Abandoned Luna Now Untouchable (Cecilia) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144: Chapter 144 Unexpected Proximity

Cecilia’s pov

The events in Boulder had left me physically and emotionally drained, and I’d fallen into the deepest sleep I’d experienced in weeks.

When I started to surface from sleep, the dream-fog still thick in my brain, I reached out with the lazy confidence of someone absolutely sure they were still in their own bed.

My hand landed on something warm and solid..

"Harper?" I mumbled, patting blindly. "Why does your shoulder feel... suspiciously like a gym membership?"

My hand slid lower. "...Wait. Where did your chest go?"

A voice,deep and unreasonably, definitely not Harper’s,,answered close to my ear.

"Can’t find it?" The voice rumbled, low and amused. "Maybe you should try a more thorough search."

My hand froze mid-snoop, now resting squarely on what was undeniably a very male, very bare chest.

Warm skin. Firm muscle. A nipple. Oh God, a nipple.

Every nerve in my body went on high alert.

My brain kicked into panic mode so fast I felt dizzy.

I was no longer waking up - I was being launched into awareness by sheer, visceral horror.

Last I remembered, I was in a car with Harper. My car. My very Harper-filled, Alpha-Sebastian-free car.

So how the hell did I end up... here?

With Alpha Sebastian?

"Giving up already?" he murmured, his breath brushing my ear like it had no business being that intimate.

I yanked my hand back - except I didn’t get the chance.

He caught it, gentle but firm,, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

Then, slowly - too slowly - he guided my hand across his chest.

"You should check both sides," he said, voice rich with amusement. "You haven’t been very thorough."

I swear to the Moon Goddess, I was about to combust.

This couldn’t continue.

With a sudden burst of determination, I wrenched myself from his embrace and sat upright.

The movement was too abrupt - stars exploded behind my eyelids and the world tilted precariously.

I steadied myself with one hand against my temple, waiting for the dizziness to subside.

When I finally lowered my hand, I found Alpha Sebastian watching me with casual interest, his expression somewhere between amusement and curiosity.

"Alpha Sebastian? What are you doing here?" I asked, feigning surprise and confusion. "Where’s Harper?"

I made a show of looking around the car - front, back, sides, even up at the roof - as if expecting to find my friend hiding somewhere.

"Perhaps you should check between the seat cushions," Alpha Sebastian suggested, his lips twitching with barely suppressed laughter.

I forced a smile, though my lips trembled.

Trying desperately to regain my composure, I sat properly and reached into my purse for a stick of gum, popping one into my mouth.

Yes, this was definitely my car. But the driver was now Tang and Harper was nowhere to be seen.

Harper, you traitor! You’re worse than a pack deserter!

Wait a minute.

I bit down hard on my gum as a horrifying thought struck me.

Had I been... lying down? And if so, where exactly had I been lying?

My eyes darted nervously toward Alpha Sebastian’s long legs before quickly averting my gaze.

I covered my face with one hand.

"Harper’s arm was about to fall off after you used it as a pillow for two hours," Alpha Sebastian’s smooth voice floated toward me. "I offered to substitute. You were sleeping so peacefully, we didn’t want to wake you. Did the change of... accommodation startle you?"

"Not at all," I replied with forced casualness, lowering my hand. "Why would I be startled? How’s your arm? I hope I didn’t make it fall asleep."

"It’s numb."

"Oh... numb... well - " I waited for him to continue, but he just stared at me.

His penetrating gaze locked with mine, the passing city lights creating a kaleidoscope of shadows across his face.

The effect was hypnotic, making my head swim.

I pinched my thigh hard to break the spell, and practically shouted, "Let me massage it for you!"

Without waiting for permission, I grabbed his arm and began kneading it with determination.

Alpha Sebastian allowed me to work, watching me with those unfathomable eyes.

From the driver’s seat, Tang suddenly called out, "Cecilia, you were also lying on the Alpha’s chest earlier."

I felt my scalp tighten with horror.

"And his thigh," Tang added helpfully.

Words failed me completely.

Tang continued,"Those are probably numb too. Maybe you should massage them as well."

I’m the one who’s numb with mortification! I’m going to kill you, Tang!

She grabbed a bottle of water, twisted the cap off, and gulped down half of it in one go. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Replaying the moment in the elevator, she recalled Alpha Sebastian’s cool expression as she’d exited.

Was he thinking she was being ungrateful again?

He had helped her enormously in Boulder - practically orchestrating Cici’s downfall - and she hadn’t properly thanked him.

Plus, she had been the one who’d drunkenly crossed boundaries last night... and now she was acting like she wanted nothing to do with him.

She frowned, unsure how to proceed.

----

In the penthouse, Liam looked past Alpha Sebastian when the elevator doors opened, clearly expecting someone else to emerge.

"Don’t bother looking. She didn’t come," Alpha Sebastian said flatly, walking directly toward his bedroom.

Liam followed him. "Is Cecilia too tired?"

"She said she needed to do laundry."

"Ah..." Liam nodded in understanding. "Makes sense. Girls like things clean. When clothes get dirty, washing them becomes a priority. Don’t worry, we’ll wait for her. I’ll send her a message."

Alpha Sebastian said nothing and disappeared into his bedroom.

Liam returned to the dining room, took photos of the elaborate meal he’d prepared, and sent them to Cecilia with a voice message: "Cecilia, dear, there’s too much food for the Alpha to eat alone. Come up after you finish your laundry. We’ll wait for you."

Cecilia stared at the message, her internal conflict intensifying.

After declining twice, continuing to refuse would make her appear callous and ungrateful, regardless of Alpha Sebastian’s intentions.

Another message arrived - Liam again: "You must be too tired to move after your trip. I can pack some food and bring it down to you. You must try my newest culinary creations."

Ignoring this would be truly rude...

Cecilia replied: That’s too much trouble. I’ll come up myself.

She’d made her decision.

She would go upstairs, have dinner, thank him properly, and address last night’s mistake.

Both matters needed resolution - the longer she avoided them, the more complicated they would become.

She stood up, her heart racing as though she were about to face an Alpha challenge.

She went to her study, selected a piece of blue-and-white porcelain from her personal collection, carefully packaged it in a gift box, and headed upstairs.

One simply couldn’t arrive empty-handed when expressing gratitude.

When Alpha Sebastian emerged from his shower, dressed in comfortable home attire, he found Cecilia sitting in the dining room with an unnaturally bright smile.

A large gift box sat on the table beside her.

Was this her way of establishing boundaries between them?