“Let’s just play. Here.” Sebastian put down his drink. “Okay, never have I ever...” He tried to think of something fun. “Never have I ever run down the French Quarter naked.”
The other men laughed. Sebastian lifted his whiskey and took a deep drink. He noticed Marco and James did the same, while Bill barely sipped at his. This was going to be one hell of a looong night at this rate. Sebastian bowed his head.
“Okay, okay, I have one.” Theo raised his glass. “Never have I ever gone more than six months as an adult without sex.”
Theo tipped his glass back. James and Sebastian both drank, but Bill failed to lift his glass.
“Are you serious?” Theo glanced at Marco, surprised.
Both Marco and Bill shrugged. “Hey, anyone can have a drought,” Marco said.
“Well, I haven’t had sex with my wife since the first year I got married,” Bill admitted. Sebastian’s mouth fell open. “Just telling you, bud, things change when you get married.”
“No, they don’t.” Sebastian wanted to derail this conversation pronto. While marriage might kill a man’s sex life, the last thing he wanted was for Marco to start thinking matrimony meant never having sex again. “Lola isn’t like that. She’s mad for you. I don’t think you’ll be like...” Wingtip Bill, who seems to be walking birth control.
“Sebastian defending marriage? Never thought I’d see the day. What? You’ll be getting married next!” Theo exclaimed.
“If I find my person, you bet I will.” Sebastian was surprised by his own forcefulness. Since when was he so open to the idea of marriage? Or was he just playing the part for Marco? Keeping the man’s spirits up? Hey, I’m just walking the man to the guillotine here, trying to remind him things don’t look so bad.
“Really? And how are you going to find your person sleeping with everyone?” James asked.
Sebastian stared at his glass and frowned. “Hey, how do I know unless I try them all?” The other men at the table chuckled at the joke.
“If you’re really serious about this,” Marco said, “you’ll get serious about dating.”
Was Sebastian serious? He could be, he reasoned.
“There’s no way this conversation is even happening,” Theo said, shaking his head. “Come on, get serious. I’ve had longer relationships with yogurt in my fridge than this guy’s had his whole life.”
“Not true.” Sebastian was getting a bit defensive. “Besides, what does that have to do with finding the one?”
“You can’t find Mrs. Right if your bed is crowded with Ms. Right Nows,” Marco pointed out. “I’d been hookup free for a full month before I met Lola. It was nice not to have all that other noise when we started dating. I didn’t have to keep my phone away from her or worry about awkward run-ins with dating-app hookups.”
“You’re going to ask Sebastian to be celibate for a whole month? Not possible.” Theo shook his head so vigorously, he sloshed a little whiskey out of his glass. “Heck, even a week would be too much. Or weekend!”
“I could be celibate for a weekend,” Sebastian protested. Of course, come to think of it, he hadn’t been celibate for a whole weekend in a long, long time. But so what? He could do it anytime he wanted. All he had to do was shut off his Spark profile. “I’ll bet I can be celibate this entire cruise.”
Marco and Theo laughed. “We’re stuck on a boat, so that feels like cheating.”
“Stuck on a boat with thousands of attractive women. Uh-huh. Not exactly so easy,” Theo offered.
“Look, I’m not a sex addict,” Sebastian maintained, wondering why on earth he had to defend himself for getting some often and just the way he liked. “But what do I get if I do it? What’s the wager?”
“Bragging rights?” Marco offered.
“Why would I brag about not getting any?” Sebastian joked. Somehow he’d dropped out of this reality and into a dimension where men had seemingly lost all their hunting instincts.
“Fine, then, a nice bottle of bourbon,” Marco said.
“Hardly enough for a weekend of blue balls,” Sebastian said.
“What? You not man enough to take it?” Theo nudged Sebastian with a sharp elbow.
“Oh, I’ll show you what kind of man I am.” Sebastian flashed a wicked smile. “Give me five minutes alone.”
Theo laughed. “I don’t need my ass kicked today, thanks very much. You win.”
Marco raised his glass. “To Sebastian, and his vow of weekend celibacy.”
“We’re seriously going to toast celibacy at a bachelor party?” Theo asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Besides, he’s never going to last the weekend.”
“I could last the weekend,” Bill offered.
“Your wife isn’t even here, Bill,” James pointed out.
Sebastian cleared his throat. “Okay, you nut jobs. Here’s to celibacy.” He lifted his glass reluctantly as he glanced around the table.
“Your celibacy, not mine,” Marco joked, and the men laughed and clinked glasses.
Just then a shrill cackle of voices hit them like a wall of noise. Sebastian turned in time to see their man cave whiskey bar being invaded by...bridesmaids...and the bride.
What the...?
“Baby!” cried Lola as she ran into Marco’s open arms. “Is it okay that we dropped in?”
“Is it okay? It’s more than okay,” Marco said and clearly meant it. He swept her up and gave her a fierce kiss, worthy of a chick flick. Lola gave the kiss her all, as well, wrapping her finely manicured hands in his thick, brown hair. Sebastian felt a twinge of envy then. Their love was the real deal. Anyone could see that.
Sebastian glanced at the bridesmaids, the first time he’d seen them since boarding the ship that afternoon, and recognized Felicia, who’d seemed to have had a rough ten years since high school. Why did she look ten years older than the rest of them? Somehow she’d etched crow’s feet into her crow’s feet. Her sister, Liv, looked exactly the same, except for the blue streaks in her hair.
Felicia and Liv saw him and frowned. It looked like they weren’t going to let bygones be bygones. This was going to be awkward. Granted, he’d not exactly been the most sensitive guy in high school, but then what guy was at sixteen? Of course, this would make his vow of weekend celibacy that much easier to keep. They beelined for James, Marco’s brother, practically ignoring Sebastian. He supposed he deserved that.
Veronica came in next and gave him a happy little wave. Well, at least there was Veronica. She was nice to everyone. It was a good thing, because Sebastian knew he would have his hands full this weekend. He’d known coming back to his hometown would mean swimming with his exes, who were more unpredictable than sharks. But he’d do anything for Marco. His best friend. Hell, he’d introduced him to Lola, and watched as the two had fallen madly in love. Marco deserved that kind of happily-ever-after, though.
He glanced up and saw a striking woman in a flowing, halter-top jumpsuit. Who was this beauty? She looked vaguely familiar and yet he couldn’t quite place the face. Was this a new friend? Somehow outside the high school circle? No...wait a minute. Wait a damn minute. That’s...Gabriela Cruz. He was sure of it. She was the only other bridesmaid it could be. Yet...how?
He racked his brain. Gabriela Cruz, the shy, nerdy and very smart salutatorian at their school. She’d always gotten As, always known all the answers. But he never, ever, remembered her having a body like that. The flowy jumpsuit hinted at her ample curves and the halter top seemed to be holding itself up. Her skin was amazing, too, and those dark, smoky eyes. Oh, mama. He’d remembered a wiry girl with braces. But she was all grown up now.
Sebastian finished his drink, put it down on the table and stood. Looked like they had some catching up to do.
CHAPTER THREE
GABRIELA TRIED NOT to panic. Sebastian Lott was coming her way. Surely that was a mistake. No way the golden boy
of high school with those amazing hazel eyes meant to pay her any attention.
Stay calm, Gabriela. She held her clipboard like a shield. Just stay still and he’ll pass on by, just like he did in high school.
“Hello.” Sebastian almost sounded tentative. She glanced up so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash. His hazel, not quite green, not quite blue eyes, focused on her. Gabriela froze for a nanosecond, feeling like the awkward girl of high school burdened with glasses and braces her sophomore year, the one boys like Sebastian Lott looked right through. Except he wasn’t looking through her this time. He was looking right at her. Intently. On purpose.
“Uh...hi.” She smiled, feeling the awkwardness bubbling up in her. Why did the man look so good? The ten years since high school had been very kind to him. He’d always been striking, but now he was even more...manly somehow. More grown-up. The just barely there hint of stubble on his squared-off chin made her want to put her hands on his face. Feel the roughness beneath her fingers.
Snap out of it, Gabriela. Geez. This isn’t high school. You’re not boy crazy. This is Sebastian Lott. The last guy on earth you should even consider touching.
“Gabriela...right?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You look good enough to eat. I just wanted to tell you that.”
“R-really?” Her reply came out as a squeak. Was Sebastian Lott, the guy who’d never given her a second glance in high school, calling her gorgeous?
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She hesitated. She was still clutching her clipboard, still hoping she could convince the other bridesmaids to leave. “We shouldn’t be here that long. Sorry about crashing the bachelor party. I tried to convince them...”
“Don’t worry about it.” Sebastian smiled, a gleaming, white, toothpaste-ad-ready smile, and Gabriela felt her insides melt a little. The charisma was real. She could feel his charm washing over her in waves. No wonder so many women fell for Lott. All you had to do was get lost in those warm hazel eyes, that deep baritone voice. Stop it, Gabbie. He’s trouble and you know it. Hadn’t she just convinced Felicia to avoid him?
“I’m glad you’re here,” he murmured.
She felt the words in her toes. Sebastian Lott was glad to see her. Her heart sped up a little. Could it be that maybe she’d been wrong all these years she’d assumed Lott thought she was invisible? Could it be possible that even during her awkward high school days of glasses and braces, that somehow he’d seen her? All those years she thought her school-girl crush was unrequited, could it be that he had feelings for her, too? But why would she care? He was toxic, she reminded herself again. Completely and utterly toxic.
“Uh...” Gabriela felt all her college vocabulary leave her head. She was a successful CPA, but now she felt like a stammering, no-social-skills teenager all over again. She inwardly shook herself. Come on, she wasn’t an awkward teenager anymore. She was a successful woman who had men pinging her dating app every weekend. Sometimes more than once. So what if her first serious crush of all time was finally, after a decade, paying attention to her? She could handle this.
“Let me buy you a drink.” Sebastian waved to the bartender, who nodded as he finished the round of drinks he was pouring for Felicia and Liv. “What does the lady want?”
Sebastian raised his eyebrows, his attention like a beam of warm sunshine. Suddenly, Gabriela felt hot. Sweat broke out on the small of her back. What was wrong with her? He was just a man and yet she felt so flustered, he might as well have been a celebrity. Then again, she reminded herself, he was a celebrity at Culver High.
“Vodka soda,” she managed to say.
He nodded swiftly and proceeded to order her cocktail with the most expensive vodka offered on the menu. He ordered himself a whiskey on the rocks. As the bartender put the two drinks down in front of them, Gabriela glanced up to find Felicia staring at them, frowning. She’d noticed Sebastian paying her attention.
“So, what are you doing with a clipboard at a party?” Sebastian nodded at it, resting on the bar.
“I just like to be organized,” Gabriela said. “Someone has to keep the party on track.”
“Not too spontaneous, are you?” Sebastian’s eyebrows shot up. “Let me guess. You sort your underwear drawer by color?”
Gabriela felt heat rise in her cheeks. Actually, as it turned out, she was exactly one of those women. Not that she’d ever let him know that.
“You are!” Sebastian laughed. “So, how about you show me that drawer sometime?” He laughed a little, to show her that he understood how cheesy that line was. That was the charm of Sebastian Lott. He was an unapologetic player, but he also knew it.
“You think I’m going to invite you over to look at my underwear drawer?”
“I was hoping you’d model some underwear for me.” He grinned.
“Has that line worked on any woman ever?” Gabriela cocked her head to one side, dubious.
“Not yet. But there’s always a first time.” The man’s ego and confidence were out of control and, Gabriela noted, somehow all that swagger worked. He seemed to know his lines were cheesy but he didn’t care. That was the amazing part. But then again, Gabriela was sure the man could pick up a woman reading a Chinese take-out menu.
Felicia and Liv had sidled over to their side of the bar. “What are you doing, Lott?” Felicia barked, not even bothering to hide her derision.
“It’s nice to see you, too, Felicia,” Sebastian said, barely giving Felicia a glance before focusing his attention right back on Gabriela. “If you must know, I’m having a drink with a beautiful woman.”
Gabriela felt the tops of her ears burn. At least her hair covered them, she thought. Beautiful...really?
“Beautiful?” scoffed Liv.
“You can’t be serious,” Felicia said.
Now it was Gabriela’s turn to be offended. She might have been awkward in high school, but she’d grown into her forehead, and had long since had the braces off. She knew she wasn’t a runway model, but she felt she could hold her own. The guys in New York weren’t complaining.
“Jealous?” Sebastian asked Felicia, whose mouth fell open.
“Me? No way. She can have you.”
“Well, Felicia, that’s indeed her decision to make. So, if you’ll excuse us,” Sebastian said.
Gabriela felt a creeping unease. This was not the way to avoid drama at Lola’s wedding. Gabriela knew Felicia still had a thing for Sebastian and the very last thing she wanted to do was to create some kind of oddball love triangle. I’m not interested, she told herself even as she caught a glance at his strong, bare forearm. He’s toxic, remember? Keep it together, Gabriela.
“Excuse you?” Felicia’s mouth dropped open.
“Actually, no, I...” Gabriela was going to come up with an excuse, something to get her out of Felicia’s line of fire. Seriously, I am not trying to make you jealous.
“Why don’t you just butt out, Felicia? Gabbie and I are talking here.”
Gabbie? Nobody except her New York friends called her Gabbie. Did he know one of them?
“Why’d you call me that?” she asked, suddenly suspicious.
“I think the name fits.” He smiled. Wow, but he was a whole hell of a lot nicer than she remembered. Was he always this nice? Or was he just this nice to her because she was the only available single person here who didn’t outwardly hate him?
“Why are you being nice to her?” Felicia asked.
Gabriela wanted to ask the same thing.
“Why not be nice?”
God, the man was just all sex. Everything he said sounded like an innuendo somehow. Gabriela felt her pulse tick up a notch. Was it getting hot in here? She fanned her face.
“Why not? This is why.” Felicia grabbed her phone. “I’ve got access to the yearbook online. Let me pull up her
picture...”
“No!” Gabriela shouted, louder than she intended. “Felicia, don’t do that.” She lunged for the phone, but Felicia skipped out of her way. The last thing Gabriela needed was for her to dredge up her horrible high school yearbook photo. One eye was half-closed and she was wearing a full set of braces. When would Felicia finally stop sabotaging her? Seemed like the answer was never. “Felicia, don’t show him—”
“Here it is!” Felicia cried, triumphant, holding up her phone for Sebastian to see. He glanced at the picture and then at Gabriela, who could feel her face burning. He studied the photo a bit, but said nothing. He didn’t point and laugh. Didn’t tell her how ugly she’d been ten years ago, either. For that, she was grateful.
“Look at her!” Felicia said, tapping her phone. “That hair! Those braces.”
“I wasn’t that bad,” Gabriela protested. She knew she’d been nothing special in high school, but now it was a point of pride. She hadn’t been an ogre in high school. Sure, she was more manicured now, more put together, and she wore makeup now and she’d learned how to wax her eyebrows, but still.
“I think you’re kind of dorky adorable, actually. Look at those pretty brown eyes.” He seemed entirely serious. Could he be?
“Are you kidding me?” Felicia looked like she might explode at any moment. Not good.
“She’s got a great smile,” he added.
“The braces?” Felicia barked.
“The dimples,” he corrected.
Felicia let out an exasperated-sounding sigh.
Rival feelings fought in her heart. Gabriela was glad Sebastian had finally noticed her yet felt ashamed for liking the attention. Why did she care? Why did she want him to notice her at all? Hadn’t she felt at some level him ignoring her was a blessing in disguise?
He grinned at her now, eyes almost teasing and she felt her brain buzz with the attention. Don’t get sucked in by the nice-guy routine. You get close enough, he bites. You know he does. She had a flash of a memory, a mortifying memory, standing by his locker.
“Well, thanks? I think?” Gabriela snuck a look at Felicia, who stewed in her jealousy. Not ideal. She felt color rush to her face and turned away, looking for Lola. Best thing to do was leave, and let Felicia have Sebastian. Lola was sitting in a tiny booth with Marco across the room. She’d have to go break up the lovebirds.
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