The World As We Know It

Chapter Fourteen

The manor was real. That much I had faith in. Sunlight poured into the room from between drawn curtains, and I found myself staring at the garden outside beyond the window. A variety of brightly-colored flowers sat in neat beds. The garden itself was nestled against a large rose-hedge wall, the roses so blue they looked almost black. I could see the tip of a stone bench from my spot, and wondered how hard it would be to slip away into the colorful Wonderland. My head turned towards the sound of the shower starting. I was surprised he was getting up so late. Cosmo lifted his head for barely a second when I swung my legs over the side of the bed before falling back asleep. I slowly approached the bathroom door, my stiff joints making each step agonizing. I hesitated at the door, my hand hovering over the brass doorknob. I was fully aware that if I went in there, Sebastian would not be clothed. While the thought of what would happen next concerned me, the desire to hear his voice was stronger. I quickly turned the knob and stepped into the steamy room. The figure in the shower turned to face me, the image distorted by the frosted glass. There was a long pause before either of us spoke.

"Can I help you?" he purred, purposely turning his back to me.

Even with the frosted glass, I could see just enough to know how absolutely exquisite he looked. However, he was fooling himself if he thought I would swoon over him like so many other girls. Unperturbed, I sat next to the shower, my chin resting on my knees. Sebastian seemed almost disappointed by my lack of reaction. I half expected him to "accidently" let the door slide open just enough for me to catch a glimpse of him, but he just continued showering.

"You never answered my question," he reminded me.

"I just want to be in here," I replied, scooting closer to the shower.

He digested that statement for a moment before opening the shower door. Without the filter, I had a much better look at how well defined every muscle was. As if carved from marble, this pale man leaned out of the shower to study my troubled expression. I tried to keep my eyes averted, but, god, was he breathtaking! His lips curled into a smirk, and he gestured to the shower.

"Care to join me?"

Blood rushed to my cheeks at the thought of stripping in front of this Greek god of a Demon, but the idea of standing under that warm water with him was more than just a little appealing. Sebastian's grin widened as he watched my internal debate, but it quickly turned to shock when I suddenly jolted to my feet, my shirt already over my head. Pleased, but slightly baffled, he helped me step into the shower before closing the door. The water felt divine against my aching back, though nowhere near as good as Sebastian's hands expertly massaging the kinks out of my shoulders. The glowing mark on his hand caught my attention when he reached for the bottle of shampoo, and I wondered what he would do if I got a tattoo like it on the same hand. Would he gleefully claim that I was his, or would he be furious that I was imitating a Demonic contract? I shuddered as something cold hit my scalp, earning a soft snicker from Sebastian as his fingers worked the shampoo through my hair.

"I never thought you would be so bold," he murmured in my ear.

I made a noise of agreement, lost in the sensation of his hands rinsing soap from my hair. How could something so innocent seem so sinful? As if hearing my thoughts, he moved his hands from my hair and turned me to face him. A wicked grin greeted me, and I knew how this shower would end.

He pressed his lips greedily against mine, drawing me towards him. Cheeks burning, I tried to push him away only to find my arms pinned above my head. His free hand was tangled in my hair, using it to hold me still. I told myself I didn't want this, that I needed to stop him, but those were lies. Every shred of my being wanted more, but a tiny voice tried to reason that this was wrong and that I wasn't ready. How could my mind and heart be in different places?