Page 90 of Worth Every Moment

“No.”

“There’s no need to be. Aries only has eyes for Matt. She’s besotted. God knows why. The man’s a beast.”

Disappointment sinks like a stone in my gut. I wanted him to say there was no need to be jealous because he only has eyes for me. Not because Aries only has eyes for Matt. The omission leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But I can’t expect him to start professing his undying love after a couple of heavy make-out sessions, can I?

I feel secure about most things in my life. My modelling career, for one. I know I’m good, and I’ve made great contacts in the industry, and the work has always been consistent ever since the Claudia Kirchwood photo shoot. But now that I’m not talking to Mum, and I’m trying to rebrand and shift into film, everything in my life feels like it’s up in the air. I’m at sea in a new world and it’s thrown me for a loop, and trying to navigate it all with Seb in tow is almost more than I can take. I’m sending myself mad. I am not a jealous type. But then, I never really cared enough about anyone to even consider being jealous. Didn’t have time or energy to waste on that particular emotion.

But Seb… I wanted him right from the very start and I wouldn’t let myself have him because it went against everything Mum and I were working for. He was forbidden. Off-limits. Now that we’ve crossed the line, everything’s unravelling.

I twist away from him and look out the window. Nothing but clouds, but I pretend it’s more interesting than it is. Seb scrolls on his phone. Maybe last night wasn’t a big deal for him. Of course it wasn’t. He’s probably brought hundreds of women to orgasm with his hands. Probably even on that very balcony.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Didn’t sleep very well.”

“There’s a bed back there. You can take a nap.” He gestures over his shoulder. There isn’t a hint of suggestion or flirtation in his tone, and his nonchalance pisses me off. How can he be so cool after what we did last night? Is this what he’s always like with women the morning after?What a nightmare.

“Are you going to ignore me all the way there?” I ask, sounding far too bitter to be casual.

He puts his phone down. “I’m not ignoring you.”

“You are. I just said I didn’t sleep very well, and you didn’t even ask why not.”

“I think you need to look up the definition of ignoring. I answered you. I even offered you a solution.” When I don’t reply, he frowns, and then his eyebrow arches, a tiny smile gracing his lips. “You want me to pay you more attention?”

I pout dramatically. “Yes.”

He huffs a laugh and goes back to his phone.

“What’s funny?”

This time he puts the phone back into his pocket, and his attention is all on me. “I’m over here trying desperately to block you out because after last night, having you come all over my hand and moan in my ear, being near you is really… challenging. All I can think about is stripping you naked and tasting you again, and you said you wanted to take it slow. So… this is me trying to take it slow. Sorry if I’m not as responsive as—”

“It’s hard for me too.” He makes no effort to finish the sentence I interrupted. “That’s why I couldn’t sleep.”

He cocks his head, taking me in. “Was I on your mind?” The suggestion in his tone is unavoidable, and my heart lights up at the sound of it.

I suppress the smile that curves my lips. “Maybe.”

“Are you reneging on that ‘take it slow’ thing?”

“Maybe.”

His dimple pops, and I want to lean over and tease it with my tongue. “Glad to hear it.”

He goes back to his phone, an amused look on his handsome face. I slap my hand over the phone screen and push it down. “Don’t ignore me.”

He puts his phone on the table. “I’m more aware of you than anyone else. I couldn’t ignore you if I tried. I’m fuckingattunedto you.” He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it, and a rolling heat spreads through my body from that point.

More. More of that. More of his touch. His lips.

“Don’t pretend you’re a gentleman. We both know you’re not.”

The deep rumbling laugh that follows my words fills me with a buoyant hope.I love it when he laughs.

He raises both hands. “Guilty. So, seeing as we’re both clear on that…” He slowly lowers his hand and passes it beneath the table. “Is it okay if I do this?” His fingers trail over my knee and my entire body clenches.

“Yes,” I say, all breathy. “That’s okay. More than okay.”