Page 16 of The Cousins and the Brunette

I looked up from my meal, wary of this sudden solemnity. “What is it?”

Here comes the other shoe, ready to drop like a ton of bricks. I braced myself, wondering what fresh hell awaited me now.

“I regret...I regret involving you in this mess, Elizabeth.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

I swallowed hard, taken aback by his candor. “Why tell me this now?”

I sat back, trying to figure out his angle. Was this some kind of trick? A ploy to gain my trust? Or was Mr. Perfect Porter actually showing a crack in his armor?

“Because it’s the truth,” he said.

“Regret doesn’t change my situation,” I replied, my voice husky.

Yeah, and it doesn’t magically open these locked doors either, buddy. But hey, thanks for the sentiment, I guess?

“No, it doesn’t. But it’s important you know that not all of us are without conscience.” Sebastian met my gaze with a vulnerability that shook me.

Something in my chest tightened, and I fought against the empathy threatening to surface. “Well, your conscience doesn’t get me out of here, does it?”

I wanted to stay angry, to hold onto that righteous indignation like a life raft. But damn it if his puppy dog eyes weren’t making it difficult. Since when did my captor start looking like a lost, remorseful golden retriever? And he had no right to be so damn sexy.

“Conscience or not, I’m still a prisoner,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. But my heart betrayed me, pounding against my ribs with an unfamiliar warmth.

“Elizabeth...” His voice was a soft plea.

Despite myself, I felt something akin to attraction. The walls I’d meticulously built around my heart began to crumble.

“Stop calling me that,” I blurted out, the words escaping before I could catch them.

His brow furrowed in confusion, and for a moment, I thought I would confess everything – the lie, the charade, my real name.

But I couldn’t. The stakes were too high, and my sister needed me.

“Sorry, it’s just...you don’t know anything about me,” I amended quickly, steering us back onto safer ground.

Sebastian stepped closer, his presence enveloping me like a warm blanket on a cold night. My breath hitched, and I found myself swaying towards him, drawn by an invisible force I couldn’t resist.

“Then tell me. Please.” His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, but it resonated through my entire being.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. “Maybe some other time.” The words came out weaker than I intended, my resolve crumbling under his intense gaze.

“Whenever you’re ready.” His fingers brushed against mine, a feather-light touch that sent shivers racing up my arm.

“Sebastian...” His name escaped my lips, half-plea, half-warning.

Our eyes locked, and the air between us sizzled with sexual electricity. He closed the distance in two strides. Before I could process what was happening, his lips were on mine, gentle yet insistent. My body reacted instinctively, my hands roaming over his broad shoulders, fingers digging into the hard muscle beneath his shirt.

A low growl rumbled in his chest, the vibration traveling through me. In one fluid motion, he lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, clinging to him. He strode toward the bed, his movements sure and deliberate. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent of sandalwood and musk and manly sweat.

“Are you sure?” he murmured against my ear, his breath hot on my skin, his voice husky with desire.

I pulled back, meeting his gaze. “More than I’ve been about anything in a long time,” I whispered, surprised by the raw honesty in my voice.

Sebastian laid me down on the bed with a tenderness that made my heart ache. His fingers worked at the buttons of my shirt, and I shivered as his lips followed, pressing soft kisses along each newly exposed inch of skin.

“Beautiful...” he breathed, the word filled with such reverence it made me tremble.

Heat bloomed in my chest, spreading through my body like wildfire. This wasn’t just about physical attraction - it was something deeper, more profound. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the lies, the danger, the uncertain future. There was only us, only this connection that defied explanation.

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