Never Gonna Happen - Cynthia Eden Page 0,1

grimly, voice roughening, “that I will never, ever put my hands on your sister—” On her perfect body.

Antony’s shoulders relaxed.

“Well, unless…” Sebastian added—

Alyssa appeared at Antony’s side. Oh, damn. She just kind of popped up right there. And her cheeks were stained red. Her eyes gleamed with what sure as hell looked like embarrassed pain.

Sebastian felt as if someone had just punched him in the stomach.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. How much had she overheard?

Her slightly angled chin notched into the air. “I don’t remember asking you to put your hands on me.”

He looked down. The floor appeared solid, so no chance of it swallowing him any time soon.

“Is that what you thought?” Alyssa’s musical voice cracked. “That I met you and started harboring some big crush on you? That I was waiting for you to notice me?”

No, I was the one with the crush. He was the one also who’d put pain in her eyes. On her damn birthday. Talk about being an asshole. “Happy birthday,” Sebastian mumbled.

Her eyes—a warm, amazing brown filled with flecks of gold—narrowed on him.

“I, um, didn’t bring a gift.” He was so screwing this up worse. “I didn’t know it was your birthday, and I—”

“I don’t have a crush on you, Sebastian.” The red in her cheeks deepened. “And I don’t need you to notice me.”

But I do notice you, Alyssa.

She stepped closer and her amazing scent—some kind of flowery, sweet smell that he couldn’t quite identify because he knew shit about flowers—wrapped around him. Sebastian found himself inching toward her, too.

Because she only stood at about five-foot-four, he towered over her. Her thick, dark hair tumbled over her shoulders as she glared up at him.

His hands fisted because he really wanted to touch her.

Don’t do it.

“I get that you must be used to receiving lots of attention.” Her index finger jabbed into his chest. “Let me guess…you flutter those green eyes…”

He fluttered…what?

“And you smile, flashing those dimples…”

She’d noticed his dimples?

“And you get women to do whatever you want because you use that rough, low voice of yours…” Another jab of her index finger—right over his heart.

“Definitely not anything,” he murmured.

Her head tilted. “I’m not falling for you.”

Antony sidled closer to her. “Uh, Alyssa…” He cleared his throat. Loudly.

Alyssa didn’t look at him.

She kept her angry—and, dammit, still hurt—stare on Sebastian as she snapped, “So don’t worry. You can rest easy. I won’t be around begging for your attention. To be clear, I don’t beg for anyone.”

No, of course, she didn’t. He could all too easily imagine the men begging for her.

Her hand jerked back. “Now, if you don’t mind, it’s my birthday. I have people waiting for me.”

She had the whole world waiting. She turned on her heel and walked away from him like the freaking queen that she was. His gaze slid over her body.

Sweet hell, that ass of hers—

“Jeez, that didn’t go so well.” Antony slapped a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Should have warned you. My sister has a temper.”

Suspicion churned through him. “Did you know she was close enough to hear us?”

“Uh, I—”

Sebastian’s head turned. His eyes locked on his now squirming business partner.

Antony winced. “I think Alyssa might have been getting a little crush on you. I mean, hell, man, you know women tend to fall for that whole badass thing you have going on.” He snatched his hand back and waved vaguely at Sebastian. “Hmm. Maybe we should use it in our promotions. Bet the press would like it, too,” he mused.

“Focus.” Sebastian waved a hand angrily. “Let me get this straight. You wanted to stop her crush. You wanted me to be the villain of the piece. Figured if she saw me as the asshole, she’d lose interest?”

“No…” Antony pushed up his glasses. They hadn’t been falling. “I was merely hoping for some boundaries.”

“Boundaries, huh?” He unclenched his hands. “You didn’t let me finish my promise.”

Antony frowned at him. “I didn’t?”

“No. You didn’t.” His gaze slid across the room. Alyssa was standing with two men. Tall, handsome, polished jackasses. “I swear, that I will never, ever put my hands on your sister…”

Alyssa’s head turned. Her eyes met his.

“Unless she asks for them,” Sebastian finished softly. “Unless she asks for me. In that case…” I will touch her wherever and whenever she wants.

Antony laughed. “Oh, that shit is never gonna happen.”

Alyssa held Sebastian’s stare.

“You never know,” Sebastian replied.

Chapter One

Cover blown. Protect my sister. Do anything necessary.

Sebastian frowned at the text he’d just received from his business partner, Antony Kyle. For