He pulled out carefully, the warmth of him withdrawing inch by inch, then sat back on the couch, one hand still hooked under my thigh, gaze fixed between my legs, lips parted.
Heat spread up my already flushed neck, and I nudged him lightly with my knee, smirking. “Pervert.”
Sebastian grinned, still catching his breath. “I’m getting something to clean you up.”
“We’ve talked about this.”
“I know,” he said easily, already moving to stand. “But I want you in my bed. Clean first.” He gave my thigh a light slap on his way past.
I winced. “Neat freak.”
“You’ll appreciate that when we’re living together.”
He walked away, leaving me staring after him. Someone had abducted the real Sebastian Langley. That—or I’d definitively broken the commitment-phobe.
“Why the smug smile?” he asked as he came back, a damp cloth in hand.
“Oh, nothing,” I said. “Just thinking about you.”
He arched a brow, unconvinced, as he sat beside me and dragged the warm cloth over my stomach. I watched him as he cleaned me—over my cock, between my cheeks—careful even when his touch was firm. The low light caught the glint of the necklace at his throat.
“Come on,” he said when he was done. “Up.”
I followed him into his room on shaky legs, taking in the unfamiliar space. The bed was big, softer-looking than the one in New York, piled with inviting covers and pillows. Everything was done in deep, earthy tones, the walls finished with the same elegant trim framing the living room. Double-paneled doors stood shut against the cold, glass panes reflecting the city lights beyond the small iron-fenced balcony.
My attention snagged on the bookshelves. Fantasy. Rows of it. Well-worn spines, familiar titles I recognized because he’d mentioned them before—books he loved, worlds he disappeared into. It made me smile to myself. This place looked like him.
I sat on the bed facing the view outside while Sebastian stood in front of me, still beautifully bare as I held his gaze.
“What?” he asked, thumb grazing my cheek.
I pressed my lips together, failing to hide my smile. “Would you bring the box in?”
He didn’t try to hide his own as he nodded.
I dropped back onto the bed—it was as comfortable as it looked—and pulled the covers up.
When Sebastian returned, he opened the box and set it on the nightstand before climbing in behind me. I turned onto my side, facing it as he curled close, an arm settling around my waist.
There it was—a simple gold band carrying so much weight.
“You’re not allowed to ask, by the way,” I said. “We haven’t even been in a real relationship yet. You might hate the way I don’t organize my socks by color.”
His arm tightened around me as his quiet laugh warmed the back of my neck. “I can wait.” A quick kiss landed on my nape. “But you should consider moving in. I’ll brief you on closet protocol.”
I nudged him with my elbow. “Don’t joke about that.”
“I’m not.” He played with the medallion hanging over my chest, twirling it in his fingers. “It’s not a joke. I meant what I said. I want everything, and I don’t want to wait.”
My eyes stayed fixed on the reflection of lamplight over the gold, letting that sink in. “Maybe.” It wasn’t exactly a small step, and you were supposed to think these things through. No matter how loudly my heart was screamingyes. “Depends on the amenities.”
Sebastian hummed behind me. His warmth surrounded me, the steady rise and fall of his chest at my back making everything feel… right.
“So what was the plan?” I adjusted myself, settling more comfortably against him. “When was all this supposed to happen?”
“When you were twenty-five.”
“Of course,” I said dryly. “Because I’d be infinitely more mature in a year.”
