Page 22 of The Bargain

“We’re at work. We need to focus on work,” I gritted out between clenched teeth.

Sebastian’s grin turned wicked as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. My gaze followed his hand to the center of his desk, where he set the marble egg. The Friend Egg.

“Thatis not going to work.” I didn’t think anyone could overhear us, but there was no way I was taking any chances. “IfI were to agree to your bargain, we would need to set up some ground rules about what’s not allowed in the office. The first thing would bethategg.”

Sebastian flashed me a wounded expression, complete with his bottom lip jutting out. “You can’t ban the Friend Egg. You have personal conversations with Kaylan.”

“But they still fall within the bounds of good taste for work. I doubt that would happen with you.”

Wisely, Sebastian didn’t debate that.

“You take private phone calls.”

“Only in an emergency.”

Sebastian pressed his index finger to the narrow top of the egg and slightly rolled it on its wider base. His thumb stroked up the flawless side, making my horrible brain wander to places it shouldn’t. Like, what would it be like to feel his massive hands running up and down my bare skin? On Sunday, the heat of those hands had burned through my clothes, and still I ached to strip so I could feel him skin to skin.

No! Work thoughts!

“This needs to be negotiable. Emergency and lunch.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to think of any loopholes that he might try to create. “Lunch included, but just if it’s the two of us.”

Sebastian’s grin returned in a flash. “Does this mean you’re saying yes?”

Did it?

When I’d fallen asleep last night, I’d been leaning that way but wobbled over to saying no while in my morning shower.

It all returned to what he’d asked me in my apartment—what if he wasn’t my boss and he’d hit on me in that bookstore? I knew my answer would be yes. Even without knowing he was stupidly rich. The man was handsome, fun, and too sweet.Dating someone like him was a dream for anyone. Was I really too scared to take a chance?

I dragged in a deep breath, all the muscles in my body tensing. “Yes. Yes, I agree to the bargain that you laid out.” Sebastian made a fist and appeared as though he were going to punch the air, but I stopped it with a word. “However!”

“Crap,” he muttered and dropped his hand to his lap.

“We need to set up some ground rules.”

“Have dinner with me tonight. We can discuss them over dinner. I know the perfect restaurant.”

My lips twisted to stop my smile. “Would you like me to book it for you, sir?”

Sebastian snorted and reached out, hooking his index finger through my left pinky as my hand hung limp at my side. “Enough of your sass. You’ve never booked dates for me in the past, and you’re not about to start now.”

I knew I should pull my hand free, but his warm touch was sending tingles up my arm. It was so tempting to just open my hand and thread the rest of our fingers together.

A knock on Sebastian’s door had me jerking my hand free of his. I stiffened and jumped a step away from him before I even looked up to find the CFO standing in the doorway.

“Sorry. I know I’m early, but it’s going to take longer than the thirty minutes we’ve allotted for this meeting,” Declan said as he walked in.

“Yeah, yeah. Come on in.” Sebastian waved him in as he sat up in his chair properly.

“Good morning, Mr. Foster. Can I get you some coffee or hot tea?” I inquired, slipping easily into my role as Sebastian’s assistant.

“No, thank you. Are you feeling better today?” Declan asked.

I stared at him for a moment, confused as to why he would ask that. Had Sebastian told him I’d left early on Friday becauseof illness? I was about to assume it was that, but I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Sebastian was making faces at him and motioning for him to be quiet.

It hit me like a truck.

---