“Why are you doing this for me?”
The question slips out before I can stop it. My head feels much clearer now that I’ve eaten and the steam from the bath has loosened the tension in my chest. A clear mind only makes the situation feel more surreal. Sebastian Vale is still kneeling beside my bathtub like this is exactly where he belongs.
His green eyes lift to mine.
“Because I want to,” he says simply. The words come out clipped, like he’s restraining something much bigger behind them. “Because you’re important to me.”
My breath catches.
He reaches for me again, his large hand cradling my cheek as his thumb brushes slowly across my skin. His gaze moves across my face like he’s studying every feature, like he’s committing me to his memory.
“You’re exactly like I imagined,” he murmurs.
The words make my stomach flip.
“What does that?—”
I don’t get to finish the question because Sebastian leans down, his mouth brushing softly against mine.
The contact is so gentle at first that for a second I think I might be imagining it. My lips part in surprise as warmth rushes through my chest.
He exhales against my mouth, a quiet groan slipping from him like the contact affects him just as much as it does me.
When he kisses me again, it’s deeper this time.
My heart begins pounding so hard that I feel it in my throat, and I wonder if he can feel it too. Instinct takes over before I can think about what I’m doing. My arms slide around his neck as Ilean forward toward him, the warm water sloshing softly around me.
Sebastian’s hands slide up along my sides, steadying me as he pulls me closer. The kiss deepens slowly, unhurried but intense enough that my head spins.
I’ve never been kissed before.
Not like this.
Not at all.
A startled sound escapes me when our teeth bump slightly, and Sebastian stills instantly.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt out breathlessly. “Did I…did I mess that up? I’ve never…”
The words tangle together in my mouth, and I’m so frustrated that I want to scream at him to kiss me again. I want a do-over.
Sebastian presses his forehead gently against mine. “You didn’t mess up anything,” he says quietly. “You did everything perfect.”
His thumb brushes my cheek again before he huffs out a low breath. “That was my first kiss too,” he adds, his voice rough.
My eyes widen. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not.” He leans back slightly, running a hand through his dark hair as if he’s trying to regain some control over himself.
“I’m just glad I’m wearing dark jeans right now,” he says, and it takes my brain a second to process what he means.
Then heat floods my entire face. I pull back just enough to look at him properly, searching his expression to see if he’s teasing me, but Sebastian looks completely serious. Before I can even begin to respond, I hear the front door open and a loud voice echoes from somewhere out in the living room.
“Aww, Mom and Dad,” Jeremy calls teasingly. “Can’t we all just get along?”
I hear Juniper and Kalen bickering in lower voices, their words overlapping as they argue about something I can’t quite make out.
Sebastian rolls his eyes, and I can’t help but think how cute he looks when he’s annoyed.
