Page 64 of Under the Lies

“How?” He sounds genuinely intrigued.

“You teased me. Usually you just insult me.”

“No, I don’t.”

I raise a brow. “You really do live in a different world.”

“Excuse me?” He matches my brow rising with one of his own.

“I said,” raising my voice, “you really do live in a different world. You’ve insulted me so many times since we fell into this little bargain.” I pause. “You know what. I shouldn’t have even come here.”

Why did I think coming to see him would make this day better?

I try to move. He sidesteps with me.

With narrow eyes, I try again. Only to get the same results.

“Let me by, Noah.”

“Why did you come here?

“Forget it. I changed my mind.” Looking down at my toes, I mumble, “I keep wanting you to be someone you’re not.”

It’s quiet, save for Pan’s purring as he explores Noah’s office, and I have no doubt Noah heard me.

“Who do you want me to be?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

He stares at me and for a moment that cold, chiseled mask he usually has in place slips away and I see something move across his features. Until I blink and it’s gone as he reaches for the zipper of my onesie.

Playing with it, he pulls it farther down until the peaks of my breasts are exposed.

His eyes heat when he sees I’m not wearing a bra.

I try to pull away, but his hands glide down my sides to my thighs.

He lifts me up, igniting my body. Fire he feeds as he places me on the desk, settling between my legs.

Noah wraps a lock of hair around his finger as he asks, “Now. Tell me why you were hiding under my desk.”

When I don’t answer right away, he tugs on the strand with enough force that my lips part. “I came looking for you. As I’ve said. Now I wish I hadn’t.”

His lips thin. “And you decided to wait under my desk?”

“It’s quite comfortable.”

He doesn’t laugh.

“Who was that?” I ask, hoping to distract.

Noah’s brow raises, seeing through me, but he plays along anyway. “A friend.”

“It didn’t sound very friendly.”

“And how should it sound?” he asks, running a finger down my cheek.

“I don’t know.” I push past the lump in my throat. “Perhaps, friendly?”

---