"Goodness, no. Despite his devastatingly good looks, he's not my type. Anyway, I'm dying to hear why you sent the drink back?"
There is something she isn't telling me, but I'll let it rest for now. After our next workshop, we are going to sit down and talk stuff through. I don't want us to hide stuff from each other. Heidi strolls back as I recount the road rage incident and our accidental encounter at the fetish shop this afternoon, but purposefully leave out some bits of the conversation, like Sebastian calling me pet and bratty sub. Katie listens patiently, her mouth falling open in stunned shock when I'm done.
"Shut the front door! From what I've heard, no one dares to defy him and you did it twice. No wonder you piqued his interest. Good luck, girl." Her eyes glint with a knowing smile.
I have a feeling he's the type of man that plays dirty and won't stop until he gets what he wants. Part of me relishes the thrill of the chase, which would make surrendering to him even more exciting. I snap my head in Heidi's direction, glaring at her with a mock accusation.
"How could you? Why?" She shrugs her shoulders, tilting her lips in a sheepish grin.
"You'll never believe it. He used a Jedi mind trick on me. He approached me after you stormed off, asking for your cell number. Not to brag, but his mind trick didn't work on me. I won." Her face becomes super animated, eyes growing wide, cheeks flushing crimson, and her voice increasing an octave as she recounts their conversation. It's almost comical.
"You won?" I cock my head, not quite believing what I'm hearing. Katie raises her brow in a wide arch, her gaze darting between me and Heidi.
"Damn right, I did, girlfriend. I didn't give him your number, instead I told him to come here tonight and ask you himself." She bumps her shoulder with mine. I don't have the heart to burst her bubble. He got what he wanted. I purse my lips in a petulant pout.
"You should've asked me first, Heids." She expels a deep sigh.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, babe. What I'm going to say now might sound completely insane, but he radiated weird energy that made me feel safe and comfortable, like I could trust him." She frowns with genuine puzzlement, then continues, "So I thought, why not? As your best friend, I think it's time for you to get back on the horse, babe." Heidi's eyes light up with mischief.
I take a deep, pained breath, feeling bad for being a shitty friend. She meant well, but there is no way I could get involved with him or anyone else after everything that happened with Nathan. Not when I'm still working hard on putting myself back together.
"Let's forget about it and have a great night. Maybe we could go dancing." She nods, giving me a massive grin.
"I'm up for it. There are a couple of good clubs nearby," Katie declares.
While the girls decide where we should go, my eyes catch Sebastian sauntering in our direction. My heart raps against my ribs, threatening to burst out of my chest. Fuck! I need to get out of here. Excusing myself, I leap to my feet and dash straight to the restroom. Thankfully, it's empty. Air escapes through my flared nostrils. Calm the fuck down, Allie. Sebastian is a domineering and super intense guy, which scares the shit out of me. What if I lose myself again like I did with Nathan? When I love someone, it's easy for me to put the needs of the other person above mine. For goodness' sake, just because he sent you a drink doesn't mean he wants to be with you. Stop getting ahead of yourself. I use the facilities, wash my hands and step outside.
Sebastian leans against the wall opposite the restroom with his hands in his pockets. My pulse speeds up as my gaze drinks in his over six-foot frame clad in a tailored black shirt and pants. He is the epitome of the God of the Underworld—dark, dangerous and devastatingly sexy. The rolled-up sleeves expose his toned, tattooed forearms, accentuating his broad chest and shoulders, lighting up every inch of me. His dispassionate face is all sharp angles, with high cheekbones and a chiseled jawline that could cut glass. I imagine myself melting, sliding on the floor in a puddle of overactive hormones and liquid lust. Get yourself together before you end up in the second circle of Hell. Mr. Dominant snaps his head in my direction, cutting my ogling short. I consider walking away, but a warning frown darkens his face, stopping me in my tracks. My gaze stays locked on him as he stalks towards me like a panther on the prowl. He draws near me, close enough to kiss me if he wants. His sweet, earthy scent envelops me, making me feel delirious with the desire to rip his clothes off right here, right now. I suck in a sharp breath to ground myself.
"I see you still haven't found anyone else to stalk. What exactly do you want from me?"
"Are you always this bratty, or are you playing it up just for my benefit?" He cocks his head, his granite gray eyes drilling holes into mine. I lower my gaze as a burst of heat runs through my body.
"Eyes on me, pet." His deceptively soft voice comes out as a threatening whisper, making my knees weak and forcing my eyes to snap back to his.
Damn!All he needs to do now is give me a treat for being a good girl. My blood simmers with a mixture of lust and irritation in my veins.
"Are you always a dominant jackass, or do you just show off when I'm around?" I give myself a mental high five for keeping my voice cool and tempered.
Sebastian tips his head backward and roars in laughter. The image of the palm of my hand connecting with his freshly shaved, handsome face dances in my mind's eye. I clench my hands to stop myself from smacking him.
"You are a delightful little sub. I can't wait to play with you, kitten." I shoot him a glacial glare.
The idiot flashes an amused grin, showing off his annoyingly pearly white teeth. Why is he so freaking perfect? He might have a small cock, Allie. I chuckle inwardly even though I have a feeling even his cock is probably perfect.
"In your dreams. Anyway, what part of "I'm not a submissive, don't you understand?" A cocky smirk defines the laugh lines around his mouth that I'd secretly love to ravage me. I shake my head to dispel the ludicrous thought.
"Oh, but you are, pet. Trust me, I'm never wrong." His dark smooth voice sends shudders down my spine. The submissive in me raises her head, nodding in agreement. Down, girl. Even if he is right, I won't yield. Part of me enjoys riling him up.
"I've neither the time nor crayons to explain it to you in a way you can understand." His stormy eyes level me with a dark glare, chilling me to the bone.
"You can lie to yourself as much as you want, but your body doesn't lie, pet. Your reaction when you were caressing the flogger told me everything I needed to know." He brushes his long fingers across my cheek in the same way I caressed the flogger. I bite my lip as heat uncurls in my abdomen, making my panties wet. Crap!
"This conversation is going nowhere. I need to go back before my friends send a search party." Sebastian snorts a laugh, obviously finding our exchange amusing.
He whips out his wallet from the back pocket, takes out a business card and hands it to me. I hold it for a moment, contemplating if I should return it or keep it. Don't be rude, Allie.
"When you're ready, come and find me. It will be my pleasure to train you, little sub." He tips his head and wanders off, leaving me with my mouth hanging open.
I march back like a soldier, my gaze focused on our table to stop me from peering at Sebastian. I shove his card in my clutch bag while Heidi and Katie are distracted with taking a selfie. After finishing our drinks, we head off to The Cloud Nine, which thankfully is only a few blocks away. The party is in full swing when we arrive at the club. We laugh, drink, and dance the night away.