Chapter 59 Chapter fifty nine
Lena's POV
I hover over the mountain of food on the center table, stacking boxes of pastries, trays of fruits, and bottles of fresh juice. Avery is beside me, already chuckling, picking up a container of gnocchi and sniffing it like she’s inspecting a fine perfume.
“You really hit the jackpot, Lena,” she teases, raising her brow. “A man sends this much and he’s definitely in love. Like, head over heels.”
I try to brush it off, pretending to be casual, but I can feel my cheeks heating up. “He just… thought I’d be hungry. That’s all.”
Avery doesn’t buy it. She nudges me with her elbow. “Lies. Total lies. Who just thinks you might be hungry and orders enough to feed a small army?”
I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling like a fool. Honestly, I don’t even need to eat anything to feel full. Just seeing all this, knowing he thought of me while arranging it—it’s intoxicating. I’m a little dizzy. My heart races. And, yes, I’m grinning like an idiot.
Avery notices. “I see that smile. Don’t even try to hide it. You’re in deep, girl.”
I huff and look away. “It’s not that deep…”
Her laugh cuts through the air, bright and teasing. “Oh, it’s that deep. Trust me. I know the signs.”
We start arranging everything neatly, stacking the trays and putting beverages in the fridge. Avery hums a little tune, clearly enjoying this gossip-worthy moment, while I keep glancing at the note Sebastian left nestled between the juice bottles
I press it to my chest for a second, savoring the warmth that rushes through me.
“You know,” Avery says after a pause, leaning back with her arms crossed, “you have to tell me every single detail of this trip. And don’t skip anything.”
I laugh nervously. “Avery—”
“No excuses. Start from the sex. Immediately.” She leans forward, elbows on the table, eyes wide. “Do not leave out a single detail.”
I freeze, heat spreading across my face. My hands tremble a little as I set down a tray. “I… I don’t know if I can…
She waves her hand impatiently. “You will. Spill it.”
I take a deep breath, rolling my shoulders as if to steady myself. “Fine,” I whisper, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial murmur. “But you asked for it.”
Avery grins like a kid at Christmas. “I demanded it.”
I start from the beginning, letting the words flow, even if it makes me blush furiously. “It… it started with the tension inbetween us and we just couldn't hold it any longer. And, we had sex that night and mutiple times. And ever since then, he just doesn't want me to work."
"Oh my God Lena!!"
"And coming back, he insisted on carrying me from the jet to the SUV because of my toe. I didn’t want him to, but he just… wouldn’t let me walk. He carried me like I weighed nothing, careful with every step. And even on the plane, he didn’t stop holding my leg on his lap, just… touching me. His thumb… it stroked my ankle, lightly, like he was memorizing every inch of me.”
Avery gasps. “Oh my god. And the toe? Was he gentle?”
“Gentle? He practically worshipped it. I thought it was ridiculous, but it felt… caring. Protective. I’d never felt that way about anyone before.”
And the times we had sex, I glance down at the table, remembering the warmth, the touch. “And then… well… we—” I pause, biting my lip. “The times we had sex...”
Avery squeals, covering her mouth with both hands. “I knew it! I KNEW IT! Tell me everything! Every move! Every kiss! I want it all!”
I blush deeper, but I give in. “We… we were gentle, but passionate. He… he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered. He was careful, but at the same time… intense. And after… he kissed me like he didn’t want to let me go. Like I was his world, Avery. I don’t know how to explain it… but he made me feel completely… seen.”
Avery’s hands fly to her cheeks. “Girl. Girl! This is—this is—” She can’t even finish. Her eyes are wide, sparkling. “You’re underrating how deep this is. He’s obsessed.”
I laugh nervously. “Obsessed? Maybe…” I look down at my hands, fiddling with my ring finger. “He was also… jealous. He didn’t want me to work while we were there, even if it was just emails. He wanted me to rest, to enjoy the trip… to enjoy him, I guess.”
Avery tilts her head. “Jealous? That’s… new. And overprotective. I love it. Tell me more—what else did you do?”
I bite my lip, thinking. “Well… the business meetings were intense, but he kept checking on me, even when he was supposed to be networking. He… he insisted on carrying my bag sometimes. And there was a fancy dinner—he didn’t like some investor flirting with me, even though I handled it myself. He… he just… he’s… he’s protective in ways I never expected.”
Avery leans closer, practically bouncing in excitement. “Oh, I live for this. Did he make you feel special?”
I nod. “More than special. Powerful. Like I mattered… like I mattered to him, more than anything else in the world. And on the beach, in the evening, he—he kissed me again. And held me. And…” I trail off, my cheeks burning, remembering his fingers tracing my waist, his lips brushing my cheek, the way he whispered my name. “Everything he did… it made me feel like I was his. Completely.”
Avery sighs audibly, shaking her head. “You are so deep in it. And the sex… wow. He worships you. Lena, don’t you ever tell me you’re overthinking this. He is falling, girl. Deep. He’s yours.”
I laugh softly, hiding my face in my hands. “I… I don’t know what we are. That’s the thing. I don’t want to ask. I don’t want to ruin it. I want… I want it to stay like this, magical, for just a little longer. I’ll ask him… when I get back to work on Tuesday. But not now.”
Avery shakes her head. “Nope. That’s a long wait, girl. But… I get it. I’d probably do the same. You’re scared of breaking something that’s perfect.” She leans back, stretching, and then grins at me. “But listen… you deserve this. Every ounce of it. Every single touch, every little jealous growl, every protective move, every kiss. You deserve a man who looks at you like you’re his world. And he does. You feel it too, don’t you?”
I nod slowly, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “I do. I feel it. I just… wonder if he feels even half of what I feel.”
Avery reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “He does. Trust me. He wouldn’t be doing all of this if he didn’t. And the jealous bits? The way he didn’t let you work? That’s love, Lena. That’s obsession and affection, all rolled into one.”
I smile softly. “I guess… I just want to enjoy this moment. I don’t want to ruin it with questions I’m not ready for. Not yet.”
Avery shakes her head, but she’s smiling, eyes soft. “Fine. But Tuesday… you ask. No excuses.”
I nod, leaning back, feeling the warmth of the room and the sun streaming through the window. I watch the table filled with food, the note from him, the little gestures that make my heart race. And I feel… content. Even if it’s only for a moment.
Avery gets up and pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tight. “You deserve love like this. Don’t forget it.”
I hug her back, feeling a flutter in my chest. “Thanks, Avery.”
She pulls back and gives me one last grin. “Go on. Eat. Enjoy the calories. And keep gisting me later—I’m not done.”
I laugh quietly, shaking my head, but I feel a warmth spreading through me. I take a seat at the table, letting my eyes linger on all the food, on the note, on the tiny reminders that Sebastian is thinking about me, that he cares, that he’s here.
And as I pick up a fork and start sampling the gnocchi he sent, I can’t stop thinking about him. The way he carried me, the way he held me, the way he looked at me like I was everything he had. I can feel the beat of my heart in my chest, quick and chaotic, and I wonder… does he feel the same rush when he thinks about me?
I close my eyes for a second, imagining his hands on me, his voice in my ear, the way he whispered my name. My chest tightens, a longing I can’t quite name filling me. And yet, there’s happiness, too—a dangerous, intoxicating happiness that I don’t want to spoil.
For now, I let the moment linger. Let the food sit, let Avery tease, let the sun warm the room. Let everything feel perfect for just a little longer.