Hazel's POV
"Have you been deliberately avoiding me lately?" Sebastian's question pierced through my carefully constructed defenses.
I stared at the perfectly manicured lawn beside us, struggling to find words that wouldn't reveal too much. "I've been busy."
"Look at me, Hazel."
Reluctantly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. His eyes were intense, searching.
"The truth," he insisted softly.
I swallowed hard. "Yes. Maybe. I don't know."
Sebastian stepped closer. "Why?"
The warmth of his presence overwhelmed my senses. How could I explain that every moment with him made me want things I shouldn't allow myself to hope for?
"Because this—whatever this is between us—it's complicated."
"Only because you're making it complicated," he countered.
My frustration bubbled over. "Easy for you to say! You're Sebastian Sinclair. Your family practically built this city. I'm just—"
"Just what?" he challenged.
