Chapter 306 Carrying Her Upstairs
Her arms clung tightly around Sebastian's neck, legs wrapped around his waist as she found herself completely off the ground.
At that moment, Camilla resembled nothing so much as a koala clinging to a tree.
"I'm so sorry—I didn't mean to—that dog just scared me half to death," Camilla apologized, awkwardly attempting to disentangle herself.
But Sebastian's hands remained firmly on her waist. Even through her thick coat, she could feel the unmistakable warmth radiating from his touch—intense and almost scorching.
A crimson flush rapidly spread across Camilla's cheeks, eventually coloring her entire face until even the tips of her ears turned pink.
"Sebastian," she murmured, applying gentle pressure to free herself.
His grip, however, remained unyielding.
"Scared?" Sebastian finally spoke, his voice unexpectedly husky.
It wasn't clear whether he meant her fear of the dog—or something else entirely.
Camilla nodded. "A little."
Truth be told, she was frightened of both the dog and the situation she now found herself in.
"You jumped into my arms of your own accord, didn't you?" Sebastian pressed.
Camilla's blush deepened to an impossible shade. "I'm sorry—I wasn't thinking—it was just instinct..."
It was fear, pure and simple. That enormous dog had come charging down the narrow stairwell, leaving her nowhere to dodge. If she'd just stood there frozen, the dog would have crashed straight into her legs.
Despite her embarrassment, Camilla felt no regret. Given the same circumstances, she knew she'd make the same choice again.
"Sebastian, could you put me down now?" she asked softly.
Little did she realize that her lips were right by Sebastian's ear, her warm breath caressing his cheek and neck with every word, carrying a subtle fragrance.
Sebastian's body tensed imperceptibly as he shifted her away slightly, arching his back, though his hands never fully released her—just loosened their grip.
"Are you sure?" he finally asked, his voice even rougher than before.
"What?" Only then did Camilla notice that one of her sneakers was missing—the dog had knocked it off and carried it away.
Looking at her sock-clad foot, then at the grimy stairwell, Camilla instinctively tightened her arms around Sebastian's neck.
"Sebastian..."
"Still want me to put you down?"
Camilla remained silent.
She knew she should get down, but her body refused to cooperate.
Sebastian stopped teasing her. Push too far, and she might actually jump down and climb the stairs in her socks out of sheer stubbornness.
Instead, he adjusted his hold to carry her properly in his arms, then began ascending the stairs one step at a time.
Camilla nestled against him, secure in his strong embrace. With just the slightest tilt of her head, she could see the clean line of his jaw.
Sebastian kept his gaze fixed ahead, carrying her up flight after flight without showing any sign of exertion, steadily bringing her to her doorstep.
Camilla found herself mesmerized, breathing in the pleasant woody scent of his cologne.
"We're here."
"Camilla?"
"What?"
"Your keys," Sebastian prompted. "To open the door."
"Right!" Camilla snapped back to reality, fumbling through her bag.
Still in Sebastian's arms, she reached out to unlock the door.
Once inside, Sebastian gently set her down on the entryway floor.
Her cream-colored sock remained perfectly clean, not a speck of dirt on it.
Sebastian turned to leave.
Camilla changed into her slippers and walked toward the living room, her heart still racing despite her attempts to calm it with deep breaths.
She went to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of hot water, holding it without drinking. The warmth seeping through the cup into her palms couldn't compare to the heat she'd felt from his hands on her waist.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" she called, walking over to open it.
Sebastian stood outside. "Your shoe," he said simply.
Camilla froze in surprise.
He had actually gone back to retrieve her sneaker from the dog.
"Thank you."
"It was nothing."
That afternoon, Camilla took a nap before heading to the lab at two o'clock.
When she arrived, Royce was there, but Hestia was nowhere to be seen.
"She went to get drinks," Royce explained.
Hestia returned with fruit juice for everyone, including Camilla.
As always, they had designated a small corner of the lab—far from the workbenches—for snacks and drinks.
Camilla was surprised to see Royce willingly accept a juice from Hestia.
Typically, he refused Hestia's offers, and on the rare occasions he did partake, he'd reluctantly take a small sugar-free option and leave most of it unfinished.
Why the change now?
"Royce, what do you think? Do you like the new flavor?" Hestia asked.
"It's good."
"Next time you should try mine—it's delicious too."
"Sure."
The three spent the entire afternoon in the lab. As dusk fell, Hestia and Royce prepared to leave.
"Aren't you coming, Camilla?"
"I'm just wrapping things up. I'll leave when I'm done."
"Don't stay too late."
"I won't."
At seven, Camilla finished cleaning her workstation, locked up, and left.
Night had fallen completely, with only the dim glow of streetlights illuminating her path.
A cold wind gusted by, and she instinctively tucked her neck deeper into her scarf and shoved her hands into her down jacket pockets.
"Camilla!" Someone called from behind.
She turned, her face lighting up. "Sebastian! What are you doing here?"
"Just taking care of some business."
The awkward moment from that morning involuntarily flashed through her mind, making Camilla's gaze waver with embarrassment.
Sebastian, however, seemed completely at ease, his eyes clear as he looked directly at her. "Have you had dinner yet?"
She shook her head.
"Neither have I. Shall we go together?"
Before she could agree, Camilla's phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Where are you right now?" Marcus asked.
Camilla looked puzzled. "Do you need something?"
"Don't tell me you forgot our weekly meeting? We scheduled it days ago."
Camilla was at a loss for words—she had indeed forgotten.
She glanced apologetically at Sebastian. "Sebastian, I have something I need to take care of, so I probably can't..."
"Is that Mr. Davis?" Sebastian asked, his smile unchanged.
"Yes."
Marcus, hearing Sebastian's voice on the other end, paused momentarily before attempting to sound casual. "Is Sebastian with you?"
Camilla nodded. "We just ran into each other."
"Since you've already met up, why don't we all have dinner together? We can discuss our business while he has his meal." Marcus swore he was just being polite, even adding that last part to make it clear Sebastian shouldn't accept.
Anyone with a shred of social awareness would decline.
Sebastian, however, smiled slightly. "That sounds perfect. If Mr. Davis is extending the invitation, I can hardly refuse. Shall we, Camilla? Where are you meeting?"
arcus fell silent, regretting his invitation to Sebastian for dinner.
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