165 A Gentleman’s Accidental Glimpse
Hazel’s POV 10
I nearly dropped the teacup when Sebastian agreed to stay. His sudden change from cool detachment to acceptance caught me completely off guard.
“Sure,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the awkward silence. “Tea would be nice.”
I busied myself with the kettle, grateful for something to do with my hands. My mind raced with confusion. What had changed in the last thirty seconds?
“I have Earl Grey or chamomile,” I offered, keeping my voice steady despite my racing heart.
“Earl Grey is fine.”
The studio felt smaller with him standing there, his tall frame dominating the space. I poured hot water into two cups, watching the tea steep while searching desperately for conversation topics.
“Is your sister excited about her dress fitting next week?” I asked, latching onto the first professional subject that came to mind.
Sebastian accepted the cup I handed him, careful not to let our fingers touch. “Very. She’s been talking about nothing else.”
“That’s good to hear.” I smiled, trying to ease the tension between us. “I’ve sketched several designs I think she’ll love.”
He nodded politely, sipping his tea. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken words. I fought the urge to fill it with nervous chatter.
Sebastian checked his watch. “I should get going soon. I have a meeting in thirty minutes.”
“Of course,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. “Thank you for making time for the fitting today.”
He set his cup down and stood, straightening his jacket. I rose as well, preparing to walk him to the door. But instead of turning to leave, he hesitated, shifting his weight
08.25 –
1/4
from one foot to the other.
“Hazel,” he began, then stopped. A faint flush colored his cheeks.
I’d never seen Sebastian Sinclair blush before. It made him look younger, more approachable. More human.
“Yes?” I prompted when he didn’t continue.
He cleared his throat. “I wanted to mention something… as a friend.”
Friend? We were friends now? My heart did a little flip.
Sebastian’s eyes fixed somewhere over my left shoulder, carefully avoiding direct contact. “When you were taking measurements earlier… your shirt…”
My brow furrowed in confusion.
“The neckline,” he clarified, the blush deepening. “When you bent down to check the trouser length, it… gaped open a bit.”
The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water. My V-neck blouse. I’d leaned over right in front of him. Horror crawled up my spine as I remembered exactly which bra I was wearing – a plain beige one I’d grabbed in a rush this morning.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, mortification washing over me in waves.
Sebastian’s expression was pained. “I didn’t want to mention it, but I thought you should know. So you could be… more careful. With other clients. Less honorable men might…” he trailed off, gesturing vaguely.
“Take advantage,” I finished for him, my face burning hot enough to start a fire.
“Exactly.” He nodded, finally meeting my eyes. “I would never, of course. But I thought you should know.”
I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole. “Thank you for telling me,” I managed, though my voice sounded strangled.
Sebastian headed for the door, clearly as eager to escape this conversation as I was. “I’ll see you at Sophia’s fitting next week.”
“Yes, next week,” I echoed faintly.
08:25
2/4
The door closed behind him, and I collapsed into a chair, burying my face in my hands. No wonder he’d turned so cold after the black suit! He’d gotten an eyeful of my chest in all its beige-cotton glory.
“Kill me now,” I groaned into the empty studio.
–
a tiny,
But as the initial wave of embarrassment receded, another feeling crept in shameful thrill. Sebastian had seen my cleavage. And he’d been affected enough to turn bright red talking about it.
The thought sent a flutter of excitement through me that I immediately tried to squash.
What was wrong with me? I should be mortified – and I was! But I also couldn’t help wondering… had he liked what he saw? Was that why he’d been so flustered in the changing room?
I caught myself mid-fantasy and groaned again. Here I was, spinning romantic daydreams from what was clearly just a gentleman trying to save me from future embarrassment. Sebastian hadn’t been acting weird because he was attracted to me. He was uncomfortable because he’d accidentally seen something he shouldn’t have.
And yet… he could have just ignored it. Most men would have. The fact that he’d cared enough to warn me, despite his own discomfort, said something about his character.
I began cleaning up the tea cups, replaying the scene in my mind. His blush. His careful avoidance of looking directly at me. The way he’d said “less honorable men” – implying that he had, indeed, noticed but would never act inappropriately.
“Stop it, Hazel,” I muttered to myself. “Stop reading into things.””
But my mind wouldn’t let go. If I had known he’d see anything, I’d have worn my best lingerie. Something black and lacy, not the plain beige monstrosity that was currently hidden under my shirt.
The thought made me laugh out loud at my own absurdity. Was I really disappointed that my accidental flash hadn’t been sexier?
I shook my head at my reflection in the studio window. My cheeks were still pink, my eyes bright with embarrassment and something else – hope, perhaps. Or just foolish romantic longing.
08 25
3/4
A GEHUCmans Accidental Gipse
“I’m really hopeless!” I declared to the empty room, my voice caught between a groan and a giggle.
