After I get back to the ballroom, Jared never says a word about Sebastian. As a matter of fact, once I murmur that I was in the restroom, sheer relief scrolls across his face. Like he’s genuinely worried for me. Clasping my hand, he leads me over to meet his dark-haired assistant who had helped him out with scheduling earlier.
“Natalia, I’d like you to meet Kayla. We’ve assigned her as your handler. She will attend all of the functions with you this week. Her job is to assist you in any way she can, from getting you coffee, water, food, to making sure that your signing table is set up the way it should be. She’ll open books to the right page, take the pictures of you with fans and make sure readers abide by the one book per customer parameters we’ve set. Trust me, your hand will be glad we instituted that rule. That way everything will run smoothly.”
As Kayla leans over to shake my hand, it feels like I’m trying to hold onto a limp noodle. But I do get a great view of her boobs on full display in her red dress. Eh, at least the color matches the red bottoms of her designer shoes. We all need to accessorize, right? Hmm, long black wavy hair, a tight dress that leaves nothing to the imagination, mile-high designer heels, and perfectly manicured nails. And this girl is willing to gofer for me for the next few days? Maybe if I looked like Sebastian. “It’s nice to meet you, Kayla.”
A wide smile on her face, she dips her head in a slight bow. “It’ll be my honor to help you in any way I can, Miss Lone.”
When she gazes up at me, her light brown eyes full of sincerity, I suddenly feel like a royal bitch making snap judgments about her. Questionable business attire and wimpy handshake aside, once she starts talking about tomorrow’s event and how the schedule will work, I kind of warm up to her.
The rest of the evening, Jared is so attentive he never leaves my side. His constant companionship annoys Nathan so much—I can tell my ex wants to get me alone—that I end up laughing and grinning at anything my assistant editor says just to irritate Nathan more. What is the point in bringing up what he did? I’m sure in his mind he was protecting me somehow by telling Jared about Sebastian and me. Truthfully, acting cheerful and upbeat isn’t that easy, because I still don’t have any idea who told Jared about my drug dealing past. That’s one of many things from my past Nathan doesn’t know. Since Jared doesn’t bring it up again, I’m not going to remind him that I never answered his question.
By the time midnight rolls around, I can’t wait to head up to my room for some peace and quiet. I practically run for the elevator.
“I’ll secure your room,” Sebastian says as the elevator doors slide open on my floor.
“That won’t be necessary, my room’s fifteen feet away. You can go on to your room now.” I’m mentally and physically exhausted as I step off the elevator. Of course Sebastian ignores me. He’s so close, he might as well be my shadow. To his credit, he’d been the perfect bodyguard throughout the event, staying out of sight but always in the background.
Walking down the silent hall after hours of loud conversation is music to my ears. If it weren’t so late, I’d have a glass of wine, but as it is, I’m going to wash my face and collapse into bed. I reach my door and pull my keycard from my purse, sliding it into the lock. If tonight is a precursor of how the tour will go, I will definitely need some vacation time once it’s over. Making sure I say the right thing and smile at the right time around industry types is exhausting. And I have at least two more promo-based events to go. Book signings are pure pleasure. For readers, it’s all about the story. No politics, no agendas, just book talk. I love that.
I frown when I try for the second time and the red light on the door flashes at me again.
Sebastian quietly reaches over my shoulder and turns the keycard around in my hand. Refusing to inhale his amazing masculine scent, I silently roll my eyes at myself and start to slide the key into the lock for the third time when the door pulls open.
“Did you de-magnetize your key—” Cass starts to say, toothbrush in hand. Standing there in an old football jersey hitting her mid-thigh, her hair pulled up in a messy bun that she only wears when she’s getting ready to take a shower before bed, she shifts her attention from me to Sebastian. “Good evening, Mr. Black. Did my roomie give you a hard time tonight?”
“No more than usual,” he murmurs.
I glance at him over my shoulder. “As you can see, my room has been Cass-secured. I’ll see you tomorrow after lunch.”
His gaze lasers into me. “I will secure your room for the night.” Before I can say another word, he steps in front of me and says to Cass, “Excuse me.”
“By all means,” she says in a perky tone, stepping into the bathroom doorway to let him pass.
When I frown at her, she steps farther into the bathroom and calls out, “Don’t mind me. I’m just going to take a shower.”
“You don’t have to rush—” She flashes me a secret smile and shuts the door in my face. Two seconds later the shower turns on.
Sighing, I follow Sebastian into our room to see him sliding a key into a deadbolt lock at the top of the door that apparently leads to an adjoining room. “What are you doing?”
He opens the door to check if it’s unlocked, then shuts it before turning his bright blue gaze my way. “You will leave this unlocked.”
“I don’t think so,” I say, holding my hand out for the key.
Sebastian slips the key in his pocket and steps closer, his expression inflexible. “I won’t come in unless you’re in danger or I’m invited. But the damned door stays unlocked between us, Natalia.”
“Stop calling me that,” I snap.
His face hardens. “You prefer Miss Lone even when we’re alone?” When I look away, his tone loses its bite. “Your protection takes precedence over us.”
I meet his gaze, my words softening. “Thank you for protecting me. I know no one is better qualified, but there is no us.”
“And why is that exactly?” He touches my chin to keep me from turning away. “Why didn’t you respond to my note when I sent you the pearl necklace six months ago?”
My back stiffens. “I had two deadlines and a project to complete for work.”
“Bullshit.” He traces his finger along my bottom lip. “You were running.”
I pull my chin from his grasp, finally letting my anger, hurt, and disappointment rise to the surface. “What could I have possibly been running from? You made it perfectly clear our time at the resort was just that, a weekend. That you wouldn’t always be there.” I turn my back to him so he can’t see the hurt I feel reflected in my expression. “I just made things easier. Drawn-out goodbyes aren’t my thing.”
He steps so close I feel the heat of his body from my shoulders to my butt. Even though he’s close enough to touch me, he doesn’t. “I’m here.” His tone softens to a tender caress. “When you need me most. I’m here, Little Red.”
Hearing his nickname for me spoken in that husky voice he only uses in the bedroom feels like a knife slicing across my skin; its sharpness releasing bittersweet pain. But you’re not here in the way I need you. Not in that way, Sebastian. I close my eyes and fight the mist gathering. “Don’t call me that,” I say sharply.
“Why? Because it turns you on? Good. I want you turned on. I fucking want you, period.”
As much as his words ignite flames of hope in my chest, I tense and snuff them out, refusing to be drawn in yet again. “Well, you’re not fucking getting me.”
Sebastian grasps my hips and pulls me fully against him as he bends to purr in my ear, “You and I are tied at the hip and have been since we were kids. There’s a reason we can’t seem to stay away from each other.”
“Oh yeah?” I’m furious at his familiarity with my body, that he knows exactly what to do to stir the blood in my veins to a roiling boil. Coupled with the aroused frustration in his voice that echoes my own, it takes all my concentration not to let myself meld into his hard frame. It would be as easy as taking a breath. “And why is that?”
He slides a hand to my belly and presses me closer so I can feel how much he wants me. “I haven’t a fucking clue, sweetheart, but this time I’m not letting you go until we’re both worn the hell out.”
Yanking from his hold, I whirl to face him. “I really appreciate you being here to protect me, Sebastian, but that’s as far as our relationship extends. I think I’ll pass on your suggestion of ‘let’s pick up where we left off for old time’s sake.’ It’s leaving me cold.”
“The last thing you feel around me is cold, Natalia.” His sharp expression melts into a cocksure smile. “I’ll bet editor boy leaves you as dry as the Sahara. And that I’m the one you’re thinking about when you’re sexually frustrated and need to get yourself off.”
Cass turns the water off at the exact moment my hand connects with his face, making the slap sound even louder in the suddenly quiet room. My palm stings like hell as I hiss in a low voice, “You arrogant bastard!”
Sebastian rubs his jaw, his gaze reflecting surprised admiration. “No woman has ever been brave enough to hit me before.”
Common sense says I should feel a twinge of apprehension that he could easily use his deadly SEAL skills against me, but I’m too pissed to care. “You’ve probably never insulted any of them enough. Get the hell out of my room.” I point toward the main door, my back teeth locked together. I cling to my outrage, while shaking on the inside with worry that he’ll learn the true depth of my feelings for him.
He turns to open the connecting door and steps through, but before he pulls it closed he meets my gaze, his own flashing with smug satisfaction. “Your reaction was the exact opposite of cold, Little Red.”
“Out!” I pick up the first thing I can find, and just as I lob the can of hairspray at his head, he closes the door.
When it clatters loudly against the thick wood, Cass comes running into the room, a towel quickly tugged around her wet body. “What in God’s name is going on?”
I shrug and bend down to toss her dented hairspray in the trash. “Sorry. This went flying when I tossed my purse onto the bed.”
Cass’ eyes slit suspiciously. “Did your purse have bricks in it? Otherwise, nope, I’m not buying it.”
“A ghost then,” I suggest as I step out of my heels.
She smirks and crosses her arms. “Unless a ghost can take what sounded like a prize worthy slap, I’d say you have some ’splaining to do.”
I wince. “So you heard it?”
“Like a shot in the night. But I couldn’t hear what was said. So…” she pauses and twirls her hand rapidly. When I shrug and shake my head, she sighs and holds her hands up in defeat. “Really?”
“Why don’t you tell me why you’re in the room before three?” I say, hoping to distract her. The last thing I want to talk about is my argument with Sebastian. I don’t even understand what just happened. Other than he royally pissed me off. “Tell me why Clive got the boot,” I say, following Cass back into the bathroom.
Cass tucks the towel around her boobs and picks up a comb. Running it through her wet hair, she meets my gaze in the mirror and shrugs. “I’m all for playing the field—you know I don’t judge—but this dude likes to play it at the same time.”
“Ah, he was flirting with other women while you were at the bar?”
She snorts and picks up the hairdryer. “Try ordering drinks for other women while he’s sitting there with me.”
“Ouch,” I say, wincing.
She turns on the hairdryer and calls over the loud noise. “It’s no biggie. Just means I’ll get to bed at a decent hour, you don’t have to be my mom in the morning, and I won’t wake up with a hangover. I call that a win for the evening.”
I don’t miss that she’s not meeting my gaze in the mirror anymore as she talks, so I reach out and take the comb from her. “What’s really bothering you?”
She turns off the hair dryer and looks at me. “I guess I’m disappointed that the image I’d built up about him was destroyed, you know? I’d kind of rather have gone on thinking he was almost omnipotent, than to learn his goal is to spread his potent parts around to anyone with a vagina under twenty-five.”
Snickering at her metaphor, I nod. “I understand. Sebastian—Mr. Black—was like that for me. Bigger than life, and the dream guy I’ve had in my thoughts since I was a little girl. My knight in shining armor.”
“Metaphorically speaking of course,” she says winking.
“No, actually. I mean that quite literally. Sebastian and I have crossed paths several times in our lives, and each time he’s protected me. The first time is when I was thirteen and running away from a horrible situation, the second was at the masked party—yes, he was the Robin Hood who rescued me from Gavin getting too suspicious about me.”
“Are you effin’ serious?” Her eyes widen and she sets the hairdryer down. Facing me, she clasps my hand. “I want to ask about the party, but more importantly what happened to make you run away? You have never told me about your past before.”
I shake my head. I really don’t want to talk about that part of it. “It doesn’t matter. My point is that because he’d been there for me in my past, I’d built him up to be the ‘one’, but I’m just another one of many to him. I don’t think he has it in him to commit.”
Squeezing my hand tight, she dips her head until her eyes lock with mine. “I might not know jack about my own love life, but I have never seen you like this, Talia. With other guys you’ve always been go-with-the-flow. Laidback even. But with the sexy Mr. Black, you seem to be in constant control. That man is a walking, talking sex magnet and I couldn’t understand how you could remain so detached over the pearl necklace six months ago or the one you’re wearing now, especially once I learned he was your fling back in the summer. But now it all makes sense. Is that why you won’t let your inner-slut free with him? Because you’re afraid he’ll break your heart?”
When I nod, she pulls me into a hug. While she squeezes me, she says, “Then you need to figure out how to make him open up, because the chemistry between you guys is unlike anything I’ve ever seen between two people. It’s so sizzling I can feel the pheromones in the air, and it makes me so freaking jealous I can’t see straight. Poor Jared must hate his guts with the heat of a thousand suns.”
I pull back and roll my eyes at her exaggeration. “But it’s not healthy, Cass. I want more. Sebastian shares very little of himself with me. As for Jared, he made Sebastian sign a ‘no fraternization’ addendum to my bodyguard contract tonight once he learned from Nathan that Sebastian and I have a past.”
“Nathan!” She spats my ex’s name, twisting her lips. “Now that’s a man who deserves a true bitch slap. When I saw him having a low, heated conversation with one of the servers at the event tonight, my palm started itching to smack him. He looked irritated as hell. You’d think the girl had stolen his favorite toy the way he appeared to be dressing her down.”
“She probably spilled something on his new suit,” I say, snickering.
Cass shrugs. “At least someone is annoying him for once.”
“Nathan has had his slap-worthy moments for sure, but trust me, Sebastian totally asked for it.”
She smirks, eyes twinkling. “You’ll have to keep me updated on everything while I’m gone.”
I purse my lips. “So glad the threat on my life amuses you.”
A horrified look crosses her face and she sputters, “You know I’m worried about you. That’s why I told Mr. Black—Sebastian—about the break-in—”
I burst out laughing, unable to keep a straight face any longer. “I’m just teasing, Cass. I know you love and worry about me. Speaking of blabbing to Sebastian about the break-in, did you know he insisted on coming into the restroom the last time I went.”
She gapes. “And you let him?”
“Hell no! I let him check all the stalls, then made him leave. Though I’m pretty sure he blocked anyone from coming in while I was in there. I got some angry glares from the two ladies waiting outside.”
Cass lets out a belly laugh. “You are going to have to figure out a balance with him before you two explode. The fact he can’t touch you now should make things even more interesting.” Putting her hands together, she gives me her best pouty face. “I so hope you find a way to embrace your inner-slut. That man’s gorgeousness should not go to waste.”
I scowl. “That’s a terrible idea. No inner-slut embracing will be happening.” But reminding him he signed the addendum isn’t such a bad idea. His code of honor is very strong.
Picking her hairbrush up, she sighs and points it at me. “Regardless of what you do about Sebastian, make sure you let Jared down easy. William might be your boss, but you know how nepotism works. You still want a working relationship with your publisher.” Pausing, she grins evilly. “All this is so popcorn worthy. I hate that I’m having to go out of town.”
I give a rueful smile. “So happy to be a source of pure entertainment for you.”
She giggles unapologetically. “Right now, your life is better than fiction, girl.”