Free Dirtiest Lie by Cleo Peitsche Page B

suits him. That falsehood was something else that my sister and I served nicely for: making him the grieving father raising his two orphaned granddaughters on his own. Who wouldn’t trust such a kind and selfless man?
    My bosses are right, however.
    I am trying to protect him, though not for the reasons they might imagine. I don’t owe him any loyalty. It’s my sister I’m trying to insulate.
    And, it must be admitted, shielding her comes with the added benefit of protecting myself.
    We’re standing in a round room with a set of stairs off to my left. There are some desks, some computers that look like they haven’t been booted up in years. Though nothing is dusty, so I suppose someone visits regularly.
    “After you,” Romeo says, extending his arm to indicate that I should climb the narrow metal stairs.
    My hand wrapped tightly around the banister, I begin to climb. Romeo follows quietly, and it reminds me of when I was at my grandfather’s mansion, climbing up to my parents’ old room.
    This, of course, is completely different, so I’m not sure why my mind makes the connection.
    The staircase wraps around tightly. At the top is a door, which is open.
    “Go through,” Romeo says.
    I hesitate. “There’s no light.”
    He leans around me to flip on a switch. A tepid yellow glow shines from tracking inlaid at the floor’s perimeter. The room itself is round. Toward one edge is an enormous telescope, taller than Romeo and thicker around. It looks like something from a science fiction movie.
    Astronomy isn’t one of my interests, but I can’t help but be drawn to the instrument. Squinting, I align myself with the eyepiece. The telescope itself smells faintly of polished metal.
    The stars are like glowing paint that someone flicked on a black canvas. “I see astronauts walking around on the moon,” I say.
    “That’s not the most ridiculous thing to come out of your mouth,” Hawthorne says, his tone warm.
    Someone’s hands settle on my hips. I don’t know who it is, but when his grip tightens, a flutter runs through me. Willing him to press his body against mine doesn’t work, and I finally straighten.
    It’s Slade.
    I turn in his arms, my hips brushing his erection. A corner of his mouth lifts, as does one of his eyebrows, though briefly, before his face settles into a light smile. I can smell the red wine on his breath, and the tip of my tongue flicks out to moisten my lips as I raise my gaze to his.
    With the faint yellow light throwing shadows across his handsome, aristocratic face, and in this strange location, I feel like I’m in a hazy dream.
    “I almost had the observatory torn down,” he says, “but seeing you in here, your ass thrust out while you looked through the telescope… Let’s just say that you could inspire a new wave of interest in astronomy.”
    “There’s probably more money in astrology,” I say.
    “Minor details.” While he speaks, he lightly pulls me against him so that his long, thick erection presses across my stomach. If only our clothes would disappear. I can feel him breathing, too, and I want to wrap my arms around his neck and move until our bodies are closer together.
    Romeo steps behind me, pushing me deeper into Slade’s arms. I feel my boss run his lips from just below my ear down to my shoulder.
    Instantly, my pussy gets wet, and when I feel the bulge of Romeo’s massive cock pressing into my back, I start to tremble with need and anticipation.
    He kisses his way back to my ear. His skin is hot, his touch confident, his body powerful and hard.
    “Not yet,” he murmurs into my ear. I have to be still to hear him, which makes me relax against his body even more. Sandwiched between two of my bosses, I feel all my worries slipping away—even if Romeo is going to make me wait.
    I know that in the end, it will be worth it. It always is.
    He nibbles my earlobe, then raises his head. “I need a few minutes alone with Lindsay. Five minutes.”
    Slade captures my