CHAPTER FIVE: FORCED LUNCH
1112 Words
By the second day, Sebastian had realized something deeply unfortunate.
Naomi Reed was impossible to ignore.
Not because she was loud. She actually spoke less than most people he knew. She didn’t try to impress anybody either. No dramatic entrances. No fake smiles. No desperate need for attention.
And somehow, that made her stand out even more.
The penthouse felt different with her inside it. Not warmer exactly. Just occupied in a way he still hadn’t gotten used to.
Late that morning, Sebastian was stretched across the couch with a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other when the front door suddenly opened.
He frowned immediately.
Only three people in the world entered his penthouse without permission.
His assistant.
His mother before she died.
And Adrian.
“Sebastian, if you’re naked again, I’m leaving immediately,” Adrian announced while walking in.
Sebastian didn’t even bother sitting up properly from the couch. “Your timing gets worse every time.”
Adrian dropped his sunglasses onto the counter before finally noticing Naomi sitting near the window with her tablet.
He stopped mid-step.
“Oh,” he said slowly.
Naomi looked up calmly. “Hello.”
Adrian blinked once before looking back at Sebastian.
“You didn’t tell me there was a woman here.”
Sebastian took another sip of coffee. “You didn’t ask.”
Adrian looked between them again, clearly trying to understand the situation.
Naomi saved him the stress.
“I’m Naomi Reed. You must be Adrian Sinclair.”
“Yes, I am actually. If I may ask though, how do you know that? I highly doubt Mr. Grumpy over here mentioned it.”
“Mr. Vale doesn’t have a lot of people who can walk into his penthouse unannounced.”
Adrian looked at Sebastian in shock.
Sebastian just shrugged, not even surprised she figured it out.
“Wait…The Naomi Reed?” Adrian asked before he could stop himself.
Naomi’s expression barely changed. “That depends on what you’ve heard.”
Sebastian almost smiled at that.
Adrian let out a low whistle before dropping onto the couch opposite Sebastian.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “Now I’m interested.”
“You’re always interested,” Sebastian muttered.
“That’s because your life is usually entertaining.”
Naomi returned her attention to the tablet like the conversation no longer concerned her.
Adrian noticed that too.
“She’s ignoring me already and we just met,” he said, sounding more shocked than offended.
“She’s smart.”
Adrian laughed before leaning back comfortably.
Sebastian had known Adrian since university. He was loud when he wanted to be, observant when people least expected it. One of the few people Sebastian never had to perform around.
Unfortunately, that also meant Adrian knew him too well.
His eyes moved between them again.
Then he smiled slowly.
“Something weird is happening here,” Adrian said.
“Nothing is happening,” Naomi replied immediately.
Sebastian looked at her.
She answered way too fast.
Interesting.
Adrian noticed that too. Of course he did.
“Right,” Adrian said, clearly unconvinced. “And I’m the King of England.”
“You’re too broke for that,” Sebastian replied.
“At least I can afford to pay for my food unlike some people.”
Silence.
Naomi looked up slowly.
Sebastian stared at Adrian. “Who told you that?”
Adrian immediately pointed at him. “See? That reaction right there means it’s true.”
“You heard rumors?”
“Sebastian,” Adrian said carefully, “half the city heard rumors.”
Sebastian leaned back against the couch, suddenly annoyed again.
Fantastic. The whole flipping city knew about it.
Adrian looked slightly less amused when he noticed the expression on his face.
“Wait,” he said. “It actually bothered you?”
“No,” Sebastian lied.
Naomi spoke without looking up. “Yes, it did.”
Sebastian turned toward her immediately. “Whose side are you on?”
“I’m not on a side.”
“That sounded very personal.”
“It sounded accurate.”
Adrian stared at Naomi for a few seconds before laughing.
“Oh, I like her.”
Naomi looked unimpressed. “That’s unfortunate.”
Sebastian laughed before he could stop himself.
The sound surprised all three of them a little.
Adrian looked between them again, eyes narrowing slightly now.
Dangerous man.
“You know what?” Adrian said while standing up suddenly. “Both of you are coming with me.”
“No,” Naomi answered immediately.
“Yes,” Sebastian said at the same time.
Naomi already looked irritated. “I have work.”
“I’m sure you’ve been working since you got here,” Adrian replied. “You both look emotionally constipated.”
Sebastian nearly choked on his coffee.
Naomi blinked slowly. “Emotionally what?”
“You heard me.”
“I highly doubt we’re close enough for you to drag me around, Mr. Sinclair.
Frankly speaking, we’re not friends.”
“That doesn’t stop me from k********g both of you for a few hours, now does it?”
Sebastian leaned back comfortably now that someone else was suffering too.
“You know,” he said lazily, “I think he might actually be making sense.”
Naomi gave him a flat look. “I highly doubt that.”
“Come on,” Adrian continued. “One afternoon. Nobody dies.”
“That sounds like something people say before disasters happen,” Naomi muttered.
Adrian gasped dramatically. “Sebastian, she’s funny.”
“She hides it well.”
Naomi looked genuinely offended now. “Why are both of you acting like I’m not here?”
“Because you keep pretending you don’t want to be,” Adrian replied.
That made her quiet for a second.
Sebastian noticed immediately.
Adrian did too.
“You know what?” Naomi finally sighed, closing her tablet. “Fine.”
Adrian pointed at Sebastian proudly. “See? She likes me more than you already.”
“She met you five minutes ago,” Sebastian replied.
“And yet she still agreed after I asked.”
Sebastian stood up slowly, grabbing his car keys from the table.
“I’m going to regret this.”
Adrian clapped his hands together excitedly. “You won’t,I promise. Now move before I change my mind and leave both of you here.”
Then he looked toward Sebastian with fake sympathy.
“Actually… Maybe staying home is better for you. Restaurants seem dangerous these days.”
Sebastian grabbed the nearest throw pillow and launched it at him.
Adrian dodged it easily and ran toward the door laughing
- Writer
