Page 55 of The Final Rose

Lie.

I wanted to cross the line. From the second I put my eyes on Sebastian, I knew he was the best-looking man I have ever seen, and I hoped he was a stuffy aristocrat with a king complex.

But no.

He’s funny, easy to talk to and so damn down to earth. We only needed to talk on the phone once, and I knew I never wanted to hang up.

I want to show him the city, the grossest burger joint I love. I want to bring him to my ridiculously small apartment, knowing well he had never been in such a cramped space.

I want to introduce him to my brothers and not help in the slightest when Ben and Dario try to tear him a new one.

I want to be friends with his gorgeous sister and meet Maverick. And I desperately want them to like me.

I want to scandalize his parents with my accent, heritage, and bad attitude.

I really want to taint his bloodline.

I can say to myself it was Anya’s warning until the cows come home, but deep down I know it was my fear that made me avoid him.

Sebastian Riggs is terrifying.

His breathing catches, and his forehead comes down to mine. I wish I could see his eyes. I need to see the struggle I feel in my bones reflected in that ocean blue.

But in the dark, I can only wish. His breath mingles with mine; one hand makes a mess of my hair.

“You need to be strong for both of us,” he pleas. “I can’t be the one who wrecks your life, but I don’t think I can’t let you go.”

And he’d destroy my life. I know, I know. My hands clutch his shoulders, and I feel deep inside that there’s no way around it. We can’t get out of this unscathed. I’m always going to be the producer who slept with the Eligible.

It will ruin my chances insideThe Final Rose.

It will taint my name with the network, and with any other shows. My career will be ruined because all the stories involving crew members and the talent were always told by men to other men.

Being with Sebastian is writing a scarlet letter on my chest.

The answer is clear as water before me.

And yet, I kiss him.

My lips catch his, and I swallow his groan. Suddenly my clothes are too restrictive, the leather jacket catches when my arms try to roam free. And I beg between his lips, “Help me take this off.”

Sebastian lets my legs go for a second, my feet meet the ground and he has to bring his head down to keep kissing me. I’m off the wall. His hands are free to help me remove everythingbetween us. The jacket, the stupid scarf, and a sweater I put underneath.

When the last layer is off my body, I hear his husky laugh. “It’s not that cold, love.”

I scoff, but I can’t be bothered to talk about the weather right now. I’m on a mission to destroy my life, and I want to do it thoroughly.

My hands find his chest, so deliciously bare under my palms. His muscles bulge when I work my way down, feeling his skin, my senses tuned to what I can’t see.

I reach for the elastic band, my thumbs make a line from side to side, and I hear his breath intake. My head whips up even in the dark, following the sound, and he comes close to me again. Hand on the nape of my neck, fingers buried in my hair.

“Callie…” and I swear he says it just to test it out. To remind himself it’s me who’s with him.

I whimper when he closes the space, his chest on mine covered only by a bra. He tugs my head up, holding me by the hair. My mouth falls open, and he takes the opportunity to take my lips once again.

I’m frantic after this. I want to sign my death certificate and fall into the night. I rise on my tiptoes to take more of him, my hands on his corded muscled back, his hands undoing my bra.

It falls between us, and I barely have a chance to fret about how I’m going to find my clothes in the dark. Sebastian breaks our kiss to go down to my neck as his left hand takes one breast.

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