Page 92 of When We Ignite

“But you want me to stay, and I’m guessing you still don’t want me to fuck around. What else are you expecting of me?”

“The only thing I’m expecting is for things to go back to how they were,” I said firmly.

Sebastian hummed in response, studying me for a moment before climbing back onto the bed. My heart skipped at the gesture.

“I have to leave by six,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Why don’t you come back to my apartment?”

“I have brunch with my dad and Char,” I said. “Are you leaving again?”

Sebastian lay back, his hands laced over his chest as he stared at the ceiling. “On Monday. I have to fly to Singapore.”

I blinked, trying to keep my tone casual. “When are you coming back?”

“I’m not sure,” he muttered, arching an eyebrow. “I’ll be there for three days, but then I have to go back to Madrid. I know there’s a meeting in San Francisco, but I’m not sure I’ll make it back here before flying out again.”

“Why aren’t you sure?”

“I can’t keep all that straight. Ari takes care of it,” he said.

“Your assistant.”

“She keeps my life organized. Comes with me on most trips.”

I felt a pang of jealousy, irrational but sharp.

“I have a week-long trip to Barcelona coming up,” he added.

I forced myself not to pout.

Sebastian turned on his side, curving his hand around my waist and brushing his nose against my cheek before kissing my jaw lightly. “I’m not sure when, but if you’re free, you should come with me.”

My jaw slackened in surprise. “What? We’re meant to keep this a secret. How do you figure we could leave the country together and keep it under wraps?”

Sebastian shrugged, his lips trailing slow kisses along my neck. He slipped under the covers, pulling them up to his waist. “Say you’re going with a friend. We fly privately, book the hotel under another name, wear wigs.”

I chuckled at the last bit. “That sounds extreme.”

“One week of having you trapped in my bed sounds worth it,” he murmured, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Turn around,” he said softly.

I shifted onto my side as he snuggled close behind me, sliding an arm under my head and wrapping the other around my chest.

“I never would have taken you for a cuddler,” I teased, feeling his warm exhale against the nape of my neck.

“I’m not,” he whispered, his voice low and rich, “but you’re naked, and I like having you against me.”

A small smile crept onto my lips as his scent enveloped me—rich, woody cologne mingled with faint traces of cigarettes and whiskey, but most of all, him.

His breathing evened out behind me, and I fought sleep, wanting to savor this moment before he left again.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ASH

Igazed out the window, barely registering the glittering city lights stretching beneath us. The night was clear, the view pristine as we climbed to cruising altitude. Aria’s voice hummed in the background, running through the itinerary for the days ahead, but my mind kept slipping elsewhere. It was just the two of us on the plane tonight, and though tomorrow promised to be grueling, my thoughts were far from work.

“Ari, can we go over it later? We’ve got nothing but time,” I said, cutting her off mid-sentence.