Summer Rental Boyfriend

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Chapter 8 KAI

The ride back to the estate is less interesting. There is no Sebastian to tease.

I rest my head against the window, watching the buildings blur past while the driver hums softly along to a song playing on the radio.

I glance up. My reflection stares back at me, looking just as confused as I feel. I get that every minute he spends around me makes him look like he wants to claw his way out of his skin but did he have to leave like that?

The day hasn't been bad so far. Weird but definitely not bad. I grin to myself as I remember flying through the supermarket on a shopping cart while Sebastian looked ready to disown me in the middle of the cereal aisle. That alone was worth it.

The smile fades before I realize it as the memory from the boutique takes over. I had looked up in the dressing mirror and caught him watching me several times. Not the clothes. Me.

Heat creeps up the back of my neck. Maybe I had read too much into it. Maybe he was just wondering how much longer the fitting would take.

Yeah. That sounded a lot more like Sebastian.

Then my mind drifts to just before we parted.The kiss had been for the people he hadn't realized had followed us outside the mall. But when I pulled away, he had just... stood there with no glare, no passive aggressive comment or shoving me away like he had done after the gala.

I drum my fingers against my knee. I can't figure him out.One minute he acts like he can't stand me. The next... He is impossible.

I shake my head and look back out the window. The gates of the Whitlock estate come into view, and I'm more than happy to think about something else. I've got an entirely new wardrobe waiting for me.

Upstairs, I kick off my old sneakers and slide my feet into one of the new pairs. They still feel ridiculous. I take a few steps across the room, then a few more, rolling onto the balls of my feet before giving an experimental bounce now that no one can see me.

Damn! I think my old sneakers just got offended.

I end up strolling outside some minutes later. The afternoon sun is warm on my face as I walk down the garden. I wander without much direction, taking whichever path looks interesting. The estate is so big it still doesn't feel real. Every turn reveals another perfect view of the ocean or another building I haven't explored yet.

Then something catches my eye. Parked near one of the detached buildings is a car I have only ever seen in magazines. I stop dead. "No..."

It takes me a second to convince myself I'm actually looking at it. An Aston Martin DB5. My mouth falls open as I get closer.

"There is no way."

I glance around like someone is going to tell me it's part of a museum exhibit and I should keep my distance. Nobody does. I drift closer, slowing as I reach it. The silver paint gleams beneath the afternoon sun, polished so perfectly I can see my own reflection in the door. Every curve looks exactly the way it did in the photos I used to stare at for hours online. My fingers twitch at my side.

Don't touch it.

I manage a whole three seconds before I gently brush the back of one finger along the edge of the hood. It's cool, smooth, so worth it. A laugh slips out before I can stop it, looking up.

The garage door behind the car stands half open. Curiosity wins and the moment I step inside, the Aston Martin is forgotten completely. Rows of cars extend to the entire length of the building. It's a little bit of everything; American muscle, European exotics, Japanese legends... cars I've only ever admired through a screen.

I turn slowly, taking it all in. "This..." I shake my head. "This is insane."

And then I turn. At the far end of the garage, resting on its stand, the main character of the show-- A Ducati Panigale V4. Every other thought leaves my head.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

I make a beeline for it, stopping just short. I've watched enough reviews to recognize every line of the fairing, every vent, every curve of the bike.

"You are even prettier in person." I circle it once. Twice. Then I glance over both shoulders. Still nobody. "Just for a second."

I swing one leg over and settle onto the seat. My hands find the grips automatically. The bike feels alive even when it's off. I don't even realize I’m smiling until my cheeks start to hurt.

Then I hear footsteps. I freeze, expecting Sebastian or his dad ready to accuse me of something. Instead, a small figure steps in.

Evie. She doesn't say anything at first, just watches me with those quiet eyes.

I straighten up slowly, not wanting to scare her. "Hey. Sorry if I'm not supposed to be in here."

She shrugs one shoulder then heads right in, stopping beside a miniature white Mercedes G-Wagon sitting between two big cars. She steps in and starts it, pulling out and turning so naturally that it makes me pause.

"Nice ride," I say watching her. "You always do that yourself? The spot is tight. Most adults would have scraped one of those cars."

A tiny smile flickers across her face. "I've been practicing." She kills the engine and looks at me. "I want to be a competitive racer when I'm older."

It's the first time I've heard her speak since I got here, let alone carry on a conversation. The fact that she is doing it with me catches me off guard.

The words come out so casually, like she is telling me her favorite color. Her expression is serious enough to say this isn't just a kid's dream.

I grin. "Hell yeah. You've got the touch for it. Keep at it and you'll leave people eating your dust."

"You really think so? You haven't even watched me drive properly."

"Just from the way you handle that wheel, I can tell."

She laughs and looks back at the car. It's warm and comfortable. For a moment it makes me feel like maybe not everyone in this house sees me as hired entertainment.

"You are not going to tell on me for sneaking in here, are you?"

Evie looks up, holding out her pinkie. "I'm not supposed to be in here today either."

I hook my pinkie around hers. "Your secret's safe with me."

Before I can break contact fully, footsteps echo across the garage. I look up.

Sebastian stands in the doorway, his expression hard. "Evie."

She freezes.

"Inside. Now."

The excitement drains from her face instantly. She climbs out of the Mercedes without arguing, keeping her head lowered, as she slips past him and disappears. Only then does Sebastian look at me.

The garage door closes behind her, leaving just the two of us. He turns to me, his jaw tight. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Talking to your sister. She was just showing me her car."

"That isn't the job you were hired for. Stay away from her!"

Did my interaction with his sister really get under his skin that much or is this about something else? I decide to poke, against my better judgement.

"Hey, my boyfriend abandoned me right after the fitting. What was I supposed to do? Lock myself in my room until you decided to come back?”

"Yes," he says flatly. "You should do exactly that."

I let out a short disbelieving laugh. "You don't control me, Sebastian. I'm on your parents' payroll, not yours." His eyes flash with irritation but I step closer, refusing to back down. "Have you really asked yourself why they had to bring me in to make you look good?"

He huffs loudly. "Because people like you always have a price."

I chuckle instead of getting offended, keeping my voice light. "No," I pause. "It's because you are a helpless fuck up and your parents got tired of cleaning up after you. Hell, even your sister looks at you like you are one."

Sebastian goes very still. Hurt, or maybe shame flickers across his face, before it disappears under raw fury. He steps closer, fuming. "Say that again."

I meet his gaze steadily. "You are a helpless jerk."

His face hardens, jaw tight, fists curled at his sides. He grabs the front of my shirt, drags me deeper into the garage, and slams me back against the cool metal of the Ferrari. For a split second I think he is actually going to hit me. I don't anticipate the next move.

His mouth crashes into mine aggressively, nothing like a scripted kiss. His hand fists tighter in my shirt, his body pressing me against the car. I taste frustration and yearning, his tongue electrifying mine. My brain short circuits.

I kiss him back without thinking about cameras or getting a reaction out of him or anything else.

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