Yesterday, I sent the account details to Sebastien, and was shocked when he sent me a receipt showing he had paid twenty million dollars, just in case they claimed interest. Between going back to my apartment and having a civilized conversation with him at the kitchen table, Sebastien almost seemed human, not like the Mr. Cranky I had gotten used to. He was concerned, supportive and always found subtle ways to touch me.
But, do you mind him touching you, though?
I sighed.
Then, I spent most of my day sleeping, thanks to the sleep medication Rex had brought me. When I finally went down to the kitchen, I found boxes of Chinese takeout from my favorite restaurant on the counter with a family-sized bag of candy bars. After dinner, I packed the leftovers in the fridge, washed up my dishes, grabbed the candy bars, scribbled a quick thank you note to Sebastien on a writing pad stuck on the fridge, and went back to bed.
Today, I woke up with my shoulder still sore, but manageable, and my headache was gone. I was more than ready to get back to work to keep my mind busy.
My phone rang and Sebastien’s name lit up the screen.
“Hi.”
“Hi, Delilah.”
God, why was this man’s voice so sexy over the phone?
“I’ll be there at nine to pick you up.”
I sat up and leaned against the headboard and checked the time on my phone. It was half-six.
“Why are you calling? Couldn’t you just come knock on my door?”
“Would you have preferred if I did?” His voice dropped to a low, husky tone that sent an electric shock straight to my core. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
I cleared my throat, trying not to sound affected by the sudden change in his voice. “I’m just saying, if we’re in the same house, it’d be more convenient. That’s all.”
“I’m already at the office.” His voice was back to normal. “And I wanted to let you know you’re not coming in today. We have a few errands to run.”
My jaw twitched. “Mr. Quantum, I have a debt to repay. I can’t afford to be missing work.”
“Don’t worry, I know the boss,” he said coyly. “I’ll put in a good word for you to ensure you get paid for the days you’ve been home.”
Wait, was Sebastien trying to be playful? I smiled despite myself.
“Fine. I’ll be ready by nine. Are we going to get the marriage license?”
“No. I’m taking you shopping for some dresses.”
“Dresses? Why?”
How in the world could Sebastien be thinking about shopping when the main reason I came to this house was to get married to him?
“A party will be thrown to announce our engagement.” His tone darkened. “It will be used to send a message so your enemies will know to back off. No one is going to take you away from me. I’ll be there at nine.”
Sebastien cut the call, and I exhaled the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. The unmistakable possessiveness I heard in his voice made me uneasy. But was it because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d never let anyone hurt me, or was it because if I read too much into it, I’d end up hurting myself?
My brain knew that none of this was real. That Sebastien was really just doing this for Dean's sake. When all this was over, Sebastien would find a perfect, thin supermodel to marry and have beautiful babies with. But, my heart…it wanted…more.
I tried to convince myself that Sebastien was an evil son of a bitch, but my body constantly betrayed me. I just couldn’t understand it. But one thing my body, heart and mind agreed with was if I got too close to Sebastien Quantum, he could leave me shattered in ways I’d never be able to pick up the pieces from.
I sighed, got off the bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead.
A few hours later, Sebastien and I stepped into a high-end fashion store. The salesgirls wore black uniforms with gold name tags and greeted us with plastic smiles.
Classical music played softly in the background as several women rustled through the clothes racks. They wore designer dresses paired with stilettos, their hair in elaborate updos and their makeup was flawless. I couldn’t help but notice the lust in their eyes and how their smiles broadened when Sebastien passed by.
Then they looked at me.
Their smiles faded and they shot me judgmental sneers before leaning towards each other and whispering. Straightening my shoulders, I tried not to let it bother me. After all, judgmental looks and whispers were what I’d been used to since I was a child. And now, with a man like Sebastien by my side, I guessed it came with the territory.
We stopped by a section filled with breathtaking gowns. Naturally, I did what I always do, scanned the price tags. My stomach twisted in knots. Each one cost more than a year’s worth of my salary.
I leaned toward Sebastien and whispered, “Do I really need to buy a dress from here? These prices are insane. I know a cute boutique along—”
Sebastien cut me off. “You will get a gown from here. My fiancé must wear the best.”
“But I…”
My voice trailed off when one of the sales girls approached us.
“Good day, my name is Renee. How can I assist you today?”
With an air of authority, Sebastien spoke. “Get me your most exquisite gowns. Sexy and show-stopping. Money is no problem.”
Renee quickly scanned me from head to toe before hurrying off.
“Sexy? Really? Me? How do you make a whale look sexy?” I tried to laugh it off, but Sebastien’s gaze darkened. I bit my lower lip and turned away from him, pretending to look at the dresses on the rack.
“Is that how you really see yourself?” he whispered behind me, his hot breath grazing my ear and sending a shiver down my spine.
“That’s how everyone sees me,” I croaked. “I don’t mind, though,” I lied. “I’ve gotten used to it by now.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Ma’am, if you’d follow me this way.” Renee’s voice cut through the tension between Sebastien and me. I turned to face Renee, whose arms were full of gowns.
Sebastien stepped back, allowing me to follow her into one of the changing rooms. It was stunning, like a small private suite. It held a small sofa and a mini fridge. There was a stall separated by a curtain, which was currently pulled back, revealing walls lined with mirrors, offering a view from every angle.
Renee hung up the dresses and smiled. “You can try these on, and I’ll get you a few more.”
“Thank you,” I said, and she stepped out.
For the next thirty minutes, I stepped in and out of the stall, modelling the dresses for Sebastien. But none of the dresses seemed to fit right. It was either that the arms were too tight, or it squeezed my waist so much I could barely breathe. Or some just couldn’t zip up. By the time I had tried on the tenth dress, I was exhausted, frustrated and ready to throw in the towel and go home.
Sebastien pulled back the curtain, holding a red gown in his hand. “Try this.” He handed it to me and closed the curtain again. Groveling, I tried on the damn thing.
The gown was simple, made of shimmering fabric, with a string that tied at the back of the neck. The front had a cowl design, and the back dipped so low I was sure if I sat down, you’d see the crack of my ass. I wore it without a bra felt as though my boobs were about to pop out on either side. And of course, there was my gut, glaring at me disapprovingly. There was no way Sebastien thought I could pull this off.
“What’s taking you so long?” Sebastien asked impatiently as he pushed the curtain away and stepped into the stall, shifting the curtain back in place.
His eyes roamed my body, his expression unreadable. I spoke before he could insult me about the way I looked.
“This dress doesn’t suit my body type. The top doesn’t provide proper support, and it’s way too tight…”
Sebastien took a step towards me, and my words faltered. His eyes were intense and predatorial.
“You look gorgeous in this dress, Delilah.” He took another step towards me. My pulse quickened and I took a step back.
I laughed nervously. Did Sebastien just call me gorgeous?
“Gorgeous?” I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re seeing, but all I’m seeing is fat and a big-ass gut.”
“Look in the mirror.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really?”
His jaw clenched. “Yes, really.”
“Fine.”
Hesitantly, I turned to the mirror, avoiding eye contact with myself. Sebastien came up behind me, though he didn’t touch me.
His voice was tight and strained as he spoke. “You’re a gorgeous woman, Delilah. You have curves in all the right places. Curves that a real man would worship in the bedroom.”
Butterflies swarmed my stomach and desire pooled between my thighs.
He placed his hands on my shoulders, startling me, and my eyes shot to his in the reflection.
“Delilah, you can’t be spooked when I touch you in public. What will people think when you react that way to your fiancée?”
“I don’t care what people think.” I struggled to keep my voice steady as I tried to keep my breathing under control.
He tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. “Well, I do care. When people see us in public, I want them to see a couple in love, a powerhouse.”
“We can pretend to be in love without you touching me,” I stated.
“So, you think the public wouldn’t get suspicious if we never held hands or kissed in public?”
I swallowed hard. “We can say we’re not fans of public affection.”
“I think we should do a practice kiss.” He trailed his finger down my arm, leaving a trail of electric shocks.
“Are you crazy?” This time I spun around to face him. His statement caught me off guard.
“Delilah, if we want to make this thing between us believable, to stop these men from coming after you, there will be times we’ll have to be intimate in public.”
I was all for pretending, but having to kiss Sebastien and be intimate in public wasn’t a part of the deal.
“There has to be another way.”
He shook his head. “There isn’t.”
I sighed realizing that this was a battle I wasn’t going to win. “Do you really think it’ll make a difference?”
I held my breath.
“I do.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
Sebastien tilted my chin up, his eyes locking with mine, and leaned in. I held my breath as his lips brushed against mine. The kiss was soft and teasing. I leaned into him, grabbing a handful of his shirt in my fingers to steady myself. One of his hands slid to the back of my neck and the other snaked around my waist, pulling me closer. I moaned when I felt it, his hardened cock pressed against my stomach.
It was at that moment I realized I was in big trouble.