Down to You by M. Leighton Page B

and
Taryn were probably back there. In a real bed.
    I feel sick.
    Cash motions me to a plush black and taupe
striped chair in front of the desk as he takes the black leather
chair behind it. He clicks a few buttons on the computer and prints
off some forms, sliding them across the desk to me. I take a pen
from the cup of pens sitting to my left.
    Silently, I fill out the necessary tax forms
and employee forms as Cash makes what I assume is an employee file.
When I’m finished and there are no more papers to sign, I lay down
my pen and wait. He finally looks up at me and smiles.
    “So, how are you liking it? Besides Taryn, of
course.”
    I force my lips into a smile. “Fine, thank
you.”
    I see a frown flicker across his forehead
again. “Is there anything you need to talk about? Anything I can do
to make your job easier?”
    Other than stay the hell away from me?
    I bite my tongue and hold my smile in place,
shaking my head negatively. He nods, watching me closely. “All
right, well I guess I’d better let you get on home then.”
    With a curt nod, I stand and leave as quickly
as I can without being obvious. After I’ve passed through the exit
and am making my way to the brightly lit parking lot, I give in to
the urge to scream in angry frustration. Just a little. It’s more
like a growl, actually.
    I stomp to my car, throwing my purse onto the
hood to search inside for the keys. That’s when I hear footsteps. I
whirl, startled, as Cash comes to a stop beside me.
    “Are you all right?”
    His frown is still in place, but his eyes are
wide. He’s obviously concerned. He probably heard my scream-growl,
since he was coming outside.
    Great!
    “I’m fine.” I hiss. “Go back inside. I’m just
leaving.”
    “I forgot to give you your copy of the
Release of Liability,” he explains, handing me a folded sheet of
paper.
    I snatch it from his fingers and stuff it
into my purse. “Thank you. Good night,” I say dismissively,
returning my attention to the hunt for my keys.
    Cash grabs my shoulders and turns me toward
him. “What is your deal?”
    And I snap.
    “Get your hands off me,” I demand, wrenching
away from him. He looks stricken, which only makes me madder. “You
don’t get to touch me. I’m not Taryn.”
    “What?” He looks genuinely confused. Then he
rolls his eyes. And I see red. “Is this about that kiss?”
    I ball my hands into fists. It’s all I can do
not to physically lash out at him. “No, it’s not just about the
kiss. It’s about kisses and body shots and late night booty calls
in your office and an assortment of things that shouldn’t be going
on here!”
    I’m getting loud and I know it. I’ve also
taken a step forward that puts me right up next to Cash’s chest,
which is where my index finger is currently buried. I look at it as
if I have no idea how it got there, mainly because I don’t.
    I look up at Cash, but he’s looking at my
finger, too. Slowly, deliberately he wraps his long fingers around
my hand then straightens his arm, pulling it out to his side. He
tugs sharply, nearly causing me to fall into him.
    “Is that what this is about? You think I’m
sleeping with Taryn?”
    “Of course I do! I’m sure it’s no
secret.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    He’s so calm. Curious almost. It’s
disconcerting.
    “Well, first of all she’s gorgeous and—”
    “You’re gorgeous,” he says softly.
    My stomach flips over, but I continue. “And
she flirts very openly with you.”
    “I wish you would flirt very openly with me.”
His eyes flicker to my lips and they throb like he’s touching
them.
    “Stop doing that. Don’t act like there’s
nothing going on.”
    “I’m not acting. Taryn and I have a history,
but that was before she started working for me. I have few rules,
but one is that I don’t get social with my employees. And now she
works for me. That’s it. Nothing more.”
    “But you kissed her. I saw you.”
    “No, you saw her kiss me . You
saw me not