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“Nothing about you is a joke to me. I will be your last.”
She wanted to believe that. Still, she found her brow knitting and a small frown plied her lips. Sebastian lifted his head off the pillows, his expression questioning in the shadows.
“What?” he asked.
“I want that to be true so bad, but what if things don’t work out? What if you get tired of me? People promise each other forever all the time, but that rarely happens anymore.”
A sigh lifted his chest, and his arms tightened around her in a reassuring squeeze. “I’m not going to get tired of you, Taylor. That’s them not us. We will make it work. Now stop questioning me and get some sleep.”
“Yes, Sebastian,” she murmured, stretching against him with a sleepy yawn. “Thank you for everything.”
“Taylor…”
She giggled at the slight hint of warning in his voice. Pressing closer, she snuggled against him and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. “Sleeping.”
Morning came far too early. It had been hard to pry herself away from the comfortable haven of Sebastian’s bed, and harder still to resist the allure of a hot shower. Her body ached, the soreness branching through places of her she hadn’t even known existed until last night. Taylor’s cheeks warmed with the thought as she rummaged through the fridge. The feel of him, the smell of him still lingered on her body like a brand. She’d paused several times while making coffee just to savor the moment and breathe in his scent.
She kept the door propped open with her hip and rummaged through the shelves and bins. The sudden glide of hands roaming up her shirt startled her, and she jerked back with a yelp. Sebastian’s soft chuckle washed over her, and she sagged with relief, almost melting as his warm lips brushed across her nape.
“Good morning,” he whispered.
“Good morning to you too,” she giggled. “You scared the crap out of me!”
He kissed the side of her neck, smiling against her skin. “Years of training have taught me to move undetected and be light on my feet.”
“I’d say it’s a skill you’ve perfected.”
“You’re up early,” he stated, wrapping his arms around her and pressing against her back. Taylor blushed as he ground against her and his erection prodded her bottom. “I was disappointed when you weren’t in my bed.”
“I wanted to make you breakfast.” She gasped, closing her eyes as one hand moved to knead her breast and the other dipped between her thighs. Her breath left her in a shaky quiver and she rocked involuntarily against his hand. Catching herself, Taylor cleared her throat and tugged out of his embrace. “The coffee is ready. Do you want me to make you some bacon and eggs?”
Sebastian pulled her away from the fridge with a slow shake of his head. Grabbing her, he gathered her against him and lifted her up to set her on the edge of the counter. “All I want is you.”
Taylor giggled and ran her hands through his dark golden curls, mussing them in a playful tousle. Scrunching up her nose, she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “As wonderful as that sounds, it’s only going to fill one of us up.”
His throaty laugh flooded the kitchen. “I’m okay with that.”
“Can I take a rain check?”
Confusion flickered across his face, easing the boyish smile. “What’s wrong with now?”
She kissed the tip of his nose and smiled. “Nothing, I just don’t have much time and I really wanted to feed you before I left for work.”
Sebastian braced his hands on either side of her, his shoulders slumping with a sigh before he lifted his gaze to hers. “You’ve been through a lot in the past two days. I’m sure they will understand you taking a few days off.”
“I know, but it’s our busy season. I don’t want to leave anyone hanging. I feel bad enough not showing up yesterday as it is. Besides, I could really use the money.”
Nodding, he straightened. “They’ll make it. Give yourself a break, Taylor.”
She chewed her lip for a long moment and shrugged. “Okay. You’re right. I could use some time to pack up the rest of my things.”
“I’m always right,” he said, tipping her chin and stealing a quick kiss. “We’ll swing by together and grab the remainder of your clothes and whatever personal affects you want to keep. The rest can stay.”
“I don’t know what else you have going on today, but I was hoping to look around and find a safer place in my price range. Maybe you could help. It’s sweet of you to let me stay here, but I don’t want to be a burden or overstay my welcome.”
Sebastian’s shoulders shook with a silent laugh. Lifting his head, he pinned her with an incredulous stare. “Let you? Taylor, I want you to stay. I didn’t bring you home to spend a night or two just so you could turn around and leave. Stay with me. I’ll give you whatever you want or need. I will take care of you.”
He sounded so sincere, so genuine. His generosity was almost too much to bear. Shaking her head, she blinked against the burn building in her eyes. “I don’t need you to take care of me, Sebastian. I can take care of myself.”
“I know that and I respect it, but that’s not the point, Taylor. I want to.”
She lowered her gaze. “I’m not going to win this argument, am I?”
His fingers wrapped around her chin and she shivered as his intense green stare probed hers. “No. Trust me and let it happen.”
Laying her hand over his, she turned and kissed his palm. There was no point in fighting just to prove a point. Truth was, she wanted to be with him, and if Sebastian was being honest and not just gracious, rebellion was pointless. He had a way, an unspoken manner that assured he was a man who got what he wanted. Besides, she had no desire to see the harsh lines of displeasure stamp his face again. Last night was still fresh in her mind, and her mother had always warned her to choose her battles with a man wisely. Standing her ground when he was attempting to offer her his world on a silver platter wouldn’t just be offensive; it would be akin to slapping him in the face.
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll give it a go.”
“Yeah?” he asked.
She nodded, grinning as he cupped her cheeks. “Yes, but on one condition.”
“I’m not one to negotiate, but let’s hear what you got.”
“I want you to stop procrastinating and tell me what you want for breakfast.”
An evil grin split his face, and Sebastian’s low chuckle echoed through the kitchen. Taylor squealed as he swept her off the counter and delivered a stinging swat to her upturned ass. Giggling, she writhed on his shoulder in an attempt to escape and diffuse the burn.
“You really do need to listen better,” he chided, striding towards the living room to dump her on the couch. A lusty gleam ignited his eyes as he sprawled over top of her and pinned her against the cool leather. “I already told you what I wanted, and I’ve waited long enough.”
They’d barely finished when the doorbell chimed through the entire house, startling her. Sebastian dropped his sweaty forehead against hers, still panting as he issued a dry laugh and struggled to roll to his feet. Grabbing his clothes off the floor, he quickly yanked them on and issued her a look of soft regret while attempting to rake his damp curls into some semblance of order. It was hopeless; they remained in wild mop of disarray, prompting Taylor to giggle. Stooping, he tossed her the torn remnants of her clothing and nodded toward the stairs off the kitchen.
“Go clean up and get dressed.”
“I don’t think I can move,” she mumbled, flinging her arm over her head in protest.
“And I don’t think I want anyone else seeing you naked. Move it,” he warned heading toward the foyer.
Taylor sighed, sagging deeper into the plush leather. A smile curled her lips, and she couldn’t help but giggle as she shifted against the damp furniture. Hopefully, their guests would choose a different place to sit. Sebastian’s voice carried a warning as he called her name from the hall. Groaning, she fought against the exh
austed pull of her limbs. Everything hurt. There didn’t seem to be an inch of her body that didn’t ache or throb with refusal. Her legs wobbled when she stood, forcing her to reach out and steady herself against the back of the couch. Hearing the deadbolt on the front door gave her the extra dose of adrenaline she needed and, squeaking, Taylor darted for the staircase just in time to hear a man’s voice filter through the downstairs.
