“It is—chicken thighs in a rosemary white wine butter sauce, along with asparagus and garlic bread.”
He disappeared into the kitchen and then reappeared holding two plates piled with food, wearing a ridiculous red apron he’d left here that proclaimed, May I Suggest the Sausage, with an arrow pointing down. I rolled my eyes and bit back a smile, like I always did upon spotting that unseemly get-up. I remembered the last time he wore it, in fact, when I’d decided to take him up on the lewd offer. Dinner had to be reheated that night, but the delay had been oh-so-worth it.
I met Seb at the dinner table, where he placed a plate in front of me before settling into the closest chair. We’d fallen into a steady routine over the last month, so he knew to let me inhale a few bites before launching into a conversation. As I sank my teeth into the tender chicken, I marveled again at just how lucky I was. After such a rough start between us, things were proceeding remarkably well.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the red fabric of Seb’s apron where he’d carelessly discarded it on an empty chair and hid a grin. Okay, so perhaps remarkably well was a trifle lukewarm to describe just how amazing Seb and I were together.
After I’d eaten a few tender, rosemary-infused bites, I set my fork down. “Outstanding, as always. If you ever decide you want to open your own restaurant, just say the word.”
Seb’s blue eyes lit up with pleasure. “I’m glad you like it. This was a new recipe I decided to try out, but I tweaked the spices a little.”
“Well, whatever you tweaked, it was spot on.” I speared a piece of asparagus, which turned out to be equally delicious—just the right amount of butter, lemon, and if I wasn’t mistaken, tarragon. “How’s the new manuscript you’re editing coming along? Are you still in love?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m head-over-heels for this one. Even after reading it four times. It’s like Game of Thrones meets The Handmaid’s Tale. I can’t wait until the book comes out and everyone else can share in my amazement. How about you? It seems like you’re enjoying the self-pubbing process so far?”
“I am, in fact. It’s nice to have both series to work on—one that I know will give me a paycheck, and one that I have absolute freedom to play around with, without worrying about what the publishing powers-that-be think is trendy right now. The pre-sale numbers on the first book in the series are a pleasant surprise—even better, since those manuscripts were already completed and languishing on my laptop up until now.”
Seb smirked at me, in that way that always filled me with an overpowering urge to nip his pert lower lip. “I hate to say I told you so, except, never mind. I love saying I told you so. I knew your readers would follow you to the new series. They’d be chucklefucks not to.”
I clicked my tongue at him. “Chucklefucks, is it? See? This is why I desperately needed a younger boyfriend—how else would I ever expect to stay current on insults?”
Seb placed a hand on his chest and fluttered his lashes at me. “My, my, you know how to flatter a man, don’t you? But is that really the only advantage you can think of?” Then, as I watched him, he speared an entire length of asparagus and slowly, sucked the whole thing into his mouth, before withdrawing it again. My cock hardened as he shot me a wicked grin.
“Evil boy. You know I need to finish one more chapter after dinner, before I take any more time off for more…pleasurable activities.”
Seb cackled when I fidgeted in the chair. “Oh, I know. I just wanted to give you something to think about until then.” He winked at me and I shook my head in mock anger.
“You’re too much, you know that?”
“Actually, I think I’m just enough—for you, anyway.”
His words lingered in my head as we talked for the rest of dinner. An idea had been pinging at my brain for the past couple of weeks, but I’d been pushing the thought aside with a bevy of excuses. Too busy. Too soon. Too impulsive.
This time, the idea wouldn’t be banished. Every time Seb laughed or flashed me that cheeky grin, the notion rooted a little more. He was right. He was just enough for me. Energetic without being exhausting. Nurturing without smothering. Submissive while still giving me a run for my money. An intellectual equal, without a trace of the snobbery of my old university colleagues.
When he reached for my plate to take it to the kitchen, I stopped him with a hand on his wrist. “No, I’ll do that. You cooked. Wait here though, I need to ask you something when I’m finished.”
His head tilted to the side at my oblique request, but he sat and waited patiently. I returned with a fresh beer for him and a full wine glass for me, placing them on the coffee table by the couch before going to him and holding out a hand. He placed his warm hand in mine and let me lead him over to the couch. We settled into the soft cushions and faced each other. His brow furrowed. “Is everything okay? Should I be worried?”
A wary note had returned to his voice, one that I hadn’t heard since I’d made such a mess of things when we’d first started dating. I cursed myself for causing him to fret. I stroked his hands with mine. “No, nothing to worry about. I mean, I don’t think so. Not unless…”
I cleared my throat and Seb visibly tensed, jerking his hands away and clenching them together in his lap.
“Not unless what?” he said stiffly.
Hell. I was still blundering. I needed to ask him now, before I made things even worse. “…not unless you’d rather not move in with me.”
Seb blinked in confusion and I wanted to kick myself. I couldn’t blame him. Even I could barely comprehend my intended meaning with the garbled way it had come out, so how could I expect him to? His expression brightened for a heart-stopping second, before that wariness descended again, creasing the skin between his brows. “I’m sorry, could you say that again? I’m not sure I’m following.”
With a frustrated groan I grabbed his shoulders. “I know I’m fucking this up royally, but what I’m trying to say—-or more precisely, ask—is if you, Seb Owens, would care to move in with me?”
He went very still and stared blankly at my face. Fear clawed its way up my throat. Had I misjudged the situation entirely? Was it my turn to chase Seb, only to watch him back away?
My eyes narrowed. No. We were good together. I wasn’t imagining that. “I realize this might be sudden, but I think it’s ridiculous for you to return to that cramped apartment all the time when you could just as easily live here. We’d get to spend more time together and dammit, I miss you when you’re away! Look, you should know right now that if you say no, I’m going to do whatever it takes to convince you to change your mind, understand? No matter how long it takes. I want—”
The rest of my words were cut off when one hundred and fifty plus pounds of man landed in my lap. Lips covered mine, before Seb leaned back, laughing even while moisture glinted in his eyes. “Yes, you big fuddy-duddy! Of course I’ll move in with you.”
“Oh, thank Christ.” Relief flooded me and I rested my forehead against his. “You had me worried there for a second.”
“Did I? I’d say I was sorry, but you know, maybe it’s good for you. I wouldn’t want you to get too complacent.”