Page 49 of Bid For Me

But then, I remember how he makes me feel. How he’s always on my mind, even when I try to push him away.

I shake the thought off.No. Today is about me.

I get to my apartment, drop my bag off, but there’s no sign of Sebastian as I step back out of my flat into the chilly morning air.

Around me, the city still feels asleep, but the anticipation in my chest keeps me awake, buzzing with uncertainty. I keep telling myself that it’s just a date. Just a simple plan. It’s nothing more than that, even though my heart keeps arguing with me, reminding me how everything between Seb and me feels anything but simple.

The street is quiet, the hum of traffic a distant murmur, as I head toward the corner. I don’t have to wait long before I see him – leaning against the brick wall of the building across from me. He’s hard to miss, even in the early morning light, wearing his usual black leather Asheret, his broad frame outlined against the dim glow of the street lamps.

He’s watching me, his eyes flicking up from the ground as I draw closer. When our gazes lock, it’s like a magnet pulling me toward him. I feel that familiar pull in my chest, the one I can never seem to shake, no matter how hard I try.

“Elle,” Seb greets me, his voice rougher than usual. There’s something in the way he looks at me – like he’s wrestling with himself, unsure of what to say or do. My chest tightens, but I swallow it down. I’m not ready to deal with his uncertainty yet.

I don’t know why, but I feel my cheeks flush, despite my best efforts to keep myself composed. “Hey,” I mutter, trying to act nonchalant, though my heart’s already racing.

He smiles, that rare smile that reaches his eyes and makes my stomach flip. “You look…stunning.”

I force myself to hold it together. “Thanks,” I say, keeping my voice steady, though my hands feel like they might shake. My outfit is as low maintenance as I come, so I really hope he hasn’t planned anything fancy today.

“Ready for the adventure?” Seb asks, stepping forward, his gaze never leaving me, as he reaches out to touch my arm gently. The contact is light, almost casual, but I feel the warmth of it all the way to my core.

“Sure,” I say, trying to sound confident, but the flutter in my stomach betrays me. “What’s the plan?”

He doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he takes a step back, his hand still lightly resting on my arm. “Follow me,” he says. “Trust me, you’re going to love this.”

I follow him through the quiet streets, the city starting to wake up around us. We walk in silence, my thoughts swirling around like a whirlwind, my steps matching his, as if we’re in sync. The fact that Sebastian Sterling-Knight is capable of walking anywhere practically floors me, but I don’t say a word.

We reach a small park by the river, the sky above still dark with the promise of the impending sunrise. Seb leads me down a hidden path to a little clearing, tucked away from the busy streets. It’s peaceful here, almost like we’re in a different world.

He steps over to a bench and collects supplies I didn’t immediately notice, and a moment later he’s spreading a thick blanket on the ground. I watch, intrigued, as he brings over a basket and flops down onto the makeshift picnic rug.

“Breakfast?” he asks, his tone playful as he opens the basket and reveals an assortment of pastries, fruit, and steaming hot coffee in a thermos.

“I didn’t expect a picnic,” I say, sitting down on the blanket, still trying to mask the fact that my heart’s pounding.

Seb smirks, sitting down beside me. “Well, you didn’t expect alotof things, did you?”

I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me, the sound foreign on my lips, but I quickly push it down. “I guess not.”

We settle in, the warm blankets wrapping us up as the first hints of sunlight begin to creep over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the park. It’s beautiful here, peaceful in a way that I haven’t experienced before. It’s just us, no expectations, no judgments.

I take a bite of a croissant, savouring the flaky layers, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingers on me as I lick the crumbs from my lips. It’s like he’s always watching, like he’s always studying me, and I can’t tell if I hate it or love it.

“Tell me something,” Seb says after a while, his voice low and almost vulnerable in the quiet of the morning. “What do you really want, Elle?”

I freeze for a moment, my mind racing. I wasn’t expecting that question, not in this moment, not when everything’s so calm. I set the pastry down, my fingers suddenly trembling.

“I don’t know,” I say, my voice soft. “I think I want something real. Something that’s not just…whatever this is.” I wave a hand between us, my nerves creeping back in. But even as I try to push away my doubts, there’s still something pulling me toward him. And I can’t deny it. “I don’t want to keep pretending that I don’t care. Last night was everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Seb’s gaze sharpens, and I can feel the weight of his attention on me. “Then stop pretending,” he says simply.

I look away, out at the river. The sky is brightening, the gentle buzz of the city awakening in the background is rising slowly, and for a moment, it’s just us – no pressures, no games.

“Seb,” I whisper, my voice catching.

His hand moves to rest gently on mine, the warmth of it grounding me. “I lied,” he says, his voice thick with something unspoken. “I thought I could walk away from you, but I can’t. I can’t…” He swallows loudly. “I can’t watch you at the club, Elle. I can’t see you with other men. Even last night, with Vixen, I nearly lost my shit. I can only imagine how much worse it will be once we’re married. I…I don’t think I can have you once and walk away.”

I feel the air shift around us, the weight of his words sinking in. For a moment, I want to say something, to tell him that I feel the same way, that I don’t want to walk away after just one time either. But the words get stuck in my throat, tangled with fear, with uncertainty.

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