Page 46 of Closer

She blows out a breath. “But I’m warning you. One wrong move, and I’m gone.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” I gesture for her to go ahead. “After you.”

A flush creeps up her neck, and she walks on.

Second win of the day.

I follow her to our room, swiping the key card. The door swings open to reveal a massive suite with plush fabrics and sleek modern lines. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a stunning view of the mountains, and the setting sun paints the sky in streaks of orange and pink.

But the real showstopper is the bed. The enormous, king-sized bed draped in crisp white linens. The bed we’ll be sharing for the next two nights.

She moves to the window, taking in the view. “It is beautiful. Anne didn’t lie.”

I set our bags down and step up behind her, close enough to feel the heat of her body. “Not as beautiful as you.”

She meets my gaze in the reflection, her cheeks pinkening. “Sebastian.”

“First date, princess, you have to endure all my bad pickup lines.” I skim my hands down her arms. “Now, what do you say we get this weekend started?” It’s nice to be able to touch her like this.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, we’ve got a couple’s massage booked in about…” I check my watch. “Twenty minutes. Think you can be ready by then?”

“A couple’s massage? Seriously? I thought you were joking.”

“Figured we could both use a little relaxation.”

Lil purses her lips. “Fine. Uhm, are there robes somewhere?”

I gesture to the closet. “Robes are in there. Unless you’d prefer to go au naturel.”

She rolls her eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile tugging at her lips as she disappears into the closet, emerging a moment later with a plush robe and tossing one at me.

“You wish,” she says.

I shrug out of my shirt.

Her gaze lingers on my bare chest for a beat too long before she turns away, busying herself with her suitcase. Too late, princess. She gathers her hair into a messy bun, exposing the delicate curve of her neck.

Fuck, I want to press my lips there, to feel her pulse jump beneath my tongue. This is going to be a real test of my restraint, and we’re not even at the stage of her naked and slick with oil. But I can do this. I can keep things platonic and let Lil set the pace.

Even if it kills me.

I slip into the robe. “Ready?”

She nods, not quite meeting my eyes. “Lead the way.”

We head down to the spa, the silence stretching between us. It’s not uncomfortable, exactly, but charged. Like the air before a storm.

The massage room is bathed in flickering candlelight, with soft music you’d hear in a yoga studio setting a calm atmosphere. Two tables sit side by side, crisp sheets stretched taut. The scent of lavender and sandalwood hangs heavy, soothing, and sensual all at once.

The masseuses, a man and woman in matching white uniforms, greet us.

“Welcome. Please disrobe and lie face down on the tables. We’ll give you a moment of privacy before we begin.”

They slip out, leaving us alone. I shrug out of my robe without hesitation, draping it over a chair. She keeps her back to me, clutching her own robe tightly.

“Don’t worry, princess. I promise not to look.” I climb onto my table, stretching out on my stomach. “See? Perfect gentleman.”

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