My cheeks turned bright red — no, crimson. I wanted the floor to split open and swallow me whole.
Ciel held the book in his hands like it was some sacred text, his silver brows lifted in amused curiosity. "The Arts of Seduction, hmm?" he said, flipping the cover open like he was inspecting a war strategy. "Trying to seduce me now, my love?"
"No—it's not what you think!" I blurted out, mortified. My hands flew up to my burning face, hiding behind my fingers. "It's not— I wasn't—!"
But he ignored my flustered stammering and casually leaned against the edge of the bed, thumbing through the first few pages. His eyes danced across the text, and then—oh no—the diagrams.
I lunged forward, desperate. "Give it back!"
He smoothly turned his body, effortlessly keeping the book out of my reach like he was toying with a kitten. "Chapter one: The power of eye contact," he read aloud, then glanced up and locked eyes with me deliberately.
"Ciel!" I gasped.
