Husband With Benefits
Chapter 459: An Almost Date

Chapter 459: An Almost Date

Seb glanced at his watch for the nth time as his thoughts drifted to Olivia, wondering what she was doing today. He had reluctantly left while she was still asleep that morning, and now, as the day progressed, he couldn’t shake the feeling of incompleteness without seeing her. It was irrational, he knew. After all, he’d spent countless mornings heading to the office without so much as a glance in her direction. Yet today felt different somehow, as if his routine had been disrupted in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

What the hell! He’d just call her this once. Didn’t mean that he was feeling clingy or needy. He was only being considerate. Yes. That is it. He was being considerate towards his wife.

He took a deep breath, mentally justifying his decision as he reached for his phone. With a determined swipe, he dialed Olivia’s number, feeling a mix of anticipation and relief as it rang. After a few rings, she picked up, her voice breathless.

"Hey, Seb," she greeted, sounding slightly out of breath.

"Hey, Olivia," He paused before asking worriedly," Why are you panting? Are you in pain? Are you having trouble breathing? I’ll just call the doctor.."

He heard her laugh before she said," Seb! I am fine! I was just... I was away from the phone alright and had to hurry here. So, why did you call?"

Even as he felt relief hit him, he frowned. What was she doing? As his brain provided some naughty images that might cause her to be breathless, Seb shook his head. Now was not the time to daydream. She’d asked him something..Ah yes, she’d asked why he called.

"I just wanted to know if you’re free this evening." Dam* it. Why did he ask that? He didn’t even know if he was available in the evening.

He heard her snicker, as she answered," Seb, I am on medically advised rest. Where do you think I will be going in the evening? Running for Marathon?"

Seb chuckled at Olivia’s playful response, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "Fair point. I guess I got a bit ahead of myself there."

Olivia’s laughter eased the tension in his chest. "It’s okay, Seb. I appreciate the thought though. What did you have in mind for this evening?"

"Maybe we could go for a stroll?" Seb offered before shaking his head at his own stupidit*! Of all the things he could have said, taking a walk was all he could think of?

She laughed again," How... exciting. I’ll look forward to going on a stroll with you then."

"Seb..."

Before he could say more, or make some more of a fool of himself, he was thankfully saved by Rosie who knocked on his door and interrupted," Mr Frost, Miss Emma is here for your lunch meeting."

Nodding in relief, he turned back to his phone," I’ve got to go now. I’ll see you tonight then. Take care. Bye."

Without waiting for a reply, he quickly disconnected the call and nodded to Rosie to let the woman in. He stood up as he watched her walk in, waiting for her to take a seat.

"Sebastian. Thank you for agreeing to see me at such short notice."

"Its not a problem, Emma. So, what would you like to eat? I’ll have Rosie order it for you."

Emma smiled, her face blushing prettily," I’ve already told your secretary. He said you have a fixed menu and I could take whatever..."

Seb nodded," That is good too. Rosie is efficient. So, what brings you here?"

"I was wondering if you could accompany me to an event tonight."

Seb raised her eyebrows at that. "What kind of an event are we talking about?"

"There is an international editor who has flown into the country this morning. She is known for her taste in fashion. Her blogs and articles have made many a brands. She will be attending as the chief guest tonight. Its a charity dinner. If we could go and get into talks with her regarding the showcasing and launch of our product... it would be a great start."

"Emma. I’d have come but I don’t think my schedule is free. I’ll have to ask Rosie."

Emma leaned forward," I already did."

Seb glanced up at Emma with narrowed eyes. He could be lenient, but he would not accept such behaviour. A mix of surprise and annoyance flickered across his features as he leaned back in his chair, trying to mask his irritation behind a polite smile.He’d already been patient with her but she was now overstepping...

"Actually, I didn’t ask. I just peeped when he was writing me in. Your evening calendar was empty."

Seb said nothing, choosing to ignore her explanation.

Emma shifted in her seat, her smile faltering slightly under Seb’s scrutinizing gaze. "I... I hope you’re not upset, Sebastian. I just thought it would be a great opportunity for us. I mean our brand..."

Seb sighed inwardly, reminding himself to keep his composure and not burst out. "I understand, Emma. But I prefer to not have such..."

While he looked for the right words, she flushed and quickly spoke," I apologize for overstepping. It won’t happen again."

He nodded and the need to say anything more was curbed by the arrival of their food. As they ate, they discussed the approach to take for the editor, whom Emma had researched.

As their lunch came to an end, Seb could finally give her a genuine smile as he concluded," You’ve got good insights, Emma. I appreciate the effort you’ve put into this project."

Emma smiled brightly at the compliment as she stood to leave, " Thank you for your cooperation. Without you, all this would have been only a dream. I’ll see you in the evening then. Goodbye."

As Emma gathered her belongings and left the office, Seb’s smile faded, replaced by a contemplative expression. He’d already asked Olivia out but going to this charity was important too.

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