Chapter 29

Cecilia's pov The bed shifted beneath me—suddenly, sharply. Before I could react, a large hand pressed against the back of my head, pulling me forward. My lips brushed skin. Warm. Smooth. Solid. Not his shoulder. Not his neck. His jawline. My eyes went wide. The shock hit me like a truck. Then everything else came rushing in behind it. The faint heat of his skin. The crisp scent of his cologne. The masculine warmth that radiated from him like he was on fire. It was way too much. Too real. Sebastian froze beneath me. For a breathless beat, neither of us moved. Then his hand eased. Not away—just enough to tilt my face back slightly, creating a whisper of space between us. His palm still cradled the back of my head. Our eyes met. Mine, wide with alarm. His... unreadable. Too still. Too intent. Time stopped. My pulse thundered in my ears, loud enough to drown out thought. I was the first to break. I jerked upright, scrambling off the bed like I'd been burned. My hands flew to my hair, smoo