The scent hit me before the knock. It was sharp, sweet and too polished. It threaded through the open window like a warning, wrapping itself around my ribs before I could brace for it. I was still in Sebastian’s shirt when the knock came.
He stiffened beside me, a subtle shift in his body that said more than words. One hand still lingered at the curve of my waist, his fingers twitching slightly as though weighing whether to pull me closer or step away.
He chose neither.
I sat up as the knock came again, more impatient this time. Whoever it was had no problem interrupting a quiet morning. Or maybe they knew exactly what they were interrupting.
Sebastian dragged a hand through his hair, already half-dressed. “Stay here,” he murmured, voice low.
But something in his eyes said he already
