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Chapter One

Aria

“I don’t respond well to ultimatums, Sebastian” I’ve had too many of them in my life, been told too many times to make a choice when there really was none Pretended too many times that I had real control overbut a lie

I’ve spent the last fourteenmy life away froe—to just fall back into old patterns And yet, here I a told what to do And worse, taking it

“And I don’t respond well to watching the woman I just made love to collapse from exhaustion” He sounds as adamant about this as I do

“I’m fine” It’s a lie I’m nowhere close to fine, but that’s not his proble with me—why all of a sudden I feel so tired and sad and lonely and lost—I figure I’ll just ignore it and it’ll go away It’s probably just all the sleepless nights I spent worrying about ht’s sleep

“You’re not fine and we both know it” His hand is on ht enough to let me know that he o until I do what he asks

Well, to hell with that

I wrench my arm away, but for whatever reason I’ back a few steps Sebastian lets ht there to steady me His hand on the small of my back, his body pressed too close to mine

“Don’tall over again Force uy think he is?

I start to tell hili He doesn’t look like he’s threateningdown the law In fact, he looks an awful lot like he’s asking Like he’s actually askingneither of us wants him to do

I know it’s strange to look at it like that, especially considering the nature of ent on in his office earlier tonight He has to know he’s got the upper hand here—sexually and because he’s my boss So why does he care whether he has to force h I’d put up a fight, if he really wants to he can carryI can do about it

It’s a hu realization, one that confuses o for his eyes But I can’t do that—because he’sI really want to do is hurt him I was the one who freaked out in his office, the one alked out before we could sobut kind to et nervous around anyone who’s that big of a control freak—anyone who I think wants to control ht to treat him like shit

That knowledge haseven as the tension leavesnext to hi anywhere but hoet there and then I’ht to bed I’ll be fine”

“Let me take you”

“I’m twenty-four years old I don’t need a babysitter”

“No, you need a lover” He reaches out, trails his fingers downlove part Now let me do the rest”

It shouldn’t get to reen of his eyes The way his body is curved protectively aroundood line and even if it really is nothing ht now