Unsuitable

I still went for my run after Jason left. It took me a good few minutes to calm my racing heart and trembling limbs before I was steady enough to move. But I needed the run. I needed to clear my head of everything that had happened.

When my run was over and I was showered and ready for work, I sat across from Cece at the kitchen table, having breakfast. I didn’t tell her about Jason’s visit or that I’d slept with Kas or that he’d lied to me afterward.

I was sitting there with it all on the tip of my tongue, but something stopped me from telling her.

Maybe because I know how she worries about me, and I don’t want her to worry more than she already does.

Jason’s visit has rattled me. Especially the warning he gave me.

And, really, nothing has changed. He hasn’t outright admitted that it was him and Damien who framed me. So, it’s not like I’m going to go running my mouth off to the police because I have nothing concrete to give them.

And I’m still bugging over Kas and his lying ways. And, now, more than ever, I want to know the truth.

Maybe Jason’s visit has increased my need to know. Seeing the reason of why my life was upended and changed forever makes me want to be surer than ever that I’m not making a mistake by being with Kas.

I won’t let anything risk me getting Jesse back.

And that’s why I find myself in Kas’s office right now.

He’s with Cooper in the paddocks. Something is wrong with one of the horses. A vet’s been called out.

And I’m snooping.

Not my finest moment but needs must.

I have my cleaning stuff with me, and I am technically cleaning his office. I’m just having a nosy look around while I do so.

Specifically, around the bookshelf.

I’m dusting it while looking for anything out of the ordinary.

I know I must look like something out of a bad detective movie, but this is my first rodeo.

So far, I’m not getting much. There are just rows and rows of books and dust.

Not exactly exciting.

Honestly, I didn’t even know Kas read. I’ve never seen him pick up a book.

Reaching up to my tiptoes, I run the duster along the higher shelves, my eyes trailing over them, looking for anything. Any indication that there’s a door behind here.

But nothing. Just a wooden panel behind the books.

I wonder if there’s a book that you pull out, and the bookcase magically opens.

Okay, I’ve been watching too many movies. But I’m not really sure what I’m looking for here.

Oh, I do remember seeing in one movie where they literally just pushed against the bookcase to open it, and behind it was a door leading to a secret room.

But would Kas really have a secret room? It seems a little farfetched, even for me.

He could have just sealed off the door for whatever reason and built a bookcase in front of it.

And if he had just told me that, then I wouldn’t be in here, snooping, right now.

He lied for a reason. And I want to know why.

Thinking I hear a noise, I glance behind me at the half-open door. Pausing, I hold my breath.

I left the door open, so it wouldn’t look suspicious if Kas came back, and I was in here with the door closed.

I wait a few seconds, but there’s nothing. Nothing but silence.

Looking back to the shelves, I sigh in frustration. There has to be something behind here. Something he’s hiding.

I put the duster down on his desk. Turning back to the bookcase, I run my hand over the shelves. Stopping at the end one, I firmly press my hand against it, seeing if there’s any movement.

But it doesn’t budge.

I move to the next stack and do the same. And I get the same result.

Frustration furrows my brow.

Am I being crazy here?

No, something is behind here. Something he doesn’t want me to see. I just know it in my gut.

And there are only two stacks left to check.

I move to the next bookcase, my heart picking up pace from the fear of being caught. Taking a deep breath, I press my palms flat to each side of the stack, and I push firmly.

Holy shit! It moved.

Only a little, but there was a definite give to the left.

My heart rate sets off like a racehorse, and my pulse starts to thrum in my ears.

I swallow nervously as I press my hands to the left side of the stack.

Okay, here goes nothing.

I give it a strong push.

And it clicks. Then, it opens.

Holy fucking fuck a duck! I was right!

I quickly glance over my shoulder, checking if I’m still alone.

Then, hands trembling, I curl my fingers around the edge of the now unlocked bookcase, and I ease it open.

And there it is.

The door.

The mothereffing door.

I fricking knew it!

Lying bastard Kas-hole.

I grind my teeth together in anger and contemplation.

My fingers are itching as I stare at the door.

Should I open it?

Yes.

No.

Yes.

I’ve come this far. Might as well go the whole way.

Flexing my fingers, my breathing hitched, I reach out and curl my hand around the doorknob.

I turn it, and…it’s locked.

Bugger.

I give it another turn, as though that will magically open the door, but it doesn’t open because it’s clearly locked.

I’m such a knobhead.

Bending at the waist, I stare at the doorknob. It needs a key to unlock it. One of those Yale keys that fits in the middle of the handle.

Closing my eyes in thought, I try to think if I’ve seen a Yale key anywhere, but I don’t recall anything.

Sighing, I open my eyes. All I remember is Kas locking this door with a key and putting it in his pocket.

He must keep it somewhere.

But where?

My eyes drift over to his desk.

I wonder if…

The back door opens and quickly slams shut, and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest.

Shit!

I quickly push the bookcase back in place, hearing the click, knowing I’ve locked it. Then, I dash over to Kas’s desk and pick up the duster. I start running over his desk and computer, like I’ve been cleaning it all along.

This is so obvious. I’m so obvious. I might as well have a sign on my forehead saying, Snoop.

I’m only dusting his computer, but I’ve broken out in a sweat, and I’m breathing like I’ve just run a marathon.

I need to calm down.

Ditching the duster, I grab the furniture polish and cloth. I spray some polish onto his desk and start rubbing at it as I force myself to calm down, taking slow deep breaths.

“Hey.”

I look up to see Kas standing in the doorway.

Liar.

“Hi.” I give him a bright smile, stopping what I’m doing.

His eyes drift over the room, like he’s checking it.

Looking for something, Kas-hole? Or worried I was?

Bastard.

“Is this okay?” I gesture to the cloth in my hand. “I thought I’d give your office a clean while you were out. I didn’t think it was still off-limits, but if—”

“Of course it’s fine.” His eyes smile warmly at me.

I stare back at him, and I can’t see anything off in his expression—not that I can usually tell what he’s thinking. He’s so closed off.

But his warm demeanor is telling me that he doesn’t suspect anything.

Maybe he just thinks I’m not smart enough to have seen through his lies.

Fucker.

Knowing that he underestimates how smart I am actually stings. And it pisses me off even more.

“I can’t believe I told you not to come in here. I was such a dick.” He walks over to me.

I put the cloth down and turn to meet him. He wraps his arms around my waist.

I hide my anger and try to act natural.

I’m not taking him to court over this until I know what’s behind that door.

Once I know, I’m going to kick his arse over lying to me. Depending on what I find, of course.

“Well, I’m not disagreeing with you. You were a dick.”

He grins down at me, and it leaves a warm feeling in my chest.

He’s a liar, Daisy. A big, fat liar. There’s a door behind that bookcase to prove it.

“I promise never to be a dick to you again.” He leans down and brushes his lips over mine. “Only to use my dick for pleasurable purposes when it comes to you.”

My vagina stands to attention.

Down, girl. We have a trickster in our midst.

“How’s the horse?” I ask. My words come out hoarse and husky. I might be pissed off at Kas, but my body likes him a lot, and apparently, all it takes is the mention of his cock to send me off to Sexville.

“It’s got laminitis. Cooper caught it early, which is good. The vet prescribed an anti-inflammatory. That’s why I came back—to grab my wallet. I’m heading to the vet’s office to pick up the prescription. Cooper’s going to stay with the horse. Do you want to come with me?”

“To the vet’s?” My lips purse. “But I’m working.”

“And I’m the boss, and the boss wants his girl to come with him.” He takes ahold of my ponytail and gives it a gentle tug.

His girl.

Crap. That totally would have melted me faster than ice in hot water if he’d said it to me pre-lie.

Okay, truthfully, I have melted a little. But I’m still mad.

Hopping mad in fact.

It’s just hard not to want him or warm to him, especially when I’m in his arms and he’s being all lovely and sweet.

Then, it suddenly occurs to me.

I could lose him. I might have to walk away from him. Because whatever it is that he’s hiding from me, it might be a game changer.

Do I really want to lose Kas?

No.

But I also don’t want to be a blind fool.

I have to know the truth, and the only way I’ll find out is of my own accord.

I’m doing this to protect myself. And Jesse.

I let him down due to a man once before. It won’t happen again.

“Well then, I guess the boss gets what he wants.”

“Good girl,” he murmurs.

He kisses me again. He starts to suck on my lower lip as his hands find my butt, and my body comes to life. My hands find their way around his neck, and I kiss him back, sucking on his tongue. He groans into my mouth.

I wind my fingers into the hair at the back of his head. He pulls me tighter into his body. And the kiss goes from sweet to molten in seconds.

My brain is sending out rapid bat signals, but my body’s totally ignoring them.

“God, I want you.” He breathes heavily. “Stay with me tonight. I missed you in my bed last night.”

His words make my heart skip a beat.

He missed me.

“But…I’m on my period, remember?” I surprise myself with my quickness to remember to lie. But then it’s not like I could say I had my period for a day, and it was done.

“Babe…I might want to fuck you right now—I always want to fuck you—but that’s not why I want you in my bed.” Kiss. “I want to sleep with you. Hold you. Wake up with you.”

Oh God.

I’m dying here. He’s being so goddamn sweet. It’s confusing me. He’s confusing me.

Why did you have to lie to me? I want to yell at him.

Of course I don’t say that.

He wants me to stay the night, and that means I’ll be here when he’s sleeping.

It was a rare chance that I got to be in Kas’s office without him here today. I don’t know when I’ll get that chance again.

But, if I’m here and he’s fast asleep…that would give a girl plenty of time to look around, for say, maybe a key that’d open a door hidden behind a bookcase.

God, when did I get so devious?

Probably around the time I found myself serving eighteen months for a crime I hadn’t committed.

Smiling up at him, I bite my lip. “Well, when you put it like that, how can a girl refuse?”

He smiles big, and it lights up his eyes. “So, you’ll stay the night?”

He looks so happy and boyish in this moment. I feel a stab of guilt.

Stop. I have nothing to feel guilty about. He did this. Not me.

If he’d been truthful with me from the start, then we wouldn’t be where we are right now. I wouldn’t be preparing to sneak around my man’s house in the dead of night, looking for a secret key to unlock a secret door.

Reaching up on my tiptoes, I press my lips to his, hiding my own deceit, and I whisper, “Yes.”