Hot Mistake

“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.

“Gabriela, wait.” Sebastian reached out and touched her arm. His hand felt warm there. “Where are you going?”

“Let her go,” Felicia demanded. “We’ll have more fun without her.”

She and Liv cackled with laughter then. Gabriela thought she was long done with getting kicked around by them, but part of her felt like that awkward fourteen-year-old again.

Gabriela put down her drink and snatched her clipboard off the bar. She walked to Lola, even as behind her, Felicia and Liv closed the gap, pinning Sebastian against the bar. Good, she thought. Less for her to have to deal with.

Lola saw her coming and a small frown line appeared between her eyebrows. “What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling her attention away from her groom-to-be.

“Nothing,” Gabriela said. “But, uh, maybe we should go? We’ve got activities.” Gabriela thumped the sheet on her clipboard.

“No! Don’t go,” Marco cried, throwing his arms around his bride in an exaggerated effort to keep her in place. “You just got here!”

“Yes, but it’s your bachelor party. We’re crashing it,” Lola pointed out.

“I want you to crash it.” Marco pulled her closer and nuzzled her neck. She giggled. “Stay longer!”

“But don’t you need a guys’ night?” Gabriela asked, hopeful. “It’s tradition, right?”

“I don’t care about tradition,” Marco said. “I want to be with my bride.” He hugged her closer and Gabriela’s heart sank. Lola sent her a minuscule shrug that said, what can I do?

“What the groom wants, the groom gets,” Sebastian said, appearing beside Gabriela.

Was he going to follow her around this party? In high school, she’d have to set herself on fire to get his attention, and now she couldn’t get rid of him. What the hell? She hugged the clipboard closer to her chest and considered her escape, eyes darting to the two exits. Could she conceivably hide in the bathroom? God, that would be prom all over again. She cringed.

“Why not ditch the clipboard?” Sebastian asked, tapping the silver clip at the top. “You taking attendance? Keeping track of tequila shots?”

“Just trying to keep organized,” Gabriela said. “How else am I going to keep the party on schedule?”

“There’s a schedule?” Sebastian laughed.

“There is a schedule and this little excursion is ruining it.” She hugged the clipboard tighter, hoping it would act as a shield against Sebastian’s knowing eyes.

“I’d say if your party had a schedule then it was already ruined.” Sebastian shook his head. “Good thing you guys came to us or this bachelorette party would be DOA.”

“Excuse me?” Anger pulsed in her veins. Was he implying she couldn’t throw a party? That she wasn’t any fun? “We were having plenty of fun without you.”

“Not as much fun as you’d have with us. Anyway, we’re staying as long as the bride and groom want us to stay. It’s their weekend, right?” Sebastian flicked a look toward the groom, who had his arm draped around Lola’s shoulders. The two looked blissfully happy, and that was what this weekend was all about.

Suddenly the lights in the bar went dark and Gabriela heard a loud shriek from Felicia. What was happening? The bartender turned up a thumping bass and, before Gabriela could blink, two men and a woman suddenly appeared: all wearing hardly any clothes. Each of them jumped on top of a separate table and began dancing.

What on earth? Who organized this? Then, in a split second, as Gabriela glanced at Sebastian with a big grin on his face, she immediately knew. This was his doing.

CHAPTER FOUR

WELL, THIS IS A SURPRISE, Sebastian thought as he watched the two men and one woman dance together on top of three conjoined tables. Granted, he could do without the oiled-up men, but, hey, this technically wasn’t his party. He glanced over and saw the other men from the bachelor party looking stunned. He doubted Bill had ever been to a party like this in his life. Or, hell, even a strip club. He didn’t seem the adventurous type.

“That’s it, put on a show!” cried Felicia as one of the men unbuttoned his shirt. In that moment he knew she’d done this. It had Felicia written all over it: from the excessive spray tans to the sparkling Speedos the men wore. Sebastian threw back his head and laughed as Felicia jumped up on the table next to the tall, blond stripper and began dancing right next to him. He’d considered bringing in strippers, but the cruise line had balked, and he hadn’t wanted to cause trouble for Marco. Felicia, however, seemed to have somehow gotten around the rules—per usual.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Gabriela demanded at his shoulder. “Get rid of these people right now before we get in trouble—”

“Me? Why do you think I hired them?” Sebastian studied her. He still absolutely could not get over how gorgeous she’d become. How on earth had he missed this beauty in high school? She had the most adorable heart-shaped face and warm brown eyes. Had she always had such amazing skin? he wondered. Like toasted caramel. He had the sudden urge to run his fingers down the nape of her exposed neck. Find out if it was as soft as it looked.

“Of course you brought them here. I want you to get rid of them.”

“Look, if I had hired them, they wouldn’t be keeping their swimsuits on,” he said, nodding at the dancers. “And there’d be more women up there. Not that I have an issue with men—everyone has their thing—but my thing is not men. Also, I’m not the one groping them right now.”

He flicked a finger toward the dancers and Gabriela’s eyes widened in new understanding as she saw Felicia shimmying next to one of the shirtless men.

Gabriela let out an exhausting sounding sigh. “Felicia.”

“Exactly.” Sebastian glanced at Gabriela’s nearly empty glass. “Want another?”

“I want these strippers out of here. The cruise ship has rules.” Gabriela gripped her clipboard tighter. She was clearly still a person who hated rule breakers.

He still couldn’t believe this was Gabriela Cruz. She’d been the one at parties who was always telling them to stop drinking so much, to keep the music down. She’d been an awkward braces-wearing girl from what he remembered. Smart, too, but not on his radar in terms of a girl he wanted to date. Did that make him a bad person? No, he decided. Just shortsighted. Goodness but she had an amazing ass. When had that appeared? Had it been there all along? He barely remembered Gabriela Cruz, but if she’d looked like this in high school, he would’ve made it his business to remember.

Of course, he’d just gone and insulted her clipboard. He’d have to work doubly hard now.

But if he thought about it, Gabriela was exactly the kind of woman he’d want to settle down with: whip-smart, opinionated and not afraid to speak her mind. Not that he’d really pursue anything this trip. He did bet Marco he’d be celibate.

He glanced at Gabriela.

“I don’t think the bartender cares about the rules,” Sebastian said, nodding toward the man behind the bar who was clapping and enjoying himself. Sebastian noticed, too, that the busboys had closed the bar doors and had most likely placed a private party sign outside. Felicia had paid them all off, clearly.

“I care about the rules.”

“I seem to remember that,” Sebastian said.

“Really?” Gabriela’s dark eyes flashed with doubt. God, the flush of those perfect cheeks. He almost wanted to keep pushing her buttons.

“How could I forget you yelling at me to put pants on when we were skinny dipping in Felicia’s pool?”

“That wasn’t Felicia’s pool. That was her neighbor’s pool, and I was trying to make sure nobody got arrested.” Gabriela lifted her chin in defiance.

“We weren’t arrested.”

“Because I got us out of there before the neighbors got home!” Gabriela glared at him. Felicia was now grinding against the blond dancer on top of the table. Gabriela glanced over and groaned. “I’ve got to stop this before somebody gets hurt.”

“Felicia has a pretty solid hold on the dancer, so it might be too late.” Sebastian sipped his drink and watched as Gabriela ignored him and marched up to the dancers balancing precariously on the tops of the tables.

“Felicia!” she called, clapping her hands like a middle school gym teacher. “Come on. Get down.”

Felicia ignored her, putting her hands on the man’s now-bare shoulders. He grabbed her lower back and the two of them put the dirty in dirty dancing. Sebastian had to bark a laugh. Felicia might not be the kindest woman but the girl knew how to party.

“Seriously, guys! Come on. We’re going to get kicked out.”

“Of the cruise ship?” Liv said doubtfully. “Come on. Let them dance.”

The other male dancer and the female dancer then jumped down off the table and moved over to the bride and groom. Lola’s eyes grew wide as the male dancer, whose ample chest muscles shone with a thick layer of oil, took her hand and led her around in a little waltz. The female dancer, tall and thin with strawberry-blond hair, grabbed Marco’s hand and all four of them danced together in a little circle.

Gabriela noticed the couple seemed to be having a good time, but soon enough, as the music switched to a new song, one with a slower beat, the groom and bride disengaged from the dancers and found each other once more.

That was true love, Sebastian thought. Everyone in the room could tell the couple only had eyes for one another. That’s what I want. The desire rose up in him, surprisingly strong. That’s exactly what’s missing from my life. A partner I can truly share it with. Or, hell, a woman who’d hold more than a five-minute conversation with me.

He glanced at Gabriela, who was still trying in vain to get Felicia off that table. Hell, that was not happening now that Felicia had found her spotlight. If it was one thing she hated, it was sharing attention.

Gabriela had abandoned her vodka soda on the bar, Sebastian noticed. Well, the least he could do was take it to her. Judging by the scene unfolding before them, she’d need a stiff drink and soon.

“Felicia! Get down.” Gabriela stomped her foot on the carpeted floor of the bar. Felicia was now making out with the dancer in full view of everyone. Nice touch.

“Seriously, Gab. Come on. Ignore them. Have this drink.” Sebastian tried to hand her the vodka soda she’d abandoned.

“I’m not going to let this party get so far out of hand,” she snapped.

“You mean, you’re not going to let people have fun?” Sebastian said dryly.

“Fun isn’t grinding on strangers on a tabletop.” Gabriela’s dark eyes were fire and ice all at once. He wondered if she were as passionate in the bedroom as she was about enforcing party rules. She’d probably make a hell of a dominatrix.

“It isn’t?”

“You’re impossible,” Gabriela cried, looking like she was about to pull her hair out. Sebastian wondered what her thick hair would feel like in his hands.

“And you haven’t had enough to drink.” He rattled her glass and the ice cubes clinked together.

Gabriela glanced at the drink. “Fine,” she growled and swiped it out of his hand, sloshing a bit onto the carpet. She downed it in one big gulp and slammed the glass on the countertop, unfazed.

Holy hell that was sexy.

When did she learn to drink like that? And, look, the drink wasn’t affecting her at all. Could she actually keep up with him?

He glanced up and noticed that Felicia was sticking her hands down the front of the dancer’s Speedo.

Whoa. Okay, that was off bounds. Sebastian had to admit it was getting a little hot. Probably too hot for this audience. Bill, for one, was about to have an aneurysm. His eyes were so wide they seemed about to pop out of his head. Sebastian didn’t know if he disapproved of Felicia’s antics or very much approved of her short skirt. Veronica was staring, transfixed. The entire bar swayed slightly as the ocean liner cruised through the Atlantic, the low lights flickering across Felicia’s face. Her eyes were already bloodshot. Too much tequila, Sebastian guessed.

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