Free The Marriage Agenda by Sarah Ballance Page B

added, “Apparently he’s the only one allowed to get personal in here.”
    If only he would.
    Toby looked at Chloe and tipped his head toward Knox. “Have you done your research on him? Memorized his life story?”
    She wasn’t entirely sure he was joking. He seemed a stickler for details. “He graduated top of his class from Yale with a degree in political science. Served as a legislative staffer to a congressman friend of his father’s, which led to a position as his chief of staff, from which he currently has a leave of absence until this election is decided.”
    Not that she’d seen it online.
    “I never told you all of that,” Knox said. “Did I?”
    “It’s easy enough to look up.”
    “You should have told her,” Toby said to Knox. Then he turned back to Chloe. “You’ll need to know more than that,” Toby said. “Like you said, that part’s easy.”
    “Well, I know where his tickle spots are. Do you think that will come up?”
    Both men stared at her.
    Toby cleared his throat. “What about your marriage? You’ll need more intimate details.”
    “More intimate than tickle spots?” she asked.
    Knox spoke. “If Charlie tries to dig up proof I hired her to play my wife, he’ll just learn we dated for months prior to our marriage. When he makes that big announcement, he’ll help my campaign, not hurt it. For all intents and purposes, we look legit.”
    Toby’s brow rose. “If she knows your tickle spots, I’d say you’re a hair past legit.”
    “Are you here for a reason?” Knox asked.
    “Just dropping off paperwork,” Toby said, glancing at Chloe. “And now I’m going.”
    Knox shot a pointed look at Toby’s empty hands. “Okay, but are you actually dropping off paperwork?”
    “Yeah. My briefcase is in my car.”
    “I’ll walk you out.”
    “Yeah. Good night, Chloe.”
    “Bye,” she said, her eyes trained on Knox as he left the room. He was too personal? She didn’t know what to think of that. On one hand, of course he was. But Katherine thought him different, and now Toby. And if Chloe didn’t get over worrying about why it mattered, she’d torture herself.
    When Knox came back, he held a sheaf of papers and wore a slight frown. “I’m sorry about that.”
    “No worries. I kind of like the guy.”
    Knox frowned.
    “I need to catch up on some work,” she said. “Leave me a slice for later, okay?”
    “Sure.” His brow furrowed. “Something wrong?”
    Not something. Everything. “Nope. I just haven’t had my nose in my computer all day, and I feel a little lost. I need to make sure I haven’t missed anything important.”
    “Okay. If you need me for anything, just let me know.”
    There he went again. Not exactly the words of a man who didn’t care, but then again, he’d never said he didn’t care . He just said he wouldn’t love. And what did it matter? It was a complication with no place in a temporary relationship.
    It matters because you never got over him. And because you want to take the chance he’s giving you and destroy him with it. Maybe not literally, but if she proved his father was a crook, the fallout would do nothing less.
    She sighed and pushed open the door to her office. She’d made exactly two trips back to her apartment since they leased the house, which meant she was lacking most of her stuff. She hadn’t needed much—just her computer and some clothes—but now she wished she’d brought something familiar. Everything around her was either plush or shiny, and she had a feeling that would make it hard to concentrate on her job.
    Speaking of which, she hadn’t checked in with her editor in over two days. Beth probably didn’t miss her, but that wouldn’t exactly be good news. Chloe settled onto her desk chair and opened her laptop. The password screen came up just as Knox poked his head through the doorway. She automatically turned her computer away, a habit she’d gained from her days in a cubicle at the Tribune when having