by Lulu Pratt
“Yeah, something like that,” I say nodding and wishing I had accepted his offer for a drink.
My mouth is suddenly dry now that his attention is focused solely on me.
“Are you still in Tennessee?” he wants to know.
“Yep, I never left.”
“Wow.” He seems stunned. “Well, I bet you’re the best nurse in the state.”
Again, my heart rattles at his words.
I can’t believe he remembers my ramblings from art class. I’d practically talked his ear off three times a week while we worked on our assignments.
He’s smiling at me and I know the same memories are whirling through his mind.
“Not quite,” I say, a little ashamed. “I’m a home health aid worker for the elderly at the moment.”
Sebastian is visibly taken aback by this revelation.
“Oh,” is all he says.
“Things didn’t exactly work out the way I planned,” I offer as explanation. “But my job is very rewarding. I love what I do.”
I don’t know why I feel the need to explain myself. My career choice is none of his business. But the last time he saw me, I thought I had it all figured out.
My father’s betrayal had destroyed everything.
Before Sebastian can say anything else, the car comes to a stop in front of the most breathtaking house I’ve ever seen.
The word house doesn’t do the place just.
It’s a palace. And I haven’t even gone inside yet.
Sebastian studies my reaction with an unreadable expression before announcing, “We’re here.”
***
Inside, I can’t stop gushing over the place.
Pride aside, I roam the halls of the mansion with a huge grin on my face. Sebastian can barely keep up with my eager pace.
“Oh, my God!” I exclaim as I reach what appears to be a solarium.
I know right away that I’ll be spending my mornings here doing yoga for the next week.
The entire compound is simply gorgeous.
I really wish Winnie were here to see this. Pictures simply won’t do it justice.
An open floor plan allows the rooms to flow easily from one to another and an abundance of windows let natural sunlight to flood the place.
The master suite floors me. Not only is the room huge, but there’s a private living room attached, as well a study, walk-in closet and a full-out spa that Sebastian calls a bathroom.
I’m in heaven.
“I can’t believe I get to live here for the next week,” I say, trailing my finger along the fine marble of the sink.
Sebastian says nothing. He just leans against the door frame and watches my awestruck movements.
From the window near the tub I can see the backyard and my breath catches at the sight.
The beach is the backyard.
“Everything is so beautiful,” I swoon, touching my touch as I observe the waves lapping against the white sand.
“Yeah… it is,” Sebastian agrees with a funny tone.
When I turn to look at him, I’m thrown off balance at the look of pure male appreciation in his light blue orbs.
Opening my mouth to fill the thick silence, I lose my chance when his phone rings.
Holding up one finger, he excuses himself and leaves the room.
“Sebastian Downs,” his deep voice says as way of greeting. Left alone, I return to the sink and study my reflection in the mirror mounted above it.
My cheeks are flushed, my green eyes wide and chest heaving.
What the hell is happening to me?
“I have to go handle something,” Sebastian says, his presence filling the doorway once again.
“Oh, okay.”
Turning away from the mirror, I watch him slip his phone into his pocket.
“But I’ll be back for our one-on-one dinner. Does seven work for you?”
“Of course,” I agree easily.
I’m ready now!
“Great.” His smile is charming as he turns on his heel. “I’ll see you then. Get settled and let the staff know if you need anything.”
His strides are measured and confident as I watch him retreat.
I suppress the urge to squeal and race over to my suitcase to find something to wear.
CHAPTER FOUR
SEBASTIAN DOWNS
Alone, in my Jeep, I handle the curves of the road skillfully and head back to my hotel for an emergency video conference with our overseas partners in Japan.
Usually, I would stay at my place when in town but I’d just turned over the keys to Olivia for a week.
Olivia, Olivia, Olivia.
That woman is trouble on two beautiful legs.
After our dinner tonight, I need to get back to the States.
Of all the people in the world who could have won, I couldn’t believe it was Olivia. The contest had been announced six months ago and ran for that entire time, gaining millions of submissions and tons of media attention.
Everyone wanted to be the lucky soul to win a million dollars and a trip to paradise for a week.
My competent team had done most of the groundwork, running interference on the app and filtering through the top submissions. The only thing left for me to do was pick the answer I liked the most from their top ten, show my face to present the prize today and go for dinner with the winner.
Sounds simple enough, right?
I’ve never been more wrong in my life.
Olivia’s honestly the last person I expected to step off that plane.
Being in the back of the limo with her wreaked havoc on my senses. My cock strained against my zipper so hard I thought it would burst open.
She’s every bit as beautiful now as she was ten years ago and seemingly just as sweet.
In high school, despite her popular status, an air of genuine realness had accompanied her and I’m happy to see that she still possesses this quality.
When she told me that she wasn’t a nurse, I’d done a terrible job at hiding my shock.
Olivia had every last detail of her life planned down to a tee and I can’t but wonder what had thrown her track.
That’s none of my business.
I just need to get through the last part of her prize package — our sit-down dinner — and then I’ll be on my way.
Nothing good can come from dredging up these feelings. They belong in the past and that’s where the hell I will leave them.
I have a growing business to run and she’ll only serve to distract me.
Pulling up in front of the hotel, I throw the Jeep in park and hop out. Tossing my keys to the valet, I rush inside to take of business.
***
Later that evening, I pull up to the house and sigh as I cut the engine.
I have to face her again and I hate myself for feeling like such a wimp.
High school was years ago, yet seeing her today had erased the passage of time and transported me back to that art room where I sat longing for her affection.
Pushing my car door open, I decide to face the music.
I don’t get a chance to even knock on the door before she swings it open with a radiant smile plastered on her beautiful face.
She looks slightly rejuvenated already.
“Hi there,” she says with a gleeful lilt to her voice.
And nothing makes me happier than to know I’ve played a role in her apparent happiness.
Suddenly, I’m thrilled that I let my assistant talk me into creating this contest to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the app launching.
I’ll have to send my assistant flowers and chocolate to show my appreciation.
“Hey, yourself,” I smile down at her. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yep,” she replies, standing on tiptoe to look over my shoulder. “Is that our car for the evening?”
My cock twitches at her proximity. Her natural feminine scent mixed with the smell of her fruity shampoo does a number on me.
I step b
ack, creating distance and let her walk in front of me.
Big mistake.
The strappy sundress she’s wearing is completely backless. The bright, floral material falls over her petite frame, the bottom brushing the ground as we walk to the car.
My eyes are drawn like magnets to the sway of her hips and the enticing dip in her back.
Holy fuck.
Opening the passenger door, I offer a hand to help her up since the Jeep sits up pretty high.
When her small palm is in mine, a shock ripples through me, similar to the one that jolted me when I handed over her check earlier today.
“Thank you,” Olivia says once she’s seated.
Without thinking, I reach over her and secure her seatbelt as if she’s incapable.
Admittedly, the urge to take care of her is just impossible to ignore.
A charged look passes between the two of us but neither of us dare break the silence.
As I round the front of the car to get the driver’s side, the bulge in my pants throbs, eager for release.
***
A burger. Of all the things that Olivia could try on the menu, she’d settled for a burger that was the size of her face and a heaping side of curly fries.
But I must admit, I’m enjoying watching her eat it.
“You do realize you could eat that in Tennessee, right?”
“Mmm, but it’s so delicious here!” she says, shoving more fries into her mouth.
I shake my head and laugh as I continue to watch her, my meal all but forgotten.
There’s a dab of mayo on the corner of her mouth and my mind jumps straight to the gutter.
I imagine my cum smeared across her mouth as she kneels before me, on her knees, my cock buried deep in her throat.
As if my erection couldn’t get any more painful, my dick throbs, wanting to bring my fantasy to life.
“What?” Olivia asks self-consciously, noticing my gaze is fixed on her mouth.
Snapping out of my salacious thoughts, I smirk and shake my head.
“Nothing, you just have some mayo on your lip.”
Reaching up, Olivia swipes the wrong side of her mouth.
Amused, I grab the napkin situated in my lap and reach across the table to help her.
She freezes at the contact, her green eyes darkening to a deep jade color before she mutters her thanks.
Pleased that she’s just as affected by me as I am by her, I relax a little and slouch against my chair.
We’re seated outside at a popular restaurant on the island. Live music is playing and the beach is only yards away but the atmosphere is lost on me as I focus on Olivia.
“So, tell me more about your life.”
She smiles self-deprecatingly.
“In comparison to yours, I’m sure it’s pretty boring.”
Glancing down at the table self-consciously, she avoids eye contact.
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
“There’s not much to tell. I went to Guildford Tech after graduation and got my license as a certified nursing assistant. After that, I got a gig at the only nursing home in town and worked there for about seven years before I quit due to personal reasons. I’m currently a live-in aid for an eighty-year-old dementia patient named Arnold. I love my job and it’s very rewarding. But also pretty exhausting. That’s why I entered the contest. I can’t remember the last time I’ve taken a vacation. Of course at the time, I didn’t know you were the creator of the app. I nearly fell down the stairs when I saw you waiting for me.”
I smile easily at her admission. Intrigued, I want to know the personal reason that led her to quit her job at the nursing home, but I don’t feel like I have the right to ask.
And why the hell hadn’t she gone off to college to become a registered nurse? I was there the day she opened her acceptance letter to Tennessee State and knew she had big plans of moving to a city and working at a top hospital.
Olivia shrugs and looks at me. “And that’s it. That’s my life in a nutshell. Told you it’s pretty boring.”
But I still want more.
“What about your personal life? Are you dating anyone at the moment?”
CHAPTER FIVE
OLIVIA KING
Sebastian’s question throws me for a loop, but I recover quickly and simply shake my head in response.
I swear that his blue eyes light up at this newfound information.
“Your turn. I want to know everything. How did you become this tech genius?”
His relaxed position in the chair is disarming. He looks thoroughly relaxed and in control.
Meanwhile, I’m fidgeting under his steady gaze.
His low voice is strong and clear when he answers my question.
“Well, it certainly didn’t happen overnight, that’s for sure. I left Tennessee and moved to Silicon Valley right after graduation. I never wanted to go to college, as I’m sure you remember. “
I nod in agreement, remembering how much he loathed it. He was so incredibly smart but hated the institution of school and always vowed that high school was it for him.
“The plan was to move to California and find an internship with a startup in the Valley. It wasn’t as easy as I thought and I ended up flipping burgers and sleeping on a holey couch at my friend’s place until something came available at Google. I worked for pennies, basically, but I was so hungry for knowledge that I didn’t even care.”
I smile because that sounds just like Sebastian.
“I interned there for two years before I moved on to a junior position at Twitter. There’s where I met my business partner, Malakai. After working side by side for a few years, we developed an app together that we knew would change social media for years to come. After working sixteen-hour days, we’d meet up at my place and pore over consumer data and trends. I coded while he handled the other logistics.”
Mesmerized by his story, I push my plate aside and lean my elbows against the table giving him my undivided attention.
“Then five years ago, we launched Discover Travel. It was a rocky start, but we found our footing through the chaos. Navigating such a saturated digital market is hard as hell but I think we’ve managed pretty well.”
“I’ll say,” I say and Sebastian smiles.
He’s so fucking hot.
How come I never noticed in high school?
My head was so deep in books and my plans of the future that I failed to realize how gorgeous my classmate was.
“I’m really, really proud of you,” I share, extending my hand across the table to touch his.
Currents of electricity surge through me at the contact and I try not to yank my hand back in shock.
Never have I ever felt such a palpable connection with someone.
“Thanks,” he intones seriously. “That means a lot coming from you, Olivia.”
The timbre of his voice when he says my name makes me giddy, but I mask the reaction with a small smile of my own.
“I don’t know why, I’m sure you hear it every day!”
The ways he’s focusing on me is unnerving and I want to shift the attention back to him.
He doesn’t let me off the hook so easily.
“It means more coming from you.”
The gravity of his words settle on me and my chest constricts at the serious expression on his devastatingly handsome face.
“You know, it nearly crushed me when you turned down my offer to prom,” he says out of the blue.
Confused, I stare at him as my eyes widen. “What?”
“Senior prom. I wanted to go with you but you turned me down.”
A frown is on my face as he shares this tidbit.
“I did?”
I’m honestly having trouble recalling this. I’d never gone to prom. Though I’d had every intention to before my father crushed me with his stinging betrayal.
I specifically remember learning that I wouldn’t be going to college in the middle of prom season.
>
“Yep,” he says easily. “I finally got up the courage to ask you one Friday during art class and you said no. Something about it not being a good time for you. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that you couldn’t just tell me to my face that you didn’t want to go with me.”
Memories come flooding back and I remember that day in the art room as if it was yesterday.
“Oh, my God.” I clasp a hand over my mouth.
“Coming back to you now?” he asks with a teasing smile.
“You have to believe me, Sebastian. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go. I just couldn’t. I’d just found out that I wasn’t going to college because my dad had lost my entire college fund due to his gambling habit.”
This makes him sit up straighter.
I shake my head and continue. “I would have gone with you in a heartbeat, but the timing was shitty. I was even on the prom committee, but quit once I found out about my dad. I just didn’t want to do anything anymore. I was crushed.”
“Olivia, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
It’s his turn to reach out and place a comforting hand over mine.
I relish in the warmth of his touch.
“You have no reason to apologize. How could you know that my father was a selfish bastard?”
He looks contrite before shaking his head. “Still…”
I shrug, wanting to lighten the mood. “It’s in the past. Let’s leave it there.”
This has been my motto for a while. It got me through community college, the breakup with Jordan and I have no doubt that it will continue to serve its purpose.
Sebastian lets out a loud breath, before leaning in to me.
“Okay. Enough of the serious shit, what are you planning to do with the money?”
The somber mood is lifted and I smile, grateful for the reprieve.
“Well,” I start, taking a sip of my Diet Coke. “I’m finally going to nursing school. I started my application as soon as I got the phone call telling me that I won the competition.”
Sebastian is smiling at me. Butterflies dance in my stomach at the beautiful sight.
“That’s great, Olivia!” his voice is booming and full of pride.
I can’t explain just how that makes me feel but warm fuzzies blanket me, relieving the weariness I’ve become accustomed to feeling.
