Page 61 of Silver Fake

I gulp, my mind instantly flashing back to Victor.

The way he had approached me, his offer, his ambitious plans for his team, and me being a part of it.

But right now, looking into John's eyes, I decide that it can wait.

There's no urgency. I'll tackle Victor and his proposition later, when I can find the right words, the right moment.

"I'm fine," I say a little too quickly.

John must notice because he quirks a brow at me. "You sure?"

I smile, my hands tracing the outlines of his face.

"Yep, I'm sure. I just wanted a little attention," I reply, giving him a flirtatious smirk.

John's pupils darken as his gaze rakes over me, a familiar spark igniting in them. He stands up and sets me down on his desk. Then he yanks my thighs up and apart.

"Well, in that case," he says as he drops to his knees in front of me. "Allow me to give it to you."

CHAPTER20

John

"Do you think anyone will notice?"Lisa puts down her toothbrush and looks up at me in the mirror.

"Notice what?" I meet her gaze in the mirror as I lean against the bathroom door frame, my eyebrows arched in a question.

“That we're arriving together," Lisa replies, her eyes never leaving mine in the mirror. She pauses, her toothbrush hanging in mid-air, as if suspended on her unspoken worries.

It's the day of Wyatt's going away party and Lisa and I are in my condo getting ready for work.

Typically, we prefer to drive separately. But we've decided to make an exception today. With plans to head straight to Barton Beach after work, it makes sense for us to commute in the same car.

"No one's going to notice a thing," I assure her, pushing off the door frame and padding softly across the tiled floor.

I come up behind her, placing my hands gently on her tense shoulders. She seems to relax slightly under my touch. Leaning in, I plant a kiss on her hair, letting my lips linger on the soft strands.

"Trust me," I murmur.

But inside, I'm not so sure.

Lisa and I have been secretly dating for almost two months now. And while we've been extremely careful to keep our relationship under wraps, there's always the chance that someone might see us together and put two and two together.

Our firm gossips more than it breathes, and two people from the same office arriving together in the same car can spark off a whirlwind of speculation.

My hands move from her shoulders to gently frame her face, my thumbs brushing against her soft skin.

"We're just two colleagues carpooling together to save on gas, nothing more." Even as I say the words, I can't help but hope that our colleagues see things the same way.

Lisa's reflection looks at me in the mirror, her normally vibrant eyes carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Besides," I add with a playful wink, "even if someone does notice, they'll just think, 'Wow, that John really knows how to pick an incredibly attractive carpool buddy.'" A grin tugs at the corner of my lips as I watch her reflection. I see the corners of her own mouth twitching upward in response, the first hint of a smile since this conversation began.

"I suppose you're right," She responds with a small, unconvincing smile and whispers, but her smile doesn't reach her eyes, and I'm not so sure that everything really is fine.

For the past few days, Lisa's actions have been more reminiscent of a roommate than a lover. She's become distant, her usual warmth replaced by a cool detachment that's left me feeling unsettled. The change is slight, but it's noticeable, casting a shadow over our previously blissful bubble.

I can't help but worry about this shift. I've been holding off on having a deeper conversation about our relationship, waiting for the right time. But I'm starting to realize that there isn't a "right time" for difficult conversations. The need for this discussion looms over us, a specter that we can't just ignore.

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