Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

---- Chapter 284 Sebastian lay in bed, his palm cupping Valeria's cheek. His thumb stroked softly behind her ear, and in the depths of his eyes burned the intense longing he usually kept locked away. He uttered her name in a low, husky voice. Unable to restrain himself, he pressed soft kisses to her cheek and neck, greedily drawing in her familiar scent with every breath. Sebastian's kisses were light, leaving no trace on her skin. Only when his lips closed over her earlobe did he give a gentle bite. "Mm..." Half-asleep, Valeria instinctively tried to push him away.

She felt hot, stifled, as though something heavy was pressing on her. In the sweltering night, it left her short of breath. Her arms were weak, and she only gave a light push, murmuring , "Potato, behave... Get off the bed. It's been ages since your last bath..." Inher subconscious, she thought it was Potato licking her. Potato had grown up with Selena since it was a pup. Even at night, its dog bed was always in Selena's room or right by the door. Only a dog's fur could have that faintly prickly touch, ---- sometimes brushing against her chest. Valeria opened her eyes.

The light was dim, and her thoughts were foggy. She could vaguely see a cool silhouette and blinked. After that, the warmth of alcohol swept over her again, weighing down her eyelids. A few seconds later, she let them fall shut. The next morning, Valeria felt something brushing against her arm occasionally . She opened her eyes and found herself staring into the eyes of a big white dog. She froze there and then. The surroundings were foreign to her. The decor was modern, with a touch of understated luxury. Asoft wind lifted the gray-blue curtains into a graceful curve.

As Valeria slowly sat up, she glanced down at herself. She was wearing a loose, gray silk men's pajama top. This was not her home, nor was it Kayla's. Kayla's place, no matter how decorated , would never convey this aloof, showhouse feel. The dog's bark snapped her out of her thoughts. Valeria clutched at the loose collar and turned toward the dog sitting by the bed. A faint pulse throbbed between her brows, and she looked a touch unsettled. "Nemo..." ---- Valeria bit her lip. Didn't Nancy send her home last night? How did she end up in Sebastian's home? Valeria had lost a chunk of the night.

At that moment, her mind was a chaotic swirl. Her eyes fell on her blue dress and bra, folded neatly ona single Elarian-style armchair to her left, as if they had been arranged for display. "Woof!" Nemo barked again, tail wagging , delighted to see her and eager to lick her palm. Valeria braced herself and took a deep breath. She grabbed her clothes and slipped into the bathroom to change. When she took off the silk pajama top, it slid cool and smooth over her skin. She stood before the mirror and saw that her skin bore no marks. She immediately let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps nothing had happened last night. She thought she could handle her drink, never crying, shouting, or making a fuss, She was certainly not like Kayla, who would blurt out Nathan's name at every turn. Surely she hadn't called out Sebastian's name when she was drunk. Valeria quickly got dressed. ---- Sweeping her hair over one shoulder, she reached back for the zipper of her dress. She had designed that dress herself, and it had only one flaw. The zipper was in the back. Suddenly, a hazy image flickered in her mind. Valeria remembered saying, "Lenny, help me pull the zipper...

" Selena obviously wasn't there. Valeria would rather believe that the one who helped her with the zipper last night was the grinning Nemo sprawled on the floor. Could a dog undo a zipper, though? Of course not. Ajerk, on the other hand, could.