“Of course.” He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. “On some level, I knew this could happen. But after all my years there, I assumed he’d have the courtesy to warn mefirst.”
By the set of his jaw, he was angry or getting there. Though I’d expected it, it made my stomach churn. He pinched the bridge of his nose much the same way he had in the café that first morning when he’d stepped away to take Justin’scall.
“He swore me to secrecy so he could tell you himself,” I said. “I just . . . after last night, I couldn’t keep it in anylonger.”
His glare had me shutting my mouth. I doubted he’d even heard what I’d said. Naked in more ways than one, I knew I’d never be able to channel George in this moment. I had to try to stand my ground and explain things from my side, but I could already feel a tremble working its way upme.
“Unbelievable,” he finallysaid.
“I wanted to tell you yesterday,but. . .”
“Jesus. I’m so tired of his shit.” He hung his towel over my reading chair and said, “I’m sorry,Georgina.”
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly through the pounding of my heart. “You’re sorry?” Iasked.
“Yeah. Vance never should’ve put you in that position.” He went to the other side of the bed and checked the screen of his phone. “I wish you’d mentioned it yesterday,” he said, “but I suppose I can’t blame you for thinking you were on a fake date most of the day. Thanks for beinghonest.”
I hazarded a smiled. His understanding felt almost too good to be true. “I didn’t say anything because I was afraid you’d get angry and end thedate.”
“I don’t think anything could’ve torn me away from you last night.” He returned my smile. “Don’t get me wrong—I’m pissed. But I’ll take it up withhim.”
“Not today,” I warned. Bruno rolled onto his side and groaned sleepily, clearly put out by our conversation. “Vance said if you went on the attack, he’d fire you on thespot.”
Sebastian shook his head and slipped his phone in his back pocket, trading it for a comb. “I’m not sure I give afuck.”
“You might feel that way now, but promise me you’ll wait until you’ve cooledoff.”
“I don’t know if I can.” He stooped to the mirror above my dresser and fixed his hair. “I should go hand in my resignation just to fuck him over. Then he’d have nobody.” He scoffed. “I’d like to see him put out a decent issue without either ofus.”
I relaxed back against my headboard, relieved I wouldn’t be the one to feel Sebastian’s wrath. Until his words registered—Vance would have nobody? What aboutme? I wasn’t taking the job, but I hadn’t said that yet. “Sebastian—”
He glanced at me in the reflection and tilted his head. “Christ, you’re pale. You really thought I’d explode, didn’tyou?”
I was feeling a bit clammy. “You’ve never wanted me there. I figured you’d blame this onme.”
“Why would I?” he asked, putting the comb away. “You didn’t ask for the job, and it’s not like you’d ever takeit.”
I frowned, my heart rate slowing. Putting aside the fact that I deserved the opportunity for the way I was turningModern Manaround, why shouldn’t I want to advance my career? What made Sebastian so sure I’d turn it down? “I never said whether I accepted it,” I pointedout.
“Yeah, but I know you well enough now. You wouldn’t do that to me.” He turned, leaning against the dresser as he crossed his arms. “You’re one of the sweetest, most caring women I’ve ever met, Georgina. You’d never take my job, especially after lastnight.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that.Especially after last nightalmost sounded dirty, as if sex had somehow secured my loyalty to him above anyone else, even myself. Vance’s offer was more than an enormous bump in salary—it was vindication that I’d done a good job after all the resistance Sebastian had given me. That I was necessary. That my work mattered. Sebastian had just assumed I’d put him above all that? Of course he did. He thought I was “sweet.” “Caring.” And, I couldn’t forget—easily runover.
My face flushed. With this news, Sebastian had only considered what I was doing tohim. Not what this opportunity had meant forme. He’d expected me to limit my career to helphis.
“Well, I guess you’re right,” I said, irritation hardening my words. It occurred to me that while there’d been no good time to bring this up, it certainly wasn’t while I was naked. “Can you hand me a shirt from the firstdrawer?”
He opened it and pulled a faded black, extra-small Jem and the Holograms t-shirt from the top of the pile. “Is this yours?” he asked, holding itup.
“It’s from when I was a kid,” I snapped, gesturing impatiently for it. I made a mental note never to sleep with a guy on laundry dayagain.
He tossed it to me, narrowing his eyes as I struggled to pull on the too-small shirt while shielding myself with thesheet.
“Is . . . something wrong?” heasked.
“Yep.” I yanked the hem down. “Did you even stop to consider what this could mean for mycareer?”
“Um . . . no.” He furrowed his brows. “I’m at risk of losing myjob,Georgina.”
