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  “We established that already.” He rests on the edge of the desk, peering straight at me. “I want to take you to dinner tonight.”

  “Mmm, what’s the occasion?”

  “I don’t need one. I can take my girlfriend to dinner if I want to.”

  “I’m your girlfriend?” I ask, stunned.

  Sebastian’s brow furrows. “What did you think you are? Wait, a better question is what am I to you?”

  My head’s spinning. There are so many things going through my mind right now. Sebastian saw a part of me I thought was long gone. When Tylenol clouded my thoughts, that little girl hungry for security and love surfaced. It was as if he was holding up a mirror, and in it, I could see myself bare. He was the mirror, and even after witnessing everything, he didn’t run away. Because Sebastian Bennett is a real man.

  I go for the one thing I know for sure. “You’re the most wonderful man I’ve dated.”

  “Charmer.” He caresses my cheeks, his fingers igniting my skin. “You’re trying to distract me with compliments.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’ll pick you up at eight. We’re going to the Sense.” He looks at me as though I’m supposed to know the place.

  “I haven’t heard of it. How fancy should I dress up?”

  “Fancy enough.”

  “Oh, I have a perfect dress. It shows a lot of cleavage,” I tease. The effect is instantaneous. He presses his lips into a thin line, his eyes darkening a notch.

  “I’m taking you there as my date, not so you can find a date.”

  Unable to maintain the charade any longer, I chuckle. “I was trying to bring out the caveman in you. You’re adorable.”

  “Adorable and caveman don’t go together.”

  “Yes, they do, and you’re the result. Now go, because I want to get some work done.”

  That’s when Logan walks in.

  “What is this?” he inquires, his head snapping from Sebastian to me and back.

  “Your brother is shamelessly flirting with me,” I fill him in. Sebastian stands and joins Logan in the doorway.

  “Okay, let’s set some ground rules.” Logan squares his shoulders.

  “I’m not having the talk from my brother,” Sebastian says. I grin at his warning tone. Ah, nothing like the banter between these two to start my day at the office.

  “I’ll give it anyway,” Logan replies.

  “Of course you will.” I barely stifle a laugh.

  “Whose side are you on?” Sebastian asks.

  “No sex at the office,” Logan declares.

  Straightening in my chair, I lay my elbows on the desk, steepling my fingers under my chin. “I agree.”

  “Well,” Sebastian says. “I agree as well. You two”—he points at Logan and me—“have no business having sex anywhere. The two of us, however—” he adds, giving me a loaded look.

  “You’re impossible,” Logan says as his assistant comes to inform him and Sebastian that they have a meeting starting in five minutes.

  I watch them leave with a large grin on my face. These past few days have been out of this world. Sebastian came to my place every evening, taking care of me and spoiling me. I get all fuzzy remembering it. If I thought concentrating was hard before I gave in to him, it’s nothing compared to how it’s going to be from now on.

  ***

  The day is surprisingly productive. Since I couldn’t do everything I had to from home, I had a humongous to-do list for today. I bulldoze through it, growing more satisfied with each task I check off. The collection launch will be one of the best achievements of my career.

  At six o’clock sharp, my phone rings, displaying Pippa’s name.

  “I’m in the mood for a girls’ night out,” she says.

  “No can do. I have a date with your brother tonight.”

  I hold my phone to my ear with my shoulder while gathering my stuff to leave.

  “Oooh, where is he taking you?”

  “Some fancy restaurant. I forgot the name.”

  “Can I help you prepare?”

  “You really need an estrogen-filled evening, don’t you?”

  “Actually, I’m in dire need of some testosterone. But since I can’t get that, I’ll settle for a girls’ evening in.”

  “Can you be at my apartment in an hour?”

  “Sure.”

  ***

  I don’t remember ever putting so much effort into preparing for a date. Stopping at the cosmetics shop next to my building, I pick up a body kit that promises to make my skin as smooth as a baby’s. I’m skeptical, but what the heck. Once I’m in the shower and rub the peeling gel on, I become a believer. The thing removes two frickin’ layers of skin. Afterward, I apply the body cream, and I’m surprised at how soft my skin really is. Next in line is nail polish. God, I feel so girly painting my nails, but I love it.

  When Pippa arrives, she sports a large grin, eyeing me from head to toe. “I see you’re taking this preparation process very seriously. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Grinning in equal measure, I lead her inside the room. She reminds me a lot of my best friend, Nadine. “So, I can’t decide between these two.” I gesture to the dresses I’ve laid on the bed.

  “These are both yummy,” she comments. “From the way my brother looks at you, he’ll go berserk.”

  “That’s the goal,” I confess. I was going to go for some safer choices, but I can’t resist. Riling him up makes him hotter.

  “I’m always for a little black dress,” Pippa says.

  “The black one it is.” I pump my fist in the air triumphantly. It’s a bandage dress I bought a few months back, and it’s the least cleavage revealing of the lot. But combined with the way it hugs my curves, it’ll have exactly the effect I want on Sebastian. He woke something deep inside me, a desire to ensure by any means that he needs me as desperately as I need him.

  “Girl, you’ve got some great choices here. I’m envious.”

  “All bought on sale,” I declare proudly, looking at my outfits. Growing up, I owned few pretty things. My mom made most of our clothes. In her youth, she came to New York to study fashion. Then my father happened, and then I happened, and she put her dreams aside, working every job imaginable: waitressing, cleaning, babysitting. She had an old sewing machine with which she made our clothes. They were simple and practical. Getting her a kick-ass machine was on the top of my to-buy list when I got my first job after graduating college.

  She surprised me on my prom night with the most beautiful dress. She told me she’d saved the entire year to buy that fabric. It was the color of the sky when the sun is about to set. We laughed and danced as she helped me prepare, and since there was no one to take a picture of us, we took a selfie—before selfies were all the rage. We both looked radiant. I keep that picture in my living room back in New York.

  My career as a sales shopper began after I started at Dirk’s consultancy. I like pretty things, but growing up the way I did, I have a healthy disgust for overpriced items.

  “You’re like Alice. Both of you are lucky you have such a petite frame,” Pippa comments, snapping me back to the moment. “I can rarely find what I want in sales. Okay, we have the dress. Shoes come next. Bring out your best heels.”

  Laughing, I whisk out a pair of black shoes with straps. Pippa pinches her nose. I put them back and then get out a red pair with sky-high heels.

  “How about these?” I ask.

  Pippa’s eyes widen, and then she bows her head, peering at the shoes. “They’re my size. I’m going to steal them.”

  “Nope.”

  “Borrow?”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’m salivating here. You have to promise you’ll lend me those.”

  “Oh, fine, I will. Can’t believe we have the same shoe size, but you’re a head taller than me.”

  I dress quickly and do a pirouette. Pippa nods in approval.

  “Let me style your hair,” she says. “I’m a pro.”
/>   “How come?”

  “As the oldest sister, I was on hair duty for all the younger ones when they had any school dances, dates, proms. You can call them if you want references.”

  “I trust you. Go ahead.”

  Hair styling was never my forte. My hair is thick and there’s too much of it. I usually brush it and wear it in a bun or ponytail. Pippa wasn’t kidding. She’s an expert. Using only my round brush and the hair dryer, she turns my wild mane into beach waves, all in less than half an hour.

  I do the makeup myself. A little something on my eyes, but I put on red lipstick.

  “Oh, shucks,” Pippa says.

  “You don’t like it?”

  “I do, but I’m afraid the two of you won’t make it out of the room at all tonight.”

  “Oh, we will.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Ava

  After Pippa leaves, I take a picture of myself then text it to Nadine. Instead of replying, she calls me.

  “Yum, you look fabulous. Taking out the big guns tonight?”

  “Yep. I figured go big or go home.” I laugh into the phone as I slip my lipstick into my tiny purse.

  “He’s sold on you already.”

  “I don’t know about that, but I can barely think straight around him.”

  “You’re falling for him, aren’t you?”

  Straightening up, I stammer, “I—it’s too early.”

  “Too early to fall or too early to admit it?”

  “Both?”

  “I’ve always loved your honesty.”

  That’s when I hear a knock at the door.

  “Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”

  “You better. I want every dirty detail.”

  I snicker. “Like I ever give you those.” Shaking my head, I end the call. Nadine always tries to fish every detail out of me. She was half-cheerful, half-jealous as I told her about everything that’s happened over the past weeks.

  The second I open the door, the air between us sizzles. Sebastian says nothing, his eyes raking over me. This man can make me shiver with his gaze alone.

  His fingers tug at mine and he pushes me inside, hoisting me up against the wall as the door bangs closed. His hands are tight on my waist, his forehead pressed against mine. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

  With one strong hand, he pushes my tight dress up around my waist, reducing me to a puddle of need when his fingers graze my thigh. “Your skin is so smooth,” he growls. I grin with satisfaction. Point for the skin-removal kit.

  “And these lips. You know where I want them?”

  “Yeah,” I tease. “I want you to think about it all night while we’re at the restaurant.”

  “Going to the restaurant seems like a very bad idea right now.” His voice is low and throaty, arousing me further.

  “Pippa predicted this.”

  “What?”

  “She was here, helping me prepare, and said we might not make it to the restaurant.”

  “So that’s how little Pippa thinks of me.”

  “Oh, there’s nothing little about you.” My voice is low and shaky. Sebastian’s eyes widen at the sound of it. He presses himself against me, and I can feel how hard he is already.

  “I told you I never back off from a challenge. Let’s go to the restaurant. I won’t touch you again until we leave.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  ***

  The restaurant isn’t just fancy. It’s Hollywood stars kind of fancy. I swear to God I notice one of my favorite movie directors at a table in a far corner talking to a very well-known star.

  “What is this? The weekend getaway from LA?” I whisper as we advance inside the restaurant.

  “You could say that.”

  “Are there paparazzi around here?” Granted, with stars parading around they’d take less interest in Sebastian, but still.

  “No, the restaurant has a strict policy, even outside the perimeter. No cameras allowed. Don’t worry, the world won’t know I’m your dirty little secret.” Though his tone is playful, there is an edge to it I don’t like.

  “I want to keep Dirk in the dark. I don’t care if the world knows.”

  That puts a genuine smile on his face. Despite promising he won’t touch me, Sebastian has kept his hand at the small of my back from the moment we stepped out of the car. I settle into his touch, wishing we could stay like this until the night is over, and even longer. We’re seated at the edge of the terrace, where the breeze is strongest. I inhale deeply, letting the air fill me.

  “I love the breeze.”

  “I know, that’s why I requested a table here,” Sebastian says. I lock my gaze on him. At once, my stomach does a somersault. We’ve done this before, yet it feels so different. I have to wrap my head around the fact that we’re on a date.

  After the waiter brings us the menu, I ask, “Are you going to play caveman again and order for me?”

  His expression is best summed up by the word well.

  “Don’t bother,” I say, peeking at the table next to me. I lower my voice. “I want what they’re having. Steak with that brownish sauce. My mouth is already watering.”

  “You’re adorable.”

  I pout, tugging with my teeth at my lower lip in an attempt to turn that adorable into irresistible. I want to be a sexy vixen tonight. Remembering I’m wearing bright red lipstick, I almost face palm myself. Instead, I lift my hand in front of my mouth, pretending to inspect that tall candle in front of us while I run my tongue over my teeth vigorously to make sure I don’t have lipstick on them. Sebastian looks on the verge of laughter. Okay, sexy vixen was a bad idea. I’ll try to be myself. When the waiter asks what I’d like to drink, I order a Sex on the Beach. At Sebastian’s inquisitive look, I explain, “It’s only appropriate. We’re in a coast town, and later on, we’ll have sex. And I’m rambling. Jeez, you make me nervous.”

  He offers me a smile, asking casually, “How was your day?”

  “Much better after a certain someone left my office.”

  “Someone. . . hm. . . Do I know him?”

  Joining his game, I say, “Oh, he’s my current client.”

  “Do you like him?” Sebastian teases.

  “He’s smart and hot. That combo should be illegal.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because it’s irresistible.”

  We pause as the waiter comes with our drinks. Sebastian orders the food. Steak for both of us and an appetizer. I slurp from my cocktail, and the alcohol immediately calms some of my nerves.

  “What else do you like about him?”

  “His family.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

  Sebastian’s eyes widen, an unreadable expression taking hold of his features. “That’s lovely to hear.”

  Feeling this deserves more of an explanation, I add quickly, “I’ve always hungered for a family, and yours is so. . .”

  “Big? Loud? Noisy?”

  “Perfect. And they’re very warm. Don’t worry, I won’t intrude or anything. Pippa was the one who offered to—”

  He holds up a hand to stop me. “My family already loves you. If you like their company, you can do whatever you like. You wouldn’t intrude. In fact, I’d like nothing better than for you to get closer to them.”

  “Okay.” I slurp from my cocktail, wondering—again—how different Sebastian is from the men I’ve dated. They postponed until the last possible moment introducing me to their family, as if they thought I’d be expecting a ring the next second. I rarely imagined that, but as I sip from my drink again, a crazy thought rumbles in my head. Ava Bennett would sound so elegant. Even my initials would look beautiful in my signature. A.B. Oh crap, I’m only on my first Sex on the Beach. I’ll be picking names for our imaginary kids by the time I drink the second one. You’re in this deep, Ava.

  “What are you thinking about? You have a beautiful smile.”

  “A and B—” I stop midsentence
, horrified.

  “Are the start of the alphabet?” Sebastian raises his eyebrows.

  “Never mind.” The waiter saves me, putting a large plate with three different kinds of spreads—orange, white, and blue—in front of us. “This looks delicious.” Immediately, I smear some of the blue stuff on the bread and take a bite.

  “I love your appetite for food,” Sebastian comments.

  “Why, thank you.”

  “Actually, I love your appetite for everything.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask through mouthfuls.

  “You put passion in all things. Your work, your food. Me.”

  I giggle. “Especially you.”

  Midway through dinner—and my second cocktail—I lose my pseudo-first-date jitters. At some point, Sebastian leaned over the table, laying his fingers over mine in a gentle touch. He’s kept them there the whole time.

  We’ve been eating and laughing loudly for what feels like hours, when someone stops at our table: a woman in her thirties with beautiful red hair and legs up to her armpits. I bet she can play vixen, no problem. Remarkably, I don’t feel threatened. I’m sure the fact that Sebastian interlaces his fingers with mine while looking at her with disdain contributes to that.

  “Sebastian, long time, no see.” She gives me a curt nod.

  “I didn’t have the impression you wanted to see me at all the last time we talked. Ava, this is Lisa.”

  Lisa narrows her eyes. Clearly, she was expecting a different welcome. “I see you found another trophy.” She points at me, scanning me up and down.

  “I see you found another sponsor.” Both Sebastian and Lisa turn to look at her date. He looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him. “He doesn’t have quite the caliber of the last one. Or do you have multiples now?” Lisa purses her lips as her companion joins us. He’s a plump man in his late fifties.

  “My, my, Sebastian Bennett.” He holds his hand out, and Sebastian shakes it politely but coldly. He and I exchange pleasantries, and when he tells me his name, I realize why he looks familiar. He’s a local media mogul.

  “Lisa’s told me a lot about you,” he tells Sebastian. “Maybe we could get together, discuss some business opportunities.”