Page 19 of The Spy Who Ghosted Me

Cash stepped closer to me, owning me with his gaze. He sure knew how to heat up a cool night.

An owl perched in the tree above us hooted, as if to tell us to move on, yet Cash and I stayed locked in a staring contest.

“We’ve already led Soren to believe we might be reconciling.”

I held up my hand. “Uh. That was you, not me. And by the way, that’s never happening.”

“Regardless.” Cash grinned. “It’s not a bad plan. We pretend we’re working on our relationship. Maybe even ask for some help and go on a few dates with Soren and Lexi.”

Was he for real? “You’re right, I don’t like this plan. You’re just using it as a ploy to get to me. I’ve seen the movies and read the books. You don’t think I know what fake dating leads to? Sorry, that’s a no from me.” Not a hard no, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Sabrina, being with you would never be fake.”

Oh, that was sweet. Ugh! Stop thinking like that.

Thankfully, he ruined it by saying, “I don’t think you would be faking anything either. I still see the spark in your eye when you look at me and the way your breath hitches when I touch you. You’ve never let me go.”

My jaw dropped as I scoffed. “You are so full of yourself.” The stupid man was right, but dang, was he conceited.

“I’m just stating the facts.”

“Well, since you love facts so much, you can chew on this one: I don’t need your help. I’ll figure out Soren on my own. Thank you very much.” I stomped off, pulling out my phone to text Mia. I needed her and some cookies. But my phone started flickering oddly. No. No. No. Why did this always happen around Cash? As soon as it would let me put in my passcode, I checked my photos, and sure enough, the one of him had disappeared. I spun around and glared at Cash, who stood there dumbfounded, running a hand through his hair. Did he really think I’d just jump at the idea of fake dating him?

“Get ready for Nana to come at you with a Geiger counter.”

He dropped his hand and chuckled. “Bring it on.”

Oh, I was going to bring it, all right. Not sure what I was going to bring, but when I figured it out, I was so bringing it.

Cash

“WHY HAVEN’T YOU CHECKED IN today, love?” Ivy scolded me over the speakerphone.

I looked in the cabin’s bathroom mirror while I buttoned my shirt and noticed the gray strands in my hair were more prominent than I was used to. Most assignments required me to dye my hair, but for Sabrina I wanted to be as real as possible, even if she accused me of being fake by trying to date her. “I’ve been busy.”

“Oh, do tell. I take it things went well last night with your little honey trap.”

I wished. They went the exact opposite of well. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call Sabrina that?”

“I can’t give you an exact number, but just plan on telling me several more times,” she trilled.

Irritated with her and this conversation, I smoothed out my dress shirt.

“So, give me all the details,” Ivy sang. “I could do with some spice in my life.”

“You know I don’t kiss and tell, but even if I did, there’s nothing to report on that front. Other than that, Sabrina is much more observant than I gave her credit for. She’s picked up on the fact that Izan isn’t Norwegian nor as young as he’s portraying himself to be.”

“She’s a regular Sherlock Holmes,” Ivy quipped. “Just keep her under control. I don’t have all day and night to keep deleting her photos and interrupting her cell service. Do you know what a pain in the arse that is?”

“It’s your job. Besides, can’t you just let her keep one picture?”

“Absolutely not. If she ever posted the photo, who knows what hands it might fall into? And we can’t compromise our best agent, now can we?”

I’m not sure Ivy believed I was the best in our agency, but she had a valid point. One little photo in an obscure small-town paper had led to us finding Izan. I’d questioned how Izan had gotten so careless, but after observing him and Lexi for the better part of today, it was apparent she’d somehow managed to wrap the man around her finger. Not sure how that would play out.

“I suppose not,” I agreed with Ivy. “But it’s making her more than suspicious. She’s coming up with wild theories, like a radioactive spider has bitten me.”

Ivy laughed uncontrollably. “Oh, that’s rich. I hope she doesn’t think you’re a superhero.”

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