Ivy's POV
The air in my living room felt heavier than usual, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the way Sebastian sat across from me, legs crossed and back impossibly straight, looking as though he belonged in a museum painting rather than my well-loved secondhand armchair.
He held his water glass delicately, the crimson liquid swirling lazily as he watched me with those dark, unreadable eyes. I tried to focus on something, anything, other than the way his presence seemed to fill the entire room. My art books on the coffee table. The faint ticking of the clock on the wall. The soft hum of the city outside.
But his eyes… I kept coming back to those.
"So…" I started, suddenly unsure where I was going with the question, "are you… in a relationship?"
The words came out more awkwardly than I intended, but I tried to cover it with a quick sip of my wine. I wasn't sure why I'd even asked. Maybe it was curiosity. Or maybe I wanted to fill the silence he seemed so comfortable sitting in.
Sebastian tilted his head slightly, as if amused. "No."
I blinked at him. "No?"
He smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth curving up in that maddeningly subtle way of his. "I haven't been in a relationship for a very long time."
Something about the way he said it made me pause. A very long time? My mind snagged on the words. How long could someone really mean when they said that? Months? Years?
I laughed softly, trying to keep the mood light. "That's hard to believe. You're… well…"
His brow lifted. "I'm what?"
I felt a flush creep up my neck. "You're kind of perfect. Mysterious, charming, clearly cultured. I'm surprised people aren't lining up to be with you."
His smile faded slightly, and for a second, there was something deeper in his gaze, something unreadable. He leaned forward slightly, setting his wine glass on the table, and I suddenly forgot how to breathe.
"Ivy," He said, his voice lower now, smoother. "Would you... would you let me get closer to you?"
I blinked. My heart skipped, then stuttered back to life. "Closer?"
"Yes."
I felt my stomach flip, and it took every ounce of willpower not to let the excitement show on my face. I could play it cool. I could totally play it cool. "Um… sure. I don't see why not."
Sebastian didn't hesitate. He shifted from his chair, moving to sit on the sofa beside me. I froze, suddenly hyperaware of every sound, every breath, every inch of space that had just disappeared between us.
He was close now, closer than anyone had ever been. The smell of him, faintly crisp like winter air with a hint of something darker, surrounded me.
Then he leaned in.
I stiffened as his face tilted toward my neck, the movement so deliberate, so slow, that it sent a shiver racing through me. My breath caught as I felt him inhale, actually inhale, his nose brushing softly against the sensitive skin at the curve of my neck and sliding upward, until it reached my hair.
My brain scrambled to make sense of what was happening. What was he doing? Was this… normal? Did other people do this? Because I was pretty sure nobody I'd dated had ever leaned in to sniff me.
I just sat there, completely still, trying to understand what was going on. My heart was hammering so loudly that I was sure he could hear it.
"Sebastian…" I started, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't be scared, relax. I won't hurt you," He whispered softly.
And then his hand moved.
His long fingers brushed my hair aside, curling gently around the back of my neck. The cold hit me instantly, sharp and startling, like ice against bare skin.
I gasped. My entire body twitched involuntarily at his touch, and before I knew what I was doing, I jerked back and shot up from the sofa.
"Sebastian!" I exclaimed, staring at him as I rubbed the back of my neck. "What the hell? Your hands are freezing!"
Sebastian remained seated, his expression calm despite my outburst. If anything, he looked curious, like he was trying to gauge my reaction.
"I didn't mean to startle you," he said softly, his tone far too composed for what had just happened.
I stared at him, my hand still pressed against the spot where he'd touched me. "Startle me? That was ice cold, Sebastian! Do you always go around… grabbing people like that?"
He tilted his head, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. "No. Only you."
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. His words sent a strange, fluttery feeling through me, one that didn't sit comfortably next to the lingering chill of his touch.
"I think I need some air," I muttered, brushing my hair back nervously as I paced toward the window. I opened it a crack, letting in the cool night breeze.
Behind me, Sebastian hadn't moved. "Ivy," He said quietly.
I turned, but I kept my distance this time. "What?"
His gaze lingered on me, dark and unwavering. "You're trembling."
I stilled. He was right. I was trembling. Whether it was from the cold of his touch, the closeness, or something else entirely, I didn't know.
"I'll be fine," I said quickly, brushing him off. "It's just… late. I think I'm tired."
Sebastian rose to his feet, moving with the same fluidity that always made my breath hitch. "If that's what you wish," He said, his voice smooth again, calm as ever.
I watched him as he walked toward the door, pausing to glance back at me. "Goodnight, Ivy."
"Goodnight," I murmured, still rooted to the spot.
When he left, the room felt oddly empty. I sank back onto the sofa, pressing my fingers to the back of my neck again. The spot where he'd touched me still tingled, and it was still cold.
What the hell just happened?
I wasn't sure if I was scared, confused, or exhilarated, maybe all three. But one thing was certain: Sebastian Cain wasn't like anyone I'd ever met. And something about that both thrilled and terrified me.