Sex, Lies & Her Impossible Boss by Jennifer Rae Page A

don’t want to kiss you.’
    ‘That’s a lie. I know you do. I can see it in your eyes. I know you want me as much as I want you. I could feel it.’
    ‘I don’t.’
    Faith’s heart started to beat harder. She heard him but she didn’t believe him. She remembered the feel of his fingers as they had slid up her back earlier today and the way he’d run them through her hair, then the passionate way he’d held her still just now so he could kiss her. He’d wanted her; she could feel that he wanted her. She remembered the look in his eyes as they breathed into each other in Patricia’s garden. There was something there, she knew it—she felt it—but he was saying something else. Something much more humiliating.
    ‘You’re scared. I can see that. But you don’t have to be. You can trust me.’
    Cash was silent. His eyes watched hers; then they flicked to her mouth, then back to her eyes. Holding them. For a beat. Then another.
    ‘What if I’m not scared? What if I’m just not interested?’
    Faith felt the cold trickle all over her. Not interested. He didn’t feel the way she did. And she was trapped in a cage with him. She couldn’t breathe properly. She wanted to get out. She wanted him to let her go, but he didn’t. He was talking again right when she wanted him to shut up. ‘I’m sorry, Faith. What you want is someone to love you and I told you I don’t believe in love.’
    ‘I... I...’ That was exactly what she wanted. That was what everyone wanted. But right now, all she’d wanted was for him to kiss her again. A sweet release from the torture she’d been going through all day.
    ‘I thought I could trust you. I thought you were nice.’
    ‘Well, you were wrong. I’m not nice at all.’ Finally he stepped back and Faith was able to push her way past him and out of the cage. With a shove of her shoulders she opened the door to the dungeon and pounded up the stairs and didn’t stop until she was outside and taking great gulps of fresh air.
    She walked around the small suburban garden breathing in the scent of spring in the air and lifting her face to the sun. Brilliant . Once again, she’d misjudged the situation. Once again, she’d put her faith into someone who didn’t deserve it. Cash had a reputation. He’d been dismissive of her; he’d tried to fire her; he’d told her he didn’t believe in love—yet she’d still trusted him. She’d seen something that wasn’t there. After every mistake she’d ever made, she still believed she’d be able to recognise when someone actually liked her. But he hadn’t. It was just sex.

EIGHT
    Country music blared from the radio all the way back to Cash’s house. Faith wanted to change it but she was afraid if she reached for the knob he’d reach at the same time and they’d touch and the awkwardness that now filled the car would become even more stifling.
    As she pulled the car up Faith felt her whole body grow hot. He wasn’t interested. That was what he’d said. Faith burned with humiliation.
    ‘Faith, should we talk about what happened back there?’
    ‘No.’ She held up a hand before glancing at him with a quick, tight smile. ‘No need. It’s cool. I lost my head for a moment, but it’s over. Finished. No need to talk.’
    No, if she could help it she’d never speak to him again. They could email. Or text. But talking she didn’t want to do.
    ‘I’d like to talk.’
    ‘Well, I wouldn’t.’ She gripped the steering wheel hard but tried to keep her face passive. She didn’t want him to know how much his words had really cut her. She didn’t want him to realise that he’d opened a wound she’d thought she’d stitched up years ago.
    ‘What did you think of Miss Kitty’s place?’ Change the subject. That was the only thing she could do now. If he wouldn’t get out of the car at least she could talk about something else. Something that didn’t hurt so much. ‘It’s not for everyone.’
    ‘It’s not for me,’ said