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“I still don’t like it,” Dominic grumbled.
“What you really need is to get out of town,” Daisy said, sitting on the armrest next to me. “Wasn’t there some guy who bought your paintings that offered his place?”
I shook my head. “I got a bad feeling from him when we went to coffee.”
Dominic shot to his feet. “Then you’re definitely not staying with him.”
“Simmer down, big Bro. I can handle myself just fine. I’ll get a rental house somewhere outside of the city. I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks now and I’m thinking it’s the only way I’m going to get back to painting again. I can’t keep pushing Deliliah away. She’s checking in on me every day asking about my progress.”
Dominic crossed his arms. “Ask for an extension.”
“I can’t ask for an extension the first time someone trusts me to do a job. Nobody would take me seriously. I don’t want to play the privileged princess card.”
Sebastian shifted in his seat, oddly quiet. I glanced at him and found him observing all of us. I watched as he rubbed a hand against his five o'clock shadow. “You can stay with me.”
That idea never even entered the realm of possibilities.
“No,” I said firmly.
Just as my brother said, “Yes. Good idea.”
I tucked my legs underneath me, curling up into a ball on the couch. “I don’t know Sebastian,” I told my brother, before adding a “no offense,” in Sebastian’s direction.
My brother frowned. “You do know Sebastian. You’ve met him a dozen times.”
True. And each of those times the man had been cold as ice to me. Although, at this very moment he seemed to be radiating heat from his seat, his brown eyes piercing as he observed me.
It felt surreal having him in my house. When I closed my eyes at night, I could sometimes see him there, our interactions playing like a movie montage in my head. His strong jaw, his wide shoulders.
I wondered for the millionth time if it was him I saw at the club the other night. What were the chances of seeing him two times in the span of a week when we usually averaged once a year?
And how on Earth did that man manage to take up as much space as he did?
“This is the solution to our problem,” Dominic continued, assertive as ever.
Luckily, I wasn’t intimidated by bossy billionaires. “Our problem? Don’t you mean my problem?”
“Your problems are my problems,” Dominic said, gesturing between us.
I needed a distraction. “Daisy, how’s that pie coming along?”
“You and your pie,” Daisy mumbled before getting up and heading toward the kitchen. I heard the telltale sign of a knife slicing its way through the crust.
At this point Sebastian was now standing and whispering to my brother. I needed a minute and a refill, so I jumped up from the couch. “I’ll help.”
Sure enough, my gorgeous friend had managed to make a dent in the frozen brick of chocolate and whipped cream. As she worked her magic, I unstacked the plates, grabbing two more since the guys decided to crash our ladies’ night.
I’d managed to refresh my drink by the time Daisy plated the slices of pie.
“I’ll help take those to the guys, even though they shouldn’t assume I’m some Disney princess that needs saving. I can handle this myself.” I lifted two plates and headed to the living room.
Dominic was closer, so I handed him his pie first before reaching out to Sebastian. I intentionally tried to keep my distance from the man, but it didn’t work. His hand brushed mine and even though it was just the slightest touch, it sent me reeling.
His throat bobbed, and the movement entranced me. For a second I just stared at him. He really was too handsome for his own good.
“Faith?” Daisy asked from behind me, bringing me back to the present. I took the proffered piece of pie and settled back into my spot on the couch.
For a few glorious minutes we ate in peace. I reveled in the little victory.
