“Sorry, I didn’t check my phone.”
“Any leads on Jason?”
“Nah.” I tried to sound defeated.
Danny held me tighter, his breath tickling my
neck.
“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t pushed him to go hiking, he wouldn’t have disappeared.”
He sounded genuinely guilty.
Well, he would, if his tongue wasn’t tracing the
curve of my ear.
Danny was one of Jason’s closest buddies.
Since Jason’s “disappearance,” they’d been
playing good cop/bad cop.
Donny WOO ^n duty on the “romarcoful friend !!
45
<
8:06
Danny was on duty as the “remorseful friend.”
Jason didn’t seem to have a clue.
His buddy’s…remorse… was a little strange.
**3.**
Danny was born with a silver spoon in his
mouth.
His family had even more clout than Jason’s.
To everyone else, he was aloof,
unapproachable.
That’s what I thought, too.
Before all this, Danny and I had barely
exchanged a word.
After college, I landed a job.
45
<
8:06
45
Turns out, my company was part of the Danvers
Group.
Danny became my boss.
That made things even more awkward.
I got to know Danny a month ago.
Right after I found out Jason was missing, I fell
apart.
Danny felt guilty, being the one who talked
Jason into that hike.
He said he wanted to make it up to me, by
taking care of me for a while.
He was a little too attentive.
He’d make me breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
bring it to me himself.
<
I felt so awkward.
“Danny, it wasn’t your fault. Jason loves the
outdoors, he would have gone to that mountain
even without you.”
“His parents aren’t blaming you, and neither will
1.”
“Go back to work. I really don’t need you to…
Put that down!”
I lunged forward.
I snatched my bra from his hands.
“I can wash this myself!”
Danny looked serious.
“I get them cleaner. Are you sure you don’t
need my help?”
<
“Positive!”
I was too embarrassed to notice.
He was hiding his hands behind his back.
Rubbing them together.
How did I find out about Danny’s other side?
One night, I got up to use the bathroom.
Danny was still at my place.
I walked up to his door, and I saw…
He was shirtless, ripped.
Holding my lace bra.
The light made his muscles pop.
I freaked out.
And I made a noise.
Danny turned around.
He saw me.
He closed his eyes.
He let out a groan.
**4.**
I found out Danny’s secret.
And I got on his train.
I knew I should push him away.
I shouldn’t let him hold and kiss me.
<
8:07
I couldn’t help it.
When I was crying for Jason,
Danny was there.
((
45
And because I knew Jason was lying about
disappearing.
How could a son go missing,
and his parents not report it, and stop me from
doing so?
How could a group of friends do this, acting
like it was all fun and games?
These thoughts lead me to believe that Danny
was a part of this scheme.
I got back to the present.
<
Danny still didn’t let go of me.
“Did you make dinner? I’m starving.” I asked.
“Yeah, all your favorites.”
“Warm it up.”
“Sure.”
Danny turned around right away.
He didn’t seem to think I was being bossy.
After dinner, I took off my shirt.
“Wash this.”
Danny was shocked.
Even though I had busted him,
<
8:07
we hadn’t gone any further.
“Did you get anything on there?” I asked.
1
“…I washed everything, you can check.”
“Relax, I’m not blaming you.”
I looked Danny up and down.
Six foot one, perfectly built.
Way better than Jason.
“You might have to wash a skirt later too.”
“What?”
Danny looked down at me.
He didn’t understand.
I took off my clothes, and kissed him.
