“What?” Zac leaned in, his brow wrinkled with confusion.
“My sister. It took her less than a minute to find a bloke to snog at midnight.”
He snickered. “That’s like Harry. The guy is charmed.”
I snorted because I didn’t know how. Harry had all the subtlety of a battering ram, but I guessed some girls liked that sort of thing. “Where’s Sebastian?”
Zac wouldn’t meet my eyes as he took a swig of beer.
My gut knotted. “Well?”
He glanced at me before searching the room. “He was introducing some girl around.”
The beer I’d sipped sat unpleasantly in my belly. Before I could find an airy response to the implication in this information, Sebastian’s bedroom door opened, and he stepped out.
He was accompanied by a tall, beautiful strawberry blond. She was dazzling. As tall as Sebastian in her glittering heeled sandals. Her dress was sophisticated and sexy at the same time. Modest neckline with bell sleeves, but a mini-miniskirt and cutouts at the waist so everyone could see her torso and waistline were as toned as her long, long legs.
Thankfully, neither of them appeared disheveled and her lipstick was still firmly in place.
That didn’t alleviate the crushing sensation pressing on my chest.
I wanted to burst into loud, messy tears.
I wanted to leave. Immediately.
“Lily!” Sebastian’s voice boomed over the music seconds before he crossed the crowded room. His arms came around meas he embraced me tightly, lifting me off my feet a little. “Christ, I missed you.” His words were growly and full of sincerity.
His welcome made me want to cry even more.
Instead, I pulled out of his embrace and explained hurriedly, “Don’t want to spill my beer all over you.”
Sebastian’s hand lingered on my waist, so I stepped back, bumping into Zac who stayed put, like a supportive wall.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Then he grabbed my free hand, apparently forgetting about the strawberry blond at his side. “Come with me.”
Discombobulated, I let him tug me toward the exit. I caught January’s eye as I passed the kitchen, but she merely grinned evilly at my silent plea for help. Sebastian’s hand was strong and warm in mine, his fingers flexing in tight wee squeezes as he guided me out of the apartment and into the quiet hallway.
I took a fortifying swig of beer as he turned to face me, dropping my free hand. His gaze swept down my body and back up again. The little flush high on his cheeks wasn’t my imagination, nor was the way his eyes lingered on my breasts before he swallowed hard and looked back into the flat.
“What’s up?”
Sebastian turned to me, those startling eyes roaming my face. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I missed you.”
“Aye, it’s … been a while,” I repeated stupidly, my smile tight as I refused to say I missed him back.
I needed my boundaries, after all.
Especially if he was going to be coming out of his bedroom with gorgeous blonds. Or redheads. Or whatever strawberry blond was categorized as. It didn’t matter. All females in Sebastian’s bedroom made me want to pour my beer over the top of his perfectly formed head.
Sebastian frowned, searching my face. Then he stared fixedly at my cleavage again. I scowled until I realized he wasn’t ogling me.
He was looking for something.
The necklace.
I stiffened.
He was looking for the lily necklace he gave me.
