Page 80 of Bastian

Determined not to be swayed by flattery, I stare stonily at him. “Get lost.” I side-eye him, annoyed that my jabs don’t seem to affect him. At all. “Your presence disturbs my peace.”

“I do love it when you flatter me.” His smile widens. “Besides, I am right where I’m supposed to be.”

“You’re not right in the head. That’s more like it,” I reply.

“Oh, darling… I think I am for the first time in three years.”

I sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“Joining you.”

“No one invited you.”

“I did.”

“That doesn’t count.”

Ignoring my last comment, his eyes trail down my body before slowly rising back up. “You fit in here perfectly.”

“The beach?”

Shaking his head with a small smile, “In the land of Gods and Goddesses.”

“Oh, please. Stop embarrassing yourself, Sebastian. Your charm does not work on me.” Rolling my eyes at him, I lie through my teeth and do my best to ignore the way his lustful eyes and flirting make my blood pressure rise and my heartbeat quicken. “If you don’t mind, I am trying to enjoy my day. Go bother someone else.” I shoo him away, turn my face, and concentrate on my phone.

But then it doesn’t last long because the next thing I know I watch from the corner of my eye as he leans back in the chair, getting comfortable. “I think I make you nervous, darling.”

Curling my lip, I give him a dull look before replying. “And I think you’ve lost your mind. You do absolutely nothing for me. Let’s get that clear now.”

He smiles.

His smile takes over his face while his eyes twinkle, annoying me and melting me at the same time. Damn him because the sight of his smile always twisted through me like a knife. “I do nothing for you?”

“Absolutely nothing.” I clarified.

His smile remains, “I think you’re lying.”

Shrugging, “And I think you’re an asshole.” Mature, Arianna. Very mature.

“Tsk, tsk. Now, darling, resorting to name-calling is for academically challenged people, and you’re better than that.”

“Oh, I know that.” Unlocking my phone, I typed a quick email to Nessa. “But insulting you is very satisfying for me.”

“I am glad I am still able to satisfy you,” he says in that deep voice that makes all of my nerve endings come alive despite knowing this man has always and will always be a very bad idea.

“That’s not what I meant.” I snap.

“Oh, but darling, that’s what I heard.” He says in a smug tone. Of course, that’s what he got from my comment. The self-centered ass. Why am I still entertaining him? I brought this upon myself, really.

I have a few hours before I have to meet Wizz, the Latin reggaeton global sensation from Puerto Rico, at the resort’s restaurant, so I decided to come down to the beach and do some reading and answer some emails, but Sebastian had to appear out of nowhere and dampen my mood with his unwanted compliments and infuriating charm.

“Have dinner with me.” He says after we’re both silent.

“In your dreams.” I snap.

“I spend a lot of time with you in my dreams.” He looks at me with a lopsided grin and a brow raised. He lowers his voice, and his tone becomes husky. “Sometimes we talk, other times we argue, but mostly we don’t talk at all. Sometimes, I just worship you with my tongue and—” I don’t let him finish his sentence.

Nope.

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