Page 26 of An Acquired Taste

Sebastian stands there, looking heart-attack-inducing in a pinstriped vest and pants. He pauses in the doorway, oddly out of place, even though this is his home. I wonder if he’s regretting his decision to come already. Then his eyes brush over the faces at the table before stopping on mine.

I smile. “Hello, Lord Sebastian.”

He steps inside, stops briefly beside my seat. “Hello, Amelia.”

To my disappointment, he then walks all the way to the opposite end of the table to take his seat. The entire length of the table and all six staff members sit between us. But still… he’shere. I feel a fragile flicker of hope bloom in my chest.

“I’m so glad you joined us,” I call across the table.

The rest of the staff echo the sentiment—except for Bridget, who looks as though on the verge of a fit.

“Lord Sebastian, I had no idea you’d be coming tonight,” she sputters, starting to rise from her seat. “I can go and prepare you a plate—”

“No, no, there’s no need.” Sebastian raises a hand, and she slowly, grudgingly lowers back down. “You know I rarely eat.”

Still, when someone passes over an unused wine glass, Sebastian doesn’t say no. He pours himself before someone else can beat him to it, and then takes out a vial from his pocket. As he adds it to his drink, he looks across the table at me and dips his chin in the slightest nod. I smile back over the rim of my glass.

With the table and staff between us, there isn’t an opportunity to converse more. Yet as Sebastian rises to leave when dessert is served, I turn to him.

“Will you join us again tomorrow?” I ask.

He pauses, glancing at me, and then at the staff who are all awaiting his answer.

“Fine,” he says, and leaves.

It’s a small step… but it’s a step.

Chapter Fourteen

Sebastian continuing to show up at dinner feels like a triumph, at first. He still avoids me the rest of the time, but at least I get to see him now… except that it’s always from the other end of the table, which makes it impossible to have a conversation. He always leaves early, too, preventing any opportunity for me to talk to him. The staff seems eager to speak with him as well, so I don’t want to hog his attention. But after three days of barely more than a “Hello, Amelia,”I decide to move my plate to the seat beside his end of the table.

Then he shows up—late, as usual—and takesmyusual place. Again, at the opposite end of the room. I fume through dinner, glaring daggers at him while spearing bites of steak, but he ignores me while carrying on a quiet conversation with Tobias.

After a week of similar treatment, I’m on the verge of texting Benjamin, begging him to get me out of this contract. Or Alexander, who seems far more eager to give me attention than the vampire who actually chose me. But a stubborn part of me is so determined to figure outwhySebastian insists on treating me like this.

“Lord Sebastian has always been aloof,” Ellen says when I complain to her one evening, seated at my vanity table with her standing behind me. “He treats us well, but he keeps hisdistance. It’s his way. Tobias occasionally draws him out, but Sebastian has known him since Tobias was just a boy.”

She insisted on braiding my hair for me after I fell asleep with it wet and woke up with a bird’s nest atop my head. I couldn’t work up the willpower to say no; even though it’s strange to be doted on like this, it feels so damn relaxing.

“But I’m his valentine.” I sigh, leaning my head back and shutting my eyes. Her fingers running through my hair remind me how long it’s been since anyone last touched me, even non-sexually, and it makes my chest ache with longing. “It’s supposed to be different for me. I don’t understand why he brought me here if he doesn’t want to spend time with me.”

Ellen doesn’t answer for a few seconds. When I open my eyes and peek at her in the mirror, she’s chewing her lip, looking as though she’s debating saying something or not, but after a moment she shakes it off. “Maybe he’s working himself up to it,” she says, and I have the sense it’s not what she first intended to say at all. “It’s been a long while since he was close to anyone. It must be a bit daunting.”

“Daunting forhim?” I ask, brows drawing together in disbelief.

Ellen laughs. She sets the brush aside and bends down beside me, pointing at my image in the mirror. “Who wouldn’t be intimidated by this?”

“Oh, shove it,” I say, blushing.

Ellen’s a hopeless flatterer. But still, it makes me think. If he truly has been alone for such a long time, maybe it’s not coldness that keeps him at a distance. Maybe he doesn’t remember how to act around people.

So I decide to take the initiative. That night at dinner, I’m halfway through my meal when Sebastian finally decides to make an appearance. He nods at me, and then, as always, takes his seat at the opposite end of the table.

But this time, I stand up, grab my plate, and walk over to the empty seat beside him. The conversations go quiet as everyone sees what I’m doing, but I shove down any hint of self-consciousness and slide into the chair to Sebastian’s left. It is a blatantly obvious move, and probably an impolite one, but oh well.

Sebastian sits very still, watching me, and I have a distinct sense that he’s tempted by the thought of leaving the room, all good manners be damned.

“Lord Sebastian,” I say before he has a chance to flee. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

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