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“But it’s just past high noon,” I protest, turning in place to look at him—really looking at him. It’s like he just stepped out of the gauntlet.
His hair is soaked. I’m not sure if it’s from sweat or water. Random red streaks stand out against his white button-up, and his hands are covered in dried blood. Splatter paints his neck and jaw, and in some places, it’s smeared into crimson streaks.
What happened out there?
There’s a reason he teleported me directly to his front door and didn’t let me see through his shadows. Something happened on that deck that he didn’t want me to see. The witch had used the druid’s magic to cause chaos… Did she turn them on each other?
Oddly enough, after everything that’s transpired, I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to go back to my room. I’m not sure sleep is in the cards for me, but being near him helps. It might be the last moment alone with him that I get, considering Lorian could wake and reveal my deepest, darkest secret.
Sebastian studies me for a long moment, eyes softening. “Alright, that’s enough worrying for one day.” His voice is gentle, his hands even more so as he guides me to his bed. “Even if you can handle more worrying, I don’t think I can. So, please… If nothing else, try to get some rest for me. You can take a bath if you want, but I’ll stay with you as long as you want to.”
“What about your men?” I ask, letting my hand glide over the fur blanket.
“They’ll manage. Everyone has been through hell, but I’m not worried about everyone, at least not as much as I am you.”
His back is to me when I turn around, shocked by the implication of his words. Shrugging the shirt off his shoulders, he opens a panel in the wall and grabs out clean clothes. Something flies in the air, and I catch it out of instinct, turning the soft fabric over in my hands.
“For you,” he says, grabbing a wet rag to start scrubbing the blood from his hands. “I can grab some of the things from your room if you prefer it.”
“No… This is fine, thank you.” I watch him in awe as he scrubs himself clean. He dips his head into a bucket of water, lifting to let the red-tinged stream run into the bathtub. Clean water drips from the rag as he swipes it over his skin, and droplets roll down his body, saturating the waistband of his pants, slung lower around his hips.
His stormy green eyes meet mine. “Are you going to put it on?”
“Are you going to turn around?” I shoot back.
His eyebrows disappear beneath the soft waves of his hair. “I’m pretty sure that’s a moot point by now, don’t you think?” A wolfish smile takes over his lips, but he finishes up, then holds his hands in the air like he’s surrendering to the enemy, giving me his back. “Your wish is my command.”
“Thank you,” I say, making quick work of the buttons of my shirt and keeping my back toward the wall. A feeling washes over me, making my skin prickle like someone is watching me. I glance up to find him peeking in the reflection of the cabinet windows. “Eyes down.”
His smirk grows wider, but he obeys all the same. “I sort of like it when you’re bossy.”
My cheeks flame as the shirt drops from my body and I slip the new one over my head. Of course, he’d find a way to make a moment like this a chance for him to flirt.
Standing up to slip off my pants. The shirt makes a nightgown, coming down to my knees. “Do you flirt with all the pretty girls this hard?”
He turns, his eyes taking their sweet time, traveling down my body. “No.”
I’m not sure what answer I expected, but I do know that one didn’t make it any easier. It’s impossible to fight the smirk that pulls at the corners of my mouth, and he doesn’t miss it. Heat floods through me, swirling in my middle. I try to push the sensation from my mind, but Sebastian steps closer, and the feeling intensifies.
He stops in front of me, reaching up to twirl a lock of my hair around his finger. “You like it when I flirt, and it’s precisely why I do it.”
Still wrapped in my hair, he tilts my chin. Stormy green eyes search mine as he moves closer until they flutter shut. I shouldn’t kiss him… Honestly, I should be trying to figure out a way off this ship, but I don’t think death itself could force me to move. Lorian could wake at any moment. Sebastian will know and it could be my undoing, but all I want is to kiss him. All I can think about is the feel of his lips on mine, his hands on my body, the smell of his cologne, and the way he tastes of fairy wine.
Rising onto my tippy toes, I kiss him, not wanting to wait another moment. His lips claim mine, his hands diving into my hair, pulling me closer. Everything falls away — the world around us, the sounds, the distractions. There’s nothing but him and me, no pirate ships, no witches, no marks, no wars on the horizon.
My hands slide down his chest, feeling the wetness of his skin. He’s so warm… and his skin is so smooth. You’d think it’d be rough. Every other part of him is. His personality. His attitude. The way he carries himself could strike fear into a man alone. The stubble on his jaw brushes against my skin as he leans in closer, his breath mingling with mine. My pulse quickens as the hand he’s placed on my hip tightens its grip possessively, and the world seems to tilt on its axis.
The kiss is soft, yet demanding, and our lips move in sync, every brush and caress sending sparks of electricity down my spine. Then it’s over all too soon…
Sebastian pulls back, resting his forehead against mine. He strokes his thumb over my bottom lip, cupping my face in the palm of his hand. A groan escapes his throat as he bends to place another quick kiss on my lips. “There are so many things I want to do right now… How do you do this to me?” He shakes his head gently. “I know I should let you sleep, that you need to, but if you keep kissing me like that…” He takes a step back, flexing his hands until the veins of his forearms rise to the surface.
Searching his eyes, my lips twitch up at the corner. “Ever the gentleman.”
He swallows hard but doesn’t move or look away. “Trust me, princess, that’s the last thing I want to be.”
I pull back the bedding and slip beneath the covers, and finally, Sebastian moves. He continues to move about the room, cleaning himself up before sliding into bed beside me. Looping his arm around my middle, he clutches me against his side. My head rests above his heart, and the steady thrum beats in my ear. The heat of his body seeps into mine, and my eyes drift shut, surrendering to the darkness that threatens to pull me under.
Whatever happens when Lorian wakes can’t wait. For now, I’ll savor this moment and hope the fates act in my favor.
