The cave of Seb’s arms and legs got noticeably smaller as he pressed her into his chest. She tilted her head to one side, and he mirrored her, following the nervous path. “I have feelings for you, too,” he told her in that low, low voice of his that reminded her of thunder in the distance. “In case you haven’t noticed.”

He leaned in to kiss her but paused. “Just to be clear, I’m not dating anyone else right now. I have absolutely no desire to do that.”

“Me either,” she replied immediately, and made him smile. He tucked her in a little closer.

And then he did kiss her. His hands linked behind her back, and her hands stayed on his shoulders. But somehow, it was still the dirtiest kiss they’d ever shared. Maybe it was the scent of fabric softener on the sheets at Seb’s back. Or the blue walls that made Via want to blink her eyes lazily closed. Or the fact that he’d just made that confession so much easier than it had ever been before. But Via was starving for him.

Her mouth was open before the kiss even started, her tongue lining his lips and then pressing viciously against his. Their teeth clacked, and she made a little sound into him. She changed the angle of the kiss, and he followed her. She was pressed so firmly against him that she could feel the hard length of him growing against her, and she couldn’t help but press harder.

“Mmph.” He tore his mouth away from hers and looked at the clock on the wall. “I’ve gotta—we’ve gotta—ah. Bath time. For Matty. Not for you and me. I mean. I wouldn’t say no, but—”

He stopped rambling and came back to her mouth. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and needled it with her teeth. Pressing her forehead to his, she attempted to catch her breath. “Go put your son to bed. I’ll deal with this mess.”

Twenty minutes later, when Sebastian trekked back into the room with a damp and pajamas-clad Matty, Via was almost finished packing. His clothes were neatly folded in the suitcase. All she had left to do was refill the travel bottles.

“G’night, Miss Via,” Matty said, crossing to her, his arms extended. She was already sitting on the ground, so he slid right into her lap, his arms around her neck.

“Good night, you sweet, perfect, little person.” Via couldn’t help the swelling of affection for the sweet kid in her lap.

“I’ll miss you when I’m in White Plains.”

She blinked at him. He’d said it with so much fact in his voice, so little trepidation. “I’ll miss you, too. Eat some green stuff for me, okay?”

He made a face but sighed. “Okay.”

And then he leaned forward, a pucker on his lips. Via gave him a light peck, her heart nearly exploding, before she set him on his feet and he padded out, Crabby following behind.