Four words that could change everything or leave it exactly the same.
I get up and pace my room before I stop, leaning on my windowsill, staring at the square of bright light coming from her room.
“What did you see?” I repeat the question to myself.
I can tell her, or I can feign ignorance, and we can continue in denial.
Except seeing her in my T-shirt and my jumper…I don’t want to live in denial anymore.
I go to my computer and send an email back with a single word.
Everything.
Chapter 9
Cordelia
Everything.
He saw everything.
He knows.
I double over, breathing hard and struggling not to freak out. When that doesn’t help, I drag his jumper up to my eyes, breathing in the delicious scent of him and remembering the sound of that purr.
Another email comes through, and I stare at the words written there for the longest time before I snatch up my phone and dial his number.
“What do you mean you have known since the first time I contacted you?”
“Well, you weren’t very discreet. Of course, I knew it was you.”
“But you said-”
“You wanted to pretend we didn’t know each other, and this was a huge secret.”
“But you’ve been drawing all my work all this time,” I wail, and honestly, I’m so grateful I’m home alone right now.
“Yeah, and I’ve read your books.”
I sit down heavily, struggling to breathe. “You read my books?” My voice is tiny. I think I might actually pass out.
“Of course, I did; I did the covers, didn’t I?”
There’s a long pause that feels charged.
“So, now what?”
Sebastian goes quiet. “I want something, and I don’t know if you can give it, but I want you to think about it.”
“Okay,” I say warily.
“We’ve got to go on these dates, but what I want is that we actually try this, like, actually date. I don’t want to just be frenemies with you anymore.”
“Like, actually dating? Like real?” I squeak.
“Yeah. Like you and me, and them, and actually dating. I like being your secret friend and flirting with you, but I think I’d like to date you more.”
I wheeze. Am I dreaming? Did I fall asleep at the computer? My body tingles and it’s hard to think.
