Page 16 of The Truth in My Lies (Secrets of Suburbi 1)

“That woman is not my friend. Don’t you realize what you’ve done?” I lowered my voice slightly. “I was upstairs naked. She’s probably going to tell everyone I’m sleeping with you.”

“That doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world to me.”

I was suddenly very away of his hand lingering on my knee. He wants to sleep with me? I gulped. He wants to sleep with me. It was like every one of my dreams coming true. But I couldn’t get rid of the strangled feeling in my throat.

“What was her name?” he asked. “Maybe I can pay her a visit and…”

“Please do not engage with Charlotte Hallady. She’ll be the death of both of us.” I meant what I said. My tone was completely serious.

But he laughed. He found the whole thing humorous.

“I’m serious, Ben.”

“Addy.” His hand slid up the outside of my thigh as he leaned toward me. “I told her I was helping you out while your ankle healed. She already seemed to know about your injury. Hence the lasagna. I don’t think she’s a big bad wolf out to get you. She truly seemed concerned.”

“You don’t understand how catty the women in this neighborhood are. Everyone on my street probably thinks we’re having a scandalous affair.”

“I hardly think it would classify as scandalous.”

I knew he didn’t know the truth. And I wasn’t ready to tell him yet. “You’re 23,” I said instead.

“Age is just a number. The only thing that really matters is that we’re both adults. Don’t you agree?”

I snapped my fingers, ignoring him. “I’ll go to their stupid bi-monthly civic association meeting next week and clear the air.”

“There’s a bi-monthly civic association meeting? I had no idea.”

I waved my hand dismissively. “You’re not part of the neighborhood. Of course you didn’t know.”

“Wow. Is there some sort of initiation I’m unaware of?”

“Ben, stop it, this is important. It’s on Wednesday night. I’ll just have to pray that she can keep her stupid mouth shut until then.” There was a whole weekend before that. A huge stretch of time for gossip. It was likely the entire town would know the rumors by Wednesday. But it was the only plan I had. I couldn’t exactly call her. I didn’t have the woman’s number. I didn’t have any of the gawkers’ numbers.

“Okay,” he said and let his hand fall from my knee. “You’ll go to the meeting and then what? Make an official decree that we’re not banging?” Humor danced in his eyes. And his dimple was back. I didn’t think I could ever hate his beautiful face, but I did for a second.

“Of course not. Mentioning that would just make it more incriminating. I’ll tell everyone you…that you’re my…gardener.”

He rose his eyebrow. “Really? That’s your grand plan? That just makes it seem like you’re paying me to sleep with you.”

Ugh. He was right.

“And trust me, Addy, you wouldn’t have to pay me.”

“Yeah right.” I couldn’t hide my gulp, though. He was looking at me in the most intense way. If I was standing my knees would be weak. Either way, he was definitely weakening my resolve. “You should probably go. Before you have a chance to answer more doors and make the hole I’m in any deeper.”

He smiled. “If that’s what you really want.” An awkward silence stretched between us. He exhaled slowly.

I had the strangest urge to lean forward and inhale his exhales.

You’re welcome by the way,” he said. “For lunch.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Please leave.

He laughed and stood up, gingerly resting my foot back down on the chair. “Keep ice on that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Saturday. “No. I mean, you can’t…” my mind searched for anything to say. Any excuse that didn’t sound insane.

“I thought you agreed that I could help you. Or be your gardener. Or whatever you’d like to call this.” He was smiling, but it almost looked like he was begging to come back. Like he couldn’t resist not seeing me for a day.

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