Gramercy Nights (The Argo Press Trilogy Book 1) (18 page)

Sebastian flinches but he doesn’t say a word as his eyes search mine to see if I’m joking and when he realizes I’m not, he curses, dropping his hand from my face and I feel the loss of his touch to my core.

“Are you attracted to him?” His voice is low and dangerous and all I can manage is to shake my head, hoping desperately that he believes me. His eyes flick across my face as he studies me intently. Finally, he nods. “I won’t share you.”

Under the glow of the street lamps, it’s difficult to read his expression, but I can’t deny the small thrill that shoots through me on hearing those words. I want to kiss his stubbled jaw, feel his lips on mine, taking me, making me forget everything else, but I don’t move. My heart is racing. Because as much as I want him, I can’t deny the hurt that he causes me.

“Then don’t.” I stare up at Sebastian. “But you’re the one who disappeared. You’re the one who didn’t call.”

“Phones work both ways,” he answers coldly.

“Bullshit. Would you have answered if I’d called?”

He stares at me blankly and then with a heavy sigh, runs his hand through his hair. “Danielle…” he starts then looks around as if realizing for the first time that we’re not alone. A cluster of people stand by the door smoking and I see them sneaking glances in our direction.

Sebastian must notice as well because he turns to me. “Not here.”

“You’re the one who dragged me out here like a jealous boyfriend.”

“I’m serious, Danielle. Not here. Get your things. We’re going.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding.”

“I assure you, I’m completely serious.”

“I can’t leave.”

“Don’t push me. We’re going. I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you off if I have to.” The tense muscles in his jaw twitch and I shiver. I know he’s not joking but I’ll be damned if I let him carry me off like some fucking caveman.

“You’re an asshole,” I mutter, storming past him and back into the bar.

Connor and Max are sitting at the bar, surrounded by people. They wave me over, Connor’s eyes searching mine but I just shrug. There’s nothing to say.

“Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” I say, grabbing Connor’s drink out of his hand and taking a sip.

“Well, Sebastian Casal seems like a total prick,” Connor says, apropos nothing. I snort. If only he knew the half of it.

“I’m surprised he’s here. We’re a little low rent for his type,” Max muses, nursing his drink.

“Maybe he felt like slumming it for the night,” Connor jokes.

“Maybe a certain lovely translator caught his eye,” Max counters.

I make a face, changing the subject. I don’t want either of them to realize just how spot on Max’s off-handed comment was. “Where’s Aki?”

“I think she ran off with Megan.”

“Maybe she’s finally found her sugar mama,” Max adds. “There’s magic in the air tonight, I can feel it.”

“You say that every night,” Connor says with feigned frustration.

“And one of these days, I’ll be right.”

Sebastian places a hand on my shoulder, startling me. I hadn’t realized he’d followed me inside.

“Are you ready?” His voice is soft, gentle almost, but it’s not really a question but more of a firm reminder.

“I should go.” I give Connor and Max an apologetic smile. “I’m exhausted and I have an early morning.”

“I’ll get you a cab,” Connor says, pushing out of his seat.

“No need,” Sebastian responds coolly. “My driver is outside. We can drop Danielle on our way into the city.”

I look between Connor and Sebastian, uncertain what to say. They both have that look about them, like whatever answer I give them, it’ll be the wrong one. Connor’s kind, blue eyes search mine. “You sure? It’ll only take a sec to find a cab.”

I give him a half-smile. “Don’t worry about it. Stay. Celebrate. You both deserve it. Tonight was amazing.”

“Call me when you get home,” Connor says then turns towards Sebastian, arms crossed over his chest, his unspoken message clear.

I give Connor a hug, then Sebastian is steering me towards the exit. Outside, there’s the familiar black town car idling at the curb. Sebastian leans over to open the door and I slid in, putting as much distance between us as possible. As we drive off in silence, I know no matter what Sebastian said to Connor, he’s not taking me home.

The moment we’re inside Sebastian’s loft, he tells me to take a seat. “I’ll be right back.” With that, he disappears towards his bedroom, leaving me standing alone in his stunning living room. I don’t want to follow his command, but at the same time, I feel awkward standing around, waiting for him to return.

Finally, I give in and take a seat on the couch.

When Sebastian returns, he’s changed into jeans and a t-shirt, and his dark hair is damp and glistening. I hate to admit it, but the way the white cotton stretches over his well-defined muscles makes me want to run my hands over every inch of his hard, lean body.

Not fair. Not fair at all.

Sebastian slumps into the couch opposite me. “I don’t know what to do, Danielle. This was supposed to be simple. Easy. Except it’s not. It’s anything but easy.” He drags a hand through his hair, studiously avoiding my eyes.

“You think this is easy for me?” I whisper hoarsely. “I wasn’t looking for anything serious. Hell, I wasn’t looking for anything at all. And then…” I suck in a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Sebastian, what am I even doing here?”

Sebastian drops his head to his chest. “I don’t know.”

“Not good enough.”

Sebastian looks up helplessly. “You’re all I can think about, all I want. I wake up and you’re the first thing on my mind. When I go to sleep, I’m thinking about you. I don’t know how the hell you did it, but you’ve gotten under my skin. The way you taste, the way you smell. I don’t know what to do with you and it’s killing me.”

I stare at Sebastian in shock. “One minute you want me, the next you act like you don’t even want to know me.”

Sebastian lets out a frustrated growl. “I want you. I want you so bad it hurts. I want to see that look in your eyes when you’re about to come. I want to feel every inch of your body, knowing it’s mine. To touch. To taste. To fuck. I want to know you’re coming home with me at the end of the night. Seeing you tonight with that man…it pissed me off. You don’t know how much it pissed me off. I don’t want anyone else touching you. Not when you’re mine.” With that, he shoots out of his seat, his powerful body suddenly on top of me, his lips finding mine. His kisses are addictive and I know if I don’t stop this now, I’ll be a goner. Instead, I find myself melting into him.

Abruptly, he sits back. “Get undressed,” he growls, making my whole body tighten. I want to give in, want to give him what we both want. Instead, I force myself to put a firm hand on his chest, shaking my head.

It takes all of my earthly willpower to say no, and he groans, burying his head in his hands. “We need to talk.”

“I don’t want you sleeping with other men.”

“I’m not sleeping with other men.” And after Sebastian, I doubt I’ll ever want to.

“I need to know you’re mine.” The vulnerability behind those fiercely spoken words makes my chest tighten painfully.

“Then I need to know what
this
is,” I say finally, waving my arms between us. “I need to know you aren’t going to disappear. I’ve had that before, and I’m not doing it again. Because if you do, I’m not waiting around. I don’t know how this worked for you in the past, and I’m not entirely sure I want to know, but I am not okay with being ignored until you want to shove your dick inside me.”

Sebastian sighs heavily and runs his fingers over my knuckles in a gesture I’ve come to love. “You deserve better than this. Better than me. I can’t give you more. I can’t be what you need, but all I know is, I can’t walk away. I should but I can’t. When Megan told me she was with you tonight, I didn’t think. I just knew I had to see you.” His subdued voice surprises me but his face gives nothing away.

“Then what the fuck happened after the Met?”

He considers me carefully before answering, his fingers never ceasing their slow seduction of my hand. “I freaked out.”

“No shit. Why?”

He looks me straight in the eyes and says, “You terrify me.”

Chapter Twenty

I blink in surprise. “I terrify you?”

Sebastian flinches and looks away. “I told you, I don’t do relationships. My life is complicated enough as it is. That’s why I’ve arranged everything as I have. To limit complications. And up until this point, it worked. Maybe it was naïve, but I thought I could make this work, but you’re different. At the Met, I lost control. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but I couldn’t stop myself. I needed to touch you. I lost control and I never lose control.” He takes a deep breath. “You’re so— ” I hold my breath as he searches for the right word to describe me. “—innocent. And I’m not. God, I fucking paid you to sleep with me. I’m not an imbecile. I know what kind of man that makes me.

“I’m not good for you, Danielle. I’m going to hurt you and I can’t have that on my conscience. It’s heavy enough as it is.” His jaw clenches like he’s bracing himself for a punch.

“Sebastian…” I start.

“I don’t lose control,” he repeats stubbornly.

I don’t know what to say. All I know is, I can’t let Sebastian walk out of my life. Not now. And I can tell, he’s teetering at the verge of doing just that. I reach out, letting my fingers dance along his jaw, feeling the sharp bite of stubble against my delicate skin.

“Then take control.”

Sebastian’s eyes snap up to meet mine.

“I’m not going to break, Sebastian,” I continue, keeping my eyes locked on his as I unfold myself from the couch and stand over him. “I’m not a little girl. You don’t have to protect me.” My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest as I reach back and slowly ease down the zipper of my dress. “I’m still pissed about Argo. You should have told me. I shouldn’t have gotten blindsided like that. You made me look like an idiot and I don’t appreciate looking foolish, but we can talk about that later,” I say as the dress falls to the ground, pooling around my ankles. I step out of it, kicking it aside. “But right now, I don’t want to think about any of that. In fact, I’d rather not think at all.”

Sebastian’s eyes rove over my body hungrily, and for a moment, we’re both motionless. Finally, he takes my hands and pulls me down on his lap.

His fingers trace the fabric of my panties along my hips. “When you’re with me, I don’t want you wearing panties. Ever,” Sebastian growls. “I want to know I can have you anytime I want.”

I gasp as Sebastian sinks his teeth playfully into my shoulder. He’s fierce, possessive, and undeniably male. And I know he’s marking me as his.

He caresses my hips as I run my hands lovingly through his thick black hair, his fingers slipping under the thin fabric of my panties and before I know what’s happening, he’s ripped them from my body. I shove him playfully and he grabs my wrists, encircling them with his long fingers.

“Hey,” I laugh, “I liked those.”

“You won’t be needing them anymore.”

I’m straddling Sebastian, my naked sex pressed against the bulge in his jeans.

“I want to tie you up and fuck you until you can’t walk. I want you to realize I’m the only man worth your time.” I still. Gone is the worried man from earlier, replaced by a vision of dominant masculinity consumed by lust. His nostrils flare as he sucks in a deep breath. “Say something, Danielle.”

All I can do is stare into his lust hooded eyes. The idea that I do this to this gorgeous man undoes me, sending a rush of pride through my already flushed body. I do my best to give him a cheeky smile. “Then what are you waiting for?”

He releases his grip on my wrist. “Get into the bedroom and wait for me. And don’t lose those shoes.”

I stand on shaking legs and move, dazed, through his dimly lit apartment, a delicious ribbon of arousal snaking through my body as those words replay in my head:
I want to tie you up and fuck you…

I unclasp my bra and crawl onto the bed, a nervous flutter sharpening my senses. I’ve never been tied up before but the idea of giving myself over to Sebastian doesn’t scare me. No, that’s not true. It terrifies me. But it also turns me on. I want to be his, completely. To let him have me. To relinquish control to this powerful man.

When Sebastian finally saunters confidently into the room, my skin is on fire. I know the wait was intentional, that he wanted me in here thinking about everything he might do to me, and the anticipation has done nothing but heighten my desire. He pauses at the foot of the bed, his heated gaze lingering on my breasts before skimming down my body to find my exposed sex, and it’s like I can feel his hands on me even though he’s not touching me. My nipples pucker instantly.

“You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?” he whispers as he reaches back and pulls his shirt over his head with one fluid movement.

My lips part at the sight of him. The smattering of dark hair across his perfectly muscled chest, his hard abs, the happy trail disappearing into his low-slung jeans. I swallow. Hard. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the sight of him. He’s beautiful. Perfect. A god of a man.