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“And I’m guessing after everything we talked about, this is not a good thing,” I observe.
“This is about the farthest from good you can get. My father is unbearable at home, but in the office, he’s a hundred times worse. It’s his job to pick people apart, tear them down bit by bit, and he does it to me every chance he gets. It got so bad the last time I went into his office that his secretary, Joanne, stepped in and stood up for me. Needless to say, she is no longer employed withBaxter and Lawson.”
“That’s awful. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I should’ve just kept walking when Dylan said he needed to talk. Then none of this would be happening. You would be going to school with me instead of having to subject yourself to such abuse.”
“I don’t know that I’d call it abuse.” He seems slightly amused by my comment.
“It is abuse, Sebastian.”
“It’s fine, Tess. His words stopped hurting me a long time ago. Trust me, I’ll be fine. Besides, you didn’t cause this, I did. You did nothing wrong.”
“Well then, why do I feel like all of this could have been avoided if I had made a different choice?”
“We all could’ve made different choices, Tess. Yes, you could’ve chosen to walk away. But I also could’ve chosen not to knock his teeth down his throat.” He throws me a sideways glance and smiles.
“You didn’t mention having to go to work with your father last night when we were talking,” I observe, going back to our original conversation.
“That punishment got handed down when I arrived home at six this morning.”
“Now I feel even worse,” I say, knowing he only stayed last night because I asked him to.
“Don’t.” He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t change last night for anything. I’d work with my father a hundred times over if it meant I could do it all over again.” He winks, and once again the heat rushes to my cheeks.
Pull it together, Tess. This man has had his hands… Okay, nope—that’s only making me blush harder.
“So what will you be doing today?” I clear my throat, choosing to ignore his comment at the risk of further embarrassing myself. He smiles, telling me he knows exactly what I’m doing, but is good enough of a sport not to call me on it.
“Other than being my father’s bitch,” he answers, chuckling when I grimace. “I’m kidding. He’ll probably stick me in the copy room all day or have me doing some bullshit paperwork. Either way, I’ll survive.”
Slowing the car and pulling it up to the curb about a block from school, he throws the car in park and turns in his seat to face me.
“This is as far as I can go. I’m not allowed on school property until next Wednesday.” He reaches into the center console and grabs a pair of keys. “I need you to do me a favor,” he says, tucking the keys into my hand. “Drive Jessie back to your house for me.”
“Jessie?” I ask, confused.
“The Jeep.” He laughs at the obvious bewilderment on my face.
“Your Jeep’s name is Jessie? How did I not know that before now?” I can’t help but laugh at how ridiculously cute he is.
He shrugs. “It never came up.”
“And I can’t—drive Jessie, I mean.”
“Why not? You have your license, right?”
“I do.”
“Then what’s the problem?” he asks, reaching out to tuck a chunk of hair behind my ear, his hand lingering on the side of my face.
“I don’t have insurance and well—it’s really nice, and I’d never forgive myself if I wrecked it.”
“The car has insurance so it’s legal. Besides, it’s not like my father can’t afford to fix it on the off chance that you do wreck it. In which case, I’d be much more worried about you than Jessie.” He leans forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. “So will you do it for me?” he asks, pulling back just enough to leave a couple inches between us. “I hate the thought of her sitting here for the next week, and my father is trying to make a point by not sending someone after her.” He sighs. “He knows how much I love that Jeep, so to further solidify the control he has over me, he’s refused to let me have it back until my suspension is up. I’d feel much better knowing thatmygirl is taking care of her for me.”
“When you put it that way.” I nearly melt in my seat at the way he saysmy girl.
“You’ll do it?” His face lights up, his smile so handsome I can’t help but lean in and kiss him.
“I’ll do it,” I murmur against his mouth before pulling back. “But you have to promise me you won’t be upset if something happens to her.”
