CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
EMILY
B oy, Sebastian is grumpy in the morning. Not first thing. When I woke, he was wrapped around me, his face nestled into my neck.
His hand was on my breast.
It was both startling and nice.
It’s been years since I woke up in a man’s bed. My last relationship ended three years ago, and since, I’ve always kicked the guy out or left.
Sleep is important.
I fully intended to go to the guest room, but as I took a few steps toward the door, Sebastian lifted me up and carried me to his bed. Then climbed in behind me and turned off the light.
This morning, as the grumpy bear began to surface from sleep, his hands roamed my body, and I felt arousal stir.
“Oh no. I need to recover.” I wiggled in his arms.
Sebastian kissed me, stared into my eyes sleepily for a long moment, then suddenly and, without warning, leaped out of bed, ripping the covers off me.
“Right. Let’s get showered and dressed. What do you want for breakfast?”
Jesus Christ.
He went from zero to one hundred.
“Um...”
“Come on.” He tore the duvet out of my hands as I chased it to the end of the bed, then realized my naked ass was in the air.
“Sebastian!” I cried.
“Thirty minutes Emily,” he called out, walking into the bathroom completely buck naked. So, I did what any sane woman would do. I watched his gorgeous ass as it disappeared.
Good god, his body is a masterpiece.
Now, I’m sitting at the kitchen counter sipping a green something-or-other that has no coffee in it, frowning.
“You don’t drink coffee?”
Sebastian shakes his head and picks up his phone as he sips his own sludge.
“At all?”
“No. It’s bad for you.”
“I don’t see a city full of dead bodies. What are you talking about?” I moan. “If I’m going to live here, I’m going to need to get my own coffee.”
I got a bank alert when I finished dressing that the funds had already been deposited. I guess when you’re as powerful as Sebastian, things move fast.
I’ve never had that much money in my bank before in my life, but if I’m staying in America, I can’t go on a spending spree.
Tempting, but no.
He also promised to find me a new job, but even he can’t guarantee that. So this money buys me some time, so I don’t have to race back to England and face Dad.
One of the only reasons I agreed to this charade.
I glance at the enormous, stunning blue diamond on my hand. Plus, that. Its jaw-droppingly beautiful.
“You can buy one at the office,” Sebastian replies, swiping his phone. “I can’t stand the smell.”
I gasp again dramatically. “Sacrilege.”
“Okay, drama llama, let’s go.” He rinses his glass and places it in the dishwasher.
I lift mine, noticing I’ve only taken a few reluctant sips and ponder if I will offend him. I should drink—
Yeah, that’s not happening.
I round the island and pour the lumpy juice down the sink, ignoring his mutter, and then rinse the glass.
One week.
At least he’s not perfect. I was starting to worry.
We gather our jackets and bags, then head downstairs where Josh waits for us.
“Morning, Tony. Josh.”
Sebastian waits for me to climb into the back of the SUV. The door closes and when we are all inside, we start moving through traffic.
“We never agreed what I would tell everyone.” I hold up the ring.
“Not that we’re engaged. If it hits the media, it will go national,” Sebastian says. “But you can’t take it off. It’s way too valuable, and if Khalid sees you without it, this whole thing could blow up.”
He’s already told me that five times.
“Tons of women take off their engagement rings,” I remind him.
He rolls his eyes. “Fine Emily. Then if you lose it, can you pay back the forty-five million dollars?”
Jesus fucking Christ.
My eyes almost fly out of my head.
“No? Good. Then keep the damn thing on.”
My phone starts ringing with Mom’s ringtone.
“Shit.” I tug my phone out of my purse and because I am so flabbergasted, I answer. “Hi Mom.”
“Hello darling. How is the United States of America?”
“You can just say America?” I rub my forehead as Sebastian gives me an annoyed look.
Grump.
“I hope I got the time right.”
“I’m on my way to work, so I don’t have long. But it’s going well. How are you and Dad?”
“Well, you know your dad. It’s still cold here. He hates the cold,” Mom says.
“Has she lost her job yet?” Dad calls out in the background, and my face flushes with shame and anger. I shoot Sebastian a glance. I don’t know if he can hear the conversation.
“No,” Mom snaps. “You haven’t lost your job, have you Em?”
Crap.
This time, Sebastian does turn his head but then glances away.
I’m mortified.
“No,” I reply quickly. “Listen, I have to go. I’m at work. I’ll call you...um...later in the week.”
I tug the phone back into my bag and wait for him to say something.
He doesn’t.
Whether because he couldn’t hear a thing or is saving my pride, I don’t know.
When we pull up outside the Remington Obsidian building, Tony and Josh hop out. Sebastian shocks me by turning, pinching my chin, and kissing me, hot and hard.
“Be a good assistant today, sexy girl.”
Fuck.
There goes another pair of panties.
I follow him into the building, muttering about needing a coffee, and I dart the other way to the café. I can feel his broody eyes on me as my heels tap on the polished floors, but I don’t look back.
Good god. How am I going to survive this week?
Images of us in his office doing really naughty things fill my mind, and I almost slam into Terri.
“You okay?” she laughs.
“Need coffee.” I swallow, feeling my cheeks turning red. “Need coffee now.”
“Girl. I know. I need at least three, especially on a Monday morning.” She walks alongside me. “How was the rest of your weekend?”
Intense.
Orgasmic.
Unbelievable.
“Okay. I went sightseeing. There’s so much to do in New York.”
Like, have sex with my boss and become fake engaged to him.
“I moved to the city about five years ago, so I get it. I still haven’t seen everything.”
I order my coffee and tap my card on the machine.
“What do you—” I stop talking as Terri grabs my hand.
“What is this?!”
My mouth forms an O as I turn and spot Josh less than a yard away.
“It’s fake. I heard my ex was in town, so I got a cheap ring at the store. Do you think it looks real?” I ask, feeling like a lying bitch.
In reality, it does look insanely fake. Few people in the world could afford a diamond this size—as in probably three people.
One being Sebastian, obviously.
“I mean”—she tilts my hand as my heart thumps faster—“does he think you’re marrying a prince? A little unbelievable, Em.”
I let out a weird sounding laugh, then clear my throat.
Sebastian is no prince.
“Yeah.” I laugh again. “The more intimidating, the better, right? He’s a douchebag.”
Terri loses interest and orders a bagel and coffee.
Whew.
“As long as you don’t scare off the right man,” she says, taking a bite as we walk back through the lobby. “Did you like that guy on Friday?”
That feels like a million light years away. I have so many other things to focus on right now than dating. It helps that I’m completely and utterly sexually satisfied.
“No,” I reply, then ask, “Hey, are you coming to the gala on Wednesday night?”
“Doubt it. We plebs don’t get invited.”
Oh.
Then I need another excuse to explain my attendance.
So many lies. I need an app to keep up with them.
Terri glances at Josh suspiciously as he follows me into the elevator, and I give her a wave.
“See you at lunch?”
She nods as the doors close.
I shoot Josh an awkward smile, then prepare to begin my workday as my fiancée’s personal assistant.
Who I am also living with.
Such a good, tight personal assistant.
And sleeping with.
What could go wrong...