Lexie Read Online Free PDF

horrified as she was, she kept her head high and her footsteps even. It took forever for her to get to the privacy of her office, but when she did, she closed the door behind her.
    Air. It was the topmost thing on her mind. Leaning back against the door, she sucked oxygen into her lungs. It hurt.
    Everything hurt.
    Away from all the hot looks and disapproving frowns, her composure threatened to crumble. She’d spent her life trying so hard to gain her father’s approval. And for what? He hadn’t even been willing to listen to her. It didn’t matter if it was her on that billboard or not. She bet it would have mattered if it was Tara or Blaire. The lawyers would already be on it.
    Besides, Tara would have loved to have her pouty puss up there.
    Sounds from the offices crept through the door, making Lexie grimace. People were still talking. Everyone had witnessed her humiliation. Even the computers and printers were hissing and clacking away about it. Only it wasn’t her! Why wouldn’t anyone believe her?
    She jumped when a knock sounded just opposite of her head.
    “Lexie?”
    Oh God. The voice drifted practically into her ear. Cameron Rowe. Damn it all to high heaven. She fumbled for the lock, but the handle was turning. The door started to swing open but instead thumped against her.
    It was the kick in the drawers she needed. Self-conscious, she wiped her hand across her cheeks but found them dry. Behind her, the door opened more carefully.
    She was already halfway across the room to her desk. Grabbing her catchall bag, she pushed her armful of proposals into it.
    Rowe stepped into the room, his dark eyes intense. “Are you okay?”
    The words to get him to leave died on her lips. Okay? No, she wasn’t okay.
    “Not really.” It was no use lying.
    A muscle twitched in his jaw, and he closed the door behind him. Trapping her. Trapping them.
    Lexie pulled her purse out of the drawer. Opening it, she began searching for her keys. He was in her space again, and she didn’t like it any better than she had last night. He liked to close in whenever she was vulnerable.
    Just like the wolf he was.
    He crossed the room, watching her so hard she felt the heat. He didn’t stop until he was straight across the desk from her. “That never should have been handled that way.”
    Yet it had been. Somehow she wasn’t surprised.
    He braced his hands flat on the oak surface. “Which one of them did it?”
    Her head snapped up. Had she been that transparent?
    “You know what I’m talking about. You suspect one of them. Which. One? ”
    Tara or Landers. The answer popped into her head, but she refused to let it cross her lips. Lowery had just looked green—although he was the computer geek and had the skills to pull off something of this caliber.
    “Damn it, Lexie. Why didn’t you say something?”
    “Accuse them?” she said with a disbelieving laugh. “In front of my father?” Yeah, that would have gone over well. She returned her attention to her purse. “You heard him, it doesn’t matter if it’s me or not.”
    “That’s bullshit. Of course, it matters.”
    She pinned Rowe with a look, upset and angry enough to challenge him back. “I would think this would make things simple for you. Wasn’t it last night that you were warning me I was about to be let go?”
    “That has nothing to do with this,” he practically snarled. “Besides, nothing is ever simple with you.”
    No, things between them were definitely getting more complicated by the minute.
    “Well, just so you know, it wasn’t me,” she said. “I wasn’t lying in there.”
    “I know.”
    “Really?” For some reason, she couldn’t let it go. “Then why did you ask me to explain the connection to Underhill?”
    His head dipped for a long second then he rolled his neck until he stared out the window. The city was bustling outside, unaware of all the drama going on twelve floors up. “I was told it was you. I didn’t check close enough to make