Page 15 of Forever His Favorite
Sebastian’s brow arched. “Good?”
“Very good,” she said, beaming. She held the box toward him. “You should have one too.”
His gaze flicked from the chocolates back to her face, lingering. Something in his gaze made her hesitate; she guessed he wasn’t one for sweets. She began to pull the box back.
But before she could, his hand slid to the back of her head, pulling her to him with a force that brooked no refusal. His lipsclaimed hers in a heated, demanding kiss, the faint sweetness of chocolate lingering on her mouth, mingling with the natural warmth of her skin.
Every press of his lips was impossibly intimate, pressing her flush against him as her body trembled beneath him. Emily’s fingers instinctively curled into his shoulders.
Emily tried to protest, her lips brushing against his in a soft, breathless whisper. “You probably haven’t had dinner yet. Let me bring you something first—”
But her words barely left her mouth before he silenced them with his actions. With effortless strength, he swept her off the floor as though she were weightless, carrying her back a step before lowering himself onto the edge of the bed and settling her on his lap.
Her body went rigid for a moment, her breath catching as the warmth of his frame surrounded her. She could feel the solid rise of his chest beneath her palm, the steady thud of his heartbeat echoing through her hand.
Then, he drew back just slightly. His lips brushed her cheek in a lingering kiss, soft enough to make her eyelids flutter shut. A quiet warmth spread through her, stealing her breath.
When she opened her eyes again, her gaze fell to his hand. His palm was stretched out toward her, and resting in it was a small blue box.
When she finally opened her eyes again, she found his palm stretched out toward her. Resting in it was a small, velvet-blue box.
Surprise widened her eyes, dark irises glinting under the golden light of the bedroom. She took the box from his hand and carefully she lifted the lid.
Inside lay a necklace—delicate, impossibly fine, its chain gleaming like spun silver under the glow of the lamp. The pendant caught the light, scattering it in tiny sparks that shimmered like captured starlight.
Her lips parted, words caught in her throat as her heart thundered wildly.
Her breath caught sharply, her chest tightening as recognition slammed into her. It was the same necklace she had stared at online just last week—the limited-edition design that had vanished from stock in minutes, leaving her sighing in defeat and scrolling back over the pictures like a lovesick dreamer. And now… it glimmered in her hand.
Without warning, Sebastian leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was feather-light yet deep, fleeting but laced with heat, lingering just long enough to leave her trembling in its wake.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he lifted her gently from his lap and settled her onto the bed, the ghost of his touch still burning along her skin.
Rising to his full height, he moved with the unhurried grace of a predator, striding toward the bathroom.
“Set the dinner table, baby. I’ll be there in a minute.” The soft click of the bathroom door closing broke the spell.
Emily’s hands flew up to her face, fingers pressing against her burning cheeks.
‘This necklace… it only came out last week. It was sold out within seconds. I never told anyone—never even whispered it out loud. How on earth does he know?!’
A shiver ran through her spine, panic fluttering inside her chest. She pressed a hand against her racing heart, her voice a trembling whisper, “Can he… can he read my mind now?!”
The thought had barely formed when the door opened again with a quiet click. Sebastian stepped back into the room.
Her breath hitched at the sight.
He was bare-chested, a pair of low-slung trousers clinging to his hips. Droplets of water slid from his damp hair, catching the light as they trickled down the ridges of his abs, chasing along the sculpted grooves of muscle. He dragged a hand through his dark hair, slicking it back, his casual movement only emphasizing the raw power etched into his biceps.
Emily’s gaze betrayed her. Her eyes traced over the breadth of his shoulders, the ripple of his chest, the carved strength in his arms. Heat flooded her cheeks, warmth searing through her body until her pulse roared in her ears.
He was dangerous like this. Too devastating, too perfect, every inch of him radiating a pull she couldn’t fight.
Panic clawed up her throat. Her instincts screamed for escape before her foolish heart exposed everything. She scrambled to her feet, placing the necklace down on the bedside table as if it burned her fingers. Without daring another glance at him, she bolted toward the door.
But she had underestimated him.
Two strides were all it took. In an instant, he was there, towering over her, cutting off her escape. The heat of his damp body rolledoff him, filling the charged air between them. Before she could react, his arm swept around her waist, strong yet careful, pulling her flush against the solid wall of his bare chest.
