Page 27 of Exquisite Temptation

I glare at Sebastian with a mock annoyance. "You placed a wager on when this will happen?"

He tips his head back, bursting into good-humored laughter. "I don’t know what planet you live on, man. Have you not seen her following you around like a lovesick pup? She worked hard on making herself indispensable and you fell for it because you couldn’t be bothered to do something about it."

Don’t pretend that you haven’t seen her gazing at you with adoring eyes. You should have found someone else to help you the moment you caught her giving you googly eyes. I thought her infatuation would pass. Don’t be a fucking idiot, Christopher.

‘Yeah, you’re right. I should have done something sooner. Anyway, are you still in the doghouse?"

Sebastian scrubs his face with his hand, tightening his jaw. "I fucked up. Real bad, man. I should have come clean. God, I won’t blame her if she never wants to see me again." Seeing him looking dejected and devastated makes my throat muscle tighten, cutting my air supply. After everything he’s been through, I get his need to protect himself from being hurt again.

"Should you have told her earlier? Absolutely. Did you break her trust? Again, absolutely. But no one is perfect, man. We all make mistakes. Beating yourself up, it’s not going to change anything. You need to grovel and ask for her forgiveness, like yesterday." He gives me a pained stare, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

"I’ve booked myself on the first flight to San Diego for tomorrow morning. I've every intent on making this right. She is the one for me. I can’t lose her." He blows a sharp breath, his eyes blazing with determination to win his submissive back. I maintain a steady eye contact with him, nodding in understanding.

"Trust me, Alexandra will come around. Just give her time to calm down." A look of determination flashes over his face.

"I was the one preaching about honesty and trust in D/s relationships, yet I broke her trust. I need to apologize and explain that I’ve never intended to hurt her." His shoulders sag and chest caves in. My heart goes to him. It’s so hard seeing my friend beating himself up.

"I’ve no doubt she knows you never intended to hurt her. Are you planning on telling her you were smitten with her from the day she flipped you her middle finger and drove off?"

He squints, his eyes glowing with mischief. "Are you planning to tell my sister the same?"

"Your sister?" I incline my head, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Oh, did Micaela not tell you?" He cocks his head, giving me a smug grin. I shake my head, gawking at him like a dumbass, too shocked to speak for a minute.

"No, I had to take a rain check. How did you find out she is your sister?"

He fills me in on everything he discovered when he went to visit his paternal grandmother and how he drove straight to his sister’s apartment this morning because he couldn’t be separated from her for another minute.

"Anyway, I’ve seen you ogling her at the club, but I didn’t know you two are having muffin dates." He purses his lips into a smirk.

I don’t think it’s wise for me to tell him I've done more than ogling his baby sister.He is your best friend and deserves to know the truth, my conscience reminds me.

"We are just friends. Nothing is happening, man." The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. He raises a brow, giving me a pointed look as if he wants to tell me he doesn’t believe me. Fuck, I don’t think I believe myself.

Chapter 18

Micaela

Silenceloomslikeaheavy mist in the house. I haven’t had a whole day to myself with nothing to do for ages. Pjs and Netflix? Or pjs, music, and reading the paranormal book with the sadist Fae Prince that Katie recommended? I don’t think any show on Netflix can beat the Unseelie Prince with a penchant for verbal humiliation and corporal punishment. I make a big mug of coffee, play my favorite BDSM playlist, and settle on the couch. Stuffing my nose in my cup, I inhale the invigorating fruity aroma with a hint of nuts like an addict and take a deep, long mouthful of my cappuccino. Nothing beats the first sip of your morning coffee. It’s like your taste buds are having mini orgasms with each sip.

The book grabs me by my throat, holding me in a chokehold. Damn, the book questions everything about me. Am I attracted to morally gray and downright cruel sadists? It seems I am, and I've already found mine. I can see so many similarities between them. Just as I place my kindle on the table to cool down, my cell vibrates. My jaw drops on the floor when I read the message.

Christopher ‘We need to talk. Dinner at my place tonight.’

My mind fires millions of questions at once, making my pulse speed up. We are neither dating nor best friends, casually meeting up for drinks and dinners.

Me ‘Talk about what?’

He types, taking his sweet time, stopping and starting again.

Christopher ‘It’s not something we can discuss now. Dinner at mine, 7:30pm.’

Before I agree, he sends me his location link. For a hot moment, I consider telling him I'm washing my hair tonight, but I've no doubt he will turn up at my door.

Me ‘Sure. See you later’ :-)

Christopher ‘Don’t be late unless you want to skip dinner.’

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