Chapter 154: First Date
Cassandra~
It’s strange how life can twist in one sudden breath, how the coldest heart can melt with the warmth of someone’s arms wrapped around you.
The morning sunlight filtered into Sebastian’s bedroom, spilling soft yellow rays over tangled sheets and the exposed curve of my shoulder. I lay with my head resting on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear like a lullaby I never knew I needed. Three days had passed since I’d finally let him in—truly in—and it was like waking from a war and finding paradise.
And in a way, it was. I’d lived a life of endless commands, blood, and shadows. Now, every day, I woke up to the smell of cinnamon pancakes and the sound of Sebastian humming old rock songs under his breath as he cooked. I never thought I’d have this.
"Cass?" His voice was a low murmur beside me, lips brushing my hair. "You awake, beautiful?"
I blinked, then turned slightly so I could look up at him. That smirk—his signature, lazy, arrogant smirk—was already tugging at the corner of his lips. His black hair was tousled in that infuriatingly perfect way. I reached up and poked his cheek.
"You really need to stop looking at me like that, vampire," I mumbled. "It’s unfair."
"Unfair?" he repeated, grinning wider. "Cass, I’ve been staring at you like this for days and you’re only noticing now?"
"Shut up." I rolled over on top of him, straddling his waist, my fingers resting on his bare chest. "You’re smug. And annoying. And..."
"And?"
"...Perfect," I finished, my voice only a whisper.