Cold Showers

SEBASTIAN

After a very long day at work, having one meeting after another, and reviewing contracts with his lawyer, Sebastian Miller walked into Club 232. It was the most popular and expensive club in Miami.

Everyone who worked in the club knew him as a regular VIP customer. He showed up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to have some drinks and find a girl to fuck.

Not to take home, not to call the next day. Love was a myth, and Sebastian had no time for it. Life was a series of transactions, and emotion had nothing to do with any of it. Sex should be simple and without strings.

You’d never find him getting tangled up in any kind of relationship again. He’d never take anyone home to meet his parents and twin sisters, and although his best friend, Caleb, sometimes met the women Sebastian slept with, they were never introduced as a girlfriend. Hell, sometimes Sebastian didn’t even bother to learn their names.

He was rich and handsome and never had any trouble finding a woman to take to bed. If anything, getting them to leave was always the real challenge. He always made it clear, though. He wasn’t interested in anything more than a one-night stand.

Sebastian sauntered into the club to find his usual spot waiting for him. That’s what money could do. Make your life easier. He was used to people catering to his needs, and tonight was no different as the server brought him his usual drink without even taking his order.

Caleb should’ve been here, but that fool had ditched him for a date. Sebastian chuckled to himself at the thought of it. He wasn’t going to stay long tonight. Time enough to have a couple of drinks and scout the room for a woman to take back to the hotel. They’d fuck all night, and in the morning, he’d send her on her way.

No strings.

No romance.

Just uncomplicated sex.

Sebastian sipped his bourbon, served neat as always, and scanned the crowd. He knew many of the women in here, but none of them tempted him to go for another round. Not even the ones giving him the eye, showing they were willing even though they knew he wasn’t going to ask.

But…there. Someone new, a woman he’d never seen before. She was seated at the bar on a stool. Her low-cut dress revealed smooth skin. Ample, curving hips. A long, slender neck, and when she briefly turned in profile, he could see a sensual pout.

He waited for her to turn around so he could signal for her to come over, but her attention stayed on the glass in front of her.

Quietly, he sent a waiter to tell her he wanted to see her. To his surprise, the waiter returned alone.

“Sir, she refused to come with me,” the waiter explained when Sebastian questioned why he hadn’t brought the woman over.

Thin anger sparked through Sebastian. He was a man used to being admired, respected…obeyed.

Anger wasn’t his best side, and he knew his temper had given him a reputation. All the more reason for that woman to come running to him when he beckoned.

“Didn’t you tell her my name?” Sebastian glared at the waiter.

“I did, sir. I even told her to look at you so she would see I’m not lying that Sebastian Miller actually wants to see her. And she said something else.” The waiter whispered the last part.

“What did she say?” Sebastian demanded in a cold tone, pinning the waiter with a steely gaze.

“She said I should tell you to go to hell.” The waiter’s voice shook.

Seb clenched his teeth, picked up his glass, and headed for the bar immediately.

Didn’t she know any other girl in the club would do anything to be in her position right now? He was trying to help her life by taking her to the most expensive hotel in town, giving her a good fuck, and perhaps even some money, depending on how well she satisfied him.

Seb had never approached a woman in this bar. He called for them. They came over. That was how it had always been.

Playing hard to get? He’d show her that was a mistake.

***

JAYDA

“You are proving hard to get when I’m trying to help your life!”

The man who’d sent the waiter over to get her settled himself on the empty stool beside Jayda. She froze in the middle of sipping the second drink the bartender had recommended, a gin and tonic. A strange tingle shivered down her spine at the anger in his voice.

Her breath caught when she turned to look at him. His perfectly tailored suit complemented his strong body. She’d thought it was silly the other men in the club wore suits, but his worked for him. Worked really well.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but a fiery flush invaded her core at the glare on his handsome face. This man—what had the waiter said his name was?

Sebastian Miller, that was it. His broad shoulders and lean body told her he was athletic and took care of himself. Dark brows matched his hair, cut in a fashionable style, and even darker eyes gleamed beneath them.

But they weren’t just brown. Hints of gold gleamed in this man’s eyes, urging her to sink deep into his steady gaze. She’d never seen eyes like that before.

He was probably the hottest man she’d ever seen up close. He oozed confident sexuality that had her sitting up straight.

This was what she’d come out tonight to find.

SEBASTIAN

As soon as Sebastian looked into her dark blue eyes, he went still. All of the women he called over were beautiful, but this woman stunned him.

Her sleek hair shone the color of walnuts, but it looked a little messy. The red dress emphasized her lush curves and all the places a man could hold, but when he studied her face, the dried tears he saw pushed an uncommon rush of concern through him.

He wanted to find out what had made her cry. To comfort her and let her know everything would be fine.

What the hell?

Sebastian snapped back to reality when he realized he was overthinking. He had no reason to care about this woman and her tears, but the question came out of him anyway.

“Who made you cry?” Concern roughened his voice, and he couldn’t believe he was even asking. His fists clenched for a moment as he imagined strangling whoever had hurt her.

JAYDA

“Who knew you could be so caring after lashing out at me with your first statement?” She mocked and took another sip of her drink. The taste was better, and she liked the spreading warmth, but she wasn’t sure she’d ever enjoy drinking cocktails.

Sebastian ignored her reply and asked again. “Who made you cry?”

“My boyfriend broke up with me. Not that I blame him. I never took our relationship seriously.”

SEBASTIAN

“I’m sorry about that,” Sebastian said, shocking himself again. Apologies, even when he was at fault, were not his usual response. It was as if someone else was in control of his speech.

JAYDA

“Thanks,” Jayda muttered, already wondering why she told a stranger about her problem. She gestured at the bartender for another drink, but Sebastian stopped her.

SEBASTIAN

“You’ve had enough already.” For some reason, he wanted her to stay sane.

“Whatever I do here is none of your business, Mr.…?” She trailed off.

Sebastian chuckled in disbelief. This was the first woman he met who acted like she didn’t know who he was. He had to admit, the rejection kind of stung.

“You don’t know me?”

JAYDA

She rolled her eyes. She’d only had a couple of drinks, but they’d given her courage. “If I knew who you were, would I be asking you what your name is? Dumbass!”

SEBASTIAN

If the word “dumbass” came out from any other person, he’d have destroyed that person within a snap of his fingers. But this woman…there was something different about her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but she intrigued him.

“I thought the waiter told you my name. I’m Sebastian Miller.”

“He told me, but I wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying. I’m Jayda Wright.”

“You’re beautiful, Jayda,” he whispered.

JAYDA

Another shiver ran down her spine as her name rolled off his tongue. She tried to hide her blush, but more heat crept into her from every direction. “I’m sure you say that to every woman you meet.”

He leaned closer. “I hardly say those words to people. I mean it. You’re very beautiful.”

The tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood as his breath fanned against her skin. Another shiver tickled her spine. This gorgeous man was calling her beautiful, and it felt good. The compliment was starting to erase her heartbreak.

“Well, thank you.” She smiled.

“My friend Caleb was supposed to come with me today but he ditched me for a date,” Sebastian said.

Jayda chuckled. “It’s not always about you, you know. Maybe your friend is really into the person he went on a date with.”

SEBASTIAN

“Do you want to hang out with me at my hotel?” Sebastian’s voice rasped. He’d surprised himself again. Him, shy?

What was it about this beautiful Jayda with the tear-stained cheeks that had him acting so out of character? Usually, he wasn’t even the one to ask the women to go with him; they were the ones who always suggested he take them to his place or a hotel.

JAYDA

She couldn’t go with him. Or could she? Looking into his beautiful dark eyes with their glints of gold, Jayda saw the pleading in them. He was indirectly begging her to say yes.

He wanted her.

It felt so good to be wanted.

“Okay,” she said, hoping she wouldn’t regret her actions later.

She was going to forget about Zach and her broken heart, and she was going to use this man to do it.