His self-confident swagger rubs me wrong. Always has. He wears a smug grin ninety-nine percent of the time, and he makes certain he knows what’s going on in everyone’s life. Sebastian and I have never seen eye to eye. Maybe because I say more mean comments to Rose than nice ones. He thinks I’m an asshole.
I am.
And he has full right to dislike me. I’ll give him that.
I guide Lily over to a small breakfast table and sit on the chair, bringing her on my lap. She opens her mouth, probably about to ask when we’re going to have sex, but she shuts her lips and blushes.
Before rehab, this is when I’d tease her. Run my hand down her thigh and watch her breath catch. It takes every ounce of strength to shake my head. Her eyes widen in slight horror, but I press a kiss to her temple.
I want to distract her from sex, so I ask, “Anything good on TV?”
“I tapedEarth’s Mightiest Heroeswhile you were in rehab,” she says softly. “It’s pretty good, but they make Captain America look kinda weak.”
I smile. “Spoiler alert?”
“No, he wimps out early on.” She seems to relax, which makesmerelax.
“How was the meeting?” Sebastian asks Rose, a lit cigarette burning between two fingers.
“The meeting was fine,” she says. “The menswear collection just shipped, so everyone was excited.” When she turns to him, she spots the cigarette between his fingers, her eyes narrowing. With Connor’s vase still clenched in her hand, she plucks the cigarette from Sebastian. “Outside only.” She snuffs it in the sink and makes no other comment about it.
He gets away with more shit than any other guy in Rose’s life.
Lily resituates herself on my lap, straddling me on the chair all of a sudden. Fuck.
It’s the middle of the day. We shouldn’t have sex. It’s not considered the norm. I remind myself of all the reasons why this can’t happen. Not to mention Rose and Sebastian are halfway across the kitchen from us.
“How’s tutoring going?” Rose turns to Lily at this. She’s trying to delay what I think is the inevitable—my cock in Lily, her body and mind appeased, coming with a blissful high.
Lily points to her chest, flushed. “Oh, me?”
Rose gives her a look—one that tells her to relocate her common sense. Lily tucks her hair behind her ear and sits up a little from my chest. Progress, yes. But I can’t move my hands from her thighs. I’m afraid she’ll freak out by the lack of touch.
“I know why people call the class Stats and not Stat now.” She flashes a strained smile, hoping that’s enough for Rose.
“She’s doing fairly well,” Sebastian says nonchalantly. But his gaze descends to the vase between Rose’s fingers. He grabs the clear glass. “Is this crystal?”
“Yes,” Rose says tiredly. She pulls her glossy brown hair into a sleek pony.
Sebastian pauses for a second, and I realize Lily is entrapped with the scene, watching with more interest than she normally would have.
I squeeze her leg and lean forward to whisper in her ear, “What’s going on?”
But Sebastian speaks, cutting off any chance for Lily to reply. “Where are the flowers?”
“Dead.”
Sebastian opens a cupboard and slides out the trash.
“What are you doing?” Rose asks, her pitch spiking.
“He really expects to win you back withflowers. Come on, Rose.” Huh, I’m surprised Rose felt comfortable enough to share intimate details of her fight withSebastian.I just didn’t think she opened up her frigid gates to anyone.
Rose stares questioningly at the vase in Sebastian’s hand, considering trashing Connor’s present.
Oh fuck that. “It’s crystal,” I remind her.
“Yeah,” Lily adds.
