She picked up the file and made her way to the boardroom. Smoothing a hand over her hair, she took another big breath and pushed the doors open. She couldn’t see the client as Ginny obscured her view, but she heard him reply and went weak at the knees. That voice. The rich, deep baritone was simply sinful. It conjured up thoughts of satin sheets and hot, sweaty sex. There was a hint of an Italian accent, and, dear god, he could probably read the telephone directory and make it sound wickedly sensual.
As Serena stepped forward, Ginny moved to the side, and she got her first look at her new client. Shock rooted her to the spot. She blinked. Lifting a trembling hand to her throat, she simply stared. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She felt as if she’d entered the twilight zone, because larger than life and as wickedly sexy as she remembered him, stood her mystery man.
Despite not making a sound, it was as if he sensed her presence. His gaze zeroed in on her, his eyes trailing down the curves of her body. Ever so slowly, his eyes came back up and locked with hers, holding her shocked stare.
She couldn't catch her breath. Her body was frozen to the spot. Her brain scrambled to process the fact that her mystery man was none other than Sebastian Marino, decked out in a bespoke suit that did little to hide his muscular body. A body she had dreamed about only hours before. She felt the blush burn across her cheeks and her body react to the memory of that dream. But as she looked back at him, his eyes were not smiling. If anything, he looked pissed off.
Almost as if he suspected the thoughts rioting through her mind, he gave her an almost-knowing smirk. Nothing more than the quirking of his lips. These very feelings were the reason she’d run the night before. She’d thought she’d never see him again, yet here he was in her boardroom. Fate certainly had a perverse sense of humour.
When Sebastian cocked his eyebrow at her, like he had the night before, she finally managed to gather herself. This was business, pure and simple. She needed to pull it together. The last thing she wanted was for Sebastian Marino to think she was unprofessional. It would be the kiss of death for her small company. With one last shaky breath, she stepped forward, extending her hand to Sebastian.
“Mr Marino, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she managed to say in a clear, cool voice. Was that really her voice sounding so calm?
Taking her small, elegant hand in his large one, Sebastian dipped his head slightly without breaking eye contact. Holding it a little longer than she was comfortable with, he murmured, “Miss Callum, a pleasure.”
It felt like a live wire of electrical current pulsed through her body, shocking her enough to pull her hand from his grasp. In an attempt to appear unaffected, she smiled.
"Please, call me Serena. May we offer you anything to drink before we get started?”
“Serena then. Thank you, yes. A coffee would be wonderful.”
“Ginny, would you please get Mr Marino some coffee?” Serena smiled at Ginny.
“Certainly. Coming right up. Can I get one for you too, Serena?”
Serena nodded, and Ginny left the boardroom, closing the door behind her. The silence in the room following the other woman’s departure was deafening. She had to do something to regain control of the situation.
“Well then, Mr Marino. Shall we get down to business?”
“No need to stand on formalities, Serena. Sebastian will do.”
With a small incline of her head, Serena acknowledged his words.
“Shall we get to it then, Sebastian?”
“Yes, indeed.” Indicating for her to take a seat, he waited until she sat before settling in the seat next to her.
A slow burn had ignited at the way he’d said her name. She loved the sound of it on his tongue. As if he’d reached out and touched her intimately. The look he’d given her as he’d waited for her to take a seat told her he wasn’t completely unaffected by her either. The air fairly sizzled between them as Serena and Sebastian sat at the boardroom table.
With a deep breath, she opened the folder to begin but got quite distracted by his cologne. It was fresh and clean, cool and spicy; a wholly masculine scent that made her mouth water and scrambled her senses.
Gathering herself, she turned to ask him about the event and found him staring intently at her, almost as if he wanted to say something. When he remained silent, she asked her question. As he answered her, she pushed her thoughts aside and concentrated on the matter at hand. Thankfully, as the meeting progressed, the annoyed vibe she’d sensed from him first dissipated.
Time flew by as ideas were bandied back and forth. When they’d finally settled on a concept, he asked Serena to describe her vision. Fired up by the images she saw in her mind, she leaned toward Sebastian, sketching on the pad that lay before her in a bid to share her concept. She lifted her eyes to look at him as she went to speak, but the words died away as she found his gaze focused on her cleavage.
She’d become so animated while explaining and sketching that her blouse had shifted to reveal the smooth, creamy skin beneath. Serena felt the heat rise in her cheeks, her body, her very core. She responded to the banked smoulder she saw in his eyes, longing to feel his hands on her, his lips on hers.
He leaned in, his gaze remaining intense. Their faces were so close she could feel his breath on her lips. Abruptly, she sat back and cleared her throat. Sebastian merely cocked that expressive eyebrow at her before glancing at his watch.
“We’ve covered much ground this morning, Serena. But, unfortunately, I must be on my way. I have another meeting this afternoon and cannot afford to be late.”
“Yes, of course. Let me see you out.”
She escorted him from the boardroom. As they reached the elevator, Sebastian pressed the button before turning to her.
“That was most productive. I am quite pleased with our progress this morning.”
“Yes, I feel we’ve covered a fair bit of ground today. It’s given me a good feel for what you’re after.”
The elevator chimed its arrival, and he stepped inside. Giving her that enigmatic smirk, he pressed a button on the panel.
“I will be in touch later in the week to arrange our next meeting,” he replied as the doors closed. And with that, he was gone.
For a moment, Serena remained where she stood. It felt as if she’d run a marathon. Sebastian Marino was a force of nature, and she was definitely feeling the aftereffects.
4
Sebastian
Sebastian stood waiting for the elevator, his mind consumed with thoughts of the woman he’d just left.
When she’d disappeared from his club the night before, he’d searched frantically for her. There had been a spark of something, a connection they’d made as their eyes had met. Momentarily, he’d felt all was right with his world. As if she could silence all the noise in his head.
But then she’d vanished, and reality had come crashing back in. So, he’d gone looking for her. By the time he’d found her, he had been too late. All he could do was watch as she drove away. And he believed he’d never see her again.
When she’d walked into the boardroom, he could have sworn he saw a flash of recognition in her eye. Yet she’d acted as if she had never seen him before. He’d gone along with it, not wanting to create an uncomfortable situation. He couldn’t be one hundred percent sure she had, in fact, recognised him. But he’d sure as hell recognised her, and he’d be damned if he let her slip through his fingers twice.
The ding of the elevator arriving pulled him from his thoughts.
His mind still on the delectable Serena, his phone rang as he got in. Pulling it out of his pocket, he glanced at the screen. A frown creased his forehead as he saw his sister’s name. Since she never called him during business hours, it couldn’t be anything good.
Answering the phone, his heart sank as his sister launched into a tearful flood of Italian. It took him a couple of minutes to calm her down, enough to understand what she was saying. By that time, he’d reached the town car waiting for him at th
e curb. As he climbed into the idling vehicle, her words were finally intelligible. And those words made his heart clench. His father’s time was running out.
The conversation at an end, his sister whispered tearfully, “Amo tuo, fratello.” I love you, brother.
All he could reply past the lump in this throat, “Ti amo troppo, piccola. Per favore tienimi informato.” I love you too, little one. Please keep me informed.
“All okay, sir?” Sebastian heard Ari ask from the driver’s seat, as if it were from a distance.
With a deep breath to ease the tightness in his chest that his sister’s phone call had caused, Sebastian replied, “I hope so, Ari. I really hope so.”
He saw the man give him a concerned look through the rearview mirror before pulling away. On the way back to his office in the heart of Cape Town’s central business district, his mind churned. Change was coming. He felt it deep in his bones. He just wasn’t ready for it.
5
Serena
The weeks seemed to be flying by. Serena and Sebastian had been working closely to get the initial brainstorming and planning out of the way before she began pulling it all together. They’d been working well together, brainstorming regularly, either in person or over video chat when one of them couldn’t make it.
She loved that he was open to trying things that weren’t run of the mill or already done to death. When he’d first come to her with the brief for a Christmas party and fundraising gala for families of service members lost in the line of duty, she’d been a little overwhelmed. The sheer scope of the undertaking was intimidating. But she’d loved the idea, and their vision for the event seemed perfectly in sync.
Serena had never been busier, yet she couldn’t seem to keep her mind off Sebastian in a way completely unrelated to work. There was a tension in the air every time they were in the same room together. Would it be considered unprofessional if she jumped him on the boardroom table? At this stage, she might almost be willing to risk it. She was about ready to come out of her skin with want.
Today, they had a meeting scheduled. The planning for his event was well underway, and this would probably be the last planning meeting before she got down to putting it all into motion. From here on out, they’d be spending less time together. She didn’t want their time together to come to an end. She just didn’t know how to show Sebastian she was open to something more without it coming across as her being after his money when nothing could be further from the truth.
All she wanted was Sebastian.
Sighing, Serena went back to work. She’d figure it out. She always did.
6
Sebastian
Anticipation burned bright in Sebastian as he made his way up to Serena’s offices. He couldn’t remember a time a woman had engaged him quite like her. She had a quick wit and dry sense of humour. While she always came across professional in her interactions, he sensed a playful side he was sure he’d enjoy. There was definitely more to Serena Callum than met the eye.
Today was, quite probably, the last planning meeting they’d need before Serena would start putting things into motion. He found himself disappointed at the idea. So disappointed, in fact, he was actually considering putting her company on retainer. He always had need of an events coordinator. And having Serena on call definitely appealed to him. Far more than it should.
Giving himself a mental shake, he knew he had to get his head back in the game. The company held this charity fundraising gala annually, and it had become a highly anticipated event. The charity they fundraised for was for the spouses and children of men and women who’d fallen in the line of duty.
Family was important to Sebastian. He’d grown up in a close, loving household. When his brother had been murdered and his father had blamed himself, things had never been the same again. Their family had lost a loved one. They’d experienced the grief and unforgiving torment of that loss, so he did what he could to bring a little relief and joy back into the lives of others affected by the unexpected death of their loved ones.
Making his way into the offices of Top Events, Sebastian smiled at Serena’s personal assistant.
“Good morning, Mr Marino,” Ginny greeted as she led him to the boardroom. She stood back from the door, allowing him to enter. Sebastian felt the full impact of Serena’s eyes focused on him. Anticipation coiled tighter.
“Good morning, Serena.”
She gave him a shy smile before replying, “Good morning. Come in. I’m already set up. As soon as Ginny brings your coffee, we can get started.”
“Sounds good.”
Ginny returned with the mug, and they got down to the business at hand.
7
Serena
With a hand to the small of her back, Sebastian led Serena into the restaurant in his hotel. God, could she get any more aroused? With just that light touch at the curve of her spine, he was driving her crazy. Her body hummed with interest.
It had been a long, long time since she had felt anywhere close to this much attraction to a man. In fact, she wasn’t sure she ever had wanted a man quite like this. Sebastian was in a class all his own. And it certainly seemed as if that interest was returned, if she wasn’t reading the signals wrong.
She hoped she wasn’t reading them wrong. That would be most mortifying! Not to mention disappointing.
The hostess smiled a welcome, leading them to their table. Taking a seat in the chair Sebastian pulled out for her, Serena smiled her thanks up at him. She could have sworn she heard a sharp inhale from him, but the expression on his face never changed. Had his eyes darkened some? Perhaps she was mistaken. Maybe she was simply seeing what she wanted to see. After a beat, he returned her smile with a brief one and took his own seat.
“Good afternoon, Mr Marino. Your waiter will be with you momentarily,” the hostess said.
“Thank you, Alyssa,” Sebastian replied.
No sooner had she left than the waiter arrived at their table with menus and a breadbasket for them.
“Good afternoon, Mr Marino. Ma’am. My name is James, and I will be attending to you today. May I get you something to drink?” They ordered their beverages, and while James went off to get their drinks, they perused the menu.
James returned and took their order. As he left, silence settled over them.
Suddenly, Serena felt completely out of her depth, unsure what to do or say next. A most uncomfortable feeling. One she didn’t like at all. Sneaking a look at Sebastian from under her lashes, she felt a jolt as she found him looking at her, his eyes roaming over her. Taking all of her in, or at least what he could see of her.
His eyes returned to her face, and she was unsure how to read his look. As uncomfortable as she was, Serena held her silence, still uncertain what to say. Was she the only one feeling that way? He certainly seemed to be quite at ease.
Sebastian’s eyes, once again, moved over her face intently. Eventually, they came back to hers. Leaning back in his chair, he finally broke the silence.
“I find myself intrigued by you, Serena. You seem all calm competence on the outside, but I sense fire beneath that cool exterior. What exactly would it take to make you burn for me, I wonder?”
Serena felt her jaw drop. That had been the last thing she’d expected him to say. How was she supposed to respond to that? Her brain scrambled to find a suitable, coherent answer to Sebastian’s question, but thankfully she was saved from giving a response when James appeared at their table to refresh their drinks. Breathing out a silent, if heartfelt, sigh of relief, Serena took a sip of her sparkling water.
With a sardonic lift of his lips, he murmured, “Saved by the bell, it seems.”
Serena looked away from his all too knowing gaze but made no rejoinder.
Lunch proceeded without further incident, but that did nothing to relieve the tension that bubbled just beneath the surface. This time, Serena knew she wasn’t the only one feeling it. The question was, what would they do about it?
8
<
br /> Serena
Lunch over, Serena gathered her things in readiness to return to the office. She was just about to ask Sebastian if he would be taking her back or if it would be more convenient if she called a taxi when he touched a hand to one of hers, halting her movements.
“I find myself unable to say goodbye, Serena. What would it take to make you stay and spend the afternoon with me?”
Serena could make no reply. What was it about this man that kept catching her so off-guard? She’s never met anyone like him, a man so self-assured and comfortable in his own skin. He made her feel positively awkward to be around, except when they were working.
“I ...” Unable to continue, not knowing what she had intended to say in the first place, Serena went silent again.
Smiling a rather predatory smile, he took her hand and led her toward the bank of lifts outside the restaurant doors. As they came to a stop, he turned to her without letting go of her hand.
“Last chance, cara. Do I push the button, or will you be returning to your office?”
Swallowing down a frisson of nerves, Serena reached out an unsteady hand and pushed the call button for the lift closest to her instead of answering him. She gave a small start as the doors slid silently open almost immediately. It had been a really long time since she had been so affected by her nerves, but she was undeniably turned on by this man. Not sure if it was the smartest move, but wanting it all the same, she moved to enter the elevator.
Stepping in ahead of Sebastian, Serena couldn’t suppress a shiver of anticipation this time. Sebastian stepped in, inserting a key that would take them straight up to the penthouse suite. She bit down on her lip. Taking the action in, Sebastian’s eyes darkened with arousal. He stepped in close, lifting a hand to cup the back of her neck. Using the thumb of his other hand to gently pull her lip from between her teeth, he leaned in and traced her full bottom lip with the tip of his tongue.
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