by Rhonda James
“Yeah, I can honestly say that it was the last thing I expected when I came out here for a job interview. It’s funny how things happen that way. The fact that I was mugged and assaulted is frightening in and of itself, but if that’s what it took for me to have a chance to get to know Sebastian, well it kind of made it seem not so bad.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“I miss you! When are you coming home?” Jade groaned into the phone. I had taken some time out while Sebastian was recording to call home and be grounded, being here was amazing but at times if felt like a dream that I was still waiting to wake up from.
“My plane leaves bright and early Sunday morning,” I tried sounding enthusiastic but my voice betrayed me.
“Gee, nice to know how I rate. Oh wow, I miss you too Jade, would have been a nice response.”
“I’m sorry, I do miss you, I’m just a little mixed up.”
“What’s wrong,” playfulness gone as she immediately picks up on my distress. Best friends can do that, well, best friends and twins. From the moment we met I knew that Jade and I were meant to be friends. We clicked instantly. Our personalities were very similar, but she was far more outgoing than I had ever been. She had graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management and currently served as a manager at a local hotel.
“Things are happening,” I stammered.
“What kind of things?”
“He told me that he thinks he’s falling in love with me.”
“What!” she shrieked loudly, “Tell me everything!”
I gave her a brief synopsis of what had occurred since my arrival, paying careful attention to leave out a few details that I felt were far too personal to share. When I finished, she gave a long sigh, and I swear I heard muffled crying.
“Are you okay over there?” I chuckled.
“No. My Brooke has fallen in love again, and I’m not there to share it with you. Well, that and I am insanely jealous of you right now. Tell me that you haven’t met Dek.”
“I have,” I gulped, “he’s really nice too.” She mumbled a few expletives, and I laughed silently. “I got you an autograph though.”
“Really?” she perked up.
“Yeah, I promise you’re going to love it.”
“That’s cool,” she sniffed quietly. “Brooke?”
“Yeah?”
“I really am happy for you sweetie. If anyone deserves to find love, it’s you.” We spent the next thirty minutes talking about her work and what we would do when I got back home to reality.
Sebastian~
Having Brooke with me at the recording studio gave me a renewed sense of purpose. Knowing she was here, watching me through the glass partition, spurred me on to keep the rehearsal going a lot longer than I had originally anticipated. At one point I looked out and saw her chatting with Natalie, her jaw was set firmly and I could tell that something hadn’t set well with her, don’t ask me how I knew this after only one week with her but based on her body language that I had observed this week she looked mildly uncomfortable. She made eye contact with me, and I could tell that she was trying to reassure me with her sweet smile, almost as if she sensed my concern. I had found that we were deeply connected in that way. She seemed to be able to read me, like she knew what I needed without even asking.
When we finally wrapped up, I went out into the lounge and found it empty. I searched up and down the hall, but she and Natalie weren’t anywhere in sight. I pulled out my phone and saw that she had sent me a text.
Brooke: Natalie seemed to think your session would go longer than expected so we went out to grab lunch. She will drop me off at the house when we finish up. Can’t wait to hear all about your morning. Xoxo
The mere sight of her girlie signoff made me warm all over, after our kissing session this morning I could understand why. Just thinking of her arms around me, hands tucked firmly into the back pocket of my jeans, yeah, I couldn’t wait until she came back home.
I walked through the front door, and the house suddenly felt cold and empty. It’s funny, I’ve lived here alone for a year and now, after one week living with a woman, it’s suddenly warm and inviting. Although I knew she needed some time with other women, I found myself wishing she were here with me. I had grown accustomed to her presence in the house. I hated the thought of her leaving, despised it even. If there were any way possible to keep her here with me, I would try. The thought that I had grown attached too quickly never crossed my mind.
An hour later they walked in, Travis followed closely behind, and all I heard was laughter. I looked up from my seat on the sofa and saw her standing there, smiling in that sweet and gentle way that tugged on my heart.
“Hey,” I welcomed, returning her smile. “Did you have a nice time honey?” When the endearment passed my lips, I couldn’t help notice the rise in Travis’s eyebrows and the look of surprise that passed over his face, he had never seen me like this with a woman. While Charlotte and I were dating we had spent some time with Travis and Natalie, choosing to hang out at their house while Natalie was pregnant with Olivia. But during that relationship I had been young, and truth be told, a little naïve about what a woman needed in a relationship. I didn’t intend to make the same mistake twice. Besides, if I’m being honest, Charlotte had never stirred in me the kind of thoughts and feelings that Brooke had, even though the amount of time I spent with her had far surpassed what I had logged with Brooke.
“Yes, I had a wonderful time, thank you.” She crossed the room and fell into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and planting a kiss on my waiting lips, a connection I had craved during our time apart. I heard a low moan escape my mouth as her lips left a trail of kisses along my jaw, stopping just below my ear. “I missed you today,” she whispered. Since our confession this morning, neither of us had held back on the affection.
“I missed you too,” I whispered back, not loosening my hold on her waist.
“Ahem,” I heard Travis clear his throat. “We’re still here guys,” he chuckled softly, placing an arm around his wife before bending to give her a kiss of her own.
“I like this game,” Natalie giggled. “Sebastian gets kisses and so do I. Kiss him again Brooke!” she encouraged.
“Yeah, kiss me again Brooke,” I teased playfully.
“No,” she shook her head slowly, “You kiss me.” She didn’t have to ask twice. I covered her lips with mine and got lost in her once again. Getting lost in Brooke was like finding Nirvana, where everything fit together perfectly, and time stood still, I never wanted to leave. Our mouths moved together effortlessly, tongues sliding over each other as we gave in to the pleasure of the kiss. When we pulled apart, her lips were still parted, the tip of her pink tongue pressed against her teeth, her breathing slightly elevated. I looked down at her, and she cast a downward glance, suddenly shy, a crimson blush spread across her cheekbones.
“You’re so cute when you get shy.”
“I don’t mind blushing when you’re the reason for it,” she muttered breathlessly.
“Then let’s make sure we keep that blush going all day,” I replied, covering her face with tiny kisses. When I stopped torturing her with my lips, I turned around and found that Travis and Natalie had sat down across from us on the adjoining couch, watching us closely. I had a feeling that an inquisition was soon coming our way.
Brooke~
The serious look on the faces of Travis and Natalie had me slightly concerned. I suddenly felt like I was back in school and about to receive a lecture, and although I had truly loved being in school, I can honestly say that I had never enjoyed the lectures. If we were lucky, maybe all they wanted to do was talk about how I was planning to spend the rest of my time here in L.A.
So much for wishful thinking…
“So, what’s going on here between you two?” Travis started, never mind the small talk, just go ahead and jump right in.
“Uh, what do you mean Travis?” Sebastian’s voice sounded off as if guarded.
“Well, you two have only known each other for a week and now I see you cuddled up together on the sofa as if you were two people in love. Isn’t that a little fast?”
I felt Sebastian’s body tense beneath me, and I tried to wriggle free of his hold but he only latched on firmer, effectively trapping me against him, as if trying to shield himself or protect me.
“What the he…” I cut him off by pressing a finger softly over his lips; he grumbled in protest.
“Shh, baby it’s okay,” I murmured. “Travis, I know that this seems sudden, it does to us as well, but there is something between us that is hard to explain. I feel like I’ve known him a lot longer than a week.” I slipped a hand into Sebastian’s, intertwining our fingers and giving a gentle squeeze. “It’s almost as if I’ve been waiting for him my whole life.” I leaned my head against his chest, his heart thundered beneath my cheek, and I heard a soft sigh escape his breath.
“I know you’re concerned about me Travis, and based on what I’ve just come through I can’t say that I blame you, but believe me when I tell you that she is the one I’ve been searching for, she completes me, and for the first time in my life I feel alive. I don’t want to let that go just because we’ve only known each other a short time.” He placed a soft kiss on the top of my head. “Just be happy for me.”
“If you’re happy then I am happy for you little brother. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to find what Natalie and I have been blessed with. I sincerely hope that is what you two have.”
They both smiled at us, Natalie’s eyes spilling over with big tears before she came over and wrapped her arms around us in a group hug, pushing me further into Sebastian’s body. At that moment I felt all of him, firm and unyielding beneath me, and a warm sensation circulated my entire body, reminding me how long it had been since I had any physical connection with a man, other than kissing. I recognized it for what it was and cautioned myself to slow things down, I was okay with the kissing and fondling, to a certain extent, but I would draw the line at anything beyond that. It was too soon, even though four years was a long time I still felt like I would be rushing things this early on, besides that, I wasn’t emotionally ready, no matter how hard the physical side argued.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sebastian~
Opening up to Travis like that had been eye-opening for me. Sure, I had already shared with Brooke how I felt about her, but saying it out loud to them, with her sitting on my lap, somehow that made it real. When she silenced me with her finger, taking control like that, my body instantly took notice, a fact that I’m sure she became aware of when Natalie had pressed us so closely together like that. She never gave an outward reaction, which surprised me at first because any other time her face would have turned the cutest shade of pink. Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Or maybe she had but wasn’t affected. That was the question that would haunt me the rest of the afternoon.
After Travis and Natalie had left, we sprawled out on the sofa, holding hands, and talked about my rehearsal and how her lunch had gone. We lay there face to face, our legs tangled together, and as I talked her thumb traced circles around the pad of flesh on my palm, it both tickled and enticed. Her breath came in short bursts that felt hot against my chest, her lips merely half an inch away.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about anyone before,” I admitted.
“Not even Charlotte? You knew her so much longer than you’ve known me. You were with her for a year Sebastian.”
“I know, and believe me, I hear what you are saying. But, I was only twenty-two when I met Charlotte, I didn’t know what it meant to be in love, not true love. Not like this.”
“Are we crazy for falling so fast? Are we really feeling this or are we both just lonely?” Her words hitched as they slipped past her soft lips, almost as if it hurt to speak them. I understood what she was asking, I had wondered the same thing; it was probably why Travis had asked us what he did. Travis knew what I had been through, what I had just come out of; he had seen me at my worst. Seeing me at my best, as I felt I was when I was with Brooke, wasn’t something he had seen a lot of over the past two years. Hell, I had avoided looking in a mirror for so long even I didn’t recognize the reflection staring back at me today, the smile I now wore had long been absent from my face. This morning, after Brooke told me that she was falling in love with me, I caught my reflection in the window, and for the first time in longer than I can remember the smile looked natural, almost as if it had been there all along.
“I know, I wondered the same thing, but somehow it just feels right. I don’t know how to explain it other than we were meant to be together. Right now, I would do anything for you Brooke, anything you ask. I want to take care of you, love you, teach you things, share my entire world with you. I feel like we are just getting started, and you are leaving. I don’t want to let you go.” She looked up, resting her chin on my chest, and tears were falling from her beautiful blue eyes. “Oh baby,” I swiped at them with the tip of my thumb. “Don’t cry, we’ll find a way to make it work,” I promised, praying like hell that I had the strength to make good on it. In two days time, more than a thousand miles would separate us, I found myself wondering how soon she would be ready for me to fly out and share her world. My heart ached at the thought of watching her leave, the mental vision of her small hand waving goodbye hurt almost as if a knife had replaced the space that her chin now rested, twisting and turning until I clamped my teeth on my tongue, biting back a strangled cry. Did she have any idea how much of myself I had already emotionally handed over to her? Could she even comprehend the amount of healing her gentle touch had offered?
“I love you Sebastian,” she whispered. “I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you, maybe even longer. I just wanted you to know that.”
The ache in my heart subsided as her words once again filled the hole that had long ago taken up residence. I pulled her to me, needing to taste her sweetness, and covered her mouth with mine, filling her with the love that I felt for her. Soon, nothing else mattered, the world around us ceased to exist, and all that mattered was what was taking place right here between us.
Two hours later, I was awakened by the sound of a doorbell ringing. I started to move and realized that Brooke was snuggled against me in the crook of my arm; we must have fallen asleep together on the sofa. I rolled my right shoulder and cracked my neck, the slight kink it now held evidence of the position it had held for the past two hours. Looked down at her sleeping face, it had been worth it; I could grow used to waking up to that sight each day. The sound of the chiming bell rang throughout the house once again and I tried to quietly maneuver myself out from under her small frame, which apparently was easier said than done, she had staked claim over my limbs during her slumber. I finally managed to wriggle free, and as I stood up to answer the door her eyelids fluttered open.
“Umm, that was a nice nap,” she smiled sleepily. “Where are you going?” Her hand reached up to pull me back to her, I grasped it tightly and chuckled at her sudden possessiveness.
“There’s someone at the door babe.” I kissed her knuckles and backed away to the door. “You may want to think about waking up too, with that wild hair someone might think we were doing a little more than sleeping.” I winked and made my way out the door, missing a pillow as it flew past my shoulder, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her bad aim. I opened the door to find my family standing on the other side, my mother was smiling so hard I thought her face might crack. I knew right away that she had been on the phone with Natalie.
“Oh sweetie, I heard all about your happiness! Where is she? Where is Brooke?” mom gushed, hugging me fiercely in the process. What was it about a mother’s hug? How was it that it could be sweet and tender yet bone crushing all at the same time? I don’t care what age I am; that feeling will never get old. They made their way into the house, around where my mom and I stood embracing.
“She’ll be right out; we were just taking a
nap.”
“Sebastian!” mom scolded. Travis and Nikki both giggled hysterically as I felt the tips of my ears turning crimson, being with Brooke was starting to wear off on me in more ways than one.
“Mom, we really were taking a nap. We fell asleep talking in the den; it’s been a hectic week for her.” I felt her mom radar bore into me, seeking out the truth, finally seeming to accept my explanation. Honestly, even if we had been doing more than napping I was a grown man, I certainly didn’t need my parent’s permission for that. I saw the smirk on my dad’s face and knew he felt my pain.
“So all of you came over here just to congratulate us? What gives? I mean, don’t get me wrong, you are always welcome,” I stammered. It wasn’t that I didn’t want them all here; I just wanted to be selfish of the little time that we had left.
“There she is!” Mom pushed away from me and went over to share the bone crusher with Brooke, I almost wanted to warn mom to be careful, she was too delicate for that much force, but then I saw the look on Brooke’s face when it hit her what was taking place. The single tear that streamed down her cheek said it all. The acceptance of my family or any family, was what she had been missing her entire life. I looked at her and wanted to bottle this moment forever. I vowed then and there to make sure that she never felt anything less than love and acceptance for the rest of her life.
Brooke~
“There she is!” I had just rounded the corner into the foyer when I was swooped up into the loving arms of Tracy Miles. At first I was caught off-guard, unaware that they had been the ones ringing the doorbell while Sebastian and I were snuggled up on the sofa. We had been talking about our feelings, how we were going to make our love work in spite of the distance. I don’t recall falling asleep, but I do remember him cradling me in his strong arms and kissing me senseless. When he woke me and told me that we had to get up I had been disappointed, not ready to break the spell that we had gotten caught up in since early this morning. But when I felt her arms wrap around me, when I heard her exclaiming her joy at our new found love, and when I felt her acceptance of me as the love of her son’s life, I couldn’t help myself, I cried. I didn’t bawl, that would have created a scene, but I was aware that a tear or two had escaped before I could suppress them.