Page 45 of The Toy Maker

Jason smiled and raised an eyebrow at my behavior. “Something on your mind?”

I groaned internally; it was the perfect opening. “Actually…” I forced myself to make eye contact. The gentle curiosity in hispale green eyes almost stopped my sentence in its infancy. “I don’t think I can test any more toys.”

I let the statement hang in the air between us.

He paused, processing my words. “Can I ask why?” He watched the expression twist on my face despite my best efforts to remain neutral.

“I just don’t think it’s for the best.” I struggled to find a reasonable excuse that couldn’t lead to more questioning. “I’m having a hard time hiding it from the other Cherries.” It wasn’t acompletelie. Kitty had nearly seen me on my way to the workshop several times. She was bound to find out sooner or later.

I was new to their world, but I knew they wouldn’t love that I had been lying by omission.

Jason nodded. “I understand.” His eyes lingered on me, as if that could change my mind. But he didn’t try to convince me otherwise.

“Good.” I tried not to show my disappointment in his acceptance.

Our arrangement, after all, was only a business deal.

“Do you think you can test one more toy for me today?” he asked before I could gather the strength to walk out. “Since you’re already here.”

I clutched the fabric of my sleeve inside a fist. “Yeah, that should be fine.”Why wouldn’t it be? He thinks hiding it is the issue.“What toy is it today?”

He grinned. “It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll enjoy it.”

I bit my lip while he explained the mechanics behind the toy. The gleam in his eyes rooted my feet in place. Ending our arrangement was the only smart choice. Because even after I stepped out of Pink Cherrie at the end of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about him. About the teasing lilt in his voice, and the way he looked at me like he knew exactly how to unravel me.

If I didn’t end things now, I wasn’t sure I ever would.

EIGHTEEN

He ledme to the back room where I spent most of my time since the toy unveiling. I slipped off my coat and draped it over the chair by the door, buying myself a few extra seconds to steady my thoughts while Jason set up the toy that was meant to change my mind.

“So,” he started, and I already knew I wouldn’t like where this was going, “what’s the real reason that you want to stop?”

My fingers twitched. I frowned, narrowing my eyes to cover the panic creeping up my throat. “I told you.”

“You told mepartof the reason.” He watched panic set into my eyes. “But you didn’t tell me all of it.”

I opened my mouth but then shut it back tight.If I told him the truth, he could reject me. And that was a risk I wasn’t sure I could take.

Jason exhaled. “I’d appreciate it if you were just honest with me.” The softness in his tone made me wonder whether I could actually tell him the truth. The thought alone was enough to unzip my lips and force out the words.

“I don’t think I can keep doing… what we’re doing and stay professional.”

One of his dark brows arched, amused and equally cocky. “Who said we have to stay professional?”

I blinked, unsure whether I’d heard him correctly. “What?”

“I never said that, did I?”

The air shifted. My mouth parted, but only a small, strangled sound came out. Jason caught it, caught me, and took it as an answer. But he wasn’t done yet.

“Why can’t you stay professional?” he asked.

My head hurt; he knewdamn wellwhy I couldn’t. My resounding silence gave him the opportunity to voice his own opinion.

“Is it because of what I said at the toy unveiling?” He took a slow step closer, his eyes locked on mine. My gaze darted away, but he wasn’t letting me off the hook that easily. “Or because you can’t stop thinking about how you want it to be true?”

My breath hitched and heat crawled up my neck. I should be able to control myself, to prohibit myself from forming an attachment to him, but I had been failing miserably.