Crown of Lies

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.” She swooned dramatically. “Did he ask you out? Wait, I thought Greg was your date?”

I pretended to enter a few numbers into my laptop. “I met him a few days before the party, but yes, we confirmed an arrangement last night.”

Fleur jumped up and down like a child. “An arrangement. What sort? A sexual sort? Look at you, you sexy minx. I demand you tell me everything.”

“Not until you tell him to leave.” I pointed at my door, laughing a little at her antics. “In fact, tell him I’m far too busy for the next four years, and even though my answer is yes, he’d better have the patience of a saint if he wants to see me again.”

Let’s see how he gets around that.

He wanted to play games. Well, I could make up a few rules as we went.

She giggled. “Whatever he did to you last night has done wonders for your sense of humor.” Moving toward the door, she grinned. “Finally, you’re learning how to have some fun.” She saluted me before vanishing out the door. “Leave it to me. Consider instigation with a new love interest in progress.”

I groaned under my breath as snippets of male voices sounded in the hallway then were cut off as Fleur closed the door, preventing more eavesdropping.

I probably shouldn’t have ordered her to tell Penn to wait four years. What if he took it seriously and left? As much as his personality appalled me, the thought of him leaving before delivering on his promises made me mildly sick.

Hating myself, I pushed away from my desk and tiptoed to the door. Pressing against it, I struggled to follow the conversation on the other side.

“You must be Steve Hobson?”

That voice...it was already so familiar—hardwired to my belly and gasoline for every hidden desire. The sly smoothness; the cocky deepness. It wasn’t fair he was handsome and spoke like a rascally poet. He might not be marriage material, but he definitely delivered on fantasy.

Penn wasn’t my future, but he could do very well for my present.

Steve’s voice flowed through my door. “Yes, I am. I’m Mr. Charlston’s oldest friend and colleague. You are?”

Without any hesitation and a lot of smugness, Penn said, “I’m Elle’s fiancé.”

My knees gave out.

What?!

I thought that lie was just for the girls at Palm Politics. He couldn’t go spreading such untruth around. My father would hear.