Page 54 of Tempting Her Forbidden Boss

‘I know.’

‘Oh, please.’ She turned on him, striking out in her agony. ‘You’re still upset about your parentage? Come on, Alex, get over it.’ She hurt so much and she wanted to hurt him more.

‘Dani—’ His fingers were painfully tight on her shoulders now and she was sure he was about to bodily chuck her out. And she’d be glad. She wanted everything to end.

But all he did was say softly, ‘You’re not taking it out on me.’

* * *

Alex badly wanted to take her in his arms, wanted to kiss her to stop the hurtful words. Like a trapped, wounded animal, she thought the only way to escape was to attack.

But he didn’t draw her closer. Instead he stiffened his arms, holding her away so he could read her expression.

What he wanted was for her to lower her guard again and let him in. He ached to comfort her. She was so obviously devastated, but she was denying everything.

‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’

He watched, helpless, as she shut down—freezing him out completely. His fingers instinctively pressed harder into her bones—as if it were some way to bring her back to him—but she didn’t even flinch. It was as if she were turning to marble before his eyes—a version of herself but with her beauty, her vitality, sucked out.

It crushed him. Already she was gone. And whatever closeness or intimacy he thought they’d been building over the last few days was revealed to be the sham it was. She trusted him no more than she had on day one. She was no less afraid.

Her brown eyes were almost black, like bottomless holes in a face too pale to be well. His heart contracted. ‘Dani—’

‘I’m going to...check my lipstick.’ She twisted away and he let her go.

‘You’ve just done your lipstick.’ Her wretched lipstick was on the table. She was running away—not facing what he’d told her.

‘We have this play to go to, don’t we?’ She picked up the lipstick and reapplied.

‘No, I’ll cancel—’

‘There’s no need to do that.’ She carefully replaced the lid.

No. She wasn’t one to crumble, was she? She denied all the way—refused to admit to weakness, hurt or need. But it would come out some time—it just had to. And he was damn sure he was going to be there when it did. He sighed. Okay, maybe a little distraction might help. An hour or two in a theatre might give her a chance to think. No way would she concentrate on the play—her mind would wander.

And he was getting nowhere with her now and he didn’t want her packing her bags in the next five minutes, which she’d probably do if they stayed at home. ‘Are you sure you’re up to it?’

‘Of course I am.’ She shoved her feet into her shoes.

Yeah, of course she was. Alex stuffed his fists into his pockets. ‘Then let’s go.’

It was a living hell. Ten minutes into it Alex was ready to leave. Dani was doing her zombie impression beside him. He covered her hand with his, hers was freezing. A trickle of dread slid down his spine and his eyes hurt from trying to read her expression in the dim light.

‘Let’s go,’ he murmured in her ear as soon as the curtain went down on the first act.

Deathly pale now, she swayed as she stood. Was the shock wearing off and the reality hitting her? He wished she’d talk to him. He needed to get her home so he could make her talk to him.

‘I’m just going to freshen up.’

In other words go put on her armour. She’d run away for a few minutes and try to pull herself together. Except she was so on edge he didn’t think it was going to work this time. The sooner he got her home, the better. He’d hold her close, just hold her in his arms and cradle her until those tears came. She needed it. Hell,heneeded it.

* * *

Dani blindly followed Alex to the car. Trying really hard not to think. But her brain was screaming—she had to run, she had to hide from this truth. ‘I’m going back to Australia,’ she said as he drove home.

‘Not yet, Dani. You’ve had a shock—you need time to take it in.’ His eyes were dark.

‘I want to move out.’

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