Page 97 of Drawn Together

He didn’t respond, he just leaned on the kitchen counter and watched as I ate.

When I finished, he took my plate and put it in the dishwasher. Rico had returned to his spot on the rug and was dozing beside the fire. It made me happy to see him getting used to my apartment so quickly.

“You should go to bed,” Sebastian said, posing it more as an order than a suggestion.

I walked over to pet Rico. “What if he’s scared to be in a new place?” I said hesitantly. “Although he seems pretty comfortable.”

“Anyplace is better than the street, Marfil, believe me.”

I stopped petting Rico and looked up at Sebastian for a few seconds, wishing I had the ability to read minds.

“Can I shower in your bathroom?” I asked.

Sebastian frowned.

“My tub is all full of Rico grime,” I explained.

“Shower wherever you want. I’m going to bed.”

How sweet. I missed the other Sebastian.

I went to get my pajamas and knocked on his door. He toldme to come in, and I eventually found him standing in his closet, the door open, pulling a white cotton T-shirt over his head.

“Do you need me to show you how to turn on the water?” he asked. “It’s the same as yours.”

I rolled my eyes as I went into the bathroom and closed the door. I took off my clothes, aware of the fact that he was just steps away, and turned on the hot water. Unsurprisingly, all of his products were perfectly lined up. I sniffed his shower gel and felt a tingle of pleasure; it was like smelling him. Wanting to have him as close to me as possible, I rubbed that familiar scent,hisscent, all over my body.

Finally, I turned off the water and stepped into a cloud of steam—I loved a super-hot shower. I dried off, pulled on a simple white camisole with thin straps, and stepped into my pink cotton pajama pants. I squeezed the excess water out of my hair, then left the bathroom.

Sebastian was sitting up with his laptop open on his knees, which he closed as soon as he saw me.

“Why do you always do that—are you watching porn or something?”

“Go to bed, please.”

“I thought you were going to sleep.”

He set his laptop on the table, sighing. “I don’t go to sleep until you do.”

I walked slowly over to him and sat beside him. “How do you know when I fall asleep?”

“It’s enough to know you’re in your room.”

I smiled, remembering the time I snuck out the window. Then I thought about how he must’ve freaked out that night, and the smile faded from my face.

“I like your bodywash,” I said, sitting very still. He looked me in the eye for the first time since I’d come out of the bathroom. “I smell like you.”

He took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face.

“Does it bother you when I say things like that?”

“What bothers me is the way I feel when you say it.”

My heart sped up. His eyes were still closed, and I took advantage of the fact that he wasn’t looking to move closer to him.

“Why do you make me feel like it’s wrong to want to touch you or to feel something for you?”

He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Because it is.” He was being serious.