Clementine, a social media manager with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes, was a contradiction. Shy in person, her mind buzzed with fascinating trivia just waiting for the right listener.
Sebastian Montgomery as the tabloids dubbed him, was an...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Clementine paced back and forth in her small apartment, clutching her phone to her ear with one hand and trying to coax Beau, her rambunctious puppy, to stay still with the other. "Beau, please, stay here for just a second!" she muttered under her breath, as the tiny furball darted around her legs. He had no intention of listening, his tail wagging so fast it was like a little blur of excitement.
"Why is this happening today, of all days?" she sighed, her fingers nervously fiddling with the buttons of her blouse. "I should have booked that sitter yesterday." She glanced at the clock. She had exactly 15 minutes before she had to leave for the office—and now she was in full-on panic mode. "Okay, okay, we've got this. Just, please, don't cause a scene, Beau," she said in a voice that was equal parts pleading and sweet. Beau, clearly oblivious to her stress, gave a little yip and bounced over to her, his big brown eyes full of innocence.
She scratched behind his ears. "You're a good boy, but please don't get me fired today, okay?" She could almost hear the puppy's little inner monologue: "What's 'fired'? I just want treats!" she thought, smiling despite herself.
"You'd better behave today," she muttered, feeling anxious about her decision to bring her puppy to work. It wasn't like she had a choice—she hadn't been able to find a sitter so last minute, and she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him alone at home for hours.
There was just one problem: Sebastian. The man whose mere presence could send a chill down a room. She'd overheard her colleagues mentioning his apparent dislike for animals. Not surprising, she thought, given his stern demeanor and rigid personality. But that wasn't going to stop her. Beau was her responsibility, and she'd figure it out.
"Alright, Beau," she said as she patted his head. "This is a professional place, okay? No barking, no running off. Just... sit quietly under my desk. Can you do that?"
Beau barked once, as if answering her, and Clementine rolled her eyes. "I'll take that as a yes."
The office buzzed with the usual morning energy as Clementine stepped inside, her heels clicking against the polished floors. She tried to keep a low profile, her heart hammering as she prayed Beau wouldn't do anything to draw attention.
As she made her way to her desk, her colleagues gave her amused smiles.
"You brought him, huh?" one of them whispered. "Bold move, Clem."
Clementine forced a smile. "Had no choice," she replied softly, lowering herself into her chair and motioning for Beau to sit under the desk. Much to her relief, he obeyed, and she gave him a treat for being such a good boy.
For the first hour, things went smoothly. Beau lay curled up by her feet, and Clementine focused on her work without incident, But as the morning progressed, her anxiety grew. Rumors of Sebastian being in the building swirled around the office, and every time she heard footsteps approaching, her pulse quickened.
