Page 65

Claire saton Dana’s couch, hugging her knees to her chest. Despite Jake’s intimidating warning, she hadn’t told him where she’d been or who she’d been with. Only that she’d slipped out for some air. “Sometimes I feel like I’m suffocating. I just need to get outside and breathe. I knew you’d tell me no,” she said to Jake. “So, I went out the window.”

Dana seemed appeased with Claire’s half-truth, but it was harder to tell with Jake. He’d eventually given up his questioning and followed Dana to her office.

Claire told herself she’d kept the truth from them for their own protection. If her plan fell through, plausible deniability would be the only thing to protect Jake and Dana’s careers. Despite what she had to do, she still cared about them.

At least that’s what she told herself.

But fear had also been a motivator. The trouble was, Claire didn’t know what she feared more. Jake’s anger, Dana’s disappointment, or what would happen if they found out the truth.

She watched Dana trying to console him through the gap in her office door. She’d no doubt left it open to keep an eye on Claire. But it also made it impossible for Claire to ignore the deepening intimacy between Jake and Dana.

The soft touches, the tense glances, the way they leaned into each other; it created an electrical charge that was uncomfortable to be around. Claire worried if she didn’t pretend to be oblivious to their undeniable chemistry it would ensure front row seats to an explosion of affection.

She should feel guilty—she was likely one of the problems keeping them apart—but she didn’t.

Her own problems were all that mattered now.

She was proud of herself for not caving under pressure. It was the first of many tests to come.