Chapter Twenty-Seven
Emery
We drive through the city until Sebastian parks on a street nearing the edge of the city centre. Stepping out of the car and onto the sidewalk, I take in my surroundings. Several restaurants are scattered along both sides of the street, each one bustling with energy.
Though, even with the busy restaurants, it feels calmer than being in the middle of the city.
Sebastian joins me on the sidewalk, and I let him lead us to wherever we are going. Our hands bump as we walk down the street, and the fleeting contact is enough to send a zing of electricity up my arm. Sebastian flexes his hand but doesn’t react otherwise.
We walk a bit further down the street, and I instinctively move closer to Sebastian as other people pass us by.
“Here,” Sebastian says, his hand moving to my lower back to guide me into the alcove of a small restaurant. He opens the door, his hand falling away from me, and follows me inside.
Just inside the entrance, we stop and wait to be greeted, and I use the moment to take in the space. It doesn’t have the biggest dining area, and most of the tables are taken, but the homey feel is somewhat comforting, even in the crowded space.
“La Dolce Rosa!” I say, noticing the sign on the wall that I’d missed outside. I spin to Sebastian, a grin slowly spreading across my face. I’ve only had it a couple of times, but it’s easily the best Italian I’ve ever had.
His eyes spark, but we’re interrupted by the waitress. “Good evening, Sebastian. Table for two?”
“Yes, thank you,” Sebastian says, and I should be more surprised that they know him by name.
My stomach flips when his hand returns to the small of my back as she leads us to a small table by the windows. Removing his hand, Sebastian pulls out my chair, and the waitress practically swoons.
She’s not the only one.
Seated across from Sebastian, I feel oddly nervous, and I rub my palms over the skirt of my dress. Taking a sip of water from the glass the waitress brought by, I try not to think all the times I’ve been pressed against him these past two weeks, his lips teasing mine in the best possible torture. But it’s also messed with my head. I crave him more now than I ever have before, but I’m still left questioning what he feels for me, if anything.
Several couples are seated around us.
Is that what we look like?
A couple?
It might only be a non-date dinner, but it feels like more.
Clearing my throat, I ask Sebastian, “Do you think Shadow’s okay by himself?”
“He’ll be fine. I’m sure he’s been loving all the extra company he’s been getting with you there.”
“I like his company too.” I never thought I’d say that, but it’s true. Shadow spends most of the day by my side, but I hadn’t thought about Shadow being alone before I was there. Sure, he has Mason, and Sebastian spends as much time with him as he can, but he still must get lonely. And when I’m gone—
I snap out of that train of thought straight away. I don’t want to think about leaving Sebastian or Shadow. At least not until I have to. And going by how long I’ve been here, I doubt I have long left.
Sebastian tilts his head at me, and I understand his curiosity since the start of my and Shadow’s relationship was roughof sorts. But he almost looks pleased as well.
Sebastian’s manner around me has changed significantly since that first day nearly two weeks ago, but I can barely figure out what I feel, let alone what he does. All I know is whatever it is that draws us together has been slowly building with each day that passes.
After a glance at the menu, we place our orders for dinner, and a few minutes later, the waitress brings over the bottle of wine Sebastian ordered, pouring it into our glasses.
The deep red wine swishes in the glass as Sebastian raises it to me, and I pick up my own, clinking it with his. “Thank you. For tonight,” I say, my throat feeling thick.
Thank you for saving my life four years ago without even knowing it.
I wish I could tell him the truth. But it would hurt us both, and I’m so close to finally having a way to get out that I can’t risk it.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Sebastian says, and I find myself smiling again, the butterflies starting up once more. In this moment, with the cosy restaurant, the wine, the atmosphere, it feels more like an actual date.
No matter how crazy that sounds, I don’t bother fighting the feeling. We’ve spent so much time trying to distance ourselves from each other these past two weeks.IfI only have a few days left with Sebastian, I don’t want to spend them locking up my emotions, even if it wrecks me in the end.