Toxic Secrets by Jill Patten

I guess maybe I find that I just enjoy your company.” He smiled, showcasing his perfectly, white teeth and those dreamy dimples I was such a sucker for. “So… what’s on the agenda today?”
    His question was a great way to avert another revelation of his.
    “Work,” I deadpanned.
    “All day?”
    “No, not all day. Five until closing.”
    He stayed quiet for a moment, except for a little throat clearing. Feeling his eyes on me, I looked up from staring a hole into my coffee to find them studying me. Quickly, I looked away, not wanting to make eye contact. He took a sip from his coffee, then started, “Well, how about we go out for lunch before you go to work, my treat?”
    My first thought was what Phillip’s reaction would be if he saw me out with Jaxon. “I don’t know, Jaxon. Aren’t you sick of looking at me by now? I know I’m looking pretty close to death warmed over at this point.” I ran my fingers through my hair again, trying to untangle all the hair products Kendra swore was a necessity the night before.
    “To be honest, I think you look pretty damn sexy with the fucked-up hair.” He reached out to thread a few strands through his fingers. “I don’t think it’s possible for you to look ugly. Few people are born with natural beauty. It’s a rarity, but you are one of those few truly blessed,” he said in a low raspy voice, holding my eyes with his intense stare. He must’ve seen my face quickly flush because he released my eyes giving a crooked grin. “Don’t feel uncomfortable with my observations. I call it like I see it,” he said matter-of-factly. “I believe in pure honesty. Sugar-coating the truth only results in heartache later. So, as a fair warning, if you don’t want the God-to-honest truth about something, don’t ask me.” He raised his eyebrows, walking out of the kitchen into the living room with a take it or leave it attitude. I made a mental note to never lie to him. It was obvious the truth was something of importance to him.  Already, I started off on the wrong foot with him when I told my first fib this morning.
    Jaxon claimed his spot back on the couch hugging his coffee with both hands. “So we’re going to lunch, right?”
    Doing what I did best, I gave in without a fight. “Sure, but I need to call Kendra. I’m sure she’s been blowing up my phone, and I need to go home to shower and change.”

Chapter 9 ~ The Caretaker and the Dictator
    After a morning of true confessions with Jaxon, answering Kendra’s missed texts and phone calls, and Reed’s failed attempt at making us breakfast, I finally made it home. Jaxon had the bright idea for us to have lunch, but, having a better idea myself, I mentioned our plans to Reed and Kendra, inviting them to join us. Spending more time alone with Jaxon and his outlandish comments was not something I could endure twice in one day.
    As soon as I walked through the door I jumped in the shower. The bathroom door creaked as my mother poked her head in. “Kendra wants to know if you can meet them at one o’clock instead of twelve?”
    “Tell her that will be fine.” I could hear my mother repeating my words as she closed the door. Knowing her, she would keep Kendra on the phone, trying to find out who all “them” included.
    I loved my mother more than anything in this world, and we had that mother/daughter relationship most girls dream about, well… we used to. We had always been very close, if you excluded the past three and a half years. When Phillip and I started dating and became more serious, I pushed her out of my life to put him first. Our constant fighting and bickering was usually due to Phillip. She thought he was the devil, and I thought he was God. They always say moms know best, and it turned out everything she ever said about him was right. He was poison to my mind and soul, and I nearly drowned in his toxic love.
    Over the past month and a half, we had slowly built our relationship back up to where