“Is he into women?”
“Women and men,” she informs me.
“You sure he’s not into you?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Trust me.”
“Fine, one less guy I need to be worried about. But clearly Jase is talking about you, so if we’re going over there, I hope you’re prepared to sit on my lap so he can stop wondering if you’re into him,”I tell her, giving her a look that I know she can read because I’veneverbeen good about handling guys openly hitting on her.
She bites down on her bottom lip as she stares in the direction of her friends before turning back to me. “Let’s just go. We can go to another bar or back to my apartment.”
I cross my arms over my chest even though I can feel her discomfort fueled by alcohol, and my instinct is to wrap my arms around her. “You backing out now?”
“No. But—” she starts when someone’s voice cuts through the space around us.
“Sebastian?” I turn toward the voice, and I already feel the tension flowing off Saint when the slender, tall, red-headed woman leans in for a half hug that I somewhat return.
“Miss Prescott. Hi, how are you?”
“Miss Prescott? My, aren’t we formal all of a sudden?” she says with a tone that sounds like I’d previously been veryinformalwith her.Fuck.“What are the odds! I didn’t even know you were here this weekend,” she says, and I don’t know why she would. We went out twice, both for benefits and more importantly, for show, because it looks better when I’m accompanied to those types of events. We’ve never spoken outside of those nights. But I already know Saint is going to have a million questions about who she is and why she’s so familiar with me.
“Hi, I’m Halle.” Saint speaks up, and I’m wondering if she’s going to elaborate one way or the other about who she is to me, but she doesn’t, and Quinn shakes her hand with a smile.
“Quinn Prescott. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Saint nods with a smile I know to be fake before turning to me. “Sebastian, I’m going to go meet my friends,” she says, and I can already hear the subtext in those words.I am about to make you as pissed off and jealous as I am.
The hell you are.“Nuh-uh. Wait a second.” I grab her hand just before she’s out of reach, pulling her not hard but hard enough that she stumbles backward into me, and my hand wraps around her waist to steady her. I tighten my hand on her hip, and I feel the tiny tremor move through her that she tries to hide.
Good. I know that made your pussy wet.
“It was nice to see you, Miss Prescott.”I say in my best dismissive tone, hoping she gets the message that this “stop and chat” was over.
“Let me know when you’re back in Seattle? Maybe we could go out again?”she says, and the undeniable subtext pisses meoff. Even if I wasn’t in a very serious relationship with the woman next to me, I hate that Quinn was trying to stake some claim on me as if she had any right to do so.
I know once I explain to Saint that I have not slept with this woman, she will calm downa little bit. But I also know I’m going to have to explain most of that while my tongue is on her clit.Not that I’m complaining.
I’m just about to respond that I’m seeing someone, so that wouldn’t be happening when Saint speaks up. “That’s not possible.” She gives her a saccharine smile before she turns more into me, making it very obvious as to why it’s not possible.
“Oh, I… I didn’t realize…” she says before narrowing her gaze at me. “You attended the last Heritage Center Gala alone just a few weeks ago, so… I just assumed you weren’t seeing anyone…serious,”she says before turning her gaze to Saint as if to imply she was probably no more than a fling. “But have fun while you’re here in New York,” she says snidely before she walks away without another look toward either of us. Saint’s eyes meet mine, and I can see the fire in them before she storms away. I’m grateful that she doesn’t make her way toward her friends because we need to talk, and we need to do so away from their prying eyes and ears.
I follow her out of the main area and into a dark hallway where she’s standing against one of the deep burgundy-colored walls with the most gorgeous scowl on her face.
“Start talking,” she grits out.
“Can I kiss you first?”
“No.” She crosses her arms over her chest, and I can tell her patience is wearing thin, but I press my luck a little further, hoping she’ll let me touch her.
“Please.” I move closer, and she puts her hand out to stop me, putting her palm flat against my chest. My head drops as I let out a defeated sigh. “I took her to two benefits. Just for show, Saint.It just looks better when you attend with someone,” I explain, praying she will understand.
“You know what I’m asking.”
“I didn’t sleep with her.” I swallow nervously, knowing she’s going to hate this second part. “But I did kiss her.”
Her eyes widen, and tears flood her big brown eyes, making them appear even brighter than usual. “Are you kidding me?”
“It was this past year when we weren’t talking.” I run a hand through my hair, knowing that I didn’t do anything wrong but still feeling like I cheated on her. “It meant nothing. She was hinting all night about wanting to come home with me, and when I dropped her off, she asked me to come inside, and I blew her off. I felt bad.” I grab her angry face and make her look at me. “But not as bad as I’d feel about sleeping with someone who wasn’t you.”
