Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 34

NICOLE

Sebastian spends the better part of his day showing me how things operate so I can be ready to start work tomorrow.

Things are going fast-and honestly? This is amazing.

I haven’t thought of my problems once since arriving here, and the feel of the place is cozy. This is all Sebastian, of course. There’s something about him that leaves me completely at ease. His energy is soothing, and in my heart, I’m thanking Katie again and again.

He’s kind. Calm. Collected. Patient. All in all, such a great, polite guy.

I love being around him, and with each passing moment, I start to feel more and more inadequate. Why? Because I’m finding him handsome, and the closer I look, the more about him I like.

And of course, that isn’t ideal at all.

“So, you see?” he begins as he raises his head. “Pretty simple, right?”

I nod, my mouth dry. He has a lock of hair falling over his eyes, and he doesn’t bother brushing it back.

I’ll blame my reaction to him on the high emotions I’ve been riding on for the past month. Today has been incredible so far, and I’m associating it with him. I haven’t felt great in a while, and he’s cheering me up with his wit and cool personality.

I should fucking stop.

“Whoa,” he remarks as he glances at his ridiculously expensive watch. “Look at the time. I didn’t even realize we missed our lunch break. I’m sorry I kept you for too long.”

I rise from my seat. My table is right outside his door, and it’s small and neat compared to his. “Please, don’t apologize. This afternoon has been really informative and interesting for me. I learned a lot, and I can’t wait to get more acquainted with everything.”

The smile he gives me is genuine. “I’m glad to hear that. I do tend to go on, especially about the things I’m passionate about. Clearly, you can tell that this place right here is what I live for. It’s my life.”

I nod. Yes, that’s very clear for me to see.

Sebastian clears his throat and runs his fingers through his hair casually. “Would you…Would you find it inappropriate if I invited you to lunch? I feel I owe you one.”

“You really don’t,” I assure him. “But I’ll accept. Thank you.”

Surely there’s no problem with accepting an invitation to eat out from your boss on the very first day of work, right? I mean, I’m not even working. This is just an introduction.

This is exactly the kind of thing that lands me in trouble.

I just never learn, do I?

“Right. I’ll just grab my wallet and we can-” He cuts himself off and looks over my shoulder. Curiously, I turn my head to look at well, and I see an elegantly dressed woman in her fifties approaching us.

“Sebastian,” she begins, her voice laced with authority, “could we have a word?”

“Mom,” he says patiently, “I’d like you to meet Nicole. She’s my new secretary.”

Sebastian laughs out loud, and my face reddens to the point where it feels like it’s on fire. Why did I blurt that out? I blame him. He makes me feel so comfortable around him. It honestly feels like I’ve known him for years instead of hours.

“Well, that does happen. Don’t worry, you can always get the mild.”

I nod and the elevator opens. We step out, and my eyes are on his face. I’m specifically thinking about apologizing for what I said. I don’t want him thinking that I curse easily. I mean, I do, but that’s never a good look. Ma always told me this. She’d say, “All this fuck this and fuck that. It’s unbecoming.”

Sebastian doesn’t look like the kind of person who swears.

But I never get a chance to say the words because we bump into two people on our way out, and to my absolute horror and mortification-and every other word in the book that means I’m dying on the inside- Sebastian stops to greet them.

“Roman! I haven’t seen you around here in a while.”

I freeze. Genuinely. My eyes are on the floor and it feels like my lungs aren’t working. I haven’t looked up-I saw a flash of his face from a distance and heard Sebastian say his name. And now, I’m like a statue glued to Sebastian’s side.

“I don’t think you’ve met my fiancée,” Roman says after a while. Why did he hesitate? Because he saw me? No doubt he’s terrified that I’ll open my mouth and tell everyone he fucked me left, right, and center. Or is it just my impression? Did he even notice me yet? He says to her, “Carmen, honey, this is Sebastian. We do business together.”

“Nice to meet you,” she purrs. Her voice is smooth and deep. She sounds like an 80s sex icon.

Just. My. Fucking. Luck.