The lights went out, plunging them into darkness. It felt as if every emotion was being condensed into a single point, the warmth of his breath a distinct presence by her ear.
The sound of her own heartbeat in her ears grew louder and louder—*thump, thump*—each beat more forceful than the last. She was starting to feel light-headed.
Until a deep voice murmured by her ear,
"Syd?"
That single word, her nickname, seemed to instantly steal her soul.
Just then, a car horn blared, and the sound-activated light flickered on.
The dark eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses were deep and profound as they stared at her. Sydney's breathing grew ragged, and she didn't dare meet his gaze. It felt as if his eyes had a physical heat…
…one that was scalding enough to make her heart panic.
His aura was overpowering, seeping into every pore and making her tremble.
She felt like he could devour her at any moment.
"Ready to come home with me now?" Sebastian Lockwood had no intention of demanding she make things official while she was drunk; he was just trying to scare her.
Afraid of being devoured, Sydney didn't dare act out and nodded obediently.
The next second, he took her hand. Sydney lowered her head, watching as his long, slender fingers closed around her wrist.
The touch was warm and incredibly real, impossible to ignore.
As the door opened, Timmy Lockwood poked his head through the gap. He must have caught the scent of alcohol, because he immediately retreated with a wary look.
"Have a seat. I'll get you a glass of water."
Drinking water helps metabolize alcohol. Sebastian had just poured her a glass when he turned around to find that Sydney had already sprawled out on his sofa and fallen asleep.
It wasn't even her own home, yet she didn't have a single shred of caution.
Sebastian walked over, bent down, and draped her arm over his shoulder. He slid one arm under the crook of her knees and the other around her waist, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the master bedroom.
Just as he was about to gently lower her onto the bed, Sydney woke up.
The hand that had been resting limply on his shoulder tightened slightly.
Without any warning… her arms hooked around his neck.
Her fingers were hot against his skin, her arms around his neck stoking a fire.
Using the leverage, Sydney pulled herself closer.
They were so close that it seemed her eyelashes would brush against him every time she blinked, tickling his very heart and making him lose control.
"You look like someone…"
she murmured, studying him so closely her face was almost touching his.
"Like who?"
"Like someone I used to like."
Her voice, husky from the alcohol, was a hazy murmur, bewitching and soft.
"Is that so?"
Sebastian Lockwood's voice grew deeper, rougher.
His Adam's apple bobbed. He felt his rationality tearing apart under her intense gaze and proximity.
His instincts screamed that if this continued… he wouldn't be able to hold himself back tonight.
Sydney suddenly grinned at him and shook her head. "No, you're not him."
"How am I not him?"
"He's just a lousy flirt with terrible taste."
"..."
Sydney's arms loosened from around his neck, and she fell back, fast asleep.
Sebastian closed his eyes and scoffed. *A lousy flirt?*
*Used to like? So does she still like him now?*
After taking off her shoes and covering her with a blanket, Sebastian stood by the bed for a long moment before heading to the living room to get Timmy Lockwood some food.
While Timmy Lockwood trotted off happily to eat, Sebastian glanced at his phone.
Andrea Wyatt had sent him a message explaining what happened earlier. All the other notifications were from Donovan Sheridan, who was currently causing a ruckus in a group chat, clearly having the time of his life.
Donovan Sheridan: [I've got some earth-shattering gossip! I guarantee this scoop is juicier than any breakup.]
[Grabbing my popcorn! Spill the tea!]
[Whose drama is it? Is it juicy?]
...
After everyone waited expectantly, the man of the hour only posted:
[I've got a secret, I've got a secret, and I'm not gonna tell you, not gonna tell you...]
Before Sebastian could even do anything, Donovan had already incurred the wrath of the entire group chat and was being virtually mobbed.
It was torture to be sitting on such a huge piece of gossip and not be able to share it. He wondered what Sebastian was doing right now, having whisked the girl away.
Donovan Sheridan sighed. He wasn't even in a relationship himself, yet here he was, losing his mind over someone else's love life.
Just as he put his phone away and prepared to sleep, it vibrated. A message from Sebastian Lockwood:
[Is the gossip sweet?]
*Holy shit!*
Donovan Sheridan hesitated for a moment before replying: [You're still up? What about your little 'niece'?]
[She drank too much.]
[I didn't realize she was such a lightweight. How is she now?]
[She's asleep.]
[Did you take her home?]
[She's in my bed.]
Donovan gritted his teeth. *That animal!*
[Well, in that case, you should get some rest too.]
But Sebastian just chuckled. [My girl is a lightweight, so she couldn't drink properly with you tonight. When I have time, I'll find a few guys to drink with you properly.]
Donovan Sheridan was wide awake now.
After Timmy Lockwood had eaten his fill, Sebastian cleaned the litter box and then went to check on Sydney. She must have gotten hot, as the blanket he had just tucked around her was now kicked aside, covering only half of her body.
The May nights in Keston were still a little cool.
Sebastian tucked the blanket around her again. After this happened a few more times, he finally just moved a chair to the bedside to watch over her.
Timmy Lockwood licked his paws in the corner for a while before eventually curling up by Sebastian's feet and falling asleep next to him.
**
That night, Sydney Sawyer had many dreams.
She dreamed of the first time she met Sebastian Lockwood...
Back then, he didn't wear glasses often.
His hair was short and neat, his features deep-set and defined. Even in a white lab coat, he had an air of untamed freedom.
He would sometimes have a cigarette after his shift, and the wind would seem to carry the scent of tobacco right to her nose. She had even secretly tried one of his favorite brand of cigarettes once, only to end up choking, her throat burning and her face flushed red from coughing.
And he had happened to catch her. He'd laughed with abandon, looking at her with lazy amusement.
"Getting into trouble, little one? Who taught you how to smoke?"
To this day, she still remembered how windy it was that day. The wind had made his shirt billow out before plastering it against his body, revealing the faint outline of his form.
Sydney's face was red from choking on the smoke, but her heart was pounding wildly for him.
Then she dreamed she was confessing to him, asking if he would be her boyfriend. And Sebastian had actually said yes. His reply was so real, it was as if he had whispered it right into her ear.
The sheer excitement of it actually woke her up...
Frustrated, she sluggishly kept her eyes shut, trying to savor the dream a moment longer. She had just rolled over, intending to fall back asleep and continue it, when she keenly sensed that something was wrong.
The feel of this pillow, this blanket...
Her eyes snapped open. This didn't seem to be her room. Her expression was blank, her mind still sluggish.
The next moment, her hand accidentally brushed against something small, warm, and furry. *What's this...?* She reached out and gave it a pinch.
A cat's shriek immediately followed.
"Meeeooww—"
Sydney was scared out of her mind!