Chapter Fifteen
Jesse
Hours later, I lay in the dawning light, listening to Sebastian’s quiet breathing. It had been the best night of my life—not just the best sex, but the best night. So why was my chest so tight? Why wasn’t I sleeping with a satisfied smile the way Sebastian was?
I turned to look at him. The first rays of sun crept through the window. He looked peaceful and happy. And so damn beautiful. In sleep, he had an endearing innocence, impossible to associate with the man who’d literally screwed me all night long.
My heart throbbed painfully as I imagined all the women who’d lain here, watching him sleep.
It was hard to take a man with Sebastian’s track record seriously.
He said I was special, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t said it a million times before.
Would I be special to him in a week or a month?
Did I even want more out of this relationship? The intensity of my feelings scared me.
The only time I’d come close to being this crazy about someone had been with Alex.
I had flashbacks to nights spent in the bathroom, holding his head while he puked his guts out from cocktails of meth and cheap whiskey.
I’d slept on cold tiles more than once, fearing he might overdose or choke on his own vomit.
What thanks had I gotten? Two black eyes and a concussion.
Shame filled me as I remembered those moments, that time of my life when I’d been a cowardly mess.
I’d only stayed with him for a few weeks, but those had been a few weeks too long.
I’d never told Dad about Alex’s abuse because he would have killed him.
It would’ve been a shame for him to see his strong, brave girl reduced to a whimpering mess because she’d fallen for the wrong guy.
I squeezed my eyes shut. It didn’t matter now. I’d had enough spine to leave that scumbag, and I wasn’t going to let any other man treat me like that ever again. Although Sebastian was fun, the kind of abuse he could inflict on my heart was dangerous. I wasn’t going to let it happen.
Time for the walk of shame. I crept out of bed, moving slowly so as not to wake Sebastian.
I really didn’t want to face him right now.
I tiptoed toward the door, gathering my clothes as I went.
I found my top and shorts, but couldn’t locate my panties in the dim light.
I’d almost given up when I saw them hanging from the doorknob.
Sebastian must’ve tossed them there with a vengeance.
I snatched them and walked quickly to the door. I stepped out, gently closing it behind me. I let out a relieved breath that turned into a yelp when I recognized the woman walking toward me. Her expression was a mixture of amusement and derision. Janine, Sebastian’s sister.
Shit! What the hell was she doing here at this hour?
“Hi,” I said awkwardly.
“Hello.” Her voice was as cool as her porcelain skin looked. “Is Sebastian okay? I’ve been trying his phone since yesterday afternoon. He never turns it off. I was worried something had happened, so I stopped by on my way to work.”
“Uh, yeah, he’s okay. He’s... asleep.” I realized I was holding my panties and hastily stuffed them in my back pocket.
Janine saw the gesture and gave me a cool smile. “No need to be embarrassed, darling. You’re not the first girl I find creeping out of here, and I’m sure you won’t be the last. You have something on your face, by the way.”
I slapped a hand to my cheek, coming up with a black sequin from the raccoon on my T-shirt. At least, I hoped it was mine and didn’t belong to one of the many ‘girls’ Sebastian’s sister had just mentioned.
Janine went around me, her heels clicking on the floor, unlocked Sebastian’s door, and went inside. I swallowed and started down the stairs, my shoulders slumped, my heart heavy. Talk about a walk of shame. This was a new low for me. I had never been more humiliated.
I showered and got ready for work, trying to ignore the dread churning in my stomach. Janine’s words stung more than I wanted to admit. I already knew Sebastian’s past, but she made me doubt the future—which was stupid, since I’d just told myself not to plan one with him anyway.
At the store, I powered on the laptop and forced my brain to stay on work, not Sebastian. My mood perked up when I saw the ‘help wanted’ ad had several dozen views and four messages. I took a sip of the suspicious coffee and checked the messages.
If I docked points for bad grammar, I’d be left with one applicant—so I didn’t. I opened the resumés.
The first was a 68-year-old veteran obsessed with guns and the phrase ‘back in my day.’
The second was a 22-year-old student whose nails looked like weapons—not ideal for handling power tools.
The third had no photo, a résumé full of odd jobs, and a habit of quitting after two months.
I downed the last of my coffee wishing it was whiskey, as I opened the fourth applicant’s message.
The girl looked barely old enough to work.
A quick check confirmed she’d just graduated from Brooklyn Tech.
My enthusiasm dimmed when I saw she was only looking for a summer job.
I needed someone permanent, but for now, a temporary solution was better than nothing.
Sighing, I picked up my phone and dialed her number.
She answered after a few rings. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Lucy Kellerman?”
“Yes, I’m Lucy.” Cheerful tone. Good sign.
“This is Jesse Nielsen from Mix’em & Fix’em. You messaged me about the part-time manager job.”
“Oh, yeah! It sounds like fun.”
I smiled. “It can be. But it’s also a big responsibility. You mentioned you were an assistant manager at another hardware store?”
“Yeah. My uncle owns it. I’ve worked there every summer since I turned sixteen. He hired someone full-time now, so I’m looking for a new place.”
“You said you’re only interested in a summer job?”
She hesitated. “I start college in the fall, so I’ll need part-time hours. But I definitely still want to work.”
I scratched my chin. Okay, not ideal, but not terrible either.
“Would you be available to come in for an interview today?”
“Sure.”
We scheduled it for 3 p.m. I gave her the address and ended the call. She was young, but she had experience—and right now, that was more than I could say for anyone else. I decided to hold off on the other messages until after I’d met her.
My phone vibrated with a text. My silly heart jumped like an excited puppy when I saw it was Sebastian.
Why did you sneak out on me, Princess?
I bit my lower lip as I typed, I didn’t sneak out. I had to go to work.
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?”
“I’d love that.”
As we walked, I watched her take in the shelves like she already belonged here.
“I’ve always been into home improvement,” she said. “My boyfriend and I are constantly fixing things up.”
“Nothing beats seeing the results of your own work.”
Her eyes lit up. “Exactly. That’s what I love about this industry. My uncle’s store was bigger, but this place is stocked. And look at all these smart-home gadgets. I’m a tech junkie.”
I grinned. “They’re in demand lately. I try to stay ahead of the curve.”