“Okay. I think my point ismade.”
“The office.” This time,hecame to me, eliminating any remaining space between us. Although I’d been doing my best to be brave, his closeness had my heart pumping and my brain fuzzy. “I’ve never picked up a colleaguebefore.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? How is thatpossible?”
“Mostly because it’sforbidden.”
For the first time, I remembered Vance’s warning in our initial meeting. Fraternizationwasagainst the rules. I didn’t have much time left atModern Man, but I did have a reputation to uphold. Whether it was the beginning or end of an assignment, Dionne had a clients-come-first businessmodel.
And I didn’t thinkthiswas what she’d meant bythat.
Sebastian slipped his arms around my waist, walking us backward toward the bedroom. “Tell me you want this,Georgina.”
I didn’t even hesitate. Maybe I should have, but this didn’t feel like being a pushover. Itfeltlike taking control. “I want this, but—” As he leaned in to kiss me, I held him off with my palm on his chest. “I completely forgot that fraternization is, as Vance put it,strictlyforbidden.”
He stopped walking. “Don’t tell me now that I’ve given in, you’re having secondsthoughts.”
“I’m not. It’s just . . .” If I’d thought earlier was a bad time to bring up Vance’s job offer, now was even worse. Even though I’d decided to turn it down, was keeping the information I had to myself enough to sour things between us? It wouldn’t matter if I was Aliana Balik, Sebastian’s celebrity crush—he’d still see me as someone who could put his job in jeopardy. I wasn’t sure that would change just because we slept together. “I just don’t like to break the rules,” Isaid.
“Then I’ll break them for you.” He tightened his hold on my waist and lifted me as I gasped. He headed briskly down the hall as if I might protest again. “If Vance asks, I’ll tell him it was all myidea.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, my bare feet dangling at his shins. “I’m there to ensure you’rebetterbehaved around the office, not worse,” I said with asigh.
“If I go home now,” he said, opening my bedroom door, “you won’t get to try bossing me around until we’re back at work in themorning.”
“You like tothinkI boss you around because it gives you something to complainabout.”
“Trust me, since you’ve shown up, I’ve had plenty to complain about.” His eyes sparkled. His expression, part playful, part challenging, had to have mirrored myown.
“Put me down,” Isaid.
“Nope.”
“You said I could boss youaround.”
“I said you couldtry.”
“What are you going to do, hold me up allnight?”
Something different sparked in his eyes, darkening his gaze as my stomach dropped. “If that’s what it takes,” hesaid.
I hadn’t meant it sexually, but the thought of Sebastian and I getting creative on our feet made me squirm. A few steps into my room, he set me down but kept ahold of me. He had to stoop to lower his forehead to mine. He looked about to speak, but as I sighed, he made a noise akin to a growl and took my mouth for a rougher kiss thanbefore.
I hugged his neck for support, to get closer to him, trying vainly to match his height. He pulled me up, lifting me to my toes, bringing me to my full height, kissing me until my legs were so weak, he was holding me up. His five o’clock shadow scraped in the best way. I sucked his bottom lip between my teeth, and he answered by bitingmine.
Bruno whined from the doorway, and I pulled away,gasping.
“Georgina,” Sebastian warned. “If he thinks my BDE was threateningbefore—”
“I’ll handle it,” I said, wiggling out of Sebastian’s grasp. I squatted to Bruno’s level, scratching behind his ears. “Listen, buddy. You know you’re my number one guy, but tonight, you’re on thecouch.”
Bruno put his paw on my knee with agroan.
“Anthro—” Sebastian coughed into his fist, “—pomorphizing.”
“Don’t listen to him,” I said to Bruno. “I know you understand.” Well, Bruno at least knew the wordcouchsince Neal had screamed at him to get off of it enough times for Bruno to think he was in trouble. Guilt panged in my chest sending Bruno away. He’d only ever slept in the living room when I was out of town. Neal or Luciano would send me a picture of Bruno in the entryway, waiting for me to come home. But this was the only way Sebastian and I would get anyprivacy.
I led Bruno out by the collar and shut the door on him. Before I’d even turned around, Sebastian was at my back, lifting my hair off my neck to place it over my shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ll make it up to him.Promise.”
