The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (22 page)

I can actually see real anguish in his expression. I’ve never seen Sebastian like this, so out of control. Control he puts above anything and everyone. The man with the cool calm and collected exterior has developed a slight crack in his armour.
 

“I want you to continue blossoming into Lulu again, getting YOU back and as my message said earlier, I’m all in. But… there are those FBR’s.”

We watch each other, weighing up the charged air between us and, reading my mind, he bends towards, reaching for me; our lips meet eagerly. He slides both hands along my outer thighs, grabs them underneath the back of my knees and pulls them upwards, his palms massaging my calves, anchoring them in place. The position is so carnal that I rue my earlier decision to wear jeans. The barrier an annoying interference with our craving for spontaneous lusty sex.

We explore one another’s mouths leisurely, his finger travelling lightly from my neck to the base of my spine, stroking through the sheer fabric in small delicious trails. I shiver at the delicious sensations and my breasts strain against my top, desperate for some of the attention. I push them into his warm solid chest, tired of holding back; tired of letting my fears get the better of me. Sebastian grabs hold of my hair in his fist, winding it tightly around his hand until I’m held, immobilised. Our tongues mate angrily and in that moment something inside me clicks.
 

What am I waiting for?
 

I stop in my tracks, chewing my lip, desperate to feel him against me.

Oh fuck it. My hands seem to have a life of their own. They work their way up tow
ards his neck. Palms pushing against the steely muscled warmth emanating from under his cotton t-shirt. Our eyes lock and I continue on my path, dipping down the hem before slowly lifting it. I tense, as my small hands are immediately enclosed in his hard rough male ones and stilled. He holds them there for a moment and then lets them drop. Our panting slows, as we lean into one another, forehead to forehead.
 

What had just happened?
 

“Why?” My voice is hollow and broken.
 

His groan, low in his throat shows frustration and annoyed I break free from his grasp.

Again… really?
 

“I want you Lu; God I want you.” The huskiness in his voice is unmistakable. “But not here. Not now. I want this to be special for you. Rule number one; I decide when and where.”

Oh crap I’d forgotten the rules.

I chew my lip, anger swimming inside me, ready to erupt volcanically.
This guy just isn’t worth the hassle.
The problem was that that was utter bollocks - He was totally worth it and I knew it!

“Rule number two; like I said I will need more than one night together. To satisfy you completely I’ll need several nights… or days … or afternoons.” His sensual smile is seductive with its promise but irritates me.

“I don’t know whether I like this. Maybe I want to decide
if
,
when
,
where
,
how
- or just keep us as friends. Why are you the one who gets to choose when?”
 

“I know your having a hard time with this, believe me, so am I - rock-hard.”

His eyes drop to his evident erection, straining through his jeans and it warms me that I did that.

“You know Rule number 2. Rule number 3; you mentioned that you’re open to anything. If I ask you do something you must trust me to try.” His dark chocolate eyes search mine for a reaction and satisfied with my outwardly undisturbed manner, he smiles.
I’m starting to regret saying I was open to anything. Shit, what would he want me to do? I’m not a backdoor action kind of girl.

“Like I mentioned I’m going away on business for a few days. Think about
my
offer and say yes to all my rules when I return. I’ll forward the remaining FBR’s whilst I’m away.”
 

It isn’t a question and his voice is remarkably calm
,
annoyingly so. His handsome face studies me, willing me to retaliate and then he makes a move towards the backdoor. I’m completely silent.

“Right. Well I’ll be off then. I’ll see you at Suzie & Gino’s do. Saturday night?” he asks, stroking his head in thought. I nod, desperate for him to leave me to my embarrassment.
 

“Lu…when it happens, the first time, its not going to be some quick fumble on the kitchen floor. You deserve better than that… than me really. But I promise you; I’ll drive you wild. After the first time we can get down and dirty wherever you please.” His voice lowers with the latter statement, causing me to look up at him with wide green eyes. I watch him head out through the backyard, stopping only to wave casually over his shoulder. If I hadn’t seen the huge bulge in his jeans, I’d think that this whole bizarre situation wasn’t affecting him at all?
Like I concluded yesterday I’m in seriously big trouble. How had this started out feeling like I was the one controlling the terms and now Sebastian was at the helm of our agreement?

The next few days in my Elysium diary are booked out solely for The Ashton. It deserved my full, undivided attention and as I juggle quotes and source materials with relish on Wednesday, I’m grateful for the distraction from my sex life. It only left every other waking moment to consider my discussions with Mr. Silver on Tuesday night. The man in question was in Manchester until the weekend, bidding for work on a large chain-project there, which was a major coup for Silver Construction, or so Nathan had mentioned the few times we chatted about Ashton work, this morning.
 

He was never bloody home! To be fair to him, wasn’t that one of the excuses he’d used last night for us not taking it further?

I suppose if I’m honest I am glad of the time to breathe and think clearly. I’ve pretty much made up my mind to forget anything ever happened between us, forget the bloody rules and offers, of amazing sex at all hours, and move on.
Like it was as easy, as that
. The man was total head fuck; I want you, I don’t want you. I want you, just not now. I’m going to drive you wild…

Arrgghh!!! I’m thoroughly disappointed that since my stupid proposition, we don’t seem to be able to connect verbally. Before all this palaver, Seb would have told me about this Manchester gig. We’d have spent hours hashing out the tender together, be it on the phone or e-mail. We always asked one another for advice, in both our businesses. Now it appeared we’d stopped the small-talk altogether, stopped the banter, stopped anything… well in regards to everyday life. I missed it and I missed him as my
friend
.
 

I’m glad I’d managed to fit in my yoga class this morning after dropping Finn off at Crèche - I’d never have had the energy after work. Plus it had given me some serious time to focus my thoughts and channel all this nervous energy.

I’m about to sit down at my desk, when Jackie excitedly shouts across the room from her own office area, headset securely in place - very Madonna circa 1990.
 

“New potential client alert!” pointing her well-manicured finger at the handset close to her ear. “I’ll punch it through to you?”

I nod acceptance and clear my throat. “Hello Lucia Myers speaking - how may I help?”

A polite woman with an infectious laugh and real verve for her small boutique public house, named Carolyn Walters is keen for Elysium to work our magic over her five bedrooms, with a potential to extend that number to ten, budget dependant. Twenty minutes of Mrs. Walter’s positivity and the day feels better already. I had a good gut instinct for people and I knew from one phone-call that we’d work well together. By the end of the call I have an appointment to visit a Country Inn in desperate need of refurbishment, all courtesy of James Marcell. Already it appeared that The Ashton was looking profitable and I hadn’t even waved my magic decorating wand over the rooms yet. I make a mental note to thank him for the referral and scribble down a few notes.

Chewing the end of my pen, I mull the potential brief over.
The Gilded Fox
- What a fabulous name for a hotel. I’m already brimming with creative inspiration for themes, fabrics and colour schemes and couldn’t wait to go and site survey the venue.

My phone buzzes next to me and I quickly take my eyes away from my work for a second to check the text. It’s from Leo. I try to ignore the slump of my shoulders in disappointment of it not being from a certain other male.
 

Really looking forward to our night out Lucia.

Couldn’t remember if I’d text you but I’m happy to accept. x

Poor guy. I’m really not that interested, especially now that I’m considering sexually exploring another man - even for a brief period. I’m a one-man kind of girl - always. I can’t even get excited by a text from him that shows he is really keen or be bothered to reply. I remind myself to reply to it later and settle down to catch up on the mountains of work, scattered across my desk. However after several minutes of unproductive paper pushing and post-it organisation, I sigh deeply and throw myself back in my chair dramatically.
I need a serious pep talk and grabbing my phone I text Abs, hoping to grab her for lunch.
 

Fancy lunch at The Velvet Cupcake;

Man trouble. X

Abby is a text maniac and the response flies through faster than it usually takes to push through the ethos.

Sounds good. B there in 15. X

“Right I’m nipping out for lunch. Won’t be long, I holler to no-one in particular.” Locating my purse, sunglasses and bag.

“Slacker!” Colin shouts slyly from his desk in the corner of the studio and minces his way towards me. “Where’s your head at Lu? Certainly not here! Maybe giving a little too much head away elsewhere?”

My attempt at disproval at his racy comment is hollow and instead I reply evenly. “I’m fine just a little preoccupied. How are you getting on with sourcing the flooring for The Ashton?”
 

I try to remind him of our working relationship. Not necessary really as Colin was a star and usually his little risqué quips lifted me but I needed one of us to be on the ball with work.

“Keep your sexy panties knot-free - s’all good. I’m now on with the lighting. Its bloody lush!” His eyes telescope dramatically, upon the last word, causing me to giggle. “There you go. That’s what we like. Now bugger off you crotchety bitch and eat cake or something - anything to chill out. You’re seriously wired tighter than a nun’s crotch!”

I smirk at his silly analogy, only a gay man would feel comfortable talking about a woman’s vagina, with other women, but I nod in agreement and give him a pair of cheeky
victory v’s
in retaliation, stroked slowly up and down my face. His belly laugh makes me smile further.

Patting Jackie’s shoulder tacitly in acknowledgement of my impending absence, so as not to disturb her current telephone conversation, I jump as she plants a firm grasp over mine. With her serious secretary face on she holds one slim finger up in front of me, mouthing the words silently but expressively. “It’s Mr. Silver for you.”