Page 28 of When We Ignite

“Relax. I’m just taking you to my office. Come have a drink with me.”

“No,” I repeated.

But Henry persisted, his grip on my arm light but insistent. Before I could argue again, he opened the office door and nudged me inside with a grin.

I shot him a look that could kill, but he just waved me off and closed the door in my face.

“Sorry for the ambush,” Sebastian said.

My pulse kicked up as I turned to face him. Alone with him again, the pressure in my chest became unbearable. Rubbing a hand over my face, I fought the nerves clawing their way up my throat.

“Why can’t you just leave it alone?” I asked.

“I just need to tell you one thing, and then I’ll leave you alone. If that’s really what you want.”

I hesitated, crossing my arms.

Sebastian had a way of filling every inch of a room. He couldn’t just be there; he dominated the space without trying. His tailored suit made him look even more put together—more adult—and it only made me feel younger, smaller, more out of control. I glanced away.

He stepped closer, his shoes clicking softly on the hardwood floor, each step pulling me tighter into the knot of my own tension.

“I don’t want to do this.”

“Ethan, I’m sorry. I get it now,” he said quietly, his hands finding my shoulders. His touch was firm but not forceful, his presence overwhelming.

I tried to shrug him off, but he didn’t let go. “You clearlydon’tget it,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze.

He nodded, his grip tightening slightly. “You don’t like this game. You like things up front, and I’ve never said them like that. So just let me say it and then I’ll go.”

I stilled, caught off guard by the honesty in his voice. For once, he wasn’t teasing or smirking. He wasn’t pushing or pulling. He was just…there.

“What?”

Sebastian stepped closer. My back met the wall, and he loomed over me, his height making me feel both trapped and unsteady.

“I stopped because it wasn’t smart,” he began. “You’re nineteen, Ethan. If my father found out, he’d be furious. You’ve seen how hard it is for me to keep anything private.” He paused, his gaze locked on mine. “I fucked that guy because I was frustrated, not because I didn’t want you.”

I swallowed hard, wanting to look away but unable to.

Sebastian took another step forward, his body heat radiating toward me. “Now, about you,” he continued, his voice dropping lower. His fingers brushed my chin, lifting it just enough to hold me in place. “You have no idea how much I want you. You’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I scoffed, a flush creeping up my neck. My heart hammered, torn between shame and something else entirely.

“Don’t,” I whispered, trying to pull away, but he pressed closer, his chest brushing mine.

“I’m dead serious,” he said, his breath warm against my cheek. “I’m so attracted to you. You have no idea what you do to me, Ethan. I didn’t stop chasing you because I was bored. I’m not supposed to have you, but I wantyou. I’ve been dying to get my hands on you since we first met. I’ve been dying to fuck you, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Aboutyou.”

His bluntness startled me. No one had ever spoken to me like that.

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t?—”

“I know you don’t, but you want me too. I can see it. I can feel it,” he said, lifting my chin again to meet his gaze. “I won’t do anything until you ask me to. I just needed you to know.”

My throat tightened, heart pounding so hard it drowned out everything else. “Fine, I heard you. Now can you back off?”

He stepped back. Leaning against Henry’s desk, he maintained a respectful distance.

His eyes remained on mine. “I didn’t mean to mess with your head.”