who you screw, Brad.”
“I miss—”
“But I do care that you continue to screw with my life,” I plow forward.
He smooths down his tie and sits back in his desk chair. “Tiger, honey.”
“Don’t you honey me.” Oh, my gosh, my blood pressure must be through the roof. I take several breaths to try to regulate it, but it’s no use. This man and his meanness have cut the line on my self-control. “I know you tampered with the grant application for the rec center.”
Right there. Just a quick flash of guilt, but I caught it.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Liar.”
“Tiger, if you’d just calm down and get your emotions in check, then we could have a civilized conversation. You’re quite hysterical.”
“Dude,” Cash murmurs and shakes his head. The you’re an idiot is implied.
“Shut up, King. Nobody cares what you have to say.” Brad sounds like an elementary school kid who’s about to go tattle to the teacher.
Cash laughs. “You’re right. I’d much rather hear what Tiger has to say.”
“Brad, the application was denied because it was incomplete.”
“Tiger, I warned you that the project might be over your head. But don’t feel bad, it’s easy to miss things on those documents.” The man behind the desk shakes his head like he’s sorrier than he can say. “It’s a mistake anyone could’ve made.”
The fake indulgence in his expression makes me want to jump across the desk and punch him in the nose. “The application was perfect when I left it with Marie.” I point at him. “Perfect.” I will not let this bonehead gaslight me one more time. “It was tampered with after I left it at your office. I want to know why.”
“Honey, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Honestly, I wish I could take some of the blame for you, but I just can’t. I didn’t touch the application.”
I step back and bounce on my toes like a boxer getting ready to go into the ring. “You’re a liar.” I stare at him. He’s such a masterful deceiver that he really believes what he’s saying. He’ll never admit it. I’m just wasting my breath.
“No, I’m not.” A calculating look comes into his eyes, and he glances at Cash, then back to me. “If only you had all the money you needed at your disposal.” He smooths his tie down. “It’s a shame you—”
“Let’s go, Cash.” He’s alluding to my trust fund, and while I don’t think he’d risk my parent’s anger by talking about it in front of Cash. I’m not taking any chances.
A snake oil salesman’s grin slithers across Brad’s face. “Tiger, are you embarrassed—”
“Shut up, Brad.”
“What about the other thing?” Cash asks, still kicked back in his chair.
I know he’s talking about Brad telling everyone we’re a couple.
“What other thing?” Brad looks between us. Thankfully the suggestion that Cash and I have a secret seems to have distracted him from outing me about my trust fund.
“Nothing.” I turn to Cash and extend my hand. “You ready?”
His smile tells me he knows what I’m up to. “Yeah.”
“What thing?” Brad whines, but we ignore him.
Cash stands and places his hands on my face. The slightest wink is all the warning I get before his lips touch mine. Time stops, and are those angels singing somewhere? Cash’s mouth is closed, there’s no tongue, he’s not tasting me or plundering my mouth, and yet it’s the best kiss I’ve ever had.
Good Lord, Cash King is a face holder.
Brad’s indignant intake of air makes me want to take a victory lap around the room.
“Excuse me.” The barely restrained fury in the mayor’s voice cuts through my blissful haze.
Cash pulls back ever so slightly. “You good?”
“Mmmm.”
He presses his lips together like he’s trying not to laugh. It’s probably because of the blissed-out look that I know adorns my face. Hopefully he’ll think it’s an act, but it’s not.
Not. At. All.
I need to be careful, because my libido could get me into some serious trouble with this man.
“You two can leave now.”
I glance at the man who I wasted years of my life on and feel nothing but regret.
Cash slips his arm around my shoulders. “Watson, I know you’re lying about the application, but it doesn’t matter, because I’m going to make sure Tiger gets the money she needs to save the center. So you lose.” His eyes eat me up with their intensity. The lips that were just on mine turn up at the corners. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Okay.”