“Even though I’m being a cock tease?” Her voice wobbled.
“You’re not a tease. I’m telling you to stop.” His voice was vehement, his body tense. “I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
For some stupid reason, she felt like crying. She’d hurt his feelings with her accusation, but . . . she was messed up. She knew she was. “Can we go back to cuddling? I like that.”
“We can cuddle so damn hard it’ll wear a hole in the blankets.”
She gave a teary giggle at that, and moved to undo the handcuffs. “I don’t think that’s how you cuddle.”
“Fuck it. We’ll make our own rules. Just don’t cry, all right?”
Chelsea nodded and sniffed, and when she released him from the cuffs, he opened his arms. She went to him, burying her face in his neck, and sighed with contentment when his hands began to stroke her hair and her back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
His hands paused. “Why are you sorry? There’s nothing to be sorry about. I got an awesome three-quarters of a blow job.”
Her mouth edged into a faint smile. “Yeah, but I’m sorry I couldn’t go all the way. That I freaked out again.”
He squeezed her in a hug, her breasts pressing against his bare chest. And somehow, that wasn’t weird. Maybe it’s because his touch was so comforting, so soothing. “Are you kidding? We did a lot more than I thought. Should I have shut up? Did I ruin it?”
She shook her head against his shoulder. “It’s just me.” It was always her and her stupid brain. The panic that she couldn’t shut off. “But . . . I had fun for a while.”
“So did I. We should try it again sometime.”
“Maybe so,” she agreed.
He rubbed her arm. “I have to say, though, I’m down with you running around the house topless.”
She laughed, and it turned into a small sigh as she thought of Mrs. Cabral’s judgy expression. “I guess your mother was right about me.”
He stiffened and sat up. “Wait. My mother? When did you run into her?”
Chelsea rolled onto her back, her hand going to her forehead. Ugh. “Earlier today when I was out with Gretchen. It wasn’t pretty. She ambushed me at lunch and had Lisa along for the ride.”
“Fuck. I’m so sorry.” Sebastian slid out of bed and hitched his pants up around his hips. “I’m going to fix this.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get my mother on the phone and tell her—”
“No, please,” Chelsea said, and patted the bed. “Just come back here and cuddle for a bit, all right? I don’t want to think about your mother tonight.”
He looked down at her in the bed, his expression torn. “I don’t like that she’s bullying you.”
“Then we’ll do something about it tomorrow. Tonight I just kind of want to relax, okay?” And maybe get a bit more snuggling in. She was getting addicted to the feel of his hands on her body. Not in a sexual way, but just his soothing, comforting touch. Knowing he was there and would be there for her.
She craved that.
Sebastian hesitated for a moment longer, then return to bed with a bound. She squealed as he tackled her and pulled her against him in a bear hug, his body spooning hers. “All right, you talked me into more of this.”
Chelsea laughed and held his hands against her skin. His hand slid to her breast and cupped it, and she held it there. He wasn’t squeezing, wasn’t trying to “persuade” her to change her mind. He was just holding her. And as he nuzzled her neck, she gave a small sigh of pleasure.
“Maybe my safe word should be ‘Mother,’” he commented. “Nothing shrivels my cock faster than that.”
She snorted with laughter. “I’m sorry I mentioned it. I did walk out on her.”