"Sorry, guys. Didn't mean to drown you while trying to forget about Dr. Frosty and his magical hands."
The plants don't respond, but the smallest succulent seems to be listing to one side, either from overwatering or judgment. I can't tell which. I’ve only just sorted out the mess when my phone pings from somewhere in the kitchen. The sound sendsmy heart into my throat, and I nearly trip over my own feet in my rush to get to it.
Unknown:Still behaving, Trouble?
My fingers go numb, and for a second I think I might actually drop the phone. There's only one person who could be texting me that. Heat floods my cheeks, spreads down my neck, pools between my legs where the ache instantly intensifies.
Sebastian.
How did he get my number? I don't remember giving it to him. But then again, he's my boss. He probably has access to my personnel file with all my contact information.
I stare at the message, reading it over and over. As if I'm a child who needs supervision. As if he has any right to check whether I've followed his command. The arrogance is breathtaking. Infuriating.
Arousing.
My nipples tighten beneath my t-shirt, and I press my thighs together, seeking pressure that doesn't relieve anything. Ugh, what is wrong with me? I should tell him to fuck off.
I type and delete three different responses before settling on one.
Me:Define behaving.
Not exactly telling him where to shove it but not rolling over either. I hit send before I can second-guess myself, then watch the screen like it holds the secrets of the universe. Three dots appear immediately. My heart hammers against my ribs.
Sebastian:I'm not above punishing you for disobeying.
The response sends a shiver down my spine that has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the images suddenly flooding my mind. Sebastian punishing me. Those large hands holding me in place as he tells me I can't come until he says so.
"Holy shit," I whisper, pressing the cool screen of my phone against my flushed cheek. When did I become this person? When did the thought of being punished become the hottest thing I could imagine?
Since Sebastian Walker pushed me against a wall and made me feel more in five minutes than I've felt with any other man, ever.
I nibble my lower lip, contemplating my next move. This is uncharted territory. My gaze flicks to the romance novels on my shelf. What would their heroines do in this situation? Probably something bold. Something that takes back a little of the control.
Something like...
Before I can talk myself out of it, I pull my t-shirt down to expose my collarbone, where a small, purplish mark blooms against my skin. Sebastian's mark, left there by his mouth last night when he kissed and nipped his way down my neck.
Angling the camera just right, I capture the mark clearly while also showing just enough bare skin to be tantalizing. A hint of my shoulder, the curve where my neck meets my collarbone, the edge of my jaw. Nothing explicit. But suggestive enough to make my point.
I attach it to a new message.
Me:If this is behaving, I can’t wait to see what breaking the rules looks like.
I stare at the screen, waiting for those three dots to appear. My heart races, a mix of excitement and anxiety making my palms sweat.
One minute passes. Then two. Then five. Then twenty. No response. No dots. No Sebastian.
I pick up the phone again, checking to make sure the message actually sent. It did. With read receipts showing Sebastian saw it seventeen minutes ago.
"You've got to be kidding me," I mutter, staring at the screen like I can will a response into existence. "He's leaving me on read?"
The audacity is almost impressive. Almost. Mostly it's infuriating.
Plonking down on the couch, I toss the phone next to me and turn on the TV. Maybe after a few episodes of that new vampire show I won’t care anymore.
Three episodes in and I’m still eyeing my phone willing it to life.
At first, I was smug. Bold, even. Sending that photo felt like taking back some control in whatever this is between us. I imagined him seeing it, those dark eyes widening, and his perfect composure cracking just a little.
