Page 11 of Sebastian's Secret

“But we…” Now it was her turn to be unsure. “We only screwed, Sebastian. Neither of us wanted more.”

“Right.” Placing his other hand over hers, he patted her skin. “That’s what I thought. It’s what I keep telling myself, but…” Hesitating, his focus bored into her face.

“But what?” she prompted.

“You.” Half smiling, he lifted her hand to his lips and planted a chaste kiss on her knuckles.

“Me?” Her heart pounded faster at the simple act of tenderness.

“Yes, there’s something about you.” His eyes fluttered shut for a moment as he pondered the declaration. “Something that makes me want to do the one thing I never do.”

“What’s that?” she asked, conscious of her chest rising and falling as he placed her hand back on the counter.

Was he thinking the same thoughts she’d been mulling over? Was he going to suggest they meet?

“See you again.” Abandoning his cup, he wandered around the counter toward her. “I know I shouldn’t, but I’d really love to see you again.” His eyes shone, as though just saying the words had liberated him from some self-made prison. “I should walk away, I know I should, but I…”

Sebastian was only a few inches from her now, his hand reaching as though he intended to take her in his arms, but he paused, as though uncertain.

“What, Sebastian?” Jesus, was the man blind? Couldn’t he see that she yearned for exactly the same thing? “But you what?”

“I don’t want to.” As if her query had broken his paralysis, he tugged her forward, his enormous hands grazing over her exposed skin and squeezing her ass. “I don’t want to be without you, don’t want to risk walking out of that door and never feeling this connection again.”

“Oh God, Sebastian.” Grasping his neck, she leaned into his heat. Even dressed, his body was as comforting as it was tempting.

“What?”

“I’m so happy you said that.” Smiling into his shirt, she wanted to cheer.

“You feel the same?” Withdrawing an inch, he glanced down at her with concerned eyes.

“Yes!” she clarified with disbelief. Did the way she’d embraced him not give her intent away? “I don’t normally meet men I take to bed again, but you’re right, this is different.” He was different, though it seemed too soon to throw that into the arena.

“Thank goodness.” His chuckle reverberated through her body. “I thought you might not feel the same, that this was just another fuck.”

“It was supposed to be,” she admitted. “But no. It seems we’ve inadvertently stumbled across the potential for more.”

She couldn’t believe what she was saying. She’d absolutely relished the dangerous gleam in his eyes when he’d flung her onto the bed. Somehow, he’d known precisely which buttons to press and had melted her frozen façade with ease, but she’d also enjoyed his unexpected tenderness. But that was all it was ever designed to be. One night together. Nothing more. She could scarcely understand the well of excitement swelling inside at the prospect of seeing him again.

“Are you genuinely okay with this?” The disquiet in his voice drew her focus back to his face. “I won’t push it if you’d rather we didn’t see each other again.”

Hadn’t she just told him how she felt? “Are you mad?” She couldn’t help but laugh at his shocked impression. “I just said yes and in case you didn’t notice, Sebastian, I’m a woman who knows what she wants.”

“Fair enough.” His lips curled. “We’d better exchange numbers then.”

Turning toward the counter, he pulled his phone from his pocket “Give me yours and I’ll message you with mine.”

She joined him at the bench, admiring his profile as she rattled off her digits. A moment later, her device chimed from the bedroom.

“There.” He moved closer and slid his phone away. “You have it.”

“Thank you, Sebastian,” she murmured, reaching around him and enjoying the feel of his tight ass through his expensive suit.

“Thank you,” he purred, leaning to capture her lips.

For one protracted and perfect moment, they kissed, entwined in the legacy of what they’d created in the suite, and then he pulled away, the moment gone.

“I need to go.” Something in his voice sounded detached as he moved away, but she was sure she only imagined it. Hadn’t he just told her he wanted more? Just sent her his number? “Thank you for the coffee.”

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