“What time is it?”
“It’s seven-thirty.” He nuzzled her hair and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “I want you to go out with me tonight,” he repeated.
“All right, if you insist,” she said and moved into him once again.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” he said grinning.
“Sebastian!” she shrieked as he lifted her out of bed and carried her into the shower. “You have to stop doing that!” she scolded him.
“Doing what, love?” Sebastian laughed blissfully.
“You startle me when you move with that immortal speed of yours.”
“Well, I know you, Arielle. You were not going to get up, and I want to take you out tonight.”
“What could be better than being in bed with me?”
“Oh, baby, trust me. There is nothing better than being in bed with you. However, I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, a surprise?”
“Yes, a surprise, and that means you can’t try and get me to tell you anything about it,” he said and turned the hot water on.
Arielle smiled and gave into his wishes. He pulled her into his warm, wet embrace and held her to him.
“Where are we going?” she asked, pushing her hair away from her face. His arms tightened around her, and their lips met.
“You can’t ask any questions. I told you, it’s a surprise!”
“I don’t think I can wait.” She pulled back and took a deep breath as she searched his eyes. All she could see was a wide smile that made his emerald eyes look even brighter than usual. He pulled her back into the kiss and held her under the warm water for a long time.
Oh, she thought, What a wonderful feeling! She would never tire of being in his arms and surrendering to his burning desires. He finally turned the water off but held her to that kiss. God, he's so beautiful! She would be happy to stay there with him for the rest of her life. Nothing was important to her anymore unless Sebastian was there.
“How do I need to dress for this surprise?” she finally asked.
“I’d prefer you just as you are right now,” he said grinning. His eyes roved hungrily up and down her naked body.
“Okay, then,” she said with amusement. She pulled away from his embrace. “I’m ready.”
She turned and started to leave the bathroom. He moved swiftly and grasped her wrist. He gently pulled her back into his arms. Robust laughter escaped his lips.
“Not on your life, baby. This view is for my eyes only,” he said firmly. Their lips locked in another ravenous kiss that sent waves of passion throughout her body.
“A dress will be nice,” he said.
“You’ll have to let me go if you want me to get ready,” she said, ignoring his protests.
She picked out a light blue dress that enhanced the color of her eyes and a nice pair of high heels. She then walked back into the bathroom to blow dry her hair. Sebastian’s excited expression filled with approval to make her smile. He was already dressed. He had on a white shirt that hugged his muscular body and a nice pair of black pants. It made absolutely no difference what this man wore; he always looked like a mythical god. She marveled at the sight of him, unable to believe that he was all hers.
“I’m ready when you are,” she said, putting the hairdryer down. They walked down to the car. In no time, they were on their way to his secret location. Sebastian remained silent, and she didn’t ask any more questions although she was dying to find out where they were going. She didn't have to wait long to find out. To her astonishment, he pulled up to the gates of Shoreham airport. Her heart pounded with exhilaration. He drove right up to a beautiful jet that seemed to be waiting just for them. A man walked up to the car to open the doors. He greeted Sebastian and Arielle, politely helping them out of the car.
“Good evening, Mister Gaulle,” the man said.
“Good evening, Tom,” Sebastian replied. He clasped Arielle’s hand and pulled her toward the jet. The lift was dropped to the tarmac, and a tall, handsome man in a pilot’s uniform was standing at the bottom of the steps. She was awestruck.
“Come on, baby. Tony is waiting,” he murmured and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
“Who is Tony?” she whispered, looking up at him.
“The captain.”
“Oh.” It was all she had time to say before she heard Sebastian’s voice.
“Good evening, Tony.”
“Good evening, Mr. Gaulle,” the captain replied. Their greeting was warm and friendly. Arielle could tell that they knew each other well.
“Tony, this is my fiancée, Miss Arielle Lloyd.”
“Good evening, Miss Lloyd,” he said politely. He looked at Sebastian. “Are we ready to fly, sir?”
“Yes, we sure are,” Sebastian replied and pulled Arielle gently up the stairs. She climbed the steps anxiously and gasped when she stepped inside the door. A beautiful young blonde in a flight attendant's uniform was standing just inside the door.
“Good evening, Mr. Gaulle,” she said politely, and shot a warm smile toward Arielle.
“Good evening, Sarah. This is Arielle, my fiancée.”
“Hello, Arielle.”
“Hello,” she replied softly.
Sebastian pulled Arielle past Sarah as they walked to the middle of the cabin. A gasp left Arielle’s lips.
“What is it, baby?” Sebastian asked, watching her quizzically.
“I’ve never seen the inside of a private jet before. It’s absolutely incredible!” Arielle had been on many flights and in many planes, but this one didn’t look like anything she’d ever seen before. The inside was set up more like a luxurious home than an airplane. She walked slowly, in awe of the surroundings.
“Sir.” They both turned at Sarah’s voice. “Would you like a drink before takeoff?”
“Yes, please, Sarah, I’ll have a martini, and Arielle will have a glass of Haut-Brion.”
“Very well, sir,” she replied politely, moving about the cabin with ease.
“Do you want to take a look around before we take our seats?” Sebastian asked softly. She nodded eagerly.
He clasped her hand and pulled her through the main cabin that contained several comfortable-looking sofas and reclining seats. Drop tables connected to each seat made it easy for people to have drinks or to write. Moving further down the aisle, she saw a boardroom with iTouch screens, computers, and phones for meetings and conference calls. Further back there were two bedrooms with and two baths.
Are you kidding me? She was in shock. Luxurious bars occupied the center spaces of all the rooms with liquor and chilled champagne. At least one flat screen telly graced each room. Good God! This is absolutely wild. She was filled with excitement. She finally walked back and stood in front of him, eyes full of exhilaration.
“Whose plane is this?” Arielle asked quietly. She was sure of the answer, but she needed to hear him say it. He stayed silent but gave her a piercing look.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it! But whose plane is it?”
Sarah appeared holding the drinks. Sebastian took the glasses and handed the wine to Arielle.
“Thank you, Sarah. That will be all.” She turned around and disappeared behind a partition. Sebastian turned to look at Arielle. “Where were we, baby?”
Arielle took a small sip and let out a soft sigh. “Mmm, it’s really good,” she said softly as she swirled her wine around the glass. She shook her head, thinking that she should remain silent but couldn’t resist, because that was not her nature. Her mind was spinning with the same question. Just how rich is he?
“Sebastian,” she said.
“Yes, love?”
“All things aside, whose plane is this?” she asked again, watching him carefully. Her face must have shown him her stubborn wish to find out the truth.
He remained still for a few moments, and then finally replied, “It’s mine, Arielle. It’s mine…and now it’s yours,” he said meekly. “Happy birthda
y, baby!”
Arielle gulped and nearly choked in her own spit. She turned and looked around carefully one more time, and then very slowly and very cautiously, she turned back. She gazed into his brilliant eyes.
“Seriously, Sebastian, whose plane is this?”
“Arielle, you are going to have to start listening when I’m talking to you,” he said. “The jet is mine, and now it’s yours. Everything I have, everything I own, including my very soul, belongs to you,” he said in a firm voice. “We did not use the jet when we went to Italy, because it was used my executive team for business out of the country.”
Crimson color shaded her cheeks “Bu—but...um,” she stammered. The captain’s voice brought her out of her confused haze.
“Sir, we’re ready to take off.”
“Take a seat, baby, and put on your seat belt,” Sebastian said. He brushed his lips on hers and took a seat across from her, fastening his own seat belt. Arielle did as he said, still a bit stunned. The plane rolled down the runway, and soon they were airborne.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, watching Arielle intently. She was quiet. “Do I need to remove that necklace?” he asked softly.
She bit down on her lower lip. “No, you don’t need to do that,” she said. She reached up and placed her hand protectively over the amulet. Sebastian smiled, following the movement with his eyes. She ran her tongue slowly over her dry lips and rested her eyes on his amazing face. She was trying hard to come out with her next question.
“Arielle, what is it?”
“How rich are you exactly?” she asked. Sebastian seemed surprised at the question, and then he burst into laughter.
“Is that what’s bothering you?”
“Well?” she mumbled, “I’m a bit curious. People don’t receive birthday presents like you give. At least not the people I know.” Their gazes were locked. The corners of his mouth lifted in that amazing smile that always captivated her.
He looked as if he was uncomfortable in answering her question, but he finally said, “Very.” And that was all he said.
“Sebastian!”
“Yes, baby.” His voice betrayed his amusement.
“Exactly how very is ‘very’?” she asked again.
He laughed out loud this time. Unclasping their safety belts, he took her hand and pulled her onto his lap and into his embrace.
“Are you ever going to tell me how rich you are?” she asked, breathing in his immortal scent.
“We—we—are,” he started to say, but he stopped. Piercing through her eyes he said in a very serious voice, “Arielle, I don’t like to talk about money. All I can tell you is that you are never going to want for anything. You can have anything you want, you can go anywhere you desire, and you can be whatever you want to be. Money will never be an issue for you or your family.” Arielle decided to let it go.
“All I want to have is you,” she said. “All I want to do is be with you. Anywhere I go, I want to go with you. And all I want to be is your wife.” She felt moisture in her eyes as the sincerity of her words touched her soul. Her words seemed to be doing the same thing to Sebastian. He was watching her with an expression of enchantment.
He moved them to a large sofa, keeping her on his lap. His hands came up and cupped her face, pulling her down for a scorching kiss. They chatted for a long time, enjoying each other’s warmth. Sebastian was excited about his surprise and he couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
“Why are you so gleeful?” she asked.
“Arielle, you have absolutely no idea how much I love you. You have no idea what you have done for me and how you have changed my whole life. I adore you unequivocally, and becoming your husband has become my sole desire, my sole purpose in this life.” Lost in his amazing words, she was shocked to hear the captain’s voice.
“Sir, we have arrived. Please prepare for landing.” Sebastian moved Arielle off of his lap and set her next to him. He reached around her and pulled the seat belt from the back of the sofa. She clipped it on. He did the same, never taking his eyes off of her face.
“We have arrived!” she exclaimed, repeating the captain’s words. “Wait, where have we arrived?” she finally asked.
Sebastian shrugged his shoulders smiling and kept quiet. It wasn’t long before the plane came to a complete stop.
Sarah appeared again, smiling politely. “Did you have a good flight?” she asked Arielle.
“Yes, thank you, it was great.”
A few minutes later, the captain walked out of the cockpit and opened the door.
“After you,” she heard Sebastian say, chuckling. Arielle walked slowly to the door and out into a clear fog. She made her way down the five steps. As soon as she stepped on the tarmac, she looked up and her mouth dropped. Her eyes fell on the bright, colorful sign that read ‘Vienna International Airport.’
“Vienna? Vienna!” she cried out. She felt Sebastian’s arms around her, and the soft touch of his lips on her cheek.
“Happy birthday, baby!” She twisted around and fell in his arms in tears.
“Oh…my…God,” she cried out. “This is amazing!”
“I’m glad to see you are surprised,” he said softly.
“Sebastian!”
“Yes, darling.” He was watching her, but she was now lost for words. Sebastian thanked Tony and Sarah, who were both standing at the top of the ladder watching Arielle’s excitement. Sebastian waved at them and told them they would be back in a few hours. They nodded and wished them a fun time.
Sebastian pulled her softly toward a limo that was waiting a few feet away. Arielle shook her head, convinced that she was dreaming, but his presence next to her convinced her it was real.
Dinner was at one of the most beautiful restaurants in Vienna. They dined in a private room for two. To her surprise, Sebastian enjoyed a complete meal and had a couple of glasses of wine with her. He kept smiling throughout dinner, making comments about how incredible it was. She kept looking at him with disbelief.
Leaning over, he said, “I can enjoy human food just as much as the next guy.” He let out a soft laugh.
“Come on, Sebastian,” she whispered. “I know that you don’t like the taste of human food, so why do you do this? I don’t care if we go out for dinner.”
“But I care. I don’t want anything to be different for you. I want it to be the same as if you were with any other guy,” he whispered back, wincing at the thought of her with another man.
“Um…in case you haven’t noticed, you aren’t just any other guy. Everything is different being with you, and I like every part of that. So don’t do it for me, because I’m happy just being with you,” she said, keeping her voice quiet. He smiled wide and leaned closer to press a soft kiss on her lips. When the dinner was over, he pulled a little black box out of his pocket and set it in front of her.
“What’s this?” she asked, surprised.
“Just a little something from me.” He chuckled.
“Sebastian! What am I going to do with you?”
“Anything you want to do, I’m game!” He winked at her.
“But you can’t keep doing this,” she said with a firm voice. “It makes me feel bad. I could never give you anything like this. Please, Sebastian, all I want is you, nothing more.”
“Arielle, you have me. Besides, I haven’t even started giving you things,” he said. “This is what makes me happy, so you have to let me do this.”
She took the box and flipped it open. The sight of a beautiful tennis bracelet made her gulp. The bracelet looked expensive, and it definitely had the flare of another era.
“Oh, my… How beautiful! Did you have this made?”
“No, this actually belonged to my mother,” he said softly. Arielle was speechless. She looked up at him with teary eyes.
“Are you sure you want me to have this?” she asked. Her hands trembled.
“Arielle, you are all I will ever want. My lover, my friend, and my wife-to-be for all eterni
ty, so yes, I want you to have this and everything else I own.”
“It’s absolutely amazing! I’m truly touched, especially now that I have met your magnificent mother.” He smiled with pleasure. She was still staring at the bracelet when he reached over, took it out of the box, and placed it on her wrist. He pulled her closer and kissed her, making her forget about gifts and the world in general. All she could feel was his breathtaking caress, and she sighed deeply.
On the return trip, the limo drove unhurriedly to the airport. Arielle was tired and fell asleep in his arms on the flight back. She couldn’t remember much of the flight or the drive home. What she could remember was thinking that she was hopelessly in love with the man in her life.
Chapter 7
WHEN ARIELLE AWOKE, the room was dark. There was just enough light to see the clock on the nightstand. It was five-thirty in the morning. Arielle smiled wide, thinking that it was officially her birthday. She stretched leisurely, pushing the covers away, and started to swing her legs off the bed. A pair of strong hands reached out and pulled back. She fell into Sebastian's arms.
“Good morning, baby; happy birthday!” His lips found hers while his hands moved softly down her back. Slowly, they journeyed across her hips, spreading heat across her body. He pulled her closer, and his arms tightened around her like a steel vise as he rolled on top of her. She could see that he was aroused, and she willingly surrendered to his extraordinary lovemaking. It was when she finally laid on her back feeling sated that amazing thoughts flooded her head. Yesterday felt like a dream, something that only happened in films and romance books. She blinked and turned on her side to make sure he was still there. She smiled upon seeing his beautiful Adonis face.
“Thank you for making me so happy,” she said, brushing her lips against his. “I would love to spend the rest of my life right here lying next to you Mr. Darcy.”
“My Lizzy, I haven’t even started making you happy,” he said. His lips curved up into an amazing smile. She leaned into him, crushing his lips beneath hers.
Arielle Immortal Fury (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 6) Page 6