08

“I would hope not because if that’s the kind of woman that amuses him these days, he’s wasting his time with me,” I muttered as I reapplied some of my lip balm and finger-combed my hair back in place. “He’s going to drive me up the wall before this is through.”

“I have a feeling he was already doing that before I interrupted,” Emma giggled and despite the scowl I was unsuccessfully trying to give her, I couldn’t help but laugh, some of my agitation ebbing away.

“I think it’s going to be real interesting to see which one of you gives in first,” she said as she took out a compact from her purse and touched up on her make up. “Pity those who are going to get trampled along the way.”

My mood grew serious. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, Ems. Especially not Marcus.”

She smirked. “I think Marcus can handle himself just fine. He’ll go for what he wants but I don’t think he’ll get in the way of true love.”

I scoffed as we both headed towards the door. “There won’t be any of that if Sebastian doesn’t play fair.”

“Doesn’t that just show how badly he wants to win ?” Emma asked with a wink.

I rolled my eyes. “Since when did you sign up to be Sebastian’s cheerleader ?”

“Since I saw his face the moment he looked at you earlier,” Emma answered. “He never struck me as a man given to tenderness but the way he gazed at you left no doubt in my mind as to how precious you are to him.”

I snorted. “Like a man viewing his prized collection ?”

“No. It’s more like a man gazing down at the love of his life that the rest of the world didn’t matter,” Emma said softly, looping an arm through mine and nudging me with her shoulder. “I’m not telling you this to push you two together. I’m saying it so you can stop ignoring what’s so obvious just because you’re afraid of what you’ll do about it.”

“Stop romanticizing his actions, Ems,” I said with a sigh. “I do enough of that on my own.”

Emma just smiled and said nothing else as we returned to our table.

If the guys noticed anything about me, they didn’t say.

Sebastian was long gone by the time we left the restaurant.

Marcus drove me home but I didn’t immediately make a move to get out of the car.

“Cassie, what is between you and Sebastian Vice ?” he asked softly, his expression patient. “I could feign nonchalance but we both know something’s going on here.”

My first instinct was to deny everything but Marcus was being more forthcoming than I was and I couldn’t find it in myself to lie. Now that our worlds have blended into one again, there would very little use for denial about what we once meant to each other.

I sighed. “We broke up four years ago—quite bitterly, I might add. We’re trying to decide where we fit in each other’s lives this time.”

Marcus’s blue eyes widened at first as he put all the pieces together. Then they finally shone with understanding. “I see. Am I supposed to help you decide ?”

My cheeks flushed. “I wouldn’t ask you to. Not if you don’t want to.”

He smiled. “You’re a great girl, Cassie. I knew that even from the first time we met. I like you and I’m here if you want to spend time together but I won’t tread where I’m not wanted.”

“That’s the problem,” I said with a heavy intake of breath. “I don’t really know what I want.”

He reached out and put his hand over mine, squeezing gently.

His touch was nice and warm but I noticed right away that it lacked that crackle of energy even Sebastian’s faintest brushes could evoke.

“No one needs you to decide tomorrow, Cassie,” Marcus said, smiling. “Personally, I’ve never seen Sebastian react the way he does about you and for that alone, I’m almost looking forward to watch you make him grovel on his feet for a little bit.”

I smiled back. “I don’t fault him for how he feels but I’ll be the first to point out that he could use better tactics.”

Marcus chuckled softly. “When you looked up at me with those dark brown eyes that day of the fourth of July party, I had a feeling you were dangerous to a man. Apparently, I’m right.”

I squeezed his hand. “Thank you for understanding, Marcus.”

He just grinned and slipped out of the car to open the door on my side. He helped me out and walked me to the front door.

“Goodnight, Cassie.”

“Will we still go out for dinner on Saturday night ?” I asked warily.

He grinned. “Absolutely. I may not be trying to date you but I sure as hell enjoy your company. It’s a dinner between friends.”

I grinned back. “Deal. Goodnight, Marcus.”

“Sweet dreams, Cass.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek, very much like a good friend would, and winked at me before he turned to go.

I was still smiling as I rode the elevator up.

That smile disappeared the moment I stepped inside my apartment and found Sebastian standing by the window, his back to me, still dressed in the charcoal gray three-piece suit he wore to dinner except for the jacket he’d discarded into one of the armchairs.

I tensed as he slowly turned to face me, his face inscrutable.

“Cassandra.”

I sighed wearily, wondering why I was even shocked for a minute.

Sebastian made no secret of his intent to invade every part of my life and I should’ve expected he would be as relentless as I’d feared.

I slipped off my shoes and dumped my purse on top of one of the bar stools that lined up one side of the kitchen counter. “First stalking, then playing God with my life, then accosting me in public washrooms and now breaking and entering. What else are you capable of, Sebastian ?”

“I didn’t break in,” he answered, unperturbed by my moody greeting. “I have a key.”

“Of course, you do. You did pick out and paint this place, didn’t you ?”

Saying that out loud made me take in the backdrop that surrounded Sebastian’s magnificent and imposing build and something warmed inside my heart at the reminder that he’d rolled up his sleeves in here once, fastidiously painting murals on my wall knowing I’ll love them.

Damn him and his dirty tricks to wear my guard down.

“What do you want, Sebastian ?”

His eyes lowered to my bare feet and I felt my flush all the way to my toes.

He swept his gaze back up at me. “I wanted to make sure Aldridge didn’t follow you all the way up here.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What I do or don’t do with Marcus is my own damn business.”

“You’re my business, like it or not,” he countered stiffly and for a few seconds we stood face to face, very much in battle.

Then he sighed and lowered himself into one of the armchairs. He looked exhausted.

“You should know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t invite him up here,” was my reluctant admission as I padded to the kitchen to fill the kettle with some water.

“I know,” he said softly, picking up a book I’d left on the coffee table. He studied it and looked up at me with amused eyes. “Rumi ?”