Page 29 of Never Kiss and Tell

“This job a little too hard for you, sweetheart?” I taunt, trying to lighten her mood.

“Just leave me alone,” she says, but I notice the crack in her voice.

Something else happened. There’s no way all of this came from me. I reach out, taking her elbow and pulling her to a stop. The corners of her eyes glisten with tears.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, suddenly cold. “Why are you crying?”

She blinks, looking away from me.

“Nothing. Just something stupid. I’m fine.”

“Bull. What happened?” I ask again, this time enunciating both words.

She rolls her eyes, catching a stray tear as it leaks down her cheek.

“Nothing. Just some stupid shit at work.”

That has me on edge. I stand back and cross my arms over my chest.

“Which one?”

“What?”

“You know I can just watch the cameras, right?” Perks of owning half the business.

“Look, someone grabbed my ass and it embarrassed me, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” Bailey starts walking again, faster now, as if she’s trying to run away from me.

She won’t get far, though, because now, I’m pissed.

“Who?” I snap, following after her.

We reach the house and she unlocks the gate.

“It doesn’t matter,” she snaps, stepping through, me following her.

She moves to walk toward the back of the house as I shut the gate, but I grab her, pinning her between me and the wall. I’m careful not to touch her. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, but I can’t say my cock doesn’t respond to her. Heat rolls between us and I imagine touching her, her skin on mine.

I raise my hand above her head and lean in.

“Who?” I ask darkly.

Her eyes grow wide, her breathing fast and shallow. I search her face for fear, but there is none. Her eyelids are heavy as she looks up at me through her eyelashes. She feels the heat, too.

“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble,” she says, her voice soft.

“And I don’t want anyone putting their hands on you, so tell me, who?”

She sighs in defeat. “The cook in the back. I didn’t catch his name.”

“What did he look like?”

Something told me, but I wanted it to come from her.

She shakes her head. “I don’t know, dark hair, a weird mustache.”

“When?” I ask, my voice dark.

“Right before I left.”

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