Page 41 of Scandalous Secrets

It was true. I didn’t want to spend another minute in this office after this hellish morning.

“Thatwas work?” she asked, eyeing my office as if Veronica were still perched comfortably in my chair.

“Come on. Let’s get an early start on the weekend,” I said, avoiding her question.

She twisted her mouth as she debated it, looking around the office at everyone who was busy working at their computers. I didn’t know if she would go for it.

She never missed a day. Never came in late, despite me trying to keep her in my bed with a swipe of my tongue or the flick of my fingers against her. She always left. She was so professional, to a fault.

But I couldn’t stand being in here another minute, hearing the click-clack of keyboards and feeling the watchful eye of Kathy on my every move. Probably even now. I just wanted to leave and forget the whole shitty morning, and I needed Monica with me. To escape it all.

An idea popped in my head, but I didn’t know if she would go for it.

Chapter 19

Monica

“Let’s go to the Bahamas,” said Troy.

“What?” I asked, my voice shrill with surprise.

I quickly looked around the office to make sure no one was witnessing this little exchange. As if I didn’t already have a bomb dropped on me about him having been married, now he wanted to spring a tropical vacation on me. He looked at me, hopeful like a little kid. It was hard to resist his eyes dancing with excitement, but I was still recovering from seeing hisSports Illustratedex-wife saunter her way into his office.

I didn’t have the right to be upset. Or jealous even. We each had our own pasts, ones we hadn’t really talked about, and while mine didn’t include walking down the aisle, I had no right to judge him. Or be hurt. Though my self-conscious thoughts were ringing in my head as I compared myself to her long legs and big chest. It again made me wonder why he was with me.

“It’s been a stressful week,” said Troy softly, turning his body so his back was to the rest of the office.

A stressfulmorning,I thought.

I looked up at him and chewed on the inside of my cheek as I thought about his proposition. A trip like this was something I had only dreamed about and in the real world, would take months, if not a year, to plan for and save up for. Yet, here was this billionaire dreamboat suggesting we leave sooner than later.

As I looked out the large windows of the office with frost clinging to the glass and the gray clouds looming in the air, a beach sounded like the perfect escape from the city’s harsh winter. Normally, I would be jumping at this impossible chance. But here in this moment, I realized I was scared.

I didn’t know if it was because of possibly getting caught and losing this job that I desperately needed—since writing wasn’t paying the bills. I hadn’t even touched my laptop at home. Or maybe I was scared because I didn’t know what this thing was between Troy and me. It felt like I was at the edge of a cliff about to free-fall. Into what, I didn’t know.

“But what about work?” I asked, raising my brows.

It was a question that needed multiple answers. We had to be back in the office on Monday, so how would we swing a trip this quickly? And how would we get away without anyone knowing or having their suspicions. It wasn’t like we had any business in the Bahamas—at least I didn’t think so. We already had Kathy on us, who seemed to be trying to catch us in the act. I still had to talk to him about their conversation in his office.

“What about it? We will be back by Monday. It’s only a three-hour flight.”

One question answered.

“And what about Kathy?” I asked, narrowing my voice.

“Leave her to me.”

“But what happened in your office? Did she say anything?”

He waved me off. “Nah, she was just asking about those reports.”

Something in his voice didn’t make me quite believe him. I pressed further.

“Won’t it look a little suspicious? Us going on vacation together? Do you takeallyour personal assistants on vacation?” I regretted the question as soon as it left my mouth. I didn’t actually want to know.

He sucked in a quiet breath.

“No, I don’t,” he said, backing away slightly.

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