Mr Garcia

“Are you sure about that?” He steps forward, so he’s only inches from my face.

I drop my gaze to the ground, and he places his finger under my chin and brings my face up to his. “I’m not seeing anyone.”

“It’s none of my business who you see.”

“You’re wrong,” he smiles. “It’s all of your business.”

His lips take mine, and he kisses me with just the right amount of suction, enough to curl my toes. “Come and stay with me tonight.”

My brows furrow. Fuck it, this was not in my game plan.

“I organized this so you don’t have to go to the auction on Thursday night. My bathrooms are being remodeled, and I’m staying at the hotel for a few nights. And Porsha owes me a favor.”

“What does that mean?”

“I drew up the plans for her renovation. She owes me.”

I raise my brow. “I’m the favor?”

He smiles as he rearranges my apron.

“You’re staying above the club all week?” I frown. “Are you going inside?”

He chuckles, grabs the lapels of my shirt, and he drags me to him. “I like this jealousy thing.” His lips dust mine.

“I’m not jealous. I’m just not interested in sloppy seconds.”

He smirks as his eyes hold mine.

“If you want to go inside the club that’s fine, but…” I look down the alleyway as I try to make this sound less loser-ish.

“But?” He kisses me down my neck.

How am I supposed to think when he’s all over me like this? He doesn’t play fair.

“I shouldn’t like you,” I say.

He smiles against my neck. “But you do.”

“Will you stop it?” I step back from him to get some distance. “I just…” God, I’m feeling all needy and territorial. Damn this man.

We’re just fucking, I try to remind myself.

“I don’t like that you go there,” I say.

“I don’t like that you go there.”

“I’ve two more shifts left.”

“One after tonight.”

My gaze drops to the pathway beneath us.

He takes me into his arms. “Come and stay at the club with me.” He kisses my temple. “I’m only going there for you.” He presses his lips to my ear. “Don’t make me beg.”

I give him a stifled smile, my tantrum on the way out. “I’ll think about it.”

“I can order in, we can have cocktails,” he offers to try and sweeten the deal.

My eyes hold his. “What do you even like about me, Sebastian?”

He hesitates as if searching for the right answer and eventually he replies. “You make me forget who I am.”

What does that mean? “What’s wrong with who you are?”

“Everything.”

My heart constricts. “Well, apart from you taking other women to balls and making me crazy jealous, and the small fact that you’re a cranky asshole,” I shrug, “I think you’re kind of wonderful.”

He gives me a slow sexy smile and pushes his hands into his pant pockets. “I’ll see you tonight then?”

I nod with a smile, and then I walk back down the alleyway to my café.

“April?” he calls from behind me.

I turn back toward him.

“Where’s my kiss goodbye?”

My heart swells. I turn, and he takes me into his arms. Then, I kiss him softly. His big lips linger over mine, and alarm bells scream all around me.

I have no resistance when it comes to this man. None. He has me completely where he wants me, and I can’t even pretend to want to fight it.

“I’ll count down the hours till I see you,” he whispers.

I nod, already knowing that this train is going straight to Hell.

But like the fool that I am, I can’t get off.

The makeup artist applies the finishing touches to my face, and I stare at my reflection in the illuminated mirror.

“How’s that?” she asks.

“Great,” I smile, happy with the result. “Thanks.”

I asked for a natural look tonight. My blonde hair is straight in its sharp bob. I had a toner put in it, making it more of a champagne color now. For the first time since I’ve been at the Escape Club, I’m wearing a pant suit. It’s black with a gold, silk, button up top and a black, fitted suit jacket.

I feel sexier than I have before here. I wanted to be more me.

This is something that I would wear in the outside world. Lacy strapless dresses, while nice, are not something I would wear on a night out.

I stand and turn to look at my behind. The pants are fitted, and I unfasten my two top buttons of my shirt, revealing a peek at the cream lacy bra beneath it.

Excitement fills me knowing that I get to see him soon.

I had an epiphany in the shower earlier. It’s okay to enjoy a man and know that there’s no future with him. I’m giving myself permission to fall in lust because, let’s face it, that’s what this is: an intense, out of this world sexual attraction. He feels it, too. He’s made that very clear.