I laugh out loud.
Ava: Yep, we should.
Sebastian texts again, asking if I have weekend plans. I’m still waiting for Nadine to answer, but she doesn’t write anything back, so I assume her appointment arrived. I toss my smartphone in my bag, unsure what to tell Sebastian. Then I fish it back out, and type to Nadine, I know Sebastian’s hot, but I have to keep my distance. There’s my work clause, and other things, like my crappy experiences with men, the fact that I’m not a one-night-stand kind of girl, and that I’m here for a few months only.
I press Send. She’ll read it whenever she has time, though if I’m honest, I wrote it more for myself. To my surprise, the phone buzzes right away.
I can work with that.
Frowning, I’m about to ask her what she means, when I realize I haven’t sent the text to Nadine. I sent it to Sebastian.
Ground, swallow me now, please. Well, the list of embarrassing things I do around Sebastian has gotten longer and it’s only my second week here. Tugging at my lower lip with my teeth, I assess the damage, preparing a reply.
This wasn’t meant for you—DELETE.
I don’t think you—DELETE.
Damn. What do I write back? Drawing in a lungful of air, I close my eyes, trying to clear my head. Unfortunately, all my mind comes up with is an image of Sebastian, looking ridiculously hot in his suit. I start wondering what he looks like naked.
Ava: I’m not a business project, Sebastian.
He doesn’t reply right away. My stomach twists as I wait, holding my breath.
Sebastian: No, you’re a smart, sexy woman I can’t stop thinking about.
To address your concerns:
1. I’m not like the men you’ve met.
2. I’m not the “one-night-stand type” either.
3. I can’t make time stop yet, but I can give it a try.
See? All things we can work with.
I smile. I can’t help it as warmth spreads along my nerve endings. This man knows how to charm. Despite everything, I want to let myself be whisked away, even if only by his words. I’m about to type back when Sebastian strolls into my office, sporting a grin the size of Texas.
“So,” I say.
“So,” he replies.
Pulling my eyebrows together, I say with a businesslike tone, “I’m confused by point one in your message. Please expand. How are you not like the men I’ve met?”
Sebastian crosses the room to me.
“Well, for one, I’m much better looking.” To his credit, he looks me straight in the eyes as he says this. Also to his credit, he definitely is much sexier.
With all the confidence I can muster, I reply, “You don’t know that.”
“I’m fairly certain.”
Grinning, I huff out a breath, straightening in my chair. “My God, you do have a giant ego.”
“You said I deserved it.” Sebastian leans into me, as if to make a point.
Of course, having him so close whips my breath away. Still, somehow I manage to reply, “A mistake I shall not repeat.”
Seeming to realize his effect on me—and very satisfied by it, judging by his conceited smile—he pulls back. “You didn’t say anything about the other points.”