Page 53 of Sinful

“Are you sure? I thought Canada was a different country, and my father once told me that you need to have special documents to travel over borders between countries.”

“We have a deal with the Canadians, because they’re one of our closest allies,” Sebastian explained, grip tightening on the wheel. “No passports or visas are necessary for travel between the two countries.”

“Oh, I see. That’s nice.”

The car slowed, and we made a right turn, heading up a long, winding road. When we reached the top, I leaned forward, brows rising high as I took in the enormous house before me. Three stories of wood and stone loomed against the night sky, blending almost seamlessly with the rugged terrain surrounding it.

“I remember this,” I murmured. “This is the place.”

“Where we first saw each other?” Sebastian asked, turning to me as he pulled the car to a stop.

“Yes.” My heart began to race with apprehension. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I… I don’t know. Never mind,” I mumbled.

Sebastian helped me out of the car and led me up to the front door. As he pushed it open and flicked a switch somewhere, a wave of light and warmth enveloped me.

Ahead of me lay an expansive living area, with high ceilings supported by thick wooden beams. A huge stone fireplace dominated one wall, fire crackling merrily and casting flickering shadows across the room. Plush sofas and armchairs were arranged around a rustic coffee table, inviting me to sit and admire the colorful artwork hanging on the walls. Above it all, a chandelier made of antlers hung from the ceiling, capturing the essence of the surrounding wilderness.

“Wow.” I stepped forward, eyes wide. “It’s beautiful in here.”

Sebastian smiled. “I thought you’d like it. The art is really something, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Did you pick it out?”

“No.” He didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t press him on it. His mother must have chosen all the art, and he clearly didn’t want to discuss her tonight. Not on what was supposed to be a fun night for the two of us.

He gestured to one of the sofas in the large living area. “I laid the clothes out for you on there,” he said. “You can change while I go to the kitchen to grab us some drinks. You must be thirsty after that hike, right?”

I nodded as I stepped over to the sofa. “Parched.”

“I have Coke, if you’d like to try that. Or do you just want a glass of water?”

“I’ll try the Coke, please.” I looked back at him and smiled. “One of the healers absolutelylovedit when he was in the outside world. He still talks about it, so I need to see what all the fuss is about, don’t I?”

“Yes, you do.” Sebastian grinned and clapped his hands together. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

After he stepped out, I turned my gaze back to the clothes he’d laid out on the sofa. On the left lay a beautiful black and white dress, made from a mixture of fabrics I’d never seen before. The outer layer was incredibly smooth with a slight sheen to it, catching and reflecting the light, and the layer beneath it was like a fine net with a rougher texture, adding volume to the dress.

Next to the dress was a soft black coat and a pair of shiny black shoes with thin heels. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to walk in them, but Sebastian seemed to have considered that, because there was a note next to the shoebox.Don’t worry, I bought you other shoes too. These ones are just for dinner.

I slipped out of my dirt-smeared gray dress and into the new dress. There was no mirror in the living room, but I could tell that it fit perfectly from the way it cinched at the waist, skimmed over my hips, and fell to just above my feet. I slipped the heeledshoes on, immediately teetering on them, and I giggled and kicked them off, figuring I should wait until I’d had my drink before I risked wearing them again.

Sebastian reappeared, holding two glasses of dark brown liquid. “Here you go,” he said, holding one of the glasses out to me. “That dress looks incredible on you.”

“Thank you.” Cheeks flushing from the compliment, I hurried over to him and accepted the glass. I took a sip, relishing the sweetness as I rolled it around my mouth. “Mmm. It’s nice. And… what’s that word? The way it feels.”

“Fizzy.” Sebastian smiled, eyes dancing over my face as I took another sip. “It’s carbonated. That’s why it’s got all the bubbles.”

“Hmm. I don’t know why, but it works.”

He motioned to the sofa. “Take a seat. We’ll leave as soon as we’re finished.”

I sank onto the closest seat, right next to the beautiful new coat he’d purchased for me, and took a big gulp of the Coke. I liked it, but I wanted it gone as fast as possible, because I was so excited about traveling to a city. The anticipation was twisting my stomach into knots and making my heart race.

“How are you feeling?” Sebastian asked, staring down at me.

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