Reckless In Love(45)

Was it only a few weeks ago that Sebastian had asked her if things were  better? It seemed like forever. Early on in their relationship, she'd  known that having him in her life was better than any love story she  could have dreamed up. But the rest of what came with loving Sebastian  was still up for consideration...

"There's the congressman," Whitney's voice grated its way back into her thoughts. "I need a word with him."

Whitney passed Charlie's alcove a moment later without even noticing  her. She thought fleetingly of confronting the woman, but Sebastian  would probably hear of it and make a huge deal out of Whitney's insults.  After his outburst about how toxic Whitney was, Charlie was sure he'd  love taking the woman on. But Charlie didn't want a scene. It was just  another thing to handle when all she wanted to do was get out of here,  finish the chariot, then fall asleep in Sebastian's arms.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere."

He leaned close for a steamy kiss, and she simply melted into him. When  he finally drew back, she whispered, "You have no idea how much I needed  that." She laid her hand on his stomach, all his beautiful muscles  flexing beneath her fingertips. This was what she craved. Sebastian's  smile, Sebastian's mouth on hers, Sebastian's arms around her. "Any  chance we can head back soon?"

"Of course." Relief nearly swamped her. Until he added, "Ty Calhoun and  his wife Julie want to meet you first-they have an excellent commission  for you. Then I promise we'll go."

She recognized their names-he was a local pro football player and she  was a prominent image consultant. Two more new people to meet. She could  do it. If... "Another kiss first, please."

Sebastian gave it to her, hot and sweet but way too short. "There's more  where that came from on the way home. Over every inch of your body."

"In the limo?" Oh God...just thinking of the things he could do with his  hands and mouth made her want to drag him off to the limo, pro football  players and their commissions be damned.

"Why do you think I brought the stretch instead of the helicopter? That  way I don't have to wait until we're home to put my hands all over you."         

     



 

She truly did love everything about him-the way he smelled, the way he  tasted, the way his mind worked. Which was why she made herself put her  feet down and slip the shoes back on. "Okay, let's do it. But only  because you've promised me a very sexy reward when we're done."

He raised a wicked eyebrow and whispered to her, sending a delicious  shiver through her. "Oh baby, it's going to be the best damned reward  you've ever had."

He was her reward. Not just his touches or his kisses, but simply being with him.

She would keep going, for him, because he wanted so many good things for  her. And maybe there would come a day when they wouldn't have to  hustle, when they wouldn't have to worry about hoarding every dime for  her mother, when she could create for herself instead of for everyone  else.

They stood and she looped her arm through his. She'd get through this  last introduction. Then he was all hers. Until the next party, at least.

There was no doubt in her mind and heart that she loved him.

Loved him so much that somehow, some way, she'd figure out how to endure his glittering celebrity world.





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN


Charlie's scent filled the truck. Sebastian would never get enough of  her. "I'm glad you could carve out some time away from your work to help  out today."

Glad was the world's biggest understatement as they pulled into a San  Jose neighborhood at seven o'clock on Wednesday morning. The community  had planned the group home for teens transitioning out of the foster  care system to provide a clean, safe, temporary environment while they  looked for jobs and permanent housing. Unfortunately, the bond measure  to raise the building funds hadn't passed, so Daniel had stepped in.  Anyone working at his Bay Area stores was encouraged to lend a hand, and  he'd volunteered the Mavericks too. He'd even flown Susan and Bob out  from Chicago because they wanted to be involved. Their flight had been  delayed, getting in extremely late last night, so they would arrive a  little later.

Sebastian had looked forward to working on the community project. But it  was all a million times better knowing that he could look up to find  Charlie smiling across the room, that she was just a step away, a touch  away.

It meant everything to him that she kept giving him the chance to get  things right. Every stumble with her killed him-yet he'd done it again  when he'd sounded as if he was questioning her judgment about her  mother's new nursing home. What the hell was wrong with him? He knew  Charlie needed him to believe in more than just her art. She needed him  to trust both her choices and her financial independence. He didn't want  to take over. He simply wanted the best for Francine. But wasn't he the  one who preached to thousands of people that while it was important to  support someone, it was equally important to know when to let them be  free and be true to themselves? Which meant he had to stop circumventing  her decisions when it came to her mother.

If he didn't want to lose Charlie, he had to let her be free to be herself.

And he wanted Charlie's love more than anything in his entire life. So  he'd worked extra hard the past couple of weeks to let her do things her  way and hadn't stepped in to fix everything for her the way he so badly  wanted to.

"I'm excited about helping out." She squeezed his hand as he parked  outside the big white shell of a house. The street was packed with work  trucks and panel vans. "Even better," she added with a quirk of her  lips, "working here today means we won't have time for another big party  tonight." She climbed out, smiling as she closed the truck door.

She may have been teasing him, but he also heard the thread of truth in  it. Since the benefit at the Opera House, they'd been to four galas in  three evenings. Things with her career were progressing beyond his  expectations-so well, in fact, that he'd started to worry Charlie was  pushing herself too hard. He'd told her people would wait, but it was as  if she feared the projects would dry up if she didn't complete them as  quickly as possible.

But Charlie was as independent a spirit as he'd ever come across, and  he'd sworn not to get in her way, letting her make her own choices. He  would not screw up with her again.

Still, it was getting harder to keep his mouth shut, especially this  morning, when he'd noticed the dark shadows beneath her eyes after  they'd made love. Fear had hit him like a knife to the rib cage, fear  that she was sick, that she was hurting, that she was burning herself  out. He couldn't stand the thought of anything or anyone hurting  Charlie. It was why he'd been hustling up so much business for her-if  she wouldn't take his money, he had to do something to ease her  financial concerns. But was he going about things the wrong way?         

     



 

Could he be the one hurting her?

The thought that he might be toxic to Charlie had hit him harder than  the mere slice of a knife. He felt completely gutted by the possibility.

For the past hour, he'd mulled over ways to broach his concerns without  freaking her out-hell, he knew he had issues, and odds were his fears  were nothing more than shadows popping up in the dark-but for a guy who  talked for a living, it was pathetic to realize he had no clue how to  phrase his thoughts. Just as his sketches were never quite right, now he  couldn't find the perfect words to make sure his behavior didn't  destroy the person he'd come to love most in the world.

"Sebastian?" Her hand on his arm, she'd moved closer, her expression  clearly concerned. "Are you upset with me for saying I prefer this to  the big parties?"

"No." He stroked her cheek. "Of course not." He was upset with himself  for not paying attention to that fact. Every party they attended should  have been balanced by a junkyard visit where she could discover magical  pieces to perfect her sculptures. He would try to do that in the future,  but it was so hard for Charlie to give up her workshop time during the  day. Except for this day. He made himself smile as he added, "I like  getting my hands dirty too."

She stared at him a moment longer, as though she thought something  lurked beneath the surface of what he'd actually said. Finally she  smiled back. "I understand Daniel knowing his way around a tool belt.  But you, with your fancy suits-" He was beyond relieved to see the  teasing glint in her eyes again. "Do you actually know how to do all  this stuff?"

"When we were growing up, everyone had to pitch in at the Spencer  household when something needed fixing. Daniel's not the only one who  can build a cabin from scratch."

"That," she said as she pressed closer, lifting her mouth to his, "just  might be the sexiest thing you've ever said to me. Say it again."