He kisses my head, takes several deep breaths, then points to the sky. "When I was a kid, I used to pretend I was in space and living inside the Big Dipper. Do you see it?"

I glance up. "Yes. Why did you want to live there?"

He absentmindedly says, "My teacher told me it wasn't possible. I guess I always wanted what people told me I couldn't have or do."

My heart almost stops. I lift my chin and furrow my eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

Fear fills me. I swallow hard and question, "Is that why you wanted me? Because I told you that you couldn't?"

His face falls. He shakes his head and runs his thumb across my lips. "No, Sunshine. I wanted you because I've never met anyone like you. You're special."

I take a deep breath.

He tilts his head and moves his thumb across my jaw. "You don't believe me?"

"I'd like to," I confess.

Hurt washes over his features. His eyes turn to slits. He accuses, "You're regretting me, aren't you?"

"No," I adamantly say.

"Then why don't you believe me?"

I choose my words carefully, answering, "You're Sebastian Cartwright. You can have anyone you want."

Something passes in his expression, but I'm unsure how to take it. He waits several moments, then says, "I'm pretty sure, out of the two of us, you're the one who can get anyone you want. While I'd like to believe I'm holding the cards between us, I'm not. And I think we both know it's the truth."

His statement shocks me. I stay quiet, pondering it.

He kisses the top of my head and states, "We should get back. My mom will have everyone looking for us for dinner."

"Guess it would be bad if they caught us here naked, huh?" I tease.

He grins. "Might not be our best public moment." He hands me my clothes, and we both get dressed quickly.

On the way back, he never lets my hand go. From time to time, he kisses it.

There are no more borders between us. Everything is blurry. And when I look at him, I see the future, yet I'm also fully aware he's going to crush my heart.

There's no avoiding it.

We're a disaster in the making.

Nothing I can do will stop it. No matter what Sebastian says, he's the one holding the cards. All of them. The full deck and even the box. I'm just a card he'll shuffle into his life, yet I can't stop myself from volunteering.

Twenty

SEBASTIAN

When I wake up, I go into the kitchen. Georgia's there making breakfast with Isabella and Emma, which shouldn't surprise me. She does it every morning.

Today, she's wearing her new ring. It's the first morning she's cooked wearing it, and everything about seeing it on her finger gives me satisfaction.