Page 96 of Kiss and Tell

“You need to tell someone,” Connor said. “You can’t keep letting him do this to you.”

“I did.” The fury in my voice died, replaced by an arctic chill. “They didn’t believe me.”

Connor inhaled sharply, then shook his head.

“I’m sorry,” he told me.

But I had no time for his apologies. “I can’t believe you told Jessie.”

“I didn’t mean to.” He held a hand out, trying to soothe me, trying to console.

I wanted none of it.

“I told you how important it was to keep this a secret.” I stalked away from him toward the kitchen. “And now people know, just like I was afraid they would. My boss basically told me outright she couldn’t protect me from the damage to my reputation if word got out.”

“But there’s no proof, right?” Connor said. “That Peter guy doesn’t know anything for sure. You said the meeting was just a warning.”

“Just a warningfor now.”

Connor stood still.

“So what are you going to do?” he asked.

His tone was even, but there was worry, fear, and even a hint of frustration beneath the words.

I stared at him.

“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. “I think maybe…”

Connor’s brows drew down into a frown. I hugged my bag to myself. I still hadn’t set it down. I hadn’t even taken my shoes off. I lowered my eyes to the floor.

“Maybe we need to take a break,” I said quietly.

Silence filled the room. The only sound was our breathing — and Connor’s was turning heavy.

“I thought you said I was worth the risk,” he finally said.

I chanced a look up at him. His dark eyes gleamed, full of bitterness and pain.

“You were,” I told him. His eyes narrowed. “You are,” I corrected. “But—”

“No.” He cut me off with a wave of his hand. “There’s nobut. Either I’m important to you or I’m not.”

“You are important to me,” I insisted. “But I’ve worked so hard to get where I am.”

“And there’s thatbutagain.”

“I’m not saying we need to break up.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re saying?” he shot back. “We take a break until when? Until you finish the job? Until you get that promotion? Until you get the courage to leave for another company?”

“Maybe,” I said softly.

“And how long is that going to take?”

“I don’t know.”

“Great,” Connor snorted.