Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet #1) by Pepper Winters

Author:Pepper Winters [Winters, Pepper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance
Publisher: Pepper Winters
Published: 2017-01-31T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

THE NEXT DAY, I went to work as if nothing had happened.

As if everything at the Palm Politics was a figment of my imagination.

As if I hadn’t come or given Penn any part of myself.

I still hated him.

But my body...it wants more.

Fleur handed me my meeting minutes, and I performed my duty in two conference calls like normal.

But nothing was normal.

I couldn’t stop replaying what had happened. Where the hell did Penn go after he’d taken what he wanted...or was that given? He’d given me an orgasm without expecting one in return. He’d sent me home rather than kidnapped me to his place.

Had he gone home?

Had he found some other stupid woman to fall for his corrupted charm?

I hated that I wondered.

He was nothing more than sex. We’d agreed to that. I’d been the one to stipulate it.

So why does it leave a sour taste in my mouth?

As the day wore on, I itched to research him. To find out who he was, who Stewie was to him, who the mysterious Larry was. What did he do for work? Where did he live? What had he told my father in the gin bar?

He left me with more questions than Nameless did.

I didn’t know how to contact him. I didn’t know how to tell anyone what had happened. He’d done exactly what he said and controlled me without trying.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, my heart was ragged from fretting and my insides tight and jumpy. I couldn’t stop imagining how I’d next bump into him and what he would make me do.

Would I say yes?

Would I say no?

Would he even give me a choice?

Those two daydreams caused twitchy anxiety to infiltrate my blood.

I stared blankly at my computer screen, dying for a distraction from both work and Penn when Fleur stuck her head into my office. “Um, there’s someone here to see you.”

Instantly, my body screamed yes. All while my mind bellowed no.

Then rationale took over.

It can’t be.

How could he gain access to my building? Why didn’t he call to tell me he was coming? Security wouldn’t just let him up unless I’d cleared his name, which I hadn’t.

My libido leaped at the thought of him, but self-preservation flipped into CEO mode. Last night had been terrifying in both good and terrible ways. He had a habit of making me forget myself and spinning lies I couldn’t unscramble.

I couldn’t have him on my turf. “Tell him I’m too busy. Either take his phone number, and I’ll call him when it’s convenient, or he’ll have to make an appointment off site.”

Take that, Penn.

“Do you know who it is?” Fleur asked, suspicion bright on her adorable, pixy face. “Why are you acting weird?”

“Weird? I’m not weird.”

“I didn’t say you were weird. I said you’re acting weird.” She fiddled with an orange button on her burnt sunshine dress. “What’s his name?”

“Who?”

“The man you’re avoiding.”

“Who said—”

“Spit it out, Elle.”

I chewed a smile. “Penn Everett.”

Fleur inched closer, her eyes wide. “Did you meet him last night at the party? Oh, I knew you should've gone.

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