Page 83 of The Arrangement

That stopped me, freezing the next breath that still sat in my lungs, and I was afraid to move, fearful that if I did anything else, he would take it back. That he would leave when he realized I was going to fuck this up. That I already had.

"Why?" The question slipped past my lips without my permission. I hated how it sounded, how it was more a plea than a question. Sebastian's eyes softened and he took yet another step closer, arm reaching out as if he would touch me before dropping back down to his side.

"Are you going to make me say it?" Sebastian asked, so softly I nearly missed it. He looked just as scared as I felt. Shaking my head, I bit my bottom lip to seize its trembling.

"No, don't say it. You're going to regret it," I turned, grabbed the now empty box and walked away with my heart beating so quickly in my chest I felt dizzy.

"Damn it, stop running away from me, Georgia!" cried Sebastian, the rich baritone echoing throughout the small bookstore. And I didstop, my body rebelling from my brain. Before I knew it, his hands were on me, spinning me around to face him.

God, I hoped he couldn't see the redness already flushing up my neck or the tears clinging to my lashes that I just couldn't stop and hated myself for.

"Stop running for just a minute, and let me just get this out," he begged softly, his eyes pleading with me to just wait. I bit my lip and wrapped my arms around my torso, steadying myself as he let his hands drop. "I can't stop thinking about you. I have never wanted anyone or anything like I want you. It's not the sex; I want to take you out on a date. I want to meet your grandmother, I want to take care of you when you're sick and feed that fat cat of yours."

The sob that crawled from the back of my throat escaped as I clasped a hand over my mouth, and tears ran down my face. I hated crying in front of anyone. I felt open and vulnerable, but I couldn't move. Not when he was looking at me like that.

I didn't realize I was shaking my head until I saw the way his shoulders drooped. "Sebastian?—"

Quinn held up his hand, a new look of determination darkening his expression as he took my face in his hands, cradling it like some kind of precious thing.

"I want you to please stop running and just let me love you. That's all I'm asking." His voice broke at the end of his speech, his thumbs rubbing soft circles on my tear-streaked cheeks. "I know, I know you have been holding everything together for so long by yourself. I know that because we are the same, you and I.”

I sniffed, letting his strong hands cradle my face. “You aren’t any better than me at that, Sebastian Quinn.”

A sad smile tugged at the side of his mouth, his thumb making little circles on the edge of my jaw. “I know. We take care of everyone else. And I just thought that maybe we could take care of each other."

A dam broke within me and I was in his arms before I knew what I was doing, breathing in his clean, woodsy scent and feeling the solid form of him against me. Fingers tangled in my hair, loosening thealready messy braid as Sebastian held me so close as though afraid I would disappear right in front of him.

"I don't know what I'm doing," I chokingly whispered into his chest, and I clung to him. "I'm afraid I'll mess it all up."

Drawing me back, he gave me no warning as he pressed his lips to mine. I had been standing on my tiptoes as it was, and his arms wrapped around my middle, keeping me steady as he softly brushed his lips over mine.

"Georgia, you've already trusted me with your body and your reputation." I shivered at the thought of his mouth in other places, his hands gripping my hips so securely. "Now, please just trust me that I'm not going anywhere."

It was my turn to kiss him, to bring his head down towards me. It was new—us kissing. I knew his body so well, the way to draw out moans and lightly scratch his back as I arched my own to bring him in deeper. How to blink up at him while his cock was buried in my throat and whimper the way he loved.

But this? It felt new, and it felt forbidden. It was like a drug, and all I wanted was to explore him more. Not just his body. But him, Sebastian Quinn.I wanted to know his favorite color, his favorite childhood movie and favorite flavor of ice cream. I wantedhim.

The sound of a throat being deliberately cleared had me pulling away from him, stumbling slightly as I wiped my tear-stained face on the back of my cardigan to see Emma with her brows raised high and her arms crossed.

"So I see you've met the new owner of the building." She had a batch of paperwork in her hands, signed in her neat scroll amidst the sea of legal jargon.

"New owner? I don't understand—" I looked up at Sebastian, who had the decency to look uncomfortable. Emma leaned over me to hand over the paperwork to the taller man, who took it with an awkward thank-you.

"Sebastian, what is she talking about?" I looked between my boss and…whatever Sebastian was…in obvious confusion.

"Listen, after everything with my grandfather—which obviouslyI'll fill you in on," he quickly added at the raise of my eyebrows, "—I have a lot of investments from my…business. One of my newest acquisitions is this building. The whole thing."

My heart skipped a beat as I regarded him, confusion giving way to an overwhelming clarity. "But why?" I needed him to say it.

"Georgia, this stretch of the block is a developer's wet dream, okay? Especially after my grandfather's real estate was under such scrutiny, I got a good deal from the COO. My uncle." He handed me the paperwork, looking uncharacteristically apprehensive. "It'll keep Hemingway's safe, and the rest of the businesses too."

I scanned the documents, not really knowing what I was reading. "But Sebastian, why?" It was when I got to the last page that I stopped, the blood draining from my face as I turned to Emma, who had a soft smile on her face. "Emma, what is this?"

The older woman took out the key from her belt, not the copy, but the master key. The brass item dangled between us, the rainbow flag keychain suspiciously absent as she set it in my hand, closing my fingers around it.

"I'm retiring, Georgia; it was always the plan to pass it on to you. If you want it." Her voice was soft and full of emotion, brimming just below the surface. "Mr. Quinn here wanted it in a contract that it would pass to you since I didn't already have a directive. He just didn't know I would be ready so soon. He didn’t want me to tell you, wanted me to get full credit. But I had a sinking suspicion about you two.”

My mouth opened and closed as I looked at the key in my trembling hands. "Sebastian, did you just buy me a bookstore?"

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