Page 33 of Don't Tell

No one has to know. I can keep my job and frolic with a guest who’s insanely attractive. It sounds good — too good to be true. I know why I’d want to keep it a secret, but what about him? What does he get out of this?

"Why?"

His eyes drop to my lips. "Why what?"

"Why would you want to keep it a secret?"

"Because of you. Because it’s what you want." His thumb traces the edges of my bottom lip. “I want you to be happy.”

He’s lying to me. I’m not entirely sure how I know, but I know he’s not telling me the entire truth. He definitely has his reasons for keeping this a secret. But why? Is it me? Do I embarrass him?

I pull away from him. “I’m not doing this.”

His hands drop to his sides. “Suzanne, I wasn’t trying to…”

“I’m not doing this. That’s the end of it.”

Cade nods and steps back. He gives me the room I desperately need. I do not realize how much of the room he has been taking until he gave it back to me, and the air on the side of my throat where his palm has been suddenly feels cold.

"I'll drive you home."

"No."

"Suzanne."

"I'd rather walk than be stuck with you for forty minutes. I can’t look at you right now."

He doesn’t argue. He just nods.

I don’t know what to do with him not arguing. I’m prepared for it, but now that it doesn’t come, I don’t know what to do with the words bubbling up in my throat. They have nowhere to go.

I have to get away from him before I lose my mind.

I walk past him and open the door, only to come face-to-face with Lila. Her hand is raised as if she were about to knock. Ever since I saw her in the hotel lobby with Cade, I’ve wondered what they have together.

On Cade’s end, it seems like friendship hanging by a thread. On her end, she’s holding on to him for dear life. I haven’t had many relationships. There’s just one after Marguerite died, so I have never experienced a love triangle or a jealous ex.

But I don’t need to have experienced one to tell what category this situation falls in, because Lila is quite literally sizing me up. She looks me up and down. The borrowed pants rolled at the ankle, the wet hair, the collar of Cade's shirt sliding off the wrong shoulder.

Her eyes narrow. I know what she’s thinking. Why would he want someone like me when she’s available?

We can ask him ourselves, Lila,I want to say, but I don’t.

She straightens. She’s much taller than me, but it doesn’t change anything. I’m not intimidated by her.

"So…are you sleeping with him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you sleeping with him?" She tilts her head. "Is that what this is?"

I roll my eyes and walk past her.Stupid. It irritates me when women think they need to fight for a man’s attention. I refuse to engage with that. I make my way down the hallway and down the stairs to the front door.

“Suzanne. Wait!”

Behind me, I hear Cade's voice in the hallway. I keep moving. I don't want to talk to him right now, not when he’s lying to me. So much for being in a good mood today. I actually thought we could have a decent time together. He just had to go and ruin it.

I reach for the doorknob, but he catches up to me. He swats my hands away. “I’m driving you home.”