Someone Unexpected(12)

"Are we dating?" An amused grin turned up his mouth.



I raised an eyebrow at him. "Are we playing games?"



He became serious. "No, we're not and yes, we are dating. Elena, you  have to understand that my life is very complicated and I am under  constant scrutiny by the paparazzi. If word gets out that I have a  girlfriend, they will be all over you and your life will never been the  same. If no one knows about us yet, you and I can still have privacy  without having to worry about our every move being followed. I don't  mean to sound arrogant, but haven't you seen the covers of all of the  lifestyle and tabloid magazines?"



"Yes, you're always on them as one of the top 10 most eligible bachelors in the country."



"Exactly, if they see us together things will get really hectic."



I looked at him and cocked my head slightly to the side, studying him. "There's something else isn't there?"



He hesitated and then answered me. "Yes, there is, but I can't explain that part just yet."



I open my mouth to protest and he stopped me before I could say  anything. "Please, Elena, you have to trust me on this. I will tell you  everything when the time is right."



I wasn't happy about it but I decided to trust him and wait for him to share whatever it was he still had to tell me.



"Okay."



We finished eating and he rode with me in the car to my apartment  building instead of taking his own car. The driver waited as Sebastian  walked me to my front door.



He walked me inside to the small hallway that led to the elevator bank,  stopped, leaned against the wall, put his hand in his pocket and looked  at me. He reached out and smoothed the hair out of my eye and smiled at  me.



"I had a wonderful time tonight, Elena."



"So did I, thank you for dinner."



"When can I see you again?"



I smiled at him. "You'll see me in the office tomorrow."



He chuckled as his eyes searched mine. "Okay smarty-pants, I meant when can I take you out again?"



"I am having dinner with my girlfriend Friday night but I am free Saturday."



Hey look upset and shifted on his feet. "Unfortunately, I will be out of the country this weekend, I have to go to Paris."



"Oh, okay well how about one night next week?"



"Okay, I will be back on Monday so how about next Wednesday?"



"Wednesday sounds great."



"Good." He looked down at my lips and then back up to my eyes and gave  me a small smile. He leaned down to me and my heart was pounding as he  laced his fingers through my hair, pulling my lips closer to his. His  lips were so soft as they touched mine and he slid his other hand in my  hair as he deepened our kiss. His tongue slid over mine and it was  easily the best kiss I had ever had. My hands came up under his arms and  lightly held onto his elbows as our tongues explored and tasted each  other. He broke away slowly after a couple of minutes and his eyes were  glazed over with lust as they searched mine.         

     



 



"You are going to be trouble for me Elena Sumner, and I like it. I better say goodnight to you before I won't be able to leave."



I was a bit out of breath and I smiled at him. "That's probably a good idea."



"See you tomorrow."



I was on cloud nine as I walked to my mailbox to check my mail and I  didn't even notice the letter until I was in my apartment. I dropped my  bag on the floor and plopped down on my couch with a huge silly grin on  my face as I thought about the kiss with Sebastian. I absentmindedly  rifled through my mail and my heart nearly stopped when my eyes landed  upon the handwriting that I would recognize anywhere. I was confused  because this was not a letter from the prison, this was a letter with no  return address but it was definitely Brian's handwriting. My hands were  shaking as I tore open the envelope and staring back at me were three  simple words: ‘See you soon'."



A chill tore through me as I tried to figure out what that meant. Was he  out and they forgot to notify me? How did he send me a letter without  sending it through the prison system first? Brian wasn't scheduled to be  released for a few more years so it was freaking me out that he said he  would see me soon. I tried to push it out of my head because he always  tried to get to me and years of therapy had taught me to not let him  have control over me. I put the letter in the box with all of his other  letters and shoved it in the back of my closet. Brian was a part of my  past and I wouldn't let him be a part of my future.



As I got ready for bed I thought about what a good time I had with  Sebastian that night and how much I was looking forward to going out  with him again. Brian was a distant thought as I drifted off to sleep.





Chapter Seven  –  São Paulo Part One



The next week Sebastian called me from Paris to tell me that we were  leaving for São Paulo sooner than originally planned, he sounded distant  and he didn't mention our date at all. I instantly worried that during  our time apart he'd had time to think and decided that he didn't want to  date me. The trip was huge so I had to push my concerns about Sebastian  out of my head and I had to remind myself that this was an important  business trip. I didn't have time to worry about him and the more I  thought about it the more I kicked myself for even thinking that he  would really like someone like me. He was coming back from Paris that  Tuesday and we were going to have a staff meeting to go over last minute  details for Blu Sierra São Paulo. As much as I shouldn't have, I  wondered how things would be between us when he returned.



Monday morning we gathered in the conference room. "Alright everyone,  great job today. For those of you going to Brazil, that's you Elena,  Mark and Carol, your assistants have already arranged your travel and  your itinerary should be in your inbox when you got back to your desk.  This was a great meeting today, let's keep up the good work. Now, back  to work everyone."



We all got up to leave and Sebastian asked me to stay behind for a  minute. I felt a little bit awkward because I thought I saw a few raised  eyebrows and I didn't want people starting rumors. Once everyone left  he turned to me and crossed his arms as he leaned against he conference  table. The butterflies went crazy in my belly. Was he going to tell me  how much he missed me?



"Fantastic job today Elena, exactly the kind of fire we were looking  for. I feel very confident that we will have superb results with Blu  Sierra São Paulo. I also wanted to let you know that you will be flying  with me on the private jet to Brazil on Wednesday."



Nope, nothing about missing me. Wait, what? Did he just say private jet? Okay, seriously, this is not my life.



"Do you really think it's a good idea that I fly with you? Won't people talk?"



He looked at me and I could see the lust brimming in his eyes.



"I want to spend time alone with you, Elena, so you're flying with me. No one will know."



So he did miss me.



The butterflies decided at that moment that they wanted to dance the  rumba in my belly. I hated to admit it but each time I saw him I didn't  want to resist him. I decided not to fight him on this one because who  would turn down the opportunity to fly on a private jet?         

     



 



"Okay." I barely recognized my own soft voice. I started to ask him how his trip was but I was cut off.



He smiled at me and then looked at his watch. "That is all Elena. A car  will pick you up Wednesday morning to take you to the airport and I will  see you there."



Okay, why is he being so cold and weird?



I was a bit taken aback by the abrupt dismissal but I just picked up my  things and left the conference room. I went back to my office and sat at  my desk and took a deep breath as I looked around the room and thought  about how much my life had already changed in a few weeks. I was really  looking forward to going to Brazil but since things were weird between  us I didn't know what to expect. The Sebastian that was in the office  that day was not the same Sebastian that I had an incredible date with  the week before. If this was what it was like to date this billionaire, I  was not interested. I thought he didn't play games, but I guess I  thought wrong.



When I got home that night I packed for the trip and I was having a  tough time trying to decide what to take with me. Sebastian said we were  going to be there for seven days and that I would need at least two  nice dresses because we were going to entertain clients Friday and  Saturday night. Even though we weren't leaving until Wednesday, I didn't  want to wait until the last minute to pack so I was completely done by  the time I went to bed.



Tuesday flew by for me and it was time to go home before I knew it. Bev  had taken care of everything for me so all I had to do was meet the car  in front of my building the next morning to go to the airport. Sebastian  was leaving the office at the exact same time I walked out of my office  so we ended up riding the elevator down to the first floor together.