Page 103 of Love In Hiding

“I’m not encouraging anything and I sure the hell am not doing it back. Is that what this is about? You’re jealous?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Sounds it to me.”

She growled, picked her pen up and clicked it open and closed while she took several deep breaths. “Ugh, I am. I hate this.”

“Close your eyes,” he said.

“Why?”

“Just do it. Close them.”

She did. What would it hurt at this point? At least she wouldn’t see if he was laughing at her.

“Now what?”

“Breathe in, let it out. Keep doing it. Humor me,” he said when she wasn’t following his directions.

She did as he said, even if it was done with more flare than needed, and felt the tension leave her shoulders, the pen dropping on the desk, but her mind was still racing.

“Can I open them now?”

“Go ahead.”

She lifted her lids and saw him staring at her, concern inhis eyes, maybe a little bit of hurt along with it. “You’re mad at me, aren’t you?”

“I’m disappointed. I can’t control Noelle’s thoughts. I’m not encouraging her in the least. I’d never do that, even if you and I weren’t in a relationship. I’m not sure of the type of men you’ve been with that you think I’d do that, but it’s not me.”

She wanted to dispute his words, but couldn’t. She’d been with men before who had done that and thought nothing of it. It wasn’t cheating in their eyes.

“I didn’t think you would.”

“Then why bring it up?”

“Because I’m annoyed.”

“That seems to be part of your DNA, but I don’t have to be your verbal and emotional punching bag to make you feel better.”

Not wrong there either. The shame filled her with remorse. This was why Paris said she should have calmed down first.

“I don’t like her knowing all this stuff and how she’s acting.”

“When she said that she understood that women in power came across as bitchy even if they acted the same as men, I added it was catty also. Meaning her. She knows and I got my point across when her face flooded crimson.”

“That’s something at least.”

“I think we should tell Braylon, at the very least, about our relationship.”

“No,” she blurted.

“Yes. Your reaction to Noelle flirting with me is going to show the next time you see her. The next time we are in a meeting together.”

“I don’t want to work with her anymore,” she said firmly.

“Don’t be that way. Be the bigger person. She’s not messing up now. She’s on a short leash and knows it. Removing her from your project is doing exactly what she thinks you’d do. What she expects. Don’t be predictable.”

“Grrrr. I hate when you’re right.”