*Paisley's POV*

(I have not read through this)

"Can I stay with you tonight?" I wince at the memory of my words. At the moment I had been so distracted by a completely shocked Sebastian that I hadn't felt embarrassed. Then, in the silence of the car, I quickly became nothing but horrified.

I don't know what had possessed me to ask to stay. All I knew was that I couldn't stay at Landon's, he needed his privacy. 'You could have stayed at a hotel!' My subconscious rolls her eyes.

Sebastian had looked absolutely floored by my request but hadn't said anything. Silently standing, walking to his car, and opening the passenger door for me.

The silence in the car was excruciating. At one point the only sound filling the silence was the clicking of the turn single and I had felt as if I were about to lose my sanity.

After an eternity, we finally pull up to the hotel, quickly get out, and make our way to the elevator.

"Miss Paisley," Edi grins when he sees me. "I'm so happy you're back."

"Just for the night, Edi."I realize only after he smirks how dirty that sounded but it's too late to correct myself as the door to the elevator close. Great.

The elevator is just as bad at filling the silence as the turn signal.

"Mandy said she would change the sheets in the guest room." Sebastian finally speaks as the elevator doors open, revealing the large living room. The awkward tensions that had filled the elevator spilled into the penthouse like like a flood. "She should be here soon."

"Thank you." I mutter, not knowing what else to say. He bobs his head for a second, seeming to contemplate something.

"What did the kid show Landon?"

"A birthmark." I tell him, and his brows furrow, unable to make the connection. "Landon his one on his lower back, it looks like a star, Logan had an identical one just above his bellybutton."

Sebastian doesn't say anything. Instead, with clenched fists, he starts walking toward the kitchen. Not knowing what else to do, I follow.

"Drink?" He asks, not turning to face me.

"No," I mutter, watching as he fills a glass with the dark liquid. Was it something I said?

"I didn't realize you and Landon had-" He pauses, "That you two-" He stops this time shaking his head and downing the whole glass he just poured.

My whole face flushing when I realize that he's trying to say. "He's my fiancé."

"Right." Is all he mutters before pouring another drink.

In reality I have never slept with Landon but if Sebastian wants to make that assumption then that's his problem.

Silence again blankets us. Sebastian seems lost in thought while dozens of questions swirl in my mind.

Yet there's only one I need to be answered now.

"Why did you lie?"

I know his answer is honest because he doesn't hesitate, he simply looks me right in the eye and speaks. "I knew if I told you it was her you'd have questions. One's that require an answer I have no right to give." He starts to pour a third drink.

"Will you stop that!" I suddenly shout before I can stop.

He simply stares at me, setting the glass down with a little too much force.

"Please," I try to soften my tone. "Can we just talk about this?" He loves me and I love him, there's no use continuing to drag this out.

He leans against the counter, crossing his arms defensively. "What's there to talk about?"

I'm about to throw caution to the wind and tell him I love him and want to marry him when someone knocks on the door.

Pushing off the counter with an annoyingly nonchalant attitude he walks out of the kitchen.

"Kelly," I hear Sebastian's voice ring down to the hall followed by muttering.

My heart races when Sebastian comes back with a beautiful redhead. She's as tall as him in what have to be six inch heels. How is she still walking?

She hardly glances as me continuing through the apartment like she owns the place and Sebastian moves to grab his jacket off the counter.

"In case it wasn't clear," He starts in an almost bored tone and I immediately feel like my heart can't handle whatever he's about to say. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like. I'll be back in a few hours, I can bring dinner."

Not what I was expecting. Kelly suddenly reappears before I say anything and Sebastian smiles at her.

"You ready?" Sebastian asks and she nods.

"Make yourself at home." I all he says before walk out the door.

Leaving me alone with an aching heart.
_____

Two solid arms hold me, one is under my back and the other is under my knees. The living room is dark meaning it's been quite a few hours since my first glass of wine.

"I'm sorry." The chest I'm pressed against suddenly rumbles. "I didn't think I would get back so late."

I shift to look up at Sebastian, wincing as the movement causes pain to shoot up my neck. Slowly, Sebastian sets me down in the middle of the kitchen, his eyes not moving from mine. "I brought Chinese if you're hungry."

Landon brought some pizza earlier so while I don't normally turn down my favorite take-out I'm not hungry enough to fully wake myself up.

"Just sleep." I mutter, turning from the kitchen. A hot hand on my arm stops me before I get too far. There's no hesitation in his movements as he moves to scoop me back up in his arms and carry me to the guest room.

Knowing I'm about to play with fire I turn slightly pressing my face into his chest. Maybe I'm a little drunk. His scent is almost suffocating in the most delightful way.

I look up at him as he walks, he still as handsome as ever but his features are marred by exhaustion.

I want to ask where he's been but I'm scared to know the answer. Sebastian's personal assistant, the part of me that watched countless women have their heartbroken, is convinced that he spent the day with the gorgeous woman but I don't want to listen to her.

I want to listen to Sebastian's wife, the part of me that knows when he says he loves someone, he means it and that I just need to ask him because I know he'll tell me the truth.

Suddenly he jerks to a halt before I can ask. His hold tightens and I feel his heart rate speed up.

Carelessly, he drops me down on my feet, quickly stepping away, muttering a quick goodnight just before storming out of the room.

I'm completely thrown by his change in mood. That is until I see the jacket on my bed. Landon's jacket.

"I'm back again, dear," Mandy smiles at me pulling me from my thought of Sebastian and his new friend. "This gentleman," She motions to Landon behind her. "Was on his way up so I let him in, I hope that was alright."

"Yes, thank you." She nods at me before exiting.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him, I expected him to take a few days to reach out.

"We obviously need to talk." He says seriously.

"Are you okay?" I ask, approaching him.

He shakes his head and his eyes full with tears. My heart hurts for him. He made mistakes young and he's paying for them, so is his son.

Two hours, a few glasses of wine, and a pizza order later were sitting in the floor of the guest room talking about much lighter subjects.

"So," I decide to ask the question I've wanted to since Landon arrived. "Are you going to ask them to stay in New York."

He shakes his head. "She's happy in Texas. I've asked Jamison to look at houses in the town they live in. It's small so there's not many options but I found one I actually liked."

"You're moving to Texas?"

"I owe it to them." He says honestly and I nod. I'm happy for him. I know it's going to be a hard adjustment but he'll take it in stride.

"You wouldn't consider moving to Texas would you?" He asks, grinning, and I laugh.

"I think it would be best if I stay here." I tell him fiddling with my engagement ring for a minute before pulling it off. "Make sure she knows the truth about us." I tell him, I don't want Brittney to be uncomfortable with me because she doesn't know the true nature of my relationship with Landon. "It doesn't have to be now but eventually."

He nods once before glancing between me and the last piece of pizza. The two of us jump for it and just like that easy, lighthearted conversation has returned.

I door somewhere in the penthouse stand and I wince.

I should let him cool down before apologize and explain.

'In the morning' I decide shuffling toward the bed.

_____

At the office for the day. Won't be back till late. Grandfather would like you to visit some time today.

I can't say Sebastian's note made me happy. I also can't say my thoughts didn't wander to what he's doing. Is Kelly at the office with him? Does he still have that personal assistant that was in his office all those months ago?

"Can I go in?" I ask the new security guy standing outside the hospital room. All I get is one nod.

"Mr.Hayes," I smile at the sweet man entering the room.

"Don't," He mutters fiercely, "Dont give me that shit. You will call me grandfather, no matter what happens."

He takes my hand and pats it softly. "Will you sit so I can tell you why I did it?"

I nod, lowering myself to the chair next to the bed and Grandfather inhales deeply.

"My son married his wife very young." He starts, frowning. "He loved her but I didn't realize until it was too late that he loved my company just as much as he loved her. My son had become me, but instead of letting his love bring him from the dark, he pushed it away." I remain silent as he pauses to catch his breath. "Suddenly infidelity had crept into their marriage," I wince, I knew Sebastian's parent had a struggling marriage but... "And it fell apart. They even separated for about a year before seeking out counseling. Sebastian was about thirteen at the time, still only a boy. I it changed him completely."

I want to cry for young Sebastian, for a sandy haired boy who watched his parent marriage fall apart.

"As a young child, Sebastian had believed in love, in soul mates. He wanted to love someone the way I loved his grandmother, the way he thought his father loved his mother. But when their marriage crumbled he stopped. 'I'm not a little kid anymore, Grandfather.' He had told me." The sadness in his eye is crushing, he blames himself it's clear as day.

"What does this have to do with me?" I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"You were the first woman Sebastian didn't flirt with." He grins at my frown. Ouch. "It's a good thing, Paisley. It means he respects you. Has he ever told you he knew he would give you the job the second you left the office?" He asks and I shake my head in response. I had to wait a whole week before knowing. "You left and Sebastian threw out all the other resumes and told my assistant to call you a week later."

"Oh," I mutter stupidly, not knowing what else to say as confusion swarms me.

"And after you worked with Sebastian for a year and you weren't tripping over your feet, I knew you would be the one to bring him to his knees." Grandfather smiles, patting my hand. He suddenly frowns. "I'm sorry I dragged you into it, Paisley. "

I wipe away tears I didn't know were falling.

"I love him." My voice breaks. "So much. I didn't think I would but..." I stop talking, the tears falling too rapidly.

"Then why," Grandfather starts softly, his voice comforting but full of confusion. "Why are you marrying the Michael boy?"

"I'm not." I sniffle. "Not anymore. I think we're both just sad and lonely. And we care enough about each other." I can't really explain why I had agreed to marry Landon or why I had stayed with him after hearing his initial intentions. Heartbreak can cause us to make irrational decisions... repeatedly.

Grandfather stares at me questioningly and I start to fidget under his unwavering gaze. "Do you doubt Sebastian's love?"

He doesn't wait for me to answer, immediately continuing.

"My grandson looks at you the way I have always looked at his grandmother."

What can I say to that? If it's true then I have everything I could ever want.

But he was out with a woman until the middle of the night. My subconscious pouts. And Landon kept you company most of the day.

I frown at the thought. We're both avoiding the issue, hurting each other in the process.

"I need to talk to him." I stand suddenly but grandfather doesn't seem surprised. No, he seems thrilled.

"He's at the house."

"He told me he would be at the office." I frown, why would he be at the house.

"He's selling the house. The family realtor, Kelly," He clarifies, and I can't stop a full-fledged from from appearing. They're just working together. "Told me there was an offer and Sebastian is meeting them today."

"Why is he selling the house?" Just the thought makes me want to cry. It's the perfect house, my dream house.

"I would assume it's because he thinks to woman he loves doesn't want it.

"But I do!" I watch his blank looking.

"Then..?"

"Going!" I shout, running.

Sebastian, I'm ready.

***
So crap chapter but it's really long... please comment. This book is so close to being done.

Also, I'm having a cover competition. Tomorrow I'm going to post a description of a new book and anyone who's interested can send me a cover they make for it and I'll post it and people can vote and whichever cover gets the most votes I'll use for the book. :)