Page 49 of Hate To Be Mine

She walked away before I could protest that there was no awkwardness. How dare she suggest my mind was wallowing in the gutter filled with dirty thoughts starring Sebastian very naked?

The afternoon shoot went smoothly. Models in swimwear, perfect golden light, ocean backdrop. Elizabeth’s designs looked incredible. The photographers were getting amazing shots. Everything was working exactly as it should.

Except I couldn’t stop stealing glances at Sebastian.

He was in his element, directing the models, checking angles with the photographers, making small adjustments that improved every shot. This was what he was good at. What he’d spent years doing. And despite everyone’s doubts about whether he could handle running a full production, he was proving them all wrong.

He impressed me.

But it was more than impressive. It was attractive in a way that had nothing to do with his perfect face and everything to do with watching someone be genuinely passionate about their work.

I watched him approach one of the two male models. Sebastian was demonstrating a pose. And my God, he took off his shirt to show the man how to flex.

I was fucking melting. My panties were going to catch on fire at any second. I casually crossed my legs in an attempt to stop my traitorous body but that only made it worse.

I was not the only one admiring Sebastian. Did he know how sexy he looked? Of course, he did. He grabbed Clarissa, making her giggle. The pose was clearly practiced and seeing it as a work thing showed just how fake it was, but the way he looked into her eyes with his arm loose around her waist and his biceps subtly flexed certainly looked real.

That’s why he was so damn good at his job.

And seduction.

He’d done that to me last night.

And even suspecting part of his little seduction was just about messing with me, it didn’t stop me from wondering what might have happened if Annika hadn’t interrupted.

“Fuck me,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m in trouble.”

“Did you say something?” one of the lighting guys asked.

“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

He gave me a weird look but moved on, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts.

Elizabeth clapped her hands together, her face lighting up with sudden inspiration. “Sebastian! I want all three of you in a shot together.”

“What?” Sebastian looked up from where he’d been directing Clarissa.

“All three of you. The shorts look incredible on you—why waste it?”

Sebastian grinned. “I’ll give you a few freebies because you’re family.”

“You’re already wearing the shorts and you know how to work a camera better than anyone here,” Elizabeth said.

“Just a few shots. We’re burning daylight.”

Elizabeth squealed and clapped again, already gesturing to the photographers to adjust their setup. I should have looked away. I should have found something else to focus on.

But I didn’t look away.

I couldn’t.

I completely forgot how to breathe when he gave a smoldering look at the camera. I was just behind the screen that showed the shots and wow. Just wow. That man’s body should be illegal.

Photos didn’t do him justice. I’d seen plenty of his modeling work. I thought I knew what Sebastian Blackwell looked like.

I was so wrong.

In person, in the flesh—literally—he was devastating.