Sex, Lies and Her Impossible Boss. Jennifer Rae

nodded and left, clicking the door shut quietly behind her. When she left, the room seemed darker and eerily quiet. Silence. That was what Cash had said he wanted, but as she turned to him he looked anything but comfortable.

      ‘I think I’ve seen enough.’ He unfolded his tightly wound arms and moved towards the door but Faith moved quicker. She laid a hand on his exposed forearm and felt his dark hairs tickle her palms.

      ‘Wait, not yet.’ She needed him to understand. She needed him to see what this was about and why people needed to know. ‘Let’s just take a little look around.’

      In the little light they had down here, Cash looked taller, darker and angrier. Faith shivered. His scowl should have frightened her, but it didn’t. It was making her feel soft and almost liquid. She let go of his skin and moved to the leather-covered massage table at the side of the room.

      ‘This is the “whipping table”,’ she explained and he moved a little closer to inspect it.

      ‘Sounds barbaric.’

      ‘Nothing happens down here that you don’t want to. There are rules to make sure everyone’s safe.’

      ‘Whipping someone for pleasure doesn’t sound safe to me.’

      His arms were twisted again and his face still hard. Faith’s stomach flipped. She recognised the feeling. Desire. She’d felt it before. Plenty of times. It wasn’t unusual to feel desire for a handsome man. But not her boss, not Cash. And not here.

      She moved away from the table and to the cage that stood in the corner. It was big enough for two and when she’d come to Miss Kitty’s party there were two scantily clad women inside, kissing and licking and working themselves up into a frenzy. Faith stepped in. It was a small space and she felt fear for a moment, before turning to meet the eyes of Cash, who was watching her. Who hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

      ‘Safety is about trust. When you trust someone, you let them do things you wouldn’t normally,’ she said as he stepped closer and watched her through the bars.

      ‘It’s very dangerous to trust someone,’ Cash said, his eyes narrowing.

      He moved closer to the door and placed his hands either side of the opening. His presence there made Faith’s heart speed up. He still looked big and angry. Definitely not safe.

      ‘If you don’t trust anyone, you can never be yourself. Isn’t that exhausting? Putting on a face? Trying to keep everyone at arm’s length?’ she asked.

      ‘I am myself. I don’t pretend to be anyone else.’

      ‘But you’re worried about trusting someone. Why?’

      Faith watched a shadow fall across Cash’s face. A shadow that made his eyes go dark and his lips clamp together. ‘Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?’

      Faith stepped back as Cash finally stepped into the cage. It was only a small space. Just enough room for two. He wasn’t touching her but she could feel the heat from his chest against hers.

      ‘I’m a journalist. That’s what I do.’

      ‘A good journalist listens—they don’t talk.’ His voice had deepened dangerously and Faith felt it vibrate around her. He filled the space with his body and his heat and his voice. Faith felt a little overwhelmed by it, by him. Something was happening as she stood watching him. Here in this dark space she felt less like herself. Bolder. Braver and a little out of control. She lifted her hands to grip the bars on either side of her and tilted her chin.

      ‘I’m listening now.’ His face was inches from hers, his dark eyes intent on hers, not moving—not even to watch her talk. He was looking into her and something warm and a little reckless washed over her. Trust. She trusted him. Carefully she moved her hands and splayed them across his chest. It was hard and tense. She shifted her fingers, massaging—trying to loosen him up, relax him. She wanted him to melt a little, as she was.