Page 108 of Little Do You Know

My heart swells, and I look at him with love. We’re asked a second question, but I’m not paying a lick of attention to the reporter because I’m so enamored by the man beside me. Bash and I have come a long way since I first returned from France.

Later that night, on the walk back to his house, I hold onto his hand tightly. He seems like the weight of the world has been lifted off his shoulders. All of his hard work has paid off, and while Owen’s future is still undecided, I have a strong feeling we’ll be celebrating him tomorrow night.

“So how does it feel to be a big shot draft pick?” I ask as he unlocks the front door.

He grins, pulling me into the house with him. “Pretty great. I’ll only be two hours away while you finish college. I can visit you during the week, and you can come to games on the weekends. I was afraid to let myself hope I’d be on their radar, but their quarterback’s contract is up after next year. Rumor is he’s considering retiring, but this is…it’s just incredible.”

“I’m so proud of you,” I say, and Bash leans down to kiss me without hesitation.

When he pulls away, Sebastian rests his forehead against mine. “Thank you. So much. You have been great the last few weeks with all my nervous ramblings and moods. I didn’t think it was possible to have everything until tonight.”

I stare into his dark brown eyes, seeing pure happiness in them. “You’ve been a little moody, but you had a reason. Congratulations, Bash.”

“How do you want to celebrate?” he asks, and I look at Sebastian, confused. Why would I get to pick how we celebrate?

“However you want. It’s your night.”

Bash smirks, pressing a sweet kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I want to go on an adventure.”

“Where would you like to go?” I question; I’m not quite sure where this is going.

“Anywhere as long as you’re with me. Little do you know how madly in love with you I am.”

It’s corny, but it’s genuine, and I know that. I pull Sebastian back down to my height by his tie and kiss him deeply. His lips move hungrily against mine, and I’m pressed against the back of the front door.

I resist the urge to giggle as I’m reminded of Penelope’s advice all those months ago, telling me to climb him like a tree. I’ve certainly enjoyed doing just that.

I pull his shirt out of where it was so carefully tucked into his pants earlier, tearing it open to reveal his impressive muscles. I drag my nails over his skin as he bites down gently on my bottom lip, a moan sending reverberations through me.

Breaking the kiss, I whisper breathlessly into his ear, “I love you too.”

Our clothes are a rumpled pile left on the hardwood as we eventually make our way to his bed, the room still covered in trophies from a little kid who wanted a connection to his father.

Sebastian lazily runs his fingers in an unclear pattern across my bare back while I fight the urge to close my eyes. I don’t want tonight and all the great feelings to end by the hand of tomorrow’s responsibilities.

“I want to go to the Gorges du Verdon,” he says out of nowhere, and I lift my head to see if Bash is serious.

“How do you know where that is?” I ask skeptically as Sebastian tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.

“Because it looks like a place where happy people would go. It’d be an adventure.”

I smile at his handsome face. “It is an adventure. How did you come up with that place?”

“It was in the…I want to say the April issue of National Geographic. Your photo of the gorge was on the cover. It’s framed at the apartment,” he explains, and if I weren’t resting my chin on his chest, my jaw would be hanging open. “I’m surprised you never noticed it.”

“It was May, but close enough. I just assumed Owen put it up. I’ve never even seen you open a magazine, and you framed it?” I ask in awe. It’s never a dull day with Sebastian fucking Walker.

“We weren’t together, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t care about you. Thalia, you are frustrating, absolutely trouble, rash, blunt—”

I cut him off quickly to defend myself. “Okay, I get it. I can be a bitch sometimes. But you are no innocent angel either. I distinctly remember many times when you acted like an asshole very recently.”

“You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say that you’re also caring, energetic, beautiful, and a hundred other words, but I think you’ll grow bored of hearing me say them,” Bash says, chuckling. My cheeks burn because I proved him right. I do make rash decisions, such as cutting off my boyfriend before he can finish complimenting me.

“I’d like to hear them. It’s quite the ego boost for me.” I smile as he shakes his head.

“Okay, Owen.”

I pinch his side. “Would you prefer to be naked in bed with my brother? I’m sure that can be arranged.”

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