Page 40 of The Betrothal

Another grunt and a pause before he replied. “I only picked a few that you might like.”

The creak of someone descending the stairs interrupted my shock, and Ben punctuated the conversation, Alex and I falling into a sort of cease-fire.

He began collecting items from the cupboard, but at a glacial rate. He picked up bread only to return it, then grabbed eggs, then replaced them. He then searched the fridge before pausing. His shoulders were raised slightly, his jaw worked left and right with each selection.

“Cereals, Ben?”

Ben’s shoulders sagged, and he sat instantly at the head of the table, not replying. Alex poured a fairly hefty bowl of boring-looking cereal, and Ben began quietly eating as his brother then poured a juice and began speaking with him quietly. Ben nodded slowly, taking one reluctant mouthful after another.

My presence felt invasive, so I rose and placed my items on the counter.

“Please, I want to…” I gestured at the sink, next to where Ben sat. “I will clean this when you’re finished.”

Alex nodded but Ben didn’t reply, and I backed away while sliding the books from the surface, the movement finally catching Ben’s attention, and I retreated to the stairs.

Gathering a few items, I settled on a shower. Towel in hand, another item I was refusing to launder – I could make one towel last. I rounded the bathroom, the steam telling me Seb had recently been there.

Pulling up short as I kicked the door closed, I learned that Seb hadn’t recently been here. He was still here, brushing his teeth at the vanity.

“The door was open!” I defended my presence.

Seb looked up from the sink, rinsing the toothbrush. He dropped it into the cup, never taking his eyes off me. His tongue peeked into the corner of his mouth.

“You’re too late, Killer. If you wanted to join me, you should have said something. I would have waited for you.”

Shit. I was blushing. I could feel it.

“You wish.” Was that breathy? Bloody hell, Izzy.

“Correct.”

I said nothing. My eyes had caught on his body, my brain short-circuiting.

Seb wore a towel, and that was it. That towel couldn’t have been standard size. My attention shifted to the towel in my hand then back to the one wrapped around his waist, pulling open slightly over his thigh. A soft covering of dark hair worked up his long, toned legs. His waist tapered, muscles working from under the waist of the towel up a valley of abs to pecs and then rolling shoulders and biceps.

I was staring.

A small chuckle finally had my attention snapping to his face. Green eyes danced with absolute mischief, his hair sitting shaggy and damp across his forehead.

“Well, a filthy look like that has me feeling all dirty, Killer. Maybe I do need another shower?”

My next breath was a stuttered thing, and he chuckled again, making me blush more.

I’d seen men, enough men not to be embarrassed by an almost naked body. But his body, it was chiselled as if it had been sculpted by one of the greats.

Seb stepped forwards. I remained in place, insufficient control over my brain to generate movement. A drop of water falling from his hair ran from his shoulder, between his chest muscles and downward, slowing over his abs, and I traced its progress.

I wanted to trace it with my tongue.

“Okay.” Seb was close now, close enough that I had to tilt my head up to look into his eyes, the sparkle in the green of his irises darkening. “If you keep looking at me like that…” His fingers were suddenly under my chin, electricity dancing where he touched me. His thumb found my lower lip, pressing down slightly, and I had to fight the urge to trace the tip with my tongue. “Then we won’t even make it to the shower.”

The stunted breath I took didn’t help with the light-headedness coming over me.

I stared, my mouth parted by his thumb as Seb slowly shook his head, his eyes clearing and his hand dropping from my face. He must have read every emotion, because he laughed roguishly at my visible disappointment and left me.

Running the soap over my body, the vanilla and lavender scents absolutely clear but anything but overpowering, I understood why Ben used them. They were soft but clean. Nice.

With the water set to cool, I’d stood with my head under the spray for several minutes after my interaction with Seb, but still my blood ran hot. Really, really hot.