Page 35 of The Bargain

In truth, I really didn’t want to move on from the library, but there was still so much of the house to see. We ventured to the lower level, where he had a home theater with three descending rows of plush reclining leather seats and one big leather couch in the center of it all. The air had a hint of popcorn, as if he and some friends had used the room not long ago. This had all the beauty of going to the theater but with the bonus of privacy and the ability to pause the movie for bathroom breaks.

“Hey! Why didn’t we use your theater for our second date?” I demanded, as he led me out of the room.

One corner of Sebastian’s mouth tipped higher. “I wanted to make sure you felt safe with me, and a public place is more likely to do that than my secret theater room in the basement of my home. And going out to a movie theater makes it feel like a more traditional,realdate.”

Sebastian’s thoughtfulness made my heart speed up. I didn’t mind falling for this amazing man, but why did I have to fall so damn fast?

He jerked his head toward the theater room. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

I quickly shook my head. “No, I want to see the rest of your house.” Besides, I had other plans for this sexy man.

With a tiny smirk, he continued on our tour, showing me the indoor pool, which led to the outdoor pool and flower gardens.

We paused outside as the sky turned dark and the lights around the garden popped on. There was a heavy silence in the area. Not a single siren or car horn to be heard. Just the croak of frogs and crickets beginning their nightly chorus. It was peaceful in a way I hadn’t been able to experience in a while.

But I knew we hadn’t seen everything. In fact, there was an entire second floor he’d not shown off yet. That was where the guest room I had slept in was. And it was definitely where his bedroom was. Had he avoided it to not put any pressure on me?

So sweet. So chivalrous.

So silly.

“Are there any other rooms we haven’t seen yet?” I inquired, giving his hand a squeeze.

A grin toyed with those perfect lips as he stared at me. “Well, there are a couple of rooms you haven’t seen. Do you want to check them out?”

I turned toward him, sliding my hand up his chest to rest over his heart. “I wouldloveto see them. And in case you think I’m being too subtle, I want to know where you sleep.”

Sebastian caught my hand and lifted it to his lips, where he pressed a kiss to my palm. “I think I can arrange that.”

The pace became faster as we entered the house and headed upstairs. Within a minute, Sebastian was pushing open the double doors that led into a vast room with immense windows that faced the rear lawn and pool. Everything was decorated in shades of blue and gray, giving the room a cool feel. It took me a moment to locate the bed, but once I did, I couldn’t turn away.

This was where Sebastian slept against soft, silken sheets. Did he sleep naked? In briefs? Did he actually own pajamas? What did he look like when he was sleeping?

These questions and so many more were buzzing through my brain. I needed to know the answers.

I wasn’t sure what tore my eyes away from that bed, but I finally found Sebastian standing several feet away. Everything about him had become a single taut muscle, clenched and frozen. A look of hunger was etched into his face, giving him a harsh edge that made my mouth dry and my skin tingle. I could feel his desire hammering me in hot waves, but he didn’t move.

In the three years I’d known the man, Sebastian Courtland had done a million little things to wear down my resistance. And over the course of a week, he’d doubled that number. Yet, this shimmering second right here was when I knew I didn’t stand a chance. I was going to fall in love with him.

He was waiting for me to make the first move. No pressure. No teasing. No cajoling or enticing. I could choose to turn around and walk out of this room, and he wouldn’t try to stop me. I knew it like I knew the world was round. He wouldn’t hold it against me. We’d move on as though this moment had never happened.

How could I not fall for someone who respected and valued me so much?

I took a step toward him and then another. He didn’t move. He might have even stopped breathing. It was only as I reached up to cup his face with my hands that his frozen state finally shattered. His arms closed on me like a pair of steel bands and pulled me as his mouth descended onto mine in a blistering kiss. I melted into him, every inch of my body pressing into his, setting me on fire.

The kiss went on and on, our tongues sliding along one another as he explored my mouth as if he were trying to taste every bit of me. My left fingers threaded through the silky soft hair at the back of his head while my right hand slipped down his chest, where his heart thundered. I plucked at the buttons on his shirt, fumbling with them as I fought to get to bare skin.

One of the hands pressed to my spine dropped to grab one ass cheek. Sebastian squeezed and kneaded that mound of flesh, and I moaned into his mouth. He lifted me almost off my toes, rubbing my aching cock with his through our clothes.

“Dearest,” I panted, breaking off the kiss. “Your clothes are beautiful, but right now I need them fucking gone.”

“I love when you get bossy,” Sebastian growled. “You gonna tell me how to fuck you, too? How fast? How hard? How deep?” With each question, he thrust his hips, scrambling what was left of my brain. How was I going to be bossy? I couldn’t even form words. For Sebastian, I’d try.

After stealing one last searing kiss, I pushed out of his arms. I backpedaled while tugging at my shirt, pulling it from where it was tucked into my pants. “Strip,” I barked.

A cocky grin spread across his lips. “I don’t know if I can do it without music.”

I threw my head back and laughed. Sadly, I’d been toeing out of my shoes at the time and almost fell.

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