Page 81 of Don't Fall in Love

“Come on, let’s get your hair dry and get into bed.”

Her eyes drop to my arms as she says, “I hope you didn’t do an arm workout today.”

My brow furrows as I look at my arms, flexing my biceps. “Why?”

She moves to her bag that sits on the bench at the end of the bed. Unzipping it, she pulls out her hairdryer and some hair products before handing them to me.

She smirks up at me. “You’ll find out.”

It takes us nearly two hours to dry and style her hair. And although it gave me a workout I wasn't expecting, it was two hours of laughter, stolen kisses, and heated looks filled with promises of what was to come.

It’s going to take time for me to open up to her fully, but even sharing what I did today is more than I’ve shared with anyone before. I’m starting to realize that Alex is really someone special that I could build a life with.

TWENTY-FIVE

Alex

Over the last five weeks, Sebastian and I have fallen into a routine. He’s been attentive and going above and beyond what I ever would have expected from him. It’s the best relationship I’ve ever been in. Because that’s what this is; a relationship. No matter how much I try to fight against falling more in love with him everyday, I have failed. Miserably.

He even has a key now. I mean, it made sense at the time, and so I went out the day after he’d suggested it. Now he just lets himself into my apartment when he comes over after work. He stays here nearly every night. When he’s done with work, he lets himself in and climbs into bed. He pulls me into his arms and tells me how much he’s missed me. At least that’s what he’s done the handful of times I’ve pretended to be asleep when he comes in. That’s the other thing. Sometimes, I can’t sleep without him.

He gets mad when I take off his ring, and on more than one occasion he’s bent me over the back of the couch and spanked me. It was thrilling, and after the first time, I started to do it on purpose because it always leads to explosive, can’t get enough of him, sex. I don’t think he minds.

It’s Saturday morning and we’re lounging on the couch, my head resting on Sebastian's thigh as I read a book, when his phone rings, breaking through the silence. He pulls off his reading glasses, as he puts down the documents he’s been working on. I sit up, ready to give him some privacy.

He picks up his phone from the console table next to the couch.

“It’s George Bennett,” he murmurs, before swiping to answer the call and putting it on loudspeaker.

“George, it’s good to hear from you, how is the family?”

My head tips to the side at the way he’s just said that. It was… fake. I’ve been around Sebastian when he’s made a lot of calls and none of them have had him using this almost too nice tone of voice. I study him as the call continues.

“Hi Sebastian, the family is doing well, thank you.” A note of concern enters George’s voice as he says, “I haven’t heard from you in a while. How are you and Alex?”

My brows lift. He hasn’t heard from Sebastian in a while?

His gaze flicks over to me, and he rests his hand on my thigh before he continues, “I’m great, thanks. Alex is doing much better than the last time you saw her. The cast was taken off the other day and she’s been back at work for a few weeks now.”

“Oh that’s fantastic to hear.” George pauses for a moment and I imagine him and Miriam exchanging glances as he continues.

“Miriam and I are going to be visiting the city soon. We would really like to take you and Alex out for dinner, as an apology of sorts, but also to discuss Sanctuary. I know we said we could look at transferring ownership after your wedding, but as you don’t know when that’s going to happen, especially after the accident, let’s talk about it when we come. I’m rambling now, but let’s talk when we visit in a couple of weeks.”

Sebastian looks over at me, then down at his phone. I know what he’s about to do. Even if he didn’t have the look of resignation that’s currently on his handsome face, I’d know.

“Look, George, there’s something I have to tell you.” He leans back, resting his head on the back of the couch.

I watch as his chest rises and falls, as if he’s trying to find the courage to come clean.

The words form on my tongue before my mind has time to catch up. “We actually already got married, George,” I blurt out, a flush of adrenaline tingling through my body as I realize I can’t take that back.

Sebastian’s gone above and beyond, looking after me when he doesn't have to. I want to see him happy. I’d do anything to make that happen. Even going so far as to bring our lie up a notch.

Sebastian’s eyes widen as he mouths ‘what the fuck, Alex?’.

I sit taller, facing him as my shoulder lifts in a shrug, trying to play it off as nothing.

George cuts through the silence as he gleefully says, “Wow, that is wonderful. When did that happen?”

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