AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I feel like a hobo.”
We laugh, but then startle away from one another as the door opens to two women talking. Sebastian jumps away from me so quickly and moves to stand that it was like we got caught making out.
No making out was happening! But that doesn’t mean it didn’t cross my mind a time or two.
“Mom, Quinn, ah . . . did you happen to run into Navie and Gabriel out there?” He’s straightening his shirt, as if he’s wearing a tie.
The older woman laughs. “You know the balcony room above the lobby? They’re both zonked out on the couch up there.” She’s strikingly beautiful, with a tall posture and refined cheekbones, her hair pulled back in a bun at the base of her neck.
“We have photographic proof,” the younger woman says. “He doesn’t know I got pictures, but he did wake up enough to see us there.” She extends a hand to me, swinging her dark, shoulder-length hair. “I’m Quinn. I’m—” She opens her mouth to say more and then shuts it, turning to Sebastian’s mom.
“And I’m Celine, Sebastian’s mom. You must be Elianna.”
I nod. “Sebastian’s assistant, yes.”
Celine smiles warmly. “Don’t let his grouchiness get you down. Once you get to know him, you’ll barely notice it.”
I expect him to protest, but an agonized look crosses his face. “If you two want to take Navie to the lake when she wakes up, I’d be happy to go with you. I can ask Oliver if we can use his rowboat.”
“Trevor at the front desk says housekeeping is almost finished getting your suite ready for us, so I might go lie down for a bit first,” Quinn says. “Besides, I’m sure you’re too busy to take us. We can go ourselves. We just appreciate you letting us crash here.”
“Anytime. And really, I would love to show Navie the lake.” There’s an undercurrent of panic in his expression. “With some help. I don’t know if I could make sure a three-year-old is safe and be able to row at the same time.”
“Oh, I’ll be there,” Quinn says. “And will you come too, Celine? I can’t believe we ended up being here on the same day. Such a nice coincidence.”
“Sure. I’ll go back to my room and rest first, too,” Celine says. “The linens here are even nicer than what I have at home.”
They leave, and Sebastian takes a step closer to me.
“I think it was very kind of you to offer your place to Navie and Quinn,” I tell him.
His gaze rakes over me. He searches my face, and his nearness beckons me to him. His open collar does the same. If I could just brush my fingertip below his Adam’s apple, I think I might be satisfied. For now.
But I don’t. I can’t.
“I feel terrible we don’t have a room for them to stay in. Things are chaotic here at the moment. But it’s the least I could do for them. They’re family.” He nods and juts his bottom lip out. He’s so near me now. It’s subtle, but I feel as if he’s struggling with not touching me as much as I’m having a hard time not touching him.
“What’s on my schedule this afternoon?” he asks. “I’d like to clear it if possible.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you right.” I cup my hand around my ear and lean in even more. “Sounded like you said to clear your schedule, but that can’t possibly be it.” I pull on my earlobe. “I must have cotton in my ears.”
His smile fights to be released. “I was going to invite you on the boat, but after that remark, I’ll just have you stay here and file stuff.”
“You don’t like the way I file, remember?” The last time I put stuff away, he said I did it wrong, placing the papers in the front instead of the back. How was I supposed to know that’s not the way he likes it?
“True. Maybe you should stay and do data entry then.”
Now he’s teasing me?
I drop my head back and gaze at the ceiling. “I’d rather file. Data entry is not for theater geeks like me.”
He laughs but then I remember my place. “But if you really need me to, I will.”
He looks torn, like he’s trying to decide if he should break the wall of professionalism, the lines of which have started to blur.
“I guess someone should stay behind and keep things running around here.”
I can’t decide if I should be glad he feels I’m capable of taking care of things while he’s on the lake, or disappointed he doesn’t want me to join him, even after it was my idea for him to get fresh air in the first place.
