I hesitate and chance a glance at Mr.Thomas, but he stares at Mr.Sterling as though afraid to take his eyes off him.
When I look back up, I understand why.Our boss glares at him.
“Have you met before?”Sebastian asks.
“Yes,” I answer as I tug his arm.
“Where?”he demands.
“I’m dating her roommate,” Kenneth blurts.
I tighten my grip on Sebastian and marvel at the word choice.Dating isn’t quite what I’d call their one-night stand gone wrong, but it definitely sounds better.
“You’re dating her roommate,” Sebastian repeats as though needing confirmation.
I share a look with Mr.Thomas.Neither of us wants our boss to know the full truth.I don’t think Sebastian would fire him for being gay, but it’s not my secret to tell, and I hope to never find out what he thinks of me living with a man.With his supernatural ability of piecing things together, he’ll realize I moved in with Peter before I became an adult, and then all heck will break loose.
“He is, but I met him for the first time this past weekend,” I say.
Sebastian lifts a thick brow before studying my face.When his gaze dips to my nails dug into his sleeve, I loosen my grip but can’t let him go with all the aggression still wafting from him.His lips thin.He swings narrowed eyes at Mr.Thomas.
“What are you apologizing for?”he asks.
Mr.Thomas swallows and flicks apologetic eyes my way before returning his focus to our boss.
“Ms.Miles came home early on Saturday and walked in on…”
Sebastian’s hands clench into fists, and he shifts his weight.
“I’ll apologize again!”Kenneth exclaims as he jumps back.“I’m sorry, Ms.Miles.It won’t happen again.I’ll always and only be professional in front of you from this moment on.I swear,” he stammers.
“Sebastian, calm down before you give him a heart attack.”I shake his hefty arm.“I forgave him already.It was an accident,” I insist.
Rich brown eyes threaten to consume me.
“Is that why you blushed when he joined us in my office?”he asks.
Embarrassment heats my cheeks.Again.I hate how easily he reads me, but I nod and shift my grip lower on his arm.
“I had no idea he worked for you, so I was surprised and embarrassed,” I answer.
His shoulders finally relax.I take a shaky breath and release him, but he settles a massive palm over my hand and pins it to his forearm.
“Are you attracted to him?”
Mortification leads me to give a strangled laugh.
“What?No.Not at all.Why are you so mad anyway?It’s not like—”
“I like you, Penelope.I want to date you.”
His bottomless brown orbs steal the ground out from under me.I meet Mr.Thomas’s eyes, certain I misheard Sebastian, but the jerk stiffens and spins on his heel so fast I envy his coordination.He gathers the stragglers left in the office and ushers them into the elevator before mashing the button to close the door over and over with impatience.
As my mind replays Sebastian’s declaration, rage grows behind my sternum.All the emotions I’ve bottled up for years fester in my veins until my entire body vibrates from the intensity.
He has no right to play with my emotions like this, especially not after I saw him flirting with that woman in his office.
She may not recognize me, but I’ll never forget her face.For two horrible years, she averted her eyes every time my bullies cornered me.Her gaze would skip right over me as though I didn’t exist when she caught them hurting me.
