Chapter Five.

It was official.

Sebastian wanted Chast.i.ty Bryant. He'd reached his boiling point and could no longer deny what had begun from the moment she stepped into his office with her glamorous new look two months ago.

It grew more difficult with each pa.s.sing day to watch her stroll around the office looking drop-dead gorgeous. It wasn't just her looks either. Chast.i.ty now exuded a confidence that hadn't been there before, and he found it s.e.xy as h.e.l.l. He couldn't get a proper night's sleep from thoughts of her. He'd wake up in the middle of the night, body drenched with sweat after dreaming about burying himself between silky, chocolate thighs.

Whenever she walked past him, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her slow, rhythmic movements that seemed to scream, "jump me". He'd already lost count of how many times his d.i.c.k got hard with just the mere mention of her name. Sebastian wanted to run his hands over her body just to see if that rich, dark skin of hers was as soft as it looked.

Once, he'd caught her nibbling on her bottom lip and he literally had to stop himself from grabbing her and tasting it for himself. Sebastian would sit at his desk for hours trying to concentrate on his work when all he could think about was stripping Chast.i.ty's clothes off, one article at a time-tasting every delectable inch of her.

Tossing his pen aside, he stood up in frustration. It was already past twelve. He might as well grab something to eat since he wasn't getting any work done. On his way out of the office he knew he'd pa.s.s by Chast.i.ty's desk.

His plan to keep walking without looking her way went down the tubes when he spied Jeremy leaning over her desk. Chast.i.ty gave his friend the big smile she used to give him. Her eyes twinkled with apparent amus.e.m.e.nt at whatever Jeremy was saying. The deep dimples in her cheeks gave her a look of sweet innocence.

Since her makeover, Chast.i.ty had taken to wearing low cut tops and today was no exception. The s.e.xy decolletage on display was enough to set his pulse racing. His fingers itched to trace the tops of those generous mounds. She wore her hair pulled back into a ponytail tied with a pink satin ribbon. Although he preferred her hair flowing around her shoulders, she looked lovely.

An irrational burst of envy soared through his body, making him clench his fists. Unable to help himself, he walked over to them. "What are you two grinning about over here?" Sebastian cursed inwardly. He didn't mean for his voice to sound so harsh.

They looked up at him, Jeremy eyeing him with mild curiosity and Chast.i.ty looking slightly resentful, as though he'd intruded on a private conversation. Jeremy straightened up, an easy smile splitting his face. "What's up, Seb?"

"I was on my way to lunch actually."

The blond frowned. "I thought you had a business lunch with one of your clients."

"They had to reschedule," he lied. He wasn't about to admit that he canceled his appointment because his head was in his pants. "You didn't answer my question."

Jeremy frowned. "What question?"

Sebastian hated repeating himself, especially over something as trivial as this. "What were you two grinning about?"

"Just small talk. Chast.i.ty and I were on our way to lunch as well."

Sebastian's blood thundered. He wanted to knock Jeremy on his a.s.s. He remembered his friend telling him of his interest in Chast.i.ty, but that didn't stop the green-eyed monster from rearing its head. A demon must have possessed him because he couldn't help saying, "Since we're all headed for lunch, let's all go together." His eyes never left Chast.i.ty's face.

Her lips tightened slightly before she turned her head away. She didn't seem pleased.

Tough.

"We were only going to the Gallery Mall, nothing fancy," Jeremy said, almost as if to put him off.

"I don't need anything fancy. You don't mind my tagging along, do you?" Sebastian knew very well that he was putting them in a position where they couldn't refuse without looking like a couple of jerks. The look on Jeremy's face spoke volumes. Chast.i.ty's face, however, was unreadable and he wondered what was going on in that beautiful head of hers. "Do you mind, Chast.i.ty?"

She looked up at Jeremy with a smile, not bothering to answer Sebastian's question. "I'm going to the restroom before we go."

Jeremy smiled back. "No problem. Take your time."

Both men watched her retreating figure, her curvaceous bottom swaying from side to side with each step she took. G.o.d, he wanted her. When she was out of earshot, Jeremy turned on him, blue eyes blazing. "What the h.e.l.l was that about?"

"What do you mean? I thought you said you didn't mind my joining you two."

"You know d.a.m.n well I couldn't say otherwise."

"Why couldn't you? I would have."

"Don't play dumb with me, Romeo."

Sebastian shrugged. "Who's playing dumb? Haven't we had lunch together on numerous occasions?"

"Not with Chast.i.ty."

"Okay, fine. What's wrong with a little friendly compet.i.tion?"

For a second, it looked like Jeremy wanted to deck him before his face relaxed into a smile. "You're a son of a b.i.t.c.h."

Sebastian laughed. "And don't you forget it."

"She's going to see right through this new interest you have in her. You never gave two flying f.u.c.ks about her before this sudden change."

"Neither did you."

"Okay, so we're both b.a.s.t.a.r.ds."

Sebastian c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and held out his hand. "May the better b.a.s.t.a.r.d win?" Even as they shook hands, Sebastian guaranteed himself the victory.

The three of them decided to have a meal at a small tavern not too far from the office instead of trekking all the way downtown to the Gallery Mall. When shown to a booth, Jeremy slid in next to Chast.i.ty and Sebastian took the seat directly across from her. That was fine with him. This way, he could face her, and she'd have no choice but to look at him as well. He wouldn't allow her to ignore him, if he had any say in the matter.

The look of agitation on her pretty face told him that he was getting to her as well. Good. He wanted her to be as aware of him as he was of her.

"I think the Cobb salad looks good. Have you eaten here before, Jeremy?" she asked, turning to the blond. Sebastian knew exactly what Chast.i.ty was up to, but if she wanted to play games, she'd soon learn just how compet.i.tive he could be.

Fixing his gaze on his prey, he said, "Chast.i.ty, why don't you try the Oysters Casino. A nice little aphrodisiac, don't you think?"

She only spared him a brief glance before her eyes darted away again. She fluttered thick lashes at Jeremy as if he were some kind of rock star. "I'm not really in the mood for anything heavy. What do you think, Jeremy?"

"Hmm, I think I'll have a hamburger and fries. Probably not the healthiest choice, but I'll just have to hit the gym a little harder tonight."

"I think I'm going to stick to the salad. My a.s.s is big enough as it is." She closed the menu with a sigh.

Jeremy grinned at her wolfishly. "At the risk of sounding like a lecher, I think your a.s.s is just fine."

Chast.i.ty giggled, dimples popping out. Before Sebastian realized what was going on, his lunch mates fell into a deep conversation, completely excluding him. His fury grew with each pa.s.sing second. By the time the waitress took their orders, he was ready to strangle them both. He knew what Jeremy was up to, but what was up with Chast.i.ty's cold shoulder act? No woman had ever treated him like this before and it was driving him bananas. He hated being ignored, especially when it was by someone he wanted so d.a.m.n much.

It was time to step the game up a notch. "Chast.i.ty," he said her name softly, but loud enough for her to hear. She turned her head, a frown marring her pretty face.

"What?"

"Did I tell you how lovely you look today?"

The expression on her face told him that his comment came as a surprise. "Thank you," she murmured, her eyes sliding away from his.

"You've looked lovely every day this week. Pink is definitely your color. You should wear it more often. I like the way it looks against your skin." Chast.i.ty squirmed in her seat. Sebastian smiled. "What's the matter, Chast.i.ty?"

She kept her lids lowered, not replying.

Jeremy answered for her. "Isn't it obvious? You're embarra.s.sing her."

Sebastian smirked. "Is that true? Am I embarra.s.sing you? I thought all pretty women enjoyed receiving compliments."

Dark eyes lifted, shooting daggers in his direction. "The compliments I don't mind but..." Her voice trailed off before she tightened her lush lips.

Sebastian placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. The smell of her perfume wafted to his nostrils, tickling his senses with its flowery fragrance. "But, what, Chast.i.ty?"

"I just rather you didn't."

The blaring shrill of a cell phone ring cut through the air. It was for Jeremy. "Jeremy Owens, speaking." He listened for a moment, then covered the mouthpiece and lowered it. "Excuse me. I'm going to have to take this." Sliding out of the booth, he gave them an apologetic look.

Chast.i.ty looked like she wanted to toss something at Sebastian when they were alone. A chuckle erupted from his throat. "Alone at last, my pretty," he purred.

"Why?" came her clipped demand.

"Why what?"

"Why did you invite yourself to lunch with us? How did you know Jeremy and I didn't have something to discuss...privately?"

He didn't like the way she'd emphasized that last word. Was she now switching her attention to his partner? Over his dead body would he allow that to happen. "Why are you willing to have lunch with Jeremy and not with me?"

"Because I like Jeremy."

She couldn't have made a more hurtful statement. Trying hard not to wince, Sebastian looked her straight in the eye, the smirk returning to his face. "Well, let's get to know each other better, and I'm sure you'll find something to like."

"I've learned all I want to know about you in the past two years and I'm not impressed." Chast.i.ty picked up her gla.s.s of diet soda, sliding the straw between crimson colored lips. His c.o.c.k jumped to attention while he watched the slim white tube disappear a centimeter at a time into her mouth, before she took a sip. Her eyes locked with his as the steady stream of fluid flowed down her throat. Never in his life had he been jealous of an inanimate object. He wanted to be that straw in the worse way.

She was doing it on purpose. He was sure of it. When she lifted her head she ran her tantalizingly pink tongue over full lips. Pushing the drink away from her, Chast.i.ty sighed. "You know what?"

"What?" he croaked. His throat had gone dry.

"You're an arrogant son of a b.i.t.c.h. The Earth doesn't revolve around you."

"Now wait just a-"

"No. You wait a minute. Don't think I don't know what you're trying to pull."

"Just what game do you think I'm playing?"

With a slight twitch of her lips and a rise of her brow, she looked him up and down. "You want me."

Sebastian's jaw dropped. He'd originally thought Chast.i.ty had been abducted by pod people, and now he was sure of it. Pod person or not, she was absolutely right. He wanted her like crazy. "But I suppose you're going to tell me that you don't want me."

"On the contrary, I want you too."

He didn't know whether to be relieved or skeptical at that statement. "You could have fooled the h.e.l.l out of me. So, why the ice princess act? You've been giving me att.i.tude for the past two months."

She shrugged one pink-clad shoulder. "That's not important."

"I think it is. And what about Jeremy? The two of you seemed pretty chummy earlier."

"You sound jealous." Her dimples appeared when she bared small white teeth. Chast.i.ty's smile lit up her entire face. Sebastian found it enchanting even though she was driving him nuts. Why had he never noticed these little subtleties before now? "Maybe I am."

"There's no need to be. Jeremy is a nice guy, but I have a thing for tall Italian men with eyes the color of freshly grown gra.s.s."

He smiled at her detailed description. "It sounds like you've spent a lot of time thinking about my eyes."

"So?" She grinned unrepentantly, before taking another sip of her soft drink. Whatever had brought on this about-face, Sebastian had no plans to delve into the reasons why. He couldn't afford to, because his c.o.c.k told him to take advantage of the moment.

"You have beautiful eyes too. Why you used to wear those horrible gla.s.ses is beyond me."

The very same eyes he'd just complimented narrowed slightly, and he knew he'd said the wrong thing, but the smile returned to her face. "Yes, they were horrible weren't they?" she agreed.

"Chast.i.ty, I'm not going to beat around the bush-"

"Then don't."

"Fair enough. I want to take you out."

Her face remained impa.s.sive. "Sounds boring."

"I beg your pardon?" Why the h.e.l.l was he working so hard for this woman who displayed Sybil-like tendencies?

"There's no pardon to beg. Look, I'm going to make this easy for you. The only reason you want to take me out is to get into my pants. You'll wine and dine me, tell me the things you think I want to hear, and say how enchanting I look or how beautiful my skin is. Or something equally as corny, but when it all comes right down to it, you're hoping to get me into the sack."

"Well I-"

She held up her hand. "No explanation needed. Like I said, I'm going to make this easy for you. You want to f.u.c.k me, and I'm going to let you. I don't need dinner or flowers. Just you."

Was this a wet dream? Was Chast.i.ty really sitting here in front of him saying that all she wanted was to f.u.c.k? He was on the verge of answering when Jeremy chose that moment to reappear.

"Sorry about that, guys. I had a call from the office."

Son of a b.i.t.c.h!

Just when things were getting interesting between him and Chast.i.ty, his friend had to show up and ruin everything. Chast.i.ty winked at Sebastian before turning her attention back to Jeremy. Throughout the remainder of lunch, Sebastian barely touched his food. Watching her eat with slow deliberate bites was a sensuous experience. And when she ate one of Jeremy's fries, slipping the golden potato wedge into her mouth, he broke out in a sweat.

Sebastian knew she was doing it on purpose, with the sly glances under her long lashes and the way she leaned forward just a little too much, revealing the tops of her big chocolate b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The waitress came back.

"Would you guys like dessert?" She smiled down at him. She was a cute redhead with an athletic physique, but he only spared her a moment's glance.