Page 51 of Indecent Secrets

“I’m not the type of man who fucks employees,” I cautioned.

“As a habit, no, but we can’t always control who we get involved with,” David replied. “Trust me, I know. Things happen sometimes. Especially when they’re charming. And Leigh’s very charming.”

Something about that poked my brain. “Well, I’ll consider what you’ve said.”

“Please do.” David smiled, though the sentiment didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey, at least don’t make her the beneficiary of your will. Speaking of which, as morbid as it sounds, we do need to deal with the question of what will happen if a bus runs you over.”

Yeah, that did have to be dealt with. I’d have to text Jack to see what he wanted to do. “Sure thing.”

“Great.” David clapped me on the shoulder. “I could discuss it with you over dinner, if you’d like, as long as you don’t bring Leigh for that portion of the conversation.”

“Of course not. I’m not going to let her make decisions for me. She’s just a great pair of legs.”

An odd look passed over David’s face. If he could tell I was lying then I was going to fling myself off the roof of the building.

“Sounds good,” was all he said, and then I was alone to have a tiny panic attack.

I didn’t fucking panic. I wasn’t that guy. But the idea that someone could see how much Leigh meant to me had my chest getting tight.

I had a feeling that the fact that I was panicking meant that Leigh really was something to me. I didn’t stress over someone finding out I’d slept with a woman. I did it all the time. It wasn’t a crime and it wasn’t going to affect any of my actions or decisions. There was no reason for anyone to get in a tizzy about it and if someone else did I set them straight. My sex life didn’t mix with my business life.

Until now.

The way I’d felt when I’d seen Bill coming on to Leigh… I had wished so badly in that moment that I could claim her as mine. That I could storm over and inform him that she was taken, and that he’d better stop messing with my girl. But I couldn’t. First because it would make Jack look bad, second because that would be against company policy, third because Leigh wasn’t my girl.

I found that the first two reasons didn’t matter. Only the third.

That had been pure possessiveness when I’d fucked her on the desk. I had been out of control. I shouldn’t have done it. We would’ve gotten in massive trouble. I could’ve compromised the entire damn mission if we’d been found out. And I’d done it anyway. I had given into temptation in a way I never had before. I hadn’t even questioned it or had a second thought. No hesitation. My desire for Leigh had overwhelmed all else.

This was a big problem.

I had to do something about it. I had to get Leigh away from me before she became even more of a distraction and we were caught by someone who actually cared.

Leigh had to be fired. Or quit. Or something. I would figure out what to do with her after I spoke with David tonight about the legal issue—and I would be confronting Jack on the phone this afternoon about making his decision. He couldn’t hide or use me as a prop forever.

And once you’re free of this role, a voice whispered at the back of my mind, you can be with Leigh for real.

I shoved that thought aside. I couldn’t think about that right now. Besides, Leigh wasn’t going to—she didn’t feel anything for me. I wasn’t under any illusions, here. I had charmed plenty of women and made them think they were in love with me when they didn’t know the real me at all, but Leigh was different. She was a manipulator herself. She wasn’t going to make the mistake of falling for a guy she’d originally set out to seduce for her own political goals, even if we’d ended up having a much more torrid affair than either of us had anticipated.

No, I wasn’t going to be the sap who stood there with a busted heart while Leigh got to walk away. I would just have to keep my feelings to myself.

She would never know.

Chapter 19

Leigh

* * *

I went into the break room to get myself some coffee—and ran, almost literally, into Rebecca.

“Leigh.” Rebecca smiled. It was a little less tight than when we’d last spoken but it was clear I still wasn’t her favorite person.

“Rebecca, hi.” I returned her smile with one of my own. “I hear you’re already making waves in your new position, that’s so great. You’ve earned it.”

She blinked, apparently surprised by my kindness. I wondered how many years she’d spent having to compete with everyone around her in one way or another, found lacking, or not good enough for a promotion.

“Well, thank you.” Rebecca went to the coffee maker and started it up.

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