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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

ETHAN

I had a match on Thursday. It was part of a small tournament I’d signed up for before everything with Sebastian had started. I’d missed one match already, but still managed to make it to the finals. I told him about it over breakfast and he just blinked at me, surprised.

“I thought you weren’t serious about tennis,” he said, a slight frown creasing his brow.

“I’m not, but I still play tournaments,” I said, shrugging it off, but the frown didn’t disappear.

“Have you missed any games because of me?”

“Just the one you asked me to.”

His eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he looked genuinely taken aback. “I had no idea,” he murmured, almost to himself.

I glanced at Aria, who was watching us with a curious expression.

“At what time is it?” he asked, turning back to me.

“You don’t have to?—”

“At what time, Ethan?”

“It’s at nine,” I said, taking another bite of my food.

He shifted his gaze to Aria. “Can you move my schedule around? Take the morning off?”

“Ash, you really don’t have to go,” I insisted, but he ignored me.

“I can work with that,” Aria said, already scrolling through her tablet. “Could you be back by one?”

“I think so,” Sebastian replied, looking to me for confirmation.

“Yeah, you’ll be free by then,” I said reluctantly, my heart racing at his unexpected concern. He really didn’t have to be this nice about it.

“I’ll go with Henry,” he said, flashing me a small smile. “Is anybody from your family going?”

“Charlotte’s the only one who usually comes, but she’s been busy with wedding stuff. I didn’t tell her about it,” I admitted. He gave me a strange look, but I brushed it off. “I should get going. I’ll change.”

As I rummaged through my gym clothes, pulling off my shirt, I felt his arms wrap warmly around me from behind.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“You’ve told me repeatedly this isn’t a relationship, Ash. Why would I? It’s not a big deal,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound bitter.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t tell me,” he said, his voice gentle. “You’re not supposed to give up things for me, darling.”

“You asked me to,” I reminded him.

His arms tightened slightly around me. “Have you been playing less often?”

My stomach dropped. “Yeah.”

“Why’s that?”

I blew out a breath, but he only held me tighter. “I’m just a little sick of it. It’s not really my thing—it never was. My dad’s always pushed Char and me into playing, and I’m good at it, but…it’s just not fun anymore.” Nothing that involved my dad felt like fun anymore.

“Can I ask you something, without you getting offended?”

“Maybe.”

His laugh puffed against my neck. “Are you sure this isn’t about me?”

“Could you be more self-centered?” I shot back.

“I’m serious, pet. Oli told me you used to play all the time, and then summer started and—poof.”

“Poof?”

“Yes. You know what I mean.”

I sighed. “No, this is surprisingly not about you. I’ve been thinking about quitting for a while. And if avoiding my dad is a side benefit, well…I’m not complaining.”

Though that wasn’t entirely true. In a way, Ash was the reason. I’d never dared to go against my dad before—especially not with tennis. I hated seeing the disappointment on his face when I slacked off or lost interest. But at the same time, why should I keep doing something I didn’t enjoy? Sebastian had turned into that tiny voice inside myself that pushed me to fight back.

“Well then, might as well finish off with a bang,” Sebastian murmured against my back. “Hurry up, we don’t want to be late.”

“Ash, it’s not a big deal. You don’t have to come,” I said with a light chuckle.

“You’re a finalist in a tennis tournament, pet. That is a big deal—even if it’s not Wimbledon.”

I closed my eyes, embarrassed.

“You didn’t tell anyone else? Don’t your parents usually go?”

“My dad knows, but he lives out of state, and…” I trailed off, biting my lip.

“And you told Henry,” he finished for me.

“Yeah,” I admitted, feeling a little sheepish.

Sebastian chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. “You don’t have to hide that. I tell him a lot of things without meaning to, too.”

“Don’t take the morning off. We’ll celebrate if I win, and if I lose, you can buy me a drink. Deal?”

Sebastian hummed thoughtfully. “Not sold. I’m still going,” he said, kissing my cheek. “Besides, I haven’t seen you in your tennis shorts since the day we met. I’ll be looking forward to it.” His hand slipped down the back of my pants, giving a playful squeeze.

“Stop that,” I said, laughing as I shoved him away.

He grinned, and for a moment, everything felt light, easy. I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I finished getting ready for the day.

* * *

It turned out to be a terrible idea.

I walked out of the changing rooms and onto the court, scanning the crowd. It didn’t take long to spot Sebastian and Henry sitting in the front row. Henry waved enthusiastically, calling out to me, while Sebastian sat back, trying—and failing—to hide his smile. I forced myself to focus on the game, managing to win the first set.

During the break, I headed over to say hi. We were chatting casually when I noticed three people approaching.

“Shit,” I muttered, glancing quickly at Sebastian and Henry. “Charlotte and Oli are here.”

They both turned to look.

“It doesn’t have to be weird,” Henry said, but even he looked more serious now.

That wasn’t even the worst part.

“Who’s that with them? He’s hot as fuck,” Henry added, grinning as he adjusted his glasses.

“Don’t go there,” I warned.

Realization dawned in Sebastian’s eyes. “That’s your dad, isn’t it?”

“Yup,” I said, the word clipped.

Tension was written all over Charlotte’s face, while Oliver’s expression turned cold. My dad, on the other hand, seemed relaxed, oblivious to the silent storm brewing. I just hoped it stayed that way.

“Good game, kid,” my dad said, as he gave me a grin.

“Thanks. What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady as they exchanged greetings.

Oliver introduced Sebastian and Henry to my dad. Just as the conversation started to pick up, I got called back to the court.

This was a nightmare. As if being around him wasn’t hard enough, now I had to do it while he sat next to Sebastian?

Predictably, I lost the second set.

My focus was shot. Every time I glanced over, Sebastian was chatting with my dad. They didn’t look tense—in fact, they were smiling—but it didn’t stop my nerves from spiraling.

Before the final set, I walked over to them—my dad, Sebastian, and Henry. They stepped forward to meet me.

“What happened there?” my dad asked.

There it was. The disappointment.

“Got cocky,” I lied, rubbing my knuckles under my nose.

He gave me a scrutinizing look.

“You got him, E,” Henry said with an encouraging grin.

I glanced at Sebastian, who studied me.

He leaned in slightly, his voice low. “You know he has a weak left—throw him off.”

My dad and Henry both turned to him, surprised, but I nodded briskly.

The chair umpire called me back, and they left while Sebastian lingered for a second.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Stop worrying about us, pet. We’ve been talking about the stock market,” he added, his lips twitching into a smirk. “Win for me, and I’ll make it worth your while later.” He winked before walking off.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I headed back to the court.

The final set was tight, but I managed to pull out a win. My dad and Charlotte insisted on taking me out for a celebratory lunch, and I watched the Langley brothers leave, feeling a pang of disappointment at parting with Sebastian.

At the restaurant, my dad asked about them—how well I knew them, if I got along with them. I tried to keep my answers vague, especially when the subject drifted to my future, as it so often did.

When I returned to Sebastian’s place around four, I showered to wash away the exhaustion of the day. As I stepped out of the bathroom, towel slung low on my hips, I found him sitting on the bed, waiting.

I opened my mouth to ask why he was home so early, but he crossed the room in two strides, his lips capturing mine before I could get the words out. There was a strange urgency to the kiss, but I didn’t mind—it only pulled me deeper into him.

Later, when we were spent, Sebastian didn’t let me pull away. He kept his hands on me, tracing slow, languid patterns over my skin, his lips brushing kisses wherever they landed. When he finally had to move, he asked me to sit with him outside.

I sat with my back against his chest, sharing his cigarettes under the fading light of day.

It was quickly becoming a habit, one I knew I’d miss when this was over. That lingering scent of his cigarettes on my skin, the roughness of his beard as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. It was bittersweet, knowing these moments were short-lived. But for now, I let myself sink into them, feeling his warmth against my back and his steady breaths at my ear.

* * *

By Monday night, Sebastian had barely left for work the past few days, choosing to stay with me instead. But as our flight approached, I grew nervous—not because I wasn’t used to being alone with him, but because I could sense the weight he was carrying. Something was off. He wouldn’t talk about it, brushing off my questions with a tight smile, but the telltale tension in his jaw and the hard set of his brow told a different story.

Earlier that day, he’d come back to the apartment hours before he was supposed to, gone straight to the bar, and poured himself an oversized glass of whiskey.

Without saying a word, he stepped out to the terrace and chain-smoked five cigarettes in a row. I hesitated, giving him time to decompress, fully aware that if I interrupted too soon, we might end up fighting over nothing. When I finally joined him, he seemed slightly more relaxed. I sat beside him in silence until he pulled me close by his side.

On the plane, though, his silence returned.

He stared out the window, lost in thought, and I decided to give him space, wandering over to Aria instead.

“Are you working on something?” I asked, sliding into the seat next to her.

“Always am,” she replied, but she set her tablet down and leaned back.

At first, I’d thought she hated me—her texts had been polite, her demeanor cool—but over time, she’d softened. Now, it felt like we were slipping into friendship zone.

“You have a terrible boss,” I said with mock seriousness.

She chuckled. “Actually, I might be worse than him in that aspect.”

I glanced over at Sebastian. His brow was still furrowed, his fingers pressed against his lips as though mimicking the cigarettes he’d been holding earlier.

“You’re being smart about it,” Aria said, her voice low.

“What do you mean?”

“This. Giving him space,” she explained, nodding toward Sebastian. “He’s in a foul mood. Had the worst fight today—and it was public.” She looked genuinely offended on his behalf.

“With his dad?”

She nodded gravely. “Yeah. Warren’s backtracked on five investments Sebastian projected to finish this year. It’s bad.”

“Didn’t he step down? How does he even have power over Ash anymore?” I asked, irritation prickling at the edges of my voice. The thought of his father sabotaging him after everything Sebastian had done felt so fucking unfair.

“Warren and the board,” Aria said with a sigh. “Oliver says he didn’t interfere, but he went to Sebastian’s office yesterday, and that meeting was tense too. I think they’re fighting again, which is never a good sign.”

“About work?” My stomach clenched as she shook her head.

“Maybe it started that way, but Oliver usually keeps his temper with work issues. When it gets personal, that’s when things escalate. He left Sebastian’s office pissed.” She lowered her voice even further.

I bit my lip, guilt twisting in my chest.It had to be about the tennis match—everything had gotten worse after that.

“Shit. That’s bad.” I exhaled loudly, crossing my arms behind my head. I had no idea how to help Sebastian. Every time I tried, it felt like I was just making things worse. Offering sex seemed to be my only solution, but I knew he needed more than that.

“This trip will be good for him,” Aria said, her tone encouraging. “Get him out of the office and back to Spain. He loves it there. You’ll see—he turns into a different person.”

“I hope so.”

“He’s also so much more relaxed around you. You’re like Langley catnip or something.”

“What?” I asked, laughing despite myself.

“Sebastian’s not a warm and cuddly kind of guy. That side of him is reserved for his immediate family—maybe Henry on a good day—and, apparently, you.”

My face flushed. “And the other guys he fools around with,” I added quickly, trying to deflect.

Aria shook her head. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen him in prolonged contact with any of them.” She gave me a knowing smile. “When I’ve seen them in passing, he’s polite, but he’s not…whatever the hell he is with you. I don’t even know how to describe it. He likes the gestures and the wooing, sure, but with you it’s…” She waved her hand, searching for the right words.

“It’s like he’s overindulgent.”

She snapped her fingers. “That’s exactly right. Like he’s spoiling you with attention and affection—both, I’m guessing. Have you noticed how the Langleys are not big on drifting from the pack? They don’t have friends outside of their circle. Henry and Oliver are more social, but Sebastian? He keeps to himself unless it’s for work or…well, you know. He doesn’t trust people easily.”

I tried not to let my heart swell at her words. “That’s because we have an arrangement.”

“No, it’s because he likes you. He trusts you because you’re in his inner circle—being Charlotte’s brother and all—but the way he acts isn’t because of that or your arrangement.”

I gave her a small smile and shrugged. “You’re not supposed to hype me up. Didn’t you get instructions on how to handle Ethan Bennett?”

She laughed. “I’m not trying to, but it’s nice seeing him like this. Sebastian’s much lonelier than he’d ever admit. He’s just got it in his head that intimacy equals weakness or something just as stupid.”

That sounded like him, but it didn’t quite match the man who held me after sex, kissed my skin like it was sacred, and tangled his limbs with mine.

“I was just as scandalized as anyone when I first found out about you two,” she added, her tone light, “but it doesn’t seem wrong. He’s sweet—words I never thought I’d associate with him.”

Heat crept up my face, and I turned my gaze back to Sebastian. He was still staring out the window, his profile tense but breathtaking.

By the time Sebastian rose from his seat and walked toward us, he looked utterly worn out—bone-tired in a way only mental exhaustion could cause.

He stopped by my chair and placed a hand on the back of it, his voice warm and calm despite the strain etched into his features. “I’m heading to bed, darling. I’ve got a bit of a headache. Feel free to stay here as long as you’d like.”

“I’ll come with you,” I replied quickly, already standing.

“You don’t have to. It’s still early. I’m sure you’re hungry, or?—”

“I’m not,” I cut him off firmly, meeting his gaze. “I want to.”

Sebastian paused, then nodded.

I smiled at Aria before following him toward the back of the plane.

The private room was small but luxurious, complete with a bed and bathroom. He sat heavily on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face with both hands. I closed the door behind us and moved closer, gently pulling his hands away.

He smiled up at me, tired but affectionate. “Sorry for the bad company.”

“You’re never bad company, Ash,” I said softly, biting my cheek. I hesitated for a moment, then climbed into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Sebastian hummed, pleased, his hands settling on my hips.

“Anything I can do to make it better?”

His lips stretched into a soft, devastatingly attractive smile as he tilted his head. “I’m really tired, pet. Otherwise, you know I’d jump at the chance to let you try.” He pulled me closer, his lips grazing my neck gently.

“I know you are,” I murmured, threading my fingers through his hair and tugging lightly. “So why don’t you just lay back—” I tilted us backward until he was lying on the bed, “—and teach me how to ride you. I’ll do most of the work.”

His eyes darkened instantly, a flicker of desire breaking through the fatigue. His lips parted, and he watched me carefully, almost as if deciding whether I was bluffing. Then he let out a low, raspy laugh, his eyes gleaming.

“I’d marvel at the view.” His voice was rough, before he pulled me into a kiss.

He let me do it, his big warm hands guiding me to a pace we both enjoyed after I had settled over him. Sebastian didn’t take his eyes off me—not for a second. Whether he was holding my gaze or watching the movement of my body, his focus was unwavering. It finally clicked that the way to make Sebastian lose control wasn’t to go faster, but to keep it excruciatingly slow, letting him see how much I enjoyed it. So, that’s exactly what I did.

I predictably finished before him, with his hand wrapped around me, and Sebastian asked if we could keep going. I agreed and set out to give him what he wanted.

I pulled his wrists from my hips and pinned them by his head. He chuckled, breathless. He asked me to let him go and I grinned, shaking my head and keeping him there. Sebastian just smiled and groaned, so he couldn’t have hated it.

When his moans started becoming more frequent, and his hips lifted more urgently off the bed, chasing me, he asked again.

As soon as I let go, he sat up on the bed, crossing his arms over my back and holding me down by my shoulders. He panted over my jaw, warming my skin in the best way. I was hard again, rubbing against his abdomen, slick with sweat and more than ready to come again.

Sebastian urged me to quicken my pace, and I followed his lead, making the quiet noises I knew he loved—some deliberate, others escaping without my control. His grip on me turned almost bruising, perfectly balancing that edge he always seemed to navigate so well. His breath hitched, his body tensed, and then he stilled, releasing with a sharp inhale.

The tension melted from his body, and he slumped against me, our heavy breathing blending with the steady hum of the plane’s engine. His hands began to move over my back soothingly, and I smiled, leaning into his affectionate side.

“I adore you, my darling,” he whispered so softly it could have been a dream.

I froze, wanting to melt into his touch but terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing.

“This is so fucking unfair,” he added, his voice tinged with something deeper—something that made my chest ache.

I tightened my hold around his neck. “I do too, Ash.”

It was true, but it was also so much more than that.

I loved him.

The words burned in my throat, desperate to be said, but I swallowed them down, afraid of shattering whatever fragile balance we had. The last thing we needed was for me to say it and make him realize what a big mistake this had been. That he should never have trusted me to be part of an adult relationship. It was too soon and too much, but I knew it was true. At least for me, it was the realest thing I had ever felt.

“I could never have enough of you, pet,” Sebastian murmured, his hands still caressing me.

Closing my eyes tighter, I pushed everything down.

I would never stop wanting to give him everything in order to keep him this close to me. I wanted to belong to him and have him be mine—solely focused on me—like he was right at this moment. I wanted the world to melt away and, with it, all of our problems and moral objections.

He just had to want it too.

We had two more weeks. Two more weeks to change his mind, to make him break his word. If I could, maybe this wouldn’t have to end.Even if we had to hide it for a while longer.

That was fine as long as I got to climb in his bed every night.