Frayed Obsession (The Frayed Trilogy 1)

“I was going to let you sleep longer, but I thought we could eat out tonight.”

“What?” I ask, yawning, trying to clear the fog from my head.

“Shit,” he mutters under his breath. “Go back to sleep, Grace. We can go another time.”

“Wait, go where?” I stand, suddenly wide awake.

We stand toe to toe, and Sebastian studies me before glancing at his watch.

“Be ready in half an hour if you want to go,” he says, then heads for the hall leading to the bedrooms.

“Where are we going?”

“Half an hour,” he says again as he disappears down the hall, and I blow out a frustrated breath

Sebastian wants to go out to dinner?

With me?

Like a date?

Okay, probably not like a date.

Going to my room, I pause in the doorway, gazing down the hall to where Sebastian’s room is. The door is closed, but I look anyway.

I enter my room but only make it a few steps before stopping. I have nothing to wear. Looking down at my clothes, I see the same blue jeans and cream knit that I wear nearly every day. It might only be a non-date dinner, but the thought of wearing this same outfit deflates the little part of excitement I felt at spending more time with Sebastian.

Snap out of it!

Refusing to feel sorry for myself, I head for the bathroom to salvage the sleep hair I’m assuming I have, but before I make it there, I remember.

Detouring to the wardrobe, I press open the first door and spy the bag I shoved in there a few days ago. Picking it up, I carry it over and dump it on the bed, clothes already spilling out of it.

True to her word, a couple of days after I found her sitting on my bed, Mason brought up this bag, and I knew immediately it was the clothes Lauren was going to donate. Without even looking at the contents, I threw it in the wardrobe. I don’t know why I didn’t ask Mason to take it straight away.

I’m not a charity case.

But maybe it would be okay if I borrowed something just for tonight.

Half an hour later, I find Sebastian waiting in the lounge, sitting on the arm of the couch.

He stands when he sees me, his gaze slowly making its way down my body. Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and I smooth my hands down the dress I found in Lauren’s bag. It’s a deep blue with small white flowers, half sleeves, and a flowing body.

Apparently, Lauren likes clothes that hug every inch of her. I thought the floral dress was a safe option.

I glance down the front of my dress to the V-shaped neckline created by the bow tied between my breasts. And whilst it’s long, the skirt scoops slightly in the front.

Is it too much? I should have gone for one of the blouses to wear with my jeans.

My grey laced shoes are the only pair I have, but I thought they paired okay with the dress. Their relaxed style might have made the outfit, as a whole, a little more casual, but that suits me better anyway.

Maybe I got this all wrong, and we aren’t going to dinner.

“You look beautiful.”

My head snaps up. His gaze follows the flush burning a path from my chest onto my face until his eyes clash with mine. I hate how easily he affects me. I was crazy to think I’d be able to keep my feelings under wraps during my time here, especially when he gives me the same burning stare I’ve seen a few times now.

“Thank you,” I say, stomach fluttering.

“We should go,” Sebastian says, leading me to the lift. “Sorry, buddy, we’ll be back later.” He crouches down in front of Shadow, who was ready to follow us out, and massages his head and ears between his hands.

Shadow looks less than impressed that we’re leaving him behind, but he does as he’s told and stays put.

“Will he be okay here by himself?”

“He’ll be fine. We won’t be gone long enough to need to worry,” Sebastian says.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask when we’re seated in Sebastian’s BMW.

“Nope,” he says, but I catch the slight tilt of his lips.