His expression stayed neutral.“No, Chloe, I’m not.”
“You so are!”
He crossed his arms.“What Iamdoing is making sure your sister doesn’t latch on to me and ask questions you don’t want her asking.”
She groaned and dragged both hands over her face.“She’s going to tell everyone.”
“Good,” he said, unbothered.
Her hands dropped.“Good?”
“Better to have a consistent backstory.”He paused.“Plus, it keeps her off me.”
Chloe sputtered.“She’s not that bad.”
Kayne arched a brow.“She tried to climb me like a human ladder.”
Chloe made a strangled sound that might have been mortification.Or laughter.Possibly both.“She’s just ...friendly.”
“Sure,” he murmured.“Friendly.”
Her cheeks flushed hotter.It was impressive, as if he was watching dawn break across her skin.“You okay?”he asked softly.
She lifted her chin with heroic denial.“I’m fine.”
He smiled unhelpfully.“You don’t look fine.”
“I’m not flustered.”
“You are.”
“I am not.”Her voice cracked.“I’m busy.”
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m sorting papers.”
“You’re sorting the same paper.”
She glanced down, made a helpless little sound, dumped the stack onto the desk, and backed up until she bumped into the wall of plants behind her.
Kayne tried, he truly did, not to enjoy how adorable she looked when she was cornered.He failed spectacularly.
“Look,” she said, breathless.“You can’t just say things like that.”
“You wanted a cover story,” he reminded her.“I gave us a good one.”
“There are levels, Kayne.”
He shrugged.“I picked the most effective one.”
“You said we were a couple!”
He took one step closer.He wasn’t touching her, not yet.But he was close enough that her breath hitched anyway.
“And you didn’t deny it.”
Her mouth fell open.“I—because—Danica—”
