Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60

NICOLE

For a few silent moments, Sebastian and I simply lock eyes, the air between us thick with unspoken tension.

I shake off my initial surprise and rise to my feet. Just as I begin to speak, he cuts me off. “Katie never said you’d be here.”

“Neither did she mention you’d be coming,” I reply, my voice steady but cautious.

There’s something different about him—an unease I can’t quite place. Usually, I’m the one who feels awkward around my boss, but tonight, it’s Sebastian who seems tense, and strangely, it’s starting to unsettle me. We’ve always had a comfortable rapport, never this kind of stilted interaction.

So why now?

Since Katie isn’t around, I offer to make him some tea, and he accepts without hesitation. The warmth of the cup seeps into my palms, grounding me a little. Our eyes meet occasionally, but he’s always the first to look away, and a flicker of worry stirs inside me. I push it aside, unwilling to let it take hold.

“So,” I say, breaking the silence, “what brings you here today?”

A faint smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, and for a moment, he’s the Sebastian I know—the one I feel comfortable with. “Katie asked me to come. No questions asked. I thought maybe she needed to talk to me, but now that you’re here…”

A cold wave crashes over me as if someone just poured ice water over my head. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I wouldn’t have come if she hadn’t—”

“No, no,” he interrupts quickly, raising a hand—his other still clutching the tea cup. “That’s not what I meant. Sorry if it came across that way.”

There’s something off about him. About this whole situation. I glance toward the stairs, but Katie is nowhere in sight. Where could she be? Why is she taking so long to put flowers in a vase?

What’s really going on here?

The room falls silent again. I take a slow sip of tea, trying not to dwell on the awkwardness hanging between us. How did we get here? I don’t want to overthink it—yet my mind races.

Minutes tick by. Katie still hasn’t appeared downstairs. My eyes keep darting toward the staircase, a growing unease tightening in my chest. Sebastian notices and breaks the silence. “I doubt she’ll be coming down anytime soon.”

His words catch me off guard. “Why do you say that?”

Despite the seriousness in his tone, he’s smiling like he’s in on a secret I’m not privy to, which, knowing Katie, is probably true. “I know what she’s up to.”

I can’t help but smile a little myself. “Well, why don’t you share the joke with me?”

He shakes his head. “It’s no joke,” he says, his gaze locking onto mine. Something shifts between us—an unspoken understanding—and suddenly, his usual playfulness is gone, replaced by something more intense. “I told her something. And no, she wants me to go through with it.”

I blink, confused. “But is everything okay?”

“That depends,” he replies cryptically.

I’m completely lost now. Sebastian sets his empty cup down, nervously scratching the back of his neck—a habit I’ve noticed when he’s uneasy—and turns fully toward me. “Nicole… we need to talk. This conversation should have happened a long time ago.”

Panic surges through me as a thousand thoughts flood my mind, each one more overwhelming than the last.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he adds, noticing the alarm on my face. “Or at least, I don’t think you should be worried.”

“You’re scaring me,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I should go,” he says, rising from his seat. My eyes follow his every move, and a quiet protest rises in my throat.

I don’t want him to leave.

“Sorry if I’m causing any trouble,” he adds with a polite smile. “Please give Katie my regards.”

Just as he turns away, I stand too. I can’t bear to watch him walk out the door. “Sebastian.”

He pauses, then slowly turns his head to look at me. Step by step, I close the distance until I’m standing right in front of him, searching his eyes. My breath quickens, my heart pounding wildly.

Because what if I’m making a mistake?

Am I truly ready for whatever it is he’s offering? Do I even want this? It’s no secret that I’m desperate to push Roman out of my mind, even now, after everything I’ve learned about him.

But to drag someone else into this and risk hurting them? I could never forgive myself if I hurt Sebastian.

“Don’t go,” I whisper, barely audible.

His eyes widen, and he turns fully toward me. I step closer, and he matches my movement. Moments later, he pulls me into a kiss—unexpected, electric, and utterly overwhelming. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.

All the while, a small voice in my head wonders if I’m doing the right thing.

I suppose, in time, I’ll find out.