“Yes, I’m still friends with Winston. I’ll be putting in a call to him just as soon as I’m sure you’re safe.”
Her breath expelled. “You mean as soon as you drop me off at my place.” Okay, now she was feeling steadier. This whole night had been crazy. And, yes, her fingers were still shaking and her insides were quivering a bit, but that was probably just due to stress. Adrenaline.
The same adrenaline that had given Sebastian one serious hard-on.
Her gaze jerked to his lap.
“Just so you know, I can see very, very well in dim lighting. Though, it’s really not that dim in here. Not with the blue illumination spilling from all the corners.”
In other words, he’d caught her staring at his crotch. Wonderful.
“Something you need?” Sebastian murmured, voice all silky and seductive.
Her stare snapped to his face. “You are an asshole.”
“Princess, tell me something I don’t know.”
“Fine. I’m not your princess, I’m not your anything, and I never will be.”
He swallowed. Glanced away. And she had the weirdest, strangest feeling…
Did I just hurt his feelings?
She…oh, God. Alyssa had one serious weakness. She hated hurting anyone. Anything. She felt guilty for days if she did that. Even if she accidentally killed a spider. She’d been working on the guilt issue. And so what if Sebastian was hurt? Though she doubted he was. Why would anything she say hurt him? But…
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was stilted. “I’m still shaking, and I’m scared, and my head is all over the place.” Alyssa pulled in a deep breath and stared down at her lap. “You tried to help me tonight. You got me away as soon as the gunfire started, and you even covered me with your body. That was actually quite heroic of you.” Now that she thought about it. “Unnecessary, especially considering the bulletproof limo, but I think your heart was in the right place.”
She could feel his gaze on her as he softly said, “And here I thought you believed I didn’t have a heart, Alyssa.”
Her tongue slid over her lower lip. “I know you have a heart. I just think that—most days—it’s frozen in ice.”
“Then maybe you can help me melt that ice.”
Was he mocking her? She peeked up at him. “I’m trying to both apologize and say thank you.”
“Yeah, well, here’s the deal.” He leaned toward her. Seemed to take up way too much space. Seemed to make her way too aware of him. “I don’t think you ever need to apologize to me. Like you said, I’m a dick.”
“I actually said you were an asshole.” To clarify.
“You don’t need to apologize and you don’t need to thank me.”
She did. “When someone tries to save your life…” Which, yes, he had…
“Fine. Thank me, then.”
“I-I was just thanking you.” Had he hit his head?
“No. Thank me for real. With a kiss.”
What?
“If you think I did a good deed, then you can thank me with a kiss. You can keep your lips closed. It can be fast. Just a little peck.” She saw him tap his own lips. “Right here.”
Had the limo stopped moving? She couldn’t tell. “Why do you want a kiss from me?”
“Because maybe I’ve always been curious about how you taste.”
“But if my lips are closed, you won’t be tasting much.”
“You’re right. You can open your mouth. Totally cool with me. I agree to your terms.” He slid forward more.
The limo lurched to a stop. Okay, now it had stopped moving. Her hand flew up and pressed to Sebastian’s chest. “Why do you play with me?”
“Who said I was playing?”
But she plowed right on, saying, “You do one good deed—”
“I’ve done way more than one. God, your mouth is gorgeous.”
“And then you screw things up by being the playboy again. Just when I think I’m seeing the real you.”
The back door opened. “Sir.” The driver cleared his throat. “We’re here.”
When the door had opened, more lights had automatically turned on in the limo’s interior, and now Alyssa could clearly see Sebastian’s face. And…
Lust.
His features were hard and tight with a dangerous lust that was directed right at her.
All of the moisture in her mouth dried up.
But in the next instant, a mask seemed to sweep over his features. He smiled, his dimples flashed, and she couldn’t read him at all.
“That’s the thing,” Sebastian rasped. “No one ever sees the real me.”
Before she could respond, he caught her hand and tugged her from the limo.
At least I’m home. At least I’ll be able to get away from him soon. At least—
Alyssa staggered to a stop. “This isn’t my house.”
“No, it’s mine.”
She knew that. He was tugging her forward, she was trying to dig in her heels, but it wasn’t working and she was having to triple time it in order to keep up with him as Sebastian headed toward the freaking sprawling cabin—mansion, more like mansion—that overlooked the Blue Ridge Mountains. A million stars were glittering overhead while the lights blazed inside his home. The illumination spilled from all of the floor to ceiling windows in the massive structure.
“I don’t want to be here,” Alyssa huffed. “Sebastian, stop.”
He whirled toward her. “I will apologize in advance for this.”
“What?” Alarm flared through her. “What are you apologizing for?” Before he could respond, she heard the sound of another vehicle approaching. Alyssa glanced back and saw a dark SUV screeching to a stop behind the limo. “Who is that?”
“Security. They will keep an eye on you while I go and talk to the cops—”
“When did you call security?” He hadn’t been on the phone in the limo.
“Before I picked you up at the theater.”
Shock rolled through Alyssa, and then—
He scooped her up. Tossed her over his shoulder. “I’m really sorry.”
“Stop!” She surged against him. This was not happening. A million times not.
But he tightened his hold on her. Headed for the mansion. Took her in the mansion, and this was a bad dream. A nightmare. It had to be because there was no way that Sebastian Ridgeway was carrying her into his house as she tried to hurtle herself away from him. Sure, Sebastian was often over the top. The media loved his wild antics.
But this wasn’t some PR stunt designed to grab more headlines. This was her life.
This was—
He put her down on the couch. She bounced.
He grimaced. “You are going to be extra pissed about this, aren’t you?”
“You have no idea.” She blew a lock of hair out of her eyes.
“But at least you’ll be alive.”
Two men in really bad suits rushed inside.
Sebastian pointed at Alyssa. “You keep her here. You make sure that her skin is not so much as bruised. When I get back, I expect her to be in perfect condition.”
She looked at his security goons. Then she looked back at him. “When you get back, I will be gone.”