Page 40 of No Need to Run
I stick my tongue out at him.
He looks like he’s enjoying himself way too much.
Sebastian chuckles.
Ivy kisses Sebastian, then exits the kitchen. Mr. Pickles stares at me over his shoulder, a smug look on his furry face.
I watch them disappear toward her office, shaking my head.
Just when I think I’m making progress with that damn cat…
Sebastian grabs his keys. “Try not to spiral today.”
“I’m not spiraling.”
His eyes drop to my bunched-up pants leg, my untouched coffee, then my face. “Sure.”
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Building a case.”
His smile grows. “Against yourself?”
“Get out,” I grumble.
He huffs out a quiet laugh and leaves, whistling as he goes.
The house grows quieter.
I fixate on sounds. The ticking of the clock. The hum of the refrigerator.
It’s driving me crazy.
I carry my coffee into the living room and drop onto the couch. I grab my laptop and open it, starting my remote workday.
Within minutes, I’m immersed in emails. Analyzing budgets. Looking at spreadsheets, tracking patterns, and making projections.
Normalcy. Exactly what I need.
I start typing, then stop.
The skin on the back of my neck prickles, like I’m being watched.
My eyes drift to the window, then to the patio door.
No one’s there.
Focus.
I force my attention back to the email, but it lasts all of three seconds before Violet's face replaces the spreadsheet.
Her beautiful, pale skin.
Those violet eyes.
That smile that lights up her face—and my life.
