At 6:30? Jan told me she bumped into you.
My smile faded.Sorry about that. I had no idea your sister was planning a surprise visit at that ungodly hour.
It’s the first time she’s done that. She was worried. I never shut off my phone.
So why did you do it last night?
Because last night was too important. I didn’t want to be disturbed for anything.
I looked away, fighting a losing battle with a smile.Your sister must think I’m a slut.
No, she doesn’t. I explained everything.
I paused, debating whether to ask what he’d explained. On the one hand, I was dying to know what Sebastian had told his sister about me. On the other, I wasn’t sure I could handle the details.
My phone vibrated again.
What are you doing tonight?Sebastian typed.
PAINTING!I need to catch up on work to hit my deadline!
There was a pause, then the phone buzzed again.
I was hoping to take you out. But I can cook and bring you dinner. You need to eat. Keep your… energy up.
I snorted. I knew exactly what that ellipsis meant. Sebastian Wright was a walking distraction—and possibly habit-forming.
We’ll see,I typed back.I really do need to focus.
You will, I promise.This statement was followed by a big, toothy smile emoji.
I rolled my eyes.I mean focus on painting. Art exhibit prep, remember?
That too. You still need food. Preferences, or should I surprise you?
I exhaled. Having dinner delivered to my door while I painted sounded like heaven.
No preference. But really, you don’t have to.
Then it’s pasta. See you tonight, Princess.
“See you,” I whispered, setting the phone aside and letting my head fall back against the chair.
Everything was moving fast—faster than I was comfortable with. But God, I was enjoying the ride.
Sebastian wasn’t just hot. He was everything. The sex had been off-the-charts. Not just the first time—every single time we’d found ourselves tangled in each other. But it wasn’t just physical. We’d talked, joked, laughed. There was tenderness in between the fire. We’d connected on an emotional level. We were extremely aware and in tune with each other. We’d shared tenderness as much as sensuality.
I blinked rapidly as a customer entered. Time to get back to earth and stay here.
At exactly 3, a petite young woman entered the store wearing a white tee and trendy denim overalls. Her ebony skin glowed under the overhead lights, and her black curls were braided into neat pigtails.
“Hi, I’m Lucy,” she said, stepping forward with a smile.
I stood to shake her hand. “Jesse. Thanks for coming in.”
“Thank you for considering me.” Her eyes swept the store with practiced interest. “Wow, great selection of power tools. Do you cater to professionals or DIYers?”
“Both. We try to keep things versatile. Want a quick tour before we chat?”
