Page 30 of Sebastian

Her bedroom was completely different. Where her once cozy, yet understated, bed stood was now a beautiful light wood sleigh bed with fluffy blankets and an unruly number of decorative pillows. She had a new dresser, new curtains, even the carpet had been pulled up and replaced with beautiful wood flooring. How had he managed to do this all in one day?

Pulling her phone from her back pocket, Emma typed out her message.

My bedroom is beautiful, but it’s too much. You didn’t need to do all this, Seb. It must have cost a small fortune.

His response was instant.

It’s nothing Em. I just want you to feel safe. Call me if you need anything tonight.

I will. I promise.

And then she quickly added, Thank you for everything Seb. I do feel safe, because of you.

Tossing her phone on her gorgeous new bed, she made her way into the bathroom to shower away the last bits of everything that had happened.

* * *

I do feel safe, because of you…

Those words lit Sebastian’s heart on fire as he sat in the hallway just outside Emma’s door. It might be too much, but even just being across the street from her while there wasn’t a security system installed made him feel sick. He’d spend the night out there in the hallway and just watch over things.

After all, a hallway floor was luxury compared to some of the places his SEAL team had slept over the years.

Folding his arms across his chest as his eyes drifted close, Sebastian listened as the pipes in the building quieted. Emma must be finished with her shower. The idea of her just behind the wall he was leaning on, naked and wet from the shower, with wispy steam tendrils wrapping around her had his blood rushing south at an uncomfortable pace.

What had gotten into him lately? Sebastian was not a man to fall for a woman so easily. In fact, despite what all the gossip magazines would have people think, he was not a playboy at all. Sure, he took a different woman to all his charity events, and that probably appeared to be a player thing to do, but he was actually just never interested in taking any of them on a second date. Winning that auction date with Emma was the smartest thing he’d ever done.

Drifting closer to sleep, he thought about what he could do to make their second date even more memorable than a trip to the west coast for a sunset dinner at a vineyard. Did she have her passport? Maybe he could take her to Mexico for a tequila tasting, or to Scotland to taste some scotch. They had such a nice time at the vineyard, it might be fun to keep that theme going. His mind wandered around the world until the call of sleep pulled him away.

A scream woke him. Where was he? His body ached as he tried to place his surroundings. Emma’s hallway.

Emma!

Jumping to his feet, he slammed his body into the door as another scream pierced the air. How had someone gotten by him? The door was clearly still locked, so they couldn’t be inside..could they?

Sebastian slammed his body into the door again, but it didn’t budge. Damn, maybe Emma was right, the five locks were enough. Sebastian felt the familiar buzz of his cell phone ringing in his pocket.

“Sprinkles?”

Nothing. He could hear her breathing on the line, but she didn’t say anything.

“Emma? Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“I-I can’t…someone…”

“It’s okay. Take a breath and come to your door. I’m standing just outside in the hallway. Come let me in.”

Her shaky breath was quickly followed by the sound of footsteps and the deadbolts sliding into their unlocked position. Emma opened the door, letting her cell phone fall to the floor before jumping into Sebastian’s arms.

He carried her back inside, locking the door before he walked over to her sofa and sat with her snuggled on his lap. There was no way he was letting her out of his arms now.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It was just a dream. Just a stupid dream. I’m not going to fall apart because of a dream.” It sounded more like she was talking to herself than to him.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t talk about it.”

“How did you get over here so fast?” she asked, face still buried in his chest.

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