87 A Note, a Watch, and a Lingering Mystery
My fingers trembled as I stared at Sebastian’s note. The elegant handwriting seemed to nock my disheveled state Sebastian Sinclair had been in my apartment. He had seen me at my absolute worst. And he had taken care of me. A
I slumped against the counter, mortification washing over me in waves. What exactly had happened last night? My memories remained frustratingly fragmented-his arms supporting me, his voice low and soothing in my ear, the warmth of his body against
Had imagined that kiss? Or worse, had I thrown myself at him in my drunken state?
The thought made me groan aloud. I pulled open the refrigerator door and found the container of conger exactly where his note had indicated The gesture was so unexpectedly intimate-Sebastian Sinclair, one of the most powerful men in the city. nad cooked hangover food for me
Fopened the container and inhaled the gentle aroma of ginger and chicken. The fact that he’d gone to such trouble made my heart flutter in a way I didn’t want to examine too closely
My phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. Vera’s name flashed on the screen
“You alive?” she croaked when I answered
“Barely You?
My head feels like it’s been split open with an axe. She groaned. “What happened last light? The last thing I remember is challenging that businessman to a tequila contest was hoping you could tell me I said, stirring the congee I’d transferred to a bowl How did I get home?
Noaded One minute you were there, the next you weren’t figured you’d called a
Car
Thit my is vera. Sebastian Sinclair brought me home
The silence on the other end stretched for several seconds
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Don’t be ridiculous. I snapped, but my checks Tieptent. The who her being
Decent would be alling ontcals Thug away Hesund decay remember anything else? Like how you ended up worn m
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was okay
“Sq. Mr
Jark and Dangerous swooped in to rescue you Vera sounded express too
You have to call him.
Absolutely not. I said, horrified at the thought. Tm never taring ham NEMO
“You’re going to have to eventually. Better to get ahead t
whatever had
I knew she was right, but the thought of talking to Sebastian 44 happeried last night made me want to crawl under my bed and never cual
“Til deal with it later” I mumbled “I need to sort myself out first.
wherchect
After hanging up: I forced myself to eat the congee which was surprisingh delicious The ginger soothed my queasy stomach and the protein gave me cr energy Sebastian obviously knew his way around hangover reinetes, which made que wonder about his own past experiences
I took a deep breath and decided to tackle the mess bd surely left in the trong nom
To my surprise eveything we tidy My hodoshchevaguely res
off were neatly placed by the dung. My po not on the with th flour where I would have left in
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As I straightened the throw pillows on my couch, something caught my eye There, ou the coffee table lay a watch. It wasn’t mine toodarge. To masculine My heart
stuttered as I picked it up.
The weight of it spoke of quality. The band was black leather. The face simple but elegant with a small logo Frecognized instantly. This wasn’t just any watch. It was a limited-edition Patek Philippe, worth more than my rent for half a year.
Sebastian’s watch
He must have taken it off while helping me. Perhaps when he was cooking? Or maybe
when he
Another memory flashed across my mind-strong arms lifting me, carrying me to bed. Sebastian’s face close to mine, his eyes dark with an emotion I couldn’t name. Had I wrapped my arms around his neck? Had I pulled him closer
I felt heat rise in my cheeks. Had I made a complete fool of myself?
The watch felt heavy in my palm, ticking steadily like a countdown. This complicated things further. Now I had to return it to him. There was no avoiding contact
1 gently placed the watch back on the table and sank onto the couch. The situation was spiraling out of my control I had promised myself I would keep things strictly professional with Sebastian. His intensity frightened me. The way he looked at me- like he knew me better than I knew myself-made me feel exposed
After Alistair’s betrayal, I had sworn never to let another man get close enough to hurt me. Sebastian Sinclair was dangerous precisely because he made me want to break that promise
I picked up my phone, scrolling to Sebastian’s number. My finger hovered over the call button What would I even say? Thanks for taking care of my drunken ass, and by the way, did I throw myself at you?”
No. I couldn’t face that conversation yet. Not while my head still throbbed and my meniones remained so frustratingly incomplete
I set the phone down and stared at the watch. Its quet ticking seemed to inock iny Indecision Sebastian had left something valuable behind–perhaps deliberately? Was this his way of ensuring we would invet again
The thought sent a shiver down my spine Sebastian wasn’t a man who did anything without purpose. If he’d left his watch, be meant to come back for it or he meant for the to bring it to him
Either way our paths would cross again soon. The question was whether I would face if head-on or contmue hiding.
Frouched my lips, trying to determine if the phantom sensation of his kiss was memory or amagination The uncertainty was maddening. What else had happened that I couldn’t remember?
One thing was clear. Sebastian Sinclair had seen a vulnerable side of me that few others had witnessed He’d taken care of me without taking advantage. That alone set him apart from most men I’d known.
As I picked up the watch again, feeling its weight and the smooth leather against my skin. made a decision would call him tomorrow. After I’d had time to gather my
composure and prepare what to say.
For now, I’d keep his watch safe-this unexpected, tangible connection to a man who grew more mysterious with each encounter.
