Take Me Down (Suits in Pursuit) (23 page)

His jaw set tight, clenched. He watched the lines of her sullen face contort. Tears washed her face in shame. Her tears, the anecdote to his rage. His jaw loosened. “You have no idea how much pain and trouble your little stunt has caused me.” Seeing Ashley again, like this, should have infuriated him. He should have felt anything other than the lusty hunger that pumped through his veins, awakening his arousal.

Giving in to an overwhelming urge to feel her body constrained by his, Sebastian stepped behind her and weaved his arms around her waist. He held her close, persuading her surrender. “I promise, I’m not here to hurt you,” he whispered softly. “We need to talk.”

Ashley breathed ragged breaths, inhaling and exhaling hard and deep as she nestled into the strength of Sebastian’s embrace. The feeling, an undeniable need. The tremors that controlled her impulses refused to subside.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeated.

Sebastian allowed her to push away from him. Ashley turned to face the door. Moist, clumsy fingers fiddled with slippery keys. His steady hand covered hers, helped to guide the key into the lock, and they twisted the knob together.

Whether by choice or inability, neither moved. Entwined fingers lingered on the knob for what seemed an eternity. Shallow breaths tickled her nape. The deep rumble of his breaths pearled her nipples. Sebastian’s erection pressed against her backside. Even now, their bodies responded to each other despite better judgment.

She shrugged unsure shoulders. “Would you like to come inside?” she asked.

His voice, low and husky, “Yes,” he said, without hesitation. A hand positioned at the small of her waist nudged Ashley inside.

“I’ve got the door.” The tenor and command of his voice called to a deep yearning inside her, awakening feminine desire and primal lust. A surge of moisture readied at the crest of her thighs.

Sebastian turned to face her, unveiled. Her longing eyes scaled his face, climbed past his dimpled chin to his well-defined philtrum and landed squarely on his impassioned stare. Cloudy eyes roved her frame, caressed her soft, sensual curves, taking her in, one savory inch at a time. There was no mistaking the look he gave or the intent behind his stare. Sebastian wanted to fuck her, and Ashley wanted to let him fuck her.

He broke the charged electricity flowing between them. “All right. Let’s talk.” Veiled again, his hard, chiseled mug and icy stare beckoned a response and snatched her out of her lusty stupor and into the reality of the present.

Ashley swallowed hard. “Right.”

Sebastian planted himself on the sofa. His large masculine frame dwarfed her furnishings. She took her place on the chair next to him and wiped her clammy palms on the cushion at her side. She exhaled a breath. “I’m sorry for what I did to you. You said I caused you pain and trouble. Please let me know what I can do to fix what I’ve done.”

He tossed his head back. A chuckle emanated from the pit of his gut. “Darlin’ there’s nothing you can do to get my job back.” He leaned forward, forearms on his thighs, baring a sneer. “My entire career and everything I’ve worked to accomplish these past sixteen years is gone thanks to you.” Sebastian’s sunken eyes narrowed. Hard lines in his face stiffened. His arctic glare locked to her and chilled her solid.

Ashley’s foot tapped the floor incessantly. “What do you mean?” Suddenly, inviting the man whom she destroyed into her home didn’t seem safe.

Only Sebastian’s lips moved. “I missed an important meeting because of your little stunt, and I was fired.” His stare pinned her, and she sat motionlessly.

She gasped and cupped her mouth and then dropped her hand to her lap. “Sebastian, I… I didn’t know…” She lowered her chin to her chest. “I’m very sorry.” She couldn’t face his stare.

Relaxing, he slumped into the sofa and issued a coy smile. “There is something you can do.”

Ashley’s nipples pebbled though the man’s words were hardly an innuendo or an invitation.
Horny, selfish bitch. The last thing Sebastian wants is you.

She closed her eyes. “Okay. What can I do?”

He leaned forward again. Eyes deadlocked on her. “I need your best work on this marketing plan. For the next eighteen months, you’re mine. I want access to you around the clock. You’ll do as I say, when I say, with no questions asked.”

Ashley nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“If you fail me, I will see to it that your ass is fired. Are we clear?”

Intimidation rarely worked on her. Sebastian’s unwavering stare fueled by his desire for revenge proved to be the exception.
I need to tread lightly.

She nodded again. “Clear.”

A grin stretched across his face. “Good. I expect the first draft of your plan by tomorrow morning.”

Ashley opened her mouth to argue. Sebastian jerked his head back and arched a brow, silently reminding her that she had no room to negotiate.

She inhaled a deep breath instead, looking across the wide, open room at large green numbers on the stove in the kitchen. “I need to get started now. I don’t have much time since it’s already after ten o’clock.”

“I think you should get some rest first. You can get me the plan late tomorrow afternoon.” Sebastian leaned down and pulled off his brown leather loafers. “Mind if I leave these here?” he asked, sitting his shoes at the side of the sofa.

Ashley’s eyes widened in surprise, watching him swing long legs up to the cushion as he lay down and stretched out. “Sebastian, are you staying?”

He lifted his head slightly and issued a coy smile. Mischief flashed behind those gray eyes. “Of course I’m staying. You’ll need my input and information about the project. Since I’m here, I might as well give you what you need.” At the hint of their passionate night together, need ached between her thighs.
He’s taunting me!

“Um, okay.” Apprehension must have spread across her face like weeds spread across a field of Bermuda grass at the start of spring.

“Ashley, I’m not here to harm you.”

She let out a breath and stood. “Okay. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?” She walked to the kitchen bar and gathered a notepad and pen.

His finger grazed her hand as he reached for the items she held. “Not now. Later. You should rest. I’ll sleep here. Our minds will be sharper after some sleep.”

Shrugging rounded shoulders, she snatched her hand away. Her palm ran down her hip. She couldn’t wipe away the tingling sensation that spread from his touch straight up her spine. “All right. If you need anything, I’ll be on the other side of the wall,” she said, pointing to the ten-foot divider that separated the loft’s bedroom area from the sofa where Sebastian relaxed.

Ashley spread a blanket across the air bed. Replacing the sullied mattress she had discarded hadn’t been a priority. She crawled into her makeshift bed and pulled the comforter over her head, ducking in shame and guilt. With Sebastian on the other side of the wall, restlessness gnawed at her insides. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him or their last night together. Learning that she had caused him to lose his job added to her anxiety and upped the guilt rolling through her stomach in waves. Ashley closed her eyes and tried to quiet her mind. The alarm clock would sound soon enough, and she would have to face Sebastian again.

Ashley’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of a male clearing his throat. Sharp angles of Sebastian’s face came into focus. He squatted beside her. His smile almost appeared genuine.

“You have something against the traditional bed?”

She rubbed her eyes and released a little yawn. “No. I haven’t had time to replace the old mattress after…” she paused. Sebastian peered down at her. The early morning light spotlighting his chiseled jaw shot a memory of their passion straight to her sex.

“After what?” he said, his forehead wrinkling.

“Nothing. I need to get one, that’s all.”

“Did you have another mishap with a man trapped to your bed?” His eyes turned cold.

She winced and turned away. “Sebastian, I’m really sorry about what I did to you. I had no idea that my actions would cause you to lose your job.”

He ignored her apology. “What happened to your bed?”

She pulled the blanket closer to her, shielding herself from his scorn. “I threw it out. That’s all.”

“Why?”

Ashley rolled her eyes. Sebastian wasn’t going to let this go without an answer. “Because I caught my ex in bed with another woman.”
There, she said it.
Maybe Sebastian would stop badgering her about the bed.

“Ah. I see,” he said, light flickering behind dull eyes. “Come on. I made breakfast for us. You owe me a marketing plan.” Glad that he didn’t ask anything more about the mattress or her situation with Paul, she rolled out of bed.

Ashley strolled to the breakfast bar. She couldn’t remember the last time a delicious smell came from that kitchen. He had prepared a feast, evident from the pots and pans stacked high in the sink.

Sebastian handed a plate of eggs, sausage, toast and jam to her. “Here. Eat up.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one to make breakfast, considering?”

He placed a fork on her plate. “The next time.”

The next time?
She wondered. How often did Sebastian plan on spending the night at her place? Her insides tingled.

She opened her laptop and began typing. “Tell me a little about your plans for the Carlisle. I know the building is being converted to accommodate retailers. What’s the strategy behind your plan?”

Sebastian talked. Ashley’s fingers flew across the keyboard. His plans included the conversion of the entire first floor to make room for twenty retail outlets ranging in size from two thousand to over ten thousand square feet. Every apartment would be renovated. Floors ten and higher would include high-end lofts and condos for sale. Expansion into the adjacent vacant building would add twenty additional rental units and amenities including a fitness center and indoor pool, resident café, event space, and a media lounge equipped with computer work areas and coffee bar.

“The Carlisle will be all about luxury, convenience and entertainment. I want to create a space that residents love to come home to.” Sebastian paced the kitchen floor with exaggerated steps, his expression indicating his excitement. “I’m already in conversation with several retailers and hope to lease space to a small grocery-store chain, a dry cleaner, a postal center and a few restaurants.”

“That’s great, Sebastian. The plan sounds fantastic. I renewed my lease after speaking to Cassie in the front office.”

Sebastian hand-massaged his chin. “So what ideas do you have about marketing?”

“I think you need a rebrand. Radio and TV spots. A website. Maybe promote some giveaways to incentivize condo sales and apartment rentals. I definitely think you’ll need a housewarming and grand-opening celebration. Are you open to another name? What about parking and transit?” Ideas flowed out with ease, like honey from a tap. She tried to temper her excitement in her delivery, but there was no use. Talking about the project made her nearly giddy.

A smile touched the creases at the corners of Sebastian’s eyes. “I like your enthusiasm. Yes to rebranding, advertising, incentives and the grand-opening celebration. I’ll have to think about renaming the property. There will be a new parking deck to accommodate tenant and guest parking.” Sebastian stopped pacing and leaned against the counter, facing Ashley. “You’re really getting into this.” Elbows pressed into the granite, a full-on grin settled on his lips.

Ashley peeked up from the laptop. “Yes, I like what I’ve seen and heard so far. I think your plan is great.”

“Thank you. Now, what was your thought concerning transit?”

“Traffic in Atlanta is a major issue. What about offering a shuttle service to the Marta station and other businesses within a five-mile radius? Or what about creating a fee-based carpool service for residents or offering rental vehicles on an hourly basis?”

He paced the floor again. A hand stroked his chin, deep in thought. “Wait, slow down. I’m not sure I want to be in the transit business.”

“Understandable. But, you could lease space at a discounted rate to someone who is an expert in the business to offer these services. You’ve got to offer something more attractive than the competition.”