The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

26. In Love With Sebastian

"Sebastian?" Julia mouthed. "Why would you want to help me with Sebastian. I didn't say I was making designs on him."

"You aren't," Cole asked sounding disappointed.

Julia frowned what's all this about. could it be that Cole has discovered all she had been up to? All the seducing that she had done. Julia shivered at that thought. Frightfully whipping it from her memory. It is best if she doesn't think that way.

Julia didn't answer Cole, but she watched him picked up a fine stone from the ground and examine it. he rubbed the surface with his thumb and stared deeply at it. "I won't offer for you."

Julia froze "I beg your pardon?"

Cole raised his head slightly. and his lips curled up "I said, I won't offer for you."

Julia's eye slowly widen. "Why?" she breathed out. where were all these things coming from she hadn't quite had a chance to think through with what her next plan should be whether she should pursue Sebastian? but at the same time, she didn't want cole to back away in case she fails with Sebastian she would still have someone she can entice to offer for her.

Cole heard her and scoffed, he clenched the stone in his hand then he stared at her with bottomless eyes. "Look at you, you are clearly in love with Sebastian even though you try to deny it. I can still tell."

Julia felt her cheeks burn. "No am not," she hotly denied. Her heart beating faster in her chest. What was all this?

Cole eyed her for a moment making Julia feel uncomfortable from the intensity of his gaze but she stood her ground and refused to back down. She stared back.

"You are sure you have no affectation for Sebastian?" Cole asked. His voice was low and the words were spoken slowly.

"Yes...yes am sure." Julia breathed out confused. Cole was surely up to something. If not why else would he query her about Sebastian? What business of his is it? Julia scowled, turned her face the other way, and frowned.

After a while, Cole lowered his eyes and sighed. "I don't know what came over me. Perhaps, I thought you were pinning after him and I thought you should know this."

Julia's head quickly snapped back towards Cole, her eyes intent on him. "What? " she asked. "What is it I should know?"

Cole grimaced as if reluctant to reveal anything. "He is courting somebody else and he has every intention of offering for her."

Julia's eyes gradually narrowed. "He is?" She slowly bit out without even realizing that her voice had turned bitter and her sweet delectable mouth have settled into a flat line.

Cole wanted to smile but he took everything in him and quelled that feeling until his face was schooled to resemble...pity

He sighed again and stared at Julia. "I know how you feel and I want you to know that you are not alone."

Julia scoffed and narrowed her eyes "why are you speaking as if someone just died?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps nobody has died but your love has suffered the same fate. I shall like to think that it is the same thing."

Julia gritted her teeth. Each word spaced out. " I do not have any affectation for Sebastian."

Cole just stared at her. Pity shining through his hazel eyes.

He stared at her as if....as if, he understood her pain.

For some reason it made Julia want to cry, she wanted to scream and she wanted to rip something apart all at once. She had just discovered her feelings for Sebastian she hasn't even been able to sort her mind out and now he wants to offer for this strange girl. Julia didn't even know this girl but she can't help but think of all the bad things she wants to do to her. especially how she badly wants to cause bodily harm to her.

Lost in her thoughts with her head lowered. Her chest rising and falling from the force of her anguish. She heard Cole speak. Albeit faintly, but she still heard him. Something in the lines of "I have known him all my life and I know how to help you win him away from her."

Julia jerked her head up as soon as she heard that. Without even waiting to confirm if she heard right. She bit out "How!" Turning her head to face Cole, her eyes connected with a pair of laughing eyes and that was when she realized that she had just admitted to being in love with Sebastian in the presence of Cole Fletcher! Sebastian's long best friend!

How horrible.

She wished the ground would open and swallow her whole.

Julia lowered her head and bit her lower lips, waiting for Cole to say something. But he wasn't done laughing. After feigning ignorance and all that she still managed to expose her self.

After several seconds Cole was still laughing. Julia gritted her teeth. she couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from the ground prepared to leave. that simple action alone seems to sober cole up because as soon as he saw her standing he quickly stood up and grabbed her wrist with one hand.

"Am sorry," he said, the words sounded genuine as if coming from his heart.

Julia raised her head and he repeated them.

"Am sorry." His expression seems to have turned serious. He raised the hand he was holding and kissed her knuckles "Please do accept my apologies."

Julia stared at him apologizing to her and thought that everything wasn't as bad as she had thought. Maybe a good thing could come out of all this.

So she detached her wrist from his hand and raised her chin up in the air. her eyes shining. "You said you could help with Sebastian? was there any truth in that."

Cole ignored her question and smiled. "So you do admit you are in love with Sebastian."

Julia stared hard at Cole. after a moment she murmured "Yes, I am in love with Sebastian." there was no shame in that she thought. there was no need for her to be ashamed of that fact, best friend of Sebastian or not she would look him in the eyes and admit she was in love with Sebastian.

So she looked him in squarely in the eyes. a ghost of a smile playing around her lips. stretching her plump red lips to one side. "Yes, I am in love with Sebastian."

Cole was rendered speechless. He should have known by now that Julia was in an entirely different league from the women he knew. He should have known that a woman like her would not only announce her love for Sebastian but also embrace it. By Jove, but she was such a rare species and his friend was quite lucky, only if he would open his eyes and see what is in front of him. Even if he won't see it he was there to make him see it. Isn't that what friends do.

Cole smiled at Julia until he felt his smile turn into a grin and watched hers turn the same. Finally, they lapsed into silence. One they were quite happy and content in.

Until Julia opened her mouth and asked, "How do I make him want me."

Cole smiled and said, "I thought you would never ask. now, this is what we will do."