He left, but Diane's mind stayed on him, remembering the interested light in his gaze and the warmth of his skin touching hers. She told herself it was only as a distraction, because she was so disappointed about losing out on the promotion. She found it hard to keep her eyes on her computer. Thinking resentfully of all those wasted hours of unpaid overtime she'd put in here, she wondered what good all that extra effort had done?

Somehow she got through lunch. All of the other girls fawned over Jeff. Diane endured the hour quietly, managing to be as inconspicuous as possible. She returned to her office, relieved that she could work alone the rest of the day, although she couldn't forget Jeff Banning's friendly brown eyes or the warm press of his hand around hers.

Late the next afternoon, a phone call from a puzzled client alerted Diane to the fact that she had mixed up the two mailing lists on her desk the day before. When Alice discovered that she'd sent the wrong folders to all the retailers, Diane got a royal chewing out. For all her perfect grooming, Alice had a quick temper and a nasty tongue. Jeff, of course, heard about it, as did everyone else in the office!

Furious with herself, and at Jeff for having the power to distract her, Diane stayed late and re-did the mailing on her own time. In a way, she was hoping the unnecessary gesture would wash the strange attraction she felt for him out of her system.

Knowing the letters were already way behind schedule, she dropped them at the nearest twenty-four hour post office, which happened to be at the airport. Then she remembered she'd promised to buy her sister a copy of the latest bestseller. The mall was closed by now. What a bother, she thought, and drove over to the main building to get it at one of the newsstands.

It was after nine. A janitor lethargically pushed a broom down the long concourse. There were few people in the hallways, so Diane was surprised to see Jeff Banning walking toward her.

Apparently seeing someone off, he was carrying an overnight bag and talking with an older man who looked a lot like him. She couldn't avoid them, so decided to say a friendly hello in passing. Then she realized that they were deep in argument. Jeff's face held a scowl as he talked.

In the moment Diane hesitated, he looked up and saw her. His scowl smoothed out, and he waved as they approached and stopped.

"Diane, I'd like you to meet my father, Vince Banning, from Milwaukee. He's been visiting Minneapolis, for the computer show at the Convention Center. He was showing some of Banning Corporation's new software. Diane works for Special Tours, too, Dad."

"Hello, Diane." He offered a hand with a grin. "I can see why you like the new office, Jeff, with a lovely woman like this one in it."

"Why, thank you. I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Banning," she said, smiling as she shook his hand. As she looked into his dark brown eyes, she had the oddest feeling that she was seeing what Jeff would look like in thirty years. She liked the idea, because Vince Banning was still a handsome man. He was heavier than Jeff, and his wavy hair was almost all silver-gray, but he was athletically built and virile looking. "I didn't expect to see anyone I knew."

"What are you doing here? Did you see someone off?"

"Just catching the late mail," she hedged. From the quick gleam in Jeff's eyes, she was sure he'd guessed what she was so anxious to have go out after the fuss in the office that afternoon. Then what he'd said sunk in. "Banning Corp.?" she asked. "Your own company?"

"Yes, it's our family firm."

Diane swallowed. Yikes! She'd been thinking of Jeff as a rich playboy, because of Carla's comment, and he really was one! A sinking feeling of déjà vu settled in the pit of her stomach.

Jeff watched, fascinated, as she brushed her curly, blonde hair behind her ear with a slim, neatly manicured hand. Tiny emeralds gleamed on the delicate curve of her earlobe. He wondered what it would be like to kiss the smooth, tanned skin of her throat. Was it as soft as it looked?

She met his eyes and flushed slightly, evidently realizing his gaze was fixed on her. "Again, nice meeting you, Mr. Banning. Goodnight." She walked quickly away.

Damn, Jeff thought as he watched her go, now I've made her nervous. Had his father noticed her hasty retreat? He glanced at him as they walked down the concourse to his gate.

Vince frowned, saying, "Remember what I told you. Don't say anything to anyone at Special Tours, even Diane, about your project for Banning Corporation."

"Of course." Jeff's gaze swung around to meet his father's. "What do you mean, even Diane?"

His father grinned. "I caught those interested looks between you two. Are you dating her?"

"Give a guy time, Dad. I just met her."

Vince held up a hand in surrender. "Okay, Jeff. Let me know how your work on this progresses."

Jeff nodded as Vince's boarding call blared out over the loudspeaker. "You be careful, now, Dad. I don't like the implications of what's going on back at Banning."

"I'll be fine, son."

Over the next week, Diane gradually began to relax a little around Jeff. He often appeared preoccupied and seemed to have a lot of assignments outside the office. Not that Diane minded. Life was less upsetting when he wasn't there to set her blood dancing. Learning that he was another privileged rich kid like Cory reinforced her resentment of his receiving the promotion. One bad experience with a guy like him was enough for her.

Diane was determined to remain cool and professional around him. Then, when everything was going smoothly, Alice assigned her to enter some of Jeff's material into a file on her computer.

As she was busily typing it, he came to stand by her desk, picked up some finished pages and leaned against her file cabinet, reading them. The spicy scent of his after-shave drifted over to her.

"Almost finished?"

"Just a couple more pages," she said, trying to ignore him. He stood where his lean, muscular body drew her glance in spite of herself. As he read, his mouth pulled up in a satisfied curve. She wondered what it would be like to feel those lips. Would his kiss be gentle, or demanding? What would it be like to be held tight in those strong arms? What was the matter with her? She wanted nothing to do with that man.

He met her gaze and grinned at her in that unassuming way he had. In confusion, she went back to typing too quickly and accidentally closed the new file she'd been working on instead of saving it. "Damn!" she exclaimed before she could stop herself. How could she be so stupid? Now he'd really think her incompetent.

"What's the matter?"

"I just deleted what I'd typed. I'll have to re-type it, so it won't be finished for a while. Sorry."

Jeff frowned, then said, "It should still be there in your temporary files."

She shrugged. "Maybe so, but I don't know how to find it."

"Here, let me."

She relinquished her chair and watched, Surprised, as he easily retrieved her file.

"There. Now save it."

"Thanks." She gave him a grateful smile.

He grinned in return, got up and turned to go.

Alice walked in.

"Oh, good, Jeff, you're here, too. I wanted to tell you and Diane that I've assigned you two to the senior citizens color tour scheduled for tomorrow."

Diane caught her breath in dismay. Usually she and George, the bus driver, handled this "leaf-looking" trip alone, one of many that their travel agency arranged each fall. Taking a busload of people to appreciate the beautiful fall colors in her own home-town river valley was one of Diane's favorite assignments, but if she had to do it with Jeff, she'd be a nervous wreck. She just couldn't relax or do anything right around that man! "But, Alice," she said, "George and I always do that."

Alice looked at Diane over her wire-rimmed glasses, patted her already perfect hairdo, and overruled her. "Jeff has just been transferred here from our Milwaukee office and needs to get acquainted with our area," she explained in her well-modulated voice. "You two will probably be working together a good deal, so you may as well start now."

Jeff raised a questioning dark brow and grinned, as though daring Diane to agree to spend the day with him.

She might as well have voiced her objection to the wall, she thought. Looking away, she swallowed painfully and nodded her assent to Alice.

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