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He sighed. “Ember will love it.”
“I’ll just freshen up and be down. It’s pajama day, after all.”
He grinned, and his dimple popped. “Sounds great.”
I’d made it my mission to make him smile as much as possible because I adored his dimple. He was the only Monroe brother who had one. He said his father had one, too, but I didn’t see it often. Larry was a gruff man, who was firm with his boys and sweet to his wife.
Sebastian pushed off the doorway and stood straight. He paused for a second as if he wanted to say something, his gaze scanning the room, and then he shook his head again and turned to leave.
For the first time in a long time, I was looking forward to a Sunday. My roommate spent all her weekends with her boyfriend, now fiancé, and I took advantage of the quiet to grade papers. It was a good life, but I was lonely.
I washed my face, brushed my teeth and hair, then slipped on my slippers and a bra before heading downstairs.
I loved Sebastian’s new cabin, the home he’d created for his daughter. It was warm and inviting, and despite his grumpiness over the holidays, I was positive I could get him to see how amazing the season could be.
Last night, Sebastian’s home appeared to be neat and organized, but this morning, the counter was covered in flour.
“We’re making pancakes.” Ember beamed from her seated spot on the counter. She was mixing the ingredients, and more flour was escaping than staying inside the bowl.
“I can see that,” I said, amusement tinging my tone.
“We’re messy cooks,” Sebastian said.
He grinned, which showed a spot of flour on his cheek and on the gray shirt he wore. His pajamas consisted of blue-and-green plaid flannel pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips. He looked delectable this early in the morning.
I’d spent a lot of time with him and his daughter but never early in the morning like this. Not when everyone was rumpled from sleep, his hair standing on end, and his clothes covered in flour.
He preferred organization, but I liked that he could be messy with his daughter. He was capable of letting go.
Maybe this was the key to really getting to know Sebastian on a deeper level. I couldn’t believe it took moving in with my best friend to see the real man beneath the façade of the rigid and serious persona he presented to everyone else.
He stretched his arms over his head, and his shirt rode up, revealing defined abs and those V-shaped muscles I’d heard about but never seen on a man before. I licked my dry lips and squeaked in surprise when his amused gaze landed on my face.
“Like what you see?” His dimple popped, and my cheeks flamed hot.
“Those are very nice pajamas,” I managed to croak out as he helped Ember down. He rounded the island, grabbed a wooden spoon out of a container on the counter behind me, and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “That wasn’t what I was talking about, and you know it.”
My face heated, and I hoped that Ember hadn’t heard him or noticed my reaction.
Sebastian was my friend. He’d never flirted with me before or asked if I’d noticed his body. What was happening? It was like my carefully crafted life had suddenly been tilted on its axis.
Maybe he was just teasing. I’d seen the way his brothers constantly teased each other. But I wasn’t his sister, and his ribbing hadn’t felt like that kind of back-and-forth. It felt more like flirting.
Is Sebastian Monroe flirting with me?
My heart was pounding in my ears as I sat on a stool to watch as they poured batter into the pan.
I felt hot all over and kept shifting in my seat.
When the pancakes were poured, Ember asked to watch cartoons, and Sebastian said she could. She raced out of the room, and a few seconds later, the sound of the TV drifted into the kitchen.
“Are you okay?” Sebastian asked, his gaze shifting to me.
My face flushed hotter. “Of course.”
He smirked. “You seemed a little flustered.”
“It’s going to take some time to get used to living together. I’ve never had a male roommate before.”
