A Deal with Benefits

Sebastian shook his head. “I told the stylist what I expected.” He’d wanted something that had symbolized the weekend they’d shared in Inez Key. He didn’t know that the dress would cling to her curves and accentuate her sun-kissed skin. His gaze gravitated to her long, toned legs. He remembered how they felt wrapped tightly around his waist. Sebastian swallowed roughly as his mouth felt dry.

“It’s too short.” She tugged at the hem that barely skimmed the top of her thighs. “Too revealing. Too—”

“Sexy as hell,” he said in a growl.

Ashley’s breath lodged painfully in her lungs as she watched Sebastian advance. She took a step back and bumped against the door frame. The man moved quietly, like a jungle cat ready to pounce, and she stood before him like helpless prey. Her heart was already beating hard when she saw him. Now it wanted to explode out of her chest.

Ashley wasn’t sure how she was going to get out of this situation. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to. She liked how he looked at her. Liked this tension that coiled around them, excluding everything else. She felt beautiful, powerful and vibrantly alive. Only Sebastian made her feel this way.

But how many other women had felt like this with Sebastian? Her pulse skipped hard as the question bloomed in her mind. Just as he was about to reach her, Ashley held up her hand to stop him. She hoped he didn’t see how her fingers trembled. “Not so fast.”

“Don’t worry, mi vida,” he said, his voice husky and seductive. “It will be slow and steady.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She felt the heat flood her face as she imagined Sebastian exploring her body, taking his time while she begged for completion. Begged for more. “First, some ground rules.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You can’t be serious.”

Were mistresses not allowed to negotiate? She found that hard to believe. What they had was a business deal. “Do not tell anyone about this arrangement,” Ashley demanded as she crossed her arms, forming a barrier. She knew how men bragged. She remembered hearing her father discuss his conquests to any man who’d listen. Each story got bolder and raunchier as the men tried to one-up each other. “This is a private matter.”

Sebastian watched her carefully. She couldn’t tell if he was offended by her request or if he didn’t know why it was worth mentioning. “I don’t discuss my private life,” he confided in a low voice. “And I won’t let anyone talk about you.”

Ashley blinked. She wasn’t expecting that answer or the sincerity in his dark eyes. Sebastian Cruz was a good liar. He knew what she wanted to hear. If she didn’t know that he would say or do anything to get his way, she’d almost believe him.