Page 24 of Skeletons in the Closet

“You’ve got me crushed to the wall. It might be sexy under different circumstances, and I wouldn’t complain, but I can’t breathe, and I think we’re safe.”

“Right.” I reached around to my lower back and opened the door. Fresh air blew in and touched my overheated cheeks. Dizzy, I stumbled out of the closet.

Since Tallus’s astuteness and lack of a filter threatened to expose my failings, I hustled to the desk. First, I snagged my capand put it on my head, then I turned off the lamp because we didn’t need a light with a fucking computer, and I was an idiot.

I opened the laptop. “Keep an eye on the hall, would you? In case she comes back.”

Six emails with Noah’s name highlighted were ripe and waiting for me. I clicked the one at the top of the list as Tallus leaned over my shoulder, disregarding my instructions. I was doomed to be surrounded by the cloud of his cologne and his intoxicating natural scent that stirred my blood. I was going to have to feel his breath against my skin.

The claustrophobia of the closet returned. I couldn’t escape it.

The first email was short.

“It’s from Beth,” Tallus said. “That’s who she was on the phone with.”

The email had been sent in mid-February before Olivia had gone to see Noah for the first time. I skimmed the handful of sentences.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Don’t contact Noah! It’s best if we pretend it never happened. As it stands, no one suspects. It will blow over. Trust me.

I was about to click out of the email and check the next one when Tallus touched my shoulder. “Hang on.”

He held up his phone and snapped a picture of the screen.

Smart. I’d considered printing the email, but a picture was quicker and left no evidence.

The next was from Beth again, but it was in reply to an email sent by Olivia. Tallus took a picture as I read them both.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Noah’s wife is fucking crazy. He said she’s been on his ass with a hundred questions. Fuck. He’s meeting me at his office later. Don’t get mad. I’m just going to make sure he’s on the same page.

Reply to: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Great. What happens if she finds out? He’ll kill me. Noah won’t tell her, will he?

Olivia hadn’t responded.

“It seems clear we have an affair, but I don’t think it was with Olivia. She sounds like she’s covering for a friend.” Tallus snapped another picture. “What do you think?”

I grunted noncommittally as I opened the third email.

It was forwarded from Beth to Olivia, an email sent from [email protected], and all it said was.

They don’t know. Tell Noah to calm the fuck down. I’m handling it.

Tallus and I both froze.

“Who’s the elusive bastard?”

I grunted because how the fuck was I supposed to know? “Did you get a picture?”

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