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Just as I was about to log off, I noticed I had a pending friend request.Oh God, please don’t be another annoying sleaze that wants to have cybersex. I’d had too many of those creeps lately. But to my surprise, it was not a sleaze. It was Patrick … Patrick frickin’ Vitello.Wait …why is he adding me?Did Deb say something to him?No, surely not – she was upset over his rejection, and I doubt she said anything further to him after that. So why would he add me?I only catered for his party one time and had only met him that once.Weird.
I clicked‘Confirm’and hoped to God that Deb was fast asleep and not browsing Facebook so she wouldn’t notice I was now friends with him. The last thing I needed was another drama over Patrick.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to look at Patrick’s profile and noticed his relationship status was hidden.Hmmm.He is a private man, indeed.I scrolled through his pictures, which were mostly of just him, or him with his Mum, food, wine, or his restaurants. Then I clicked on his profile pic. His sculptured face, alluring green eyes, and charming smile filled the screen and gave me a weird butterfly sensation in my tummy. I shoved the sensation away, signed off Facebook, and lay staring at the spinning ceiling fan above my bed. My heart was racing, and I suddenly felt overheated.
11
A Date With Sebastian
There was no better feeling than sleeping in until 11am. Peace and quiet filled my mind, and the house too. The air conditioner was set to twenty-two degrees, blowing cool air across my face and arms while the rest of me was cocooned under the blankets.I really could just lie here all day,I thought,and ignore the sweltering heat outside.Just as I was about to close my eyes again and sink my head back into the pillow, I heard the doorbell ring.Postman?Oh, I hope so.I’d ordered this new organic skincare online I was dying to try.It should be due now – it has been over a week.
I wrapped my dressing gown around myself and made my way to the front door. As I opened the door, I saw there wasn’t one parcel but two in the postman’s hands.
‘Howdy. Just need a signature for those, love,’ he said while beads of sweat trickled from his bald head down to his neck rolls. I couldn’t wait for him to go so I could shut the door and enjoy the air conditioning again.
He handed me the pen and leant the digital signature pad in my direction. I signed‘N. Clarke’and smiled.
‘Have a good day, miss,’ he said as he handed me the parcels.
‘You too.’ I gave a warm smile.
I closed the door, carried the parcels to the dining table, and opened the first one, which was obviously the skincare. Its baby-pink parcel bag and the logo, Plump Cherry Organics, were a dead giveaway.Oh yes, I thought as I unpacked the products that were wrapped in pink tissue paper. I’d ordered a cream cleanser, an exfoliating scrub, moisturiser, and facial oil. Let’s hope the rave reviews online were right … It cost a lot, being organic and all. Mum’s words at dinner about saving money echoed briefly in my ears, but I shook my head to banish them and moved on to the next parcel.
What could it be? Sometimes I ordered so much online I lost track, but I had beentryingto be good lately and buy less.
As I pulled out the black tissue-papered package from the padded bag, I noticed there was a black cardboard letter slipped under a twirled red ribbon. The message was printed in gold cursive writing.
It’s our last day together before I fly out, so I wanted to make sure we had a great night together. I think this red lingerie would suit your sexy blonde hair. Stay gorgeous, baby. Seb xo.
Hmmm. My curious fingers unravelled the package, and, of course, it had to be the raunchiest joke of a lingerie set I’d ever seen.Really, Seb?I thought we were making progress here.Red lingerie was the cliché gift you’d give your lover for Valentine’s Day if you hadn’t much of an imagination. When Scott was playing ‘nice guy’, he gave me a pair of red lacey knickers on V-day, which made me nervous considering we hadn’t had sex at the time. Was this Seb’s way of hinting hewanted to have sex tonight? I knew it was what Scott was alluding to because he told me to wear those knickers the day I lost my virginity to him.
I held the see-through bra to my chest and examined the ant-sized black-felt hearts that were apparently meant to cover my nipples. They’d cover half a nipple if that, I concluded as I touched the material. Who designed this? It certainly wasn’t ‘sexy’. If he insisted on buying me lingerie, couldn’t it have been tasteful like Eres Paris or something? And more importantly, how did he know my size?I bet he got the wrong one, I thought as I checked the labels. Nope, it was correct – 12-C bra and size 12 knickers.Lucky guess?
Why did I keep attracting sleazy men? First Scott, then cybersex men, and now Seb. I pressed my face into my hands and sighed. This was a kind gesture that should have made my heart flutter, not stir up my emotions and distasteful memories. Was this a vicious cycle, and would Seb have sex with me and just leave?
My train of thought was interrupted by the doorbell again, so I dropped the lingerie onto the table, and as I opened the door, I saw Sebastian standing there. He was wearing a plain white shirt with black denim shorts frayed at the knees, paired with navy Vans shoes. Simple, but he looked good.Dammit. Why was he so attractive?
‘Soooo, did you like your present?’ he asked, his face beaming.
‘It was a kind gesture, Seb, but I don’t wear lingerie. I’m more of a comfort kind of girl. Also, how did you know my size?’ My brow shot up as I waited for his response.
His bronzed face turned beetroot red. ‘Babe. This stuff is super sexy on, and Deb told me.’
I frowned at his mention of Deb and glanced over my shoulder into the living room. She should have been out of bed by now. Itwas unlike her not to be up at this time, puffing on a cigarette with a coffee in hand.
I turned back to Seb. ‘Oh … Deb … of course, she did. And how do you know how sexy it is? Did you try it on?’ I said in a playful tone dripping in sarcasm.
‘No!’ He frowned and crossed his arms. ‘Deb thought you’d like the set.’ He uncrossed his arms and shrugged.
‘Oh, did she now?’ My brows raised. ‘Seb, I think it is very sweet you took the trouble to post me a gift, but I want to set something straight. I don’t wear that kind of stuff, so if you feel the need to get me a present, please keep it simple, like flowers, and remember you don’t have to woo me like this.’
‘Wow. I thought you’d love it. It was one of the more expensive ones in the shop.’ He swallowed hard, his eyes full of disappointment.
He looked genuinely hurt, and for a moment, I felt bad about setting him straight, but if I didn’t tell him how I felt, then I’d just be pretending to like it to keep him happy, and that wouldn’t benefit our developing bond.
‘I think it’s very kind. I do. Look, I am sorry to hurt your feelings. I am just being honest.’
He exhaled. ‘My ex always loved stuff like this, and it brought us closer together.’
