She plopped on her headphones, slipped in James Taylor's greatest hits CD and began tackling the list that Sebastian had given her. Several CD's later and a huge dent in her list, Chast.i.ty glanced at the clock. Seven-thirty. Removing her headphones, she stood and stretched, her stomach starting to rumble.

She walked to co-workers' desks to see if there were any dinner plans. Most of the people who'd stayed late had already left for the night, while a few others declined ordering out. It was probably for the best, since she didn't need any greasy take-out. Chast.i.ty remembered a bowl of mixed fruit she'd left in the refrigerator and decided that would be a better option.

On her way to the kitchen, she stopped at Sebastian's door, wondering if she should check on him. Half of her said to keep moving, while the other half, wouldn't let her go on. Against her better judgment, Chast.i.ty knocked on the door.

"Come in." He wore a pair of gold-rimmed gla.s.ses, his nose buried in a pile of books. Sebastian looked just as s.e.xy wearing them as he did without. Her pulse quickened, and as always, her body tightened with awareness. "What can I help you with, Chast.i.ty?"

"I was just peeking in to see if there was anything you needed, and to see if you were okay. That Pearl incident was intense."

He grimaced, pulling off his gla.s.ses and setting them aside. "I'm fine, thanks. Actually, I was more upset about the things she said about you."

Chast.i.ty shrugged. "She doesn't get to me most days."

"Her brand of hara.s.sment doesn't belong in the workplace, or anywhere else, for that matter. I would have said more to her, but it would only have exacerbated the situation. Don't worry about her, Chast.i.ty. It will be taken care of." He sighed, sounding as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sebastian?"

A brief grin touched his lips, which didn't a.s.sure her at all. "I'm fine."

Not sure if she should press the issue, Chast.i.ty decided it was best to let it go. "Okay, but if you need something, let me know." When she made it to the door, a palm shot out, closing them inside together. Before she realized what was happening, Sebastian turned her around and pushed her against the door. Then he covered her mouth in a hot, hungry kiss.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against the hard planes of his chest, surrendering to his forceful touch. His lips were firm and warm, the pressure increasing until she was breathless. Sebastian's tongue pushed against her slightly parted lips, taking full possession of her mouth.

Chast.i.ty clung to him helplessly, struggling to breathe. He'd never kissed her quite like this before. A slight feeling of desperation peeked through, yet her body still responded to his burning pa.s.sion. His arms tightened around her in a heated vise. Chast.i.ty thought he might crush her, but pushing Sebastian away was the last thing she wanted to do.

Her soft moans of pleasure-pain were forced back by his savage tongue. His hands circled her throat before continuing on a path to her face. Finally they rested in her hair. Sebastian untied the ribbon holding her hair in place. Chast.i.ty felt the heavy weight of hair cascade around her shoulders.

He grabbed a hunk of it in his hand and pulled, yanking her head back, exposing her neck to his hungry gaze. Sebastian was a man possessed, the ungovernable l.u.s.t within, barely contained. Her p.u.s.s.y clenched with need. They'd made love last night, but it still felt like forever since he'd last touched her.

Mind-jolting bursts of sensation flared throughout her. He trailed kisses along her throat, nibbling and sucking as though he wanted to leave his brand on her, declaring to the world that Chast.i.ty Bryant belonged to him. She placed her hands against his chest, reveling in his innate maleness.

Sebastian must have thought she was trying to break free because he finally lifted his head, pale green eyes flashing fire. "Don't push me away, dammit! I need this."

She caressed his chiseled jaw in a soothing motion. "I wasn't going to," Chast.i.ty whispered.

His eyes blazed with stark possession before he continued his tender a.s.sault. He pulled open her top with one furious yank. Chast.i.ty heard the popping of b.u.t.tons flying and knew she'd have a h.e.l.l of a time pulling herself together after this. Instinctively, she knew she couldn't stop him even if she wanted. Pushing her bra up, Sebastian freed her now highly sensitive b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

His hot mouth latched onto one puckered tip, sucking ferociously, the insistent pressure nearly causing pain, but she loved every single sizzling second of it. She dug her fingers into his hair, arching her back. "Oh, Sebastian, what are you doing to me?" Chast.i.ty groaned when he transferred his attention to her other nipple, licking and laving the hardened peak.

Sebastian raised her skirt, pushing it up to her waist. Before she realized what was happening, he dropped to his knees. "What are you doing?" she gasped.

"Doing something I've been thinking about doing all d.a.m.n day."

She watched in fascination as his strong, muscled hands ripped her panties in two. "Sebastian!" she shrieked in surprise, but he ignored her protest. Pushing her legs apart and dividing the folds of her wet box, he circled her c.l.i.t with his tongue.

Chast.i.ty placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself as he tasted and worshipped the hot little b.u.t.ton. "Oh G.o.d, Oh G.o.d, Oh G.o.d!" she moaned when his teeth grazed the sensitive nub and sucked it between his lips.

The intensity of her feelings flowed like honey, touching every nerve ending in her. She ground her p.u.s.s.y against his mouth in slow, sensual movements, as Sebastian continued his gentle torment, which brokered no resistance. His tongue glided along her slit in an almost loving motion, before he inserted two long fingers into her dripping channel. It didn't occur to Chast.i.ty to deny him, even when in the back of her mind she knew that there were still people in the office. Somehow that only heightened the pleasure.

She lifted a leg and slung it over Sebastian's shoulder when he buried his face deeper between her legs and slid cream-slicked fingers in and out of her juicy c.u.n.t. She rode his face with increasing urgency. When his mouth captured her c.l.i.t again, Chast.i.ty exploded like a firecracker on the Fourth of July.

The mind-boggling sensation rocked her to the core, but Sebastian continued to eat her p.u.s.s.y like a starving man. "So delicious," he muttered, running his tongue from her c.l.i.t to the crack of her a.s.s.

"I don't think I can take anymore," she groaned. If his head remained between her legs any longer, she'd be reduced to nothing more than a quivering, boneless ma.s.s of nerves. He continued on, however, licking and sucking her to another earth-shattering climax. Only then did he stand to face her, a smug smile on his sculpted lips.

Chast.i.ty could barely see, her eyes clouded with desire. "Sebastian," she whispered weakly, not having the strength to move.

He stalked over to his desk and cleared it of everything except the computer. Then he returned to her. Grabbing Chast.i.ty by the hand, Sebastian led her to the desk before pushing her onto it.

She made a move to help him undo his pants, but he pushed her hands away. "I think if I let you touch me, I'm going to lose the last bit of control I have." His mouth twisted in a wry grin.

Chast.i.ty giggled. "I thought you'd already lost control."

"You haven't seen nothing yet, babe."

She waited impatiently for him to unleash that stiff c.o.c.k straining against his pants. Unable to help herself, she trailed a finger along the outline of his erection. Sebastian stilled her hand. "Don't," he groaned.

She pouted, rubbing his crotch suggestively. "Let me."

Sebastian stepped back and undid his pants in fast, hurried motions. Since the incident in his kitchen, they didn't use condoms, and it only served to heighten the thrill of their joining. Pinioning Chast.i.ty on the desk, he gripped his shaft before guiding it into her.

She moaned as his thick, delicious c.o.c.k sank deeper into her.

"So warm, so tight," he grunted. "I can stay inside of this p.u.s.s.y forever." His fingers dug into her thighs pulling them up, which caused him to go deeper still.

Chast.i.ty clenched her p.u.s.s.y muscles around his c.o.c.k, making him moan. His b.a.l.l.s slapped her a.s.s as he pumped into her. She gripped Sebastian's arms, feeling the pulsing of his veins beneath her fingertips. "Oh, yes. Give it to me," she demanded, bucking her hips to meet him thrust for thrust.

Beads of sweat glistened on Sebastian's forehead, the abject look of pa.s.sion on his face made Chast.i.ty shiver. With one more powerful push, a blazing o.r.g.a.s.m tore through her body and she had to bite her lip to not scream. He began to shake, succ.u.mbing to his own forceful peak.

"Oh, G.o.d, Chast.i.ty! I love you!"

Her eyes sprang open. No. He couldn't have just said what she thought. His declaration would ruin everything. Chast.i.ty pushed him off, his semi-erect c.o.c.k slipping out of her p.u.s.s.y. "No, Sebastian."

He frowned. "No what?"

"No, you didn't mean what you just said."

His expression grew stormy. "Like h.e.l.l I didn't."

"But you can't love me. This wasn't...things weren't supposed to go this far."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed to green slits. "What are you talking about, Chast.i.ty?"

"You weren't supposed to love me...just...l.u.s.t after me a bit."

"You're talking in circles. Don't tell me I don't love you, when my first thought in the morning and last one at night, is you. h.e.l.l, I think I've been halfway in love with you for months now."

"Months?" she asked dumbly. "That's not possible."

"Why isn't it?"

"Because you saw me as a frumpy mouse. You even laughed about it. Not once did you ever indicate having feelings for me."

"Because I didn't realize it until recently. I used to look forward to seeing your smiling face in the morning and missed it like h.e.l.l when you stopped smiling at me. Hearing Pearl talk to you so disrespectfully made me realize that I don't want people to think this is some cheap affair."

"But, isn't that what this is?"

"No. It isn't."

Chast.i.ty slid off the desk and hurriedly adjusted her clothing the best she could, considering there were several missing b.u.t.tons. She couldn't allow him into her heart, because if she did, there'd come a time when he'd grow tired of her too.

"Look, I need to get out of here. I've done most of the things on the list and I'll come in early to get the rest done."

Sebastian reached out, grabbing her wrist. "To h.e.l.l with the list! This isn't over, Chast.i.ty."

She steeled herself against the conflicting feelings inside of her. It was breaking her heart. "Yes it is. This conversation is over and we're over. Now you know how it feels to be crushed. Doesn't feel so good, does it?"

His face lost all color, as he let go.

This was it. The moment of truth. If she didn't do it now, Chast.i.ty wouldn't have the strength to do it later on. Taking a deep breath, she tried to project a nonchalance she didn't feel. "What's the matter, Sebastian? Can't your ego take being dumped?"

Chapter Fifteen.

"There's no way you're going to make that shot from half court." Jeremy shook his head, rubbing his sweat-drenched brow.

"I can and I will." Sebastian angled the ball toward the hoop.

"I smell a bet coming on."

"The only thing that smells are your ripe armpits."

"If I stink, so do you."

"It's quite possible, but watch me make this shot."

Jeremy laughed. "Fifty bucks says you won't."

"You're on." Sebastian released the ball and watched it fly across the court. The basketball hit the rim, bounced in the air, and hit the ground.

Jeremy threw his hands up in the air, waving them victoriously. "He throws up a brick!"

Sebastian shrugged, the shot hadn't been that important to him anyway. He really didn't want to be here right now. "Fine. I'll pay you as soon as I get my wallet."

The blond frowned. "You're not going to try to go best two out of three? Mr. Compet.i.tive himself?"

"You won. What more do you want?" Sebastian growled.

"What's wrong with you today, man? Every time I ask you something, I get short, curt answers and right now you have murder in your eyes. What gives?"

"Nothing!" Sebastian snapped.

"That's it! I'm taking my ball and going home. If you didn't want to come out tonight you should have said so, but your att.i.tude I can do without. I don't deserve it." Jeremy stalked down the court to retrieve the basketball.

Sebastian raked his fingers through his hair. His friend was right. There was no call for his rudeness. "Jeremy, wait. I'm sorry. I know I'm being an a.s.s, but...never mind. I'm sorry."

Jeremy stood in front of him, placing a hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "If there's something bothering you, then maybe you'll feel better getting it off your chest."

Should he open up about what a fool he'd been played for? Jeremy looked at him, concern etched on his face as he waited patiently for Sebastian to speak. Why the h.e.l.l not? He'd have to deal with it eventually anyway. "It's Chast.i.ty."

"What about her? Aren't things going well with the two of you? I have to admit, I believed you'd lose interest after a few weeks like you usually do, but she's something special, isn't she?"

Sebastian snorted. "Yeah, so special that when I dropped the L-bomb, she threw it back in my face."

"Get the h.e.l.l out of here! You told her you love her?"

"Yes, contrary to popular opinion, I do have feelings, you know."

"I'm not saying you don't, but what happened to your no-entanglements policy?"

"Chast.i.ty happened. I haven't been against the idea of love; I just never met anyone who made me feel like I do when I'm with her. Like I already told her, I think I've always been a little in love with her."

"Really? You used to call her a frump, and laughed at the fact she only talked about her cats."

"That's just it. I may have said those things, but some how, she was always on my mind. She's not the only paralegal in the firm who's reliable, but it was her I'd turn to. I think my subconscious knew what it took my heart too long to figure out."

"When you say she threw your love back in your face, what do you mean?"

"I mean, I told her that I loved her and she told me that we were through." Sebastian relayed every word that had been said up to the point when Chast.i.ty stormed out of his office, leaving him devastated.

"That doesn't sound like her. It just seems so callous. Is that exactly what she said?"

"Unfortunately."

Jeremy rubbed his chin as though deep in thought. "Something just doesn't make sense. You and I both suspected that she had a little bit of a thing for you, just by the way she used to act. Then all of a sudden, boom, here she comes looking like a black Jessica Rabbit. What happened to make her change, and I'm not just talking about appearance. I mean her personality."

"How the h.e.l.l should I know? It's almost as if she set out to seduce me and then drop me. As a matter of fact..." Sebastian paused, as he remembered one crucial statement she'd made. Because you saw me as a frumpy mouse. You laughed about it. How does it feel to be crushed? Jeremy had just said something similar, but instinctively, Sebastian knew his friend hadn't betrayed his trust.

How did she know what he'd said about her unless...had she overheard a conversation he had? He racked his brain, trying to think of what he might had said to set her off like that.

"As a matter of fact, what?" Jeremy prompted.

"I think that's exactly what she did."