Fear illuminated her bright green eyes. Wetting her lips, she dashed the tears off her face and stood. She reached for him, but he stepped out of range, his head tilting slightly in warning. His sister faltered and wrung her hands again.
“He’s not going to like this. He’s not going to like you going behind his back, Sebastian. He’ll hurt you.”
He shrugged and adjusted the lush fern spilling across the mantle. “Perhaps, but he may see the wisdom in it as well. It doesn’t matter. I take care of my family. Not him.”
Monique dried her cheeks. Smoothing her hands over her shirt, she regarded him with a baffling mixture of love and pity. Not caring much for the second, his eyes narrowed. Sniffling, she lowered her gaze. Sebastian stepped around her and opened the door, showing his sister out. She faltered in the doorway, her fingers curling around his forearm in a gentle squeeze. Closing his eyes, he allowed her that much. Despite his efforts to distance himself, she was still his family. Sometimes, a small bit of comfort and reassurance was needed. Not just for her sake, but for his.
“Thank you, Sebastian…for everything. You’ve always gone out of your way for me. I know this wasn’t easy,” she whispered. Leaning up, she kissed his cheek. “You’re a wonderful brother.”
Frowning, he patted her head and nudged his way past. He wished more than anything he could believe those words were true.
Chapter 5 ~
Taylor tugged the blue silk wrap of her robe tighter. Glancing over the railing into the open sprawl of the great room, she smiled. Sebastian was stretched out on one of the leather couches looking relaxed in a pair of light grey sweats and nothing else. She licked her lips, watching the light from the fireplace play across his abs. He had such an incredible body—sleek, powerful, and well defined. She could admire him for hours and, sometimes, when she couldn’t sleep, she did. The sweet, subtle smell of the candles he’d bought wafted through the house and added to the soft golden glow spilling through the room. Two glasses of deep red wine sat on the coffee table, and he idly traced a fragile stem with his finger as he waited.
“Are you going to stand up there all night?” he asked without turning.
Blinking, Taylor wondered how he did that. He always seemed to sense whenever she was around, no matter how still or quiet she was. It was as if he had special senses. Sebby senses. The thought made her giggle.
“I don’t know,” she admitted coyly. “I have the most amazing view.”
Sebastian’s shoulders shook with a quiet laugh. Swinging his legs over the edge of the couch, he sat up and turned to regard her in one fluid sweep. “Come down here and enjoy it in person.”
She bounded down the steps off the kitchen and dropped onto the couch beside him. Sebastian shook his head and dragged her onto his lap, turning her so she straddled him. His lips sought hers, and Taylor moaned, running her fingers through the thick curls at his nape.
“Mm,” he protested, pulling back. “Baby, not yet. I want to talk to you for a minute and we need to get the new coffee maker figured out before morning.”
She bit her lip and peered up at him from beneath the thick sweep of her lashes. “Am I in trouble?”
Sebastian shook his head, his expression tender and sincere. “No, sweetheart, not at all.” He tried to smile as he took her hands in his and held them both against his chest. “You know that I love you, right?”
Taylor nodded. Her forehead tightened, knitting with worry. She searched his eyes, but he kept his emotions shielded. The lean muscles beneath her were tensing, and he seemed troubled, worried. Holding her breath, she waited. He tugged one hand free and plowed it through his curls. Patting the outside of her thigh, Sebastian urged her off him.
“I can’t do this now. Let’s just figure the coffee out and head to bed.”
Her mouth fell open in a brief bid of confusion and hurt. Taylor stared at him as he pushed off the couch and headed for the kitchen leaving her to wonder what she’d done wrong. He switched on the recessed lights under the cabinets and leaned a hip against the counter, waiting. Lowering her head, she joined him and grabbed the box. Sebastian stepped in and helped her tug the heavy appliance free when the Styrofoam packing proved to be a tight fit. They looked it over for a few minutes, using the instructions as reference. It seemed a bit complicated to her, but he assured her she’d get the hang of it in no time. Stepping over to the butler’s pantry, he told her to open it up while he grabbed the coffee.
Taylor opened the top compartment and gasped. Sitting in the basket was the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen. Three rounded diamonds glinted back at her from a shimmering platinum band. Her eyes darted to Sebastian as he popped his head around the corner of the door. For one agonizing moment, she was certain there’d been some kind of mistake until she was the sparkle in his green eyes as he stared back at her. Forcing a hard swallow, she lifted the ring with trembling fingers.
She cried out when she dropped it. Irish grace be damned. Sebastian’s laughter flooded through the kitchen, washing over her as her cheeks flamed and she fought against the burn of tears. Shaking his head, he retrieved it off the floor.
“Careful, darling,” he said softly. “Give me some hope here. Tell me that wasn’t an indication of what your answer is going to be.”
Covering her mouth, she tried to hold the tears at bay. Sebastian approached. Giving a soft smile, he brushed the damp trails from her cheeks and threaded his fingers through her hair as he kissed the top of her head. His swallow echoed between them and he drew a deep breath.
“I know I’m not an easy man to love. I can be heartless and cruel, and my life is a virtual hurricane, but you are everything to me. You are my anchor, Taylor. My heart, my haven—my home. None of this means anything without you. Life means nothing without you.”
She bit back a sob as he held her hands and sank onto his knees.
“Shh, darling, it’s all right. Stop crying and look at me….please. I swear to you, I will always love you and protect you with everything I have. You’re my entire world. I could never imagine living without you. I want to start building the rest of my life around you. You make me want to do better, Taylor. You make me want to be a better person, and not many people inspire that in me.” His dimples deepened as he peered up at her with beseeching eyes. “Marry me, baby. Please?”
“Who could say no to that?” she choked.
“Hopefully, not you.”
Laughing through her tears, she nodded. “Yes, Sebastian. Yes.”
He nodded, a bright smile lighting his features. “Yeah?”
“Yes!”
Joy lit his face, highlighting his dimples. Lowering his head, he slid the ring on her finger and surged to his feet. Taylor clung to him as his hands roamed over her face and he kissed her so deeply her head spun.
“You have no idea how happy you just made me,” he murmured, still smiling against her lips.
“You could try to show me,” she suggested.
She shivered at the low, sinister groan vibrating through his chest.
“Oh, darling, believe me when I say I will. I’m going to blow the candles out. Get upstairs and wait for me. I expect you on our bed with nothing but that ring on.” His eyes locked with hers and a slow grin spread across his face as he leaned over to whisper in her ear: “Just this once…run.”
The husky rasp of his voice combined with his orders ignited a fuse in her core. Desire swept through her body. Eager to resume their play, Taylor bounded up the steps leaving a trail of discarded clothing in her wake. She barely hit the hall before Sebastian’s footfalls thundered behind her. His speed was startling, and she felt her heartbeat hitch in anticipation. Squealing, she tried to get the doors to the master suite open before he caught her. Strong arms locked around her waist, and she laughed at the silky garments dangling from his fingers. His erection felt like unyielding steel as he ground against her, kissing the side of her neck with a slow shake of his head. His deep groan lit her insides on fire.
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“I gave you a head start,” he mused in a low murmur. “And you still couldn’t beat me through the door. That doesn’t bode well for you, does it?”
She shivered, squirming in his grasp. His breath fell hot against her neck, and Taylor moaned in the base of her throat as his stubble scraped against her sensitive skin. Her back arched, bowing against his chest as Sebastian slid his hands upwards to knead her breasts. A low rumble of appreciation rolled through him as he pinched her nipples and twisted them between his fingers. Panting with a combination of pain and desire, Taylor ground against him.
“Such a good girl,” he breathed. “My good girl.”
He slid one hand between her thighs. The air left her in a pleading whimper as his fingers rubbed her damp slit. She almost came right there. Her nails scraped against the bedroom door when he thrust a digit deep inside her. The world spun, and the space around them swirled in a delicious array of colors.