Where the Night Ends

by Melissa Toppen

  “Not sure.” I feel Sebastian shift in the chair next to me.

  “I don’t even remember falling asleep,” I admit, tucking my chin against my shoulder as I look back to where he’s now lying on his back, his hands tucked behind his head.

  The look in his eyes causes my skin to flush, and I immediately look away.

  “I should call Courtney.” I reach for my phone in the back pocket of my jeans, not surprised when the clock on the screen reads just after six thirty in the morning. I can tell from the position of the sun that it hasn’t been up long.

  Normally I would be a walking zombie—given that I couldn’t have slept more than a couple of hours—but I feel wide awake. The second I opened my eyes to see Sebastian staring back at me was like I had picked up a live wire, and my body is still feeling the effects of the shock.

  I swipe the screen and see a couple missed calls and a few texts from Courtney. I don’t know how, but I guess I must have accidentally switched my ringer off.

  “Shit,” I mutter under my breath, reading her messages.

  Courtney: When you get back to the house, call me.

  Courtney: Can you text me so I know you’re good?

  Then about an hour later—

  Courtney: I swear to God you better have a good reason for not calling me.

  Courtney: You can thank Ant for me not coming after you. He assures me that Sebastian will not hurt you, but mark my words, if he does, I will chop his dick off. And his balls, too.

  I stifle a laugh, the vision of Courtney chasing after Sebastian one I can’t help but picture. It’s something she totally would do.

  The last message came in about four o’clock this morning.

  Courtney: Me and Ant are crashing in one of the spare rooms. Come find me when you’re done doing whatever it is you two are off doing.

  “Everything okay?” I turn to see Sebastian now sitting upright, the green in his eyes so prominent under the morning sun that for a moment I completely lose my train of thought.

  “I should head up to the house,” I finally blurt. “Courtney’s been messaging me all night. She’s probably ready to murder me.” I throw him a nervous smile, not sure why all of sudden my stomach feels like it’s taken flight.

  “I’ll walk you up.” He doesn’t hesitate, pushing to his feet so quickly that he’s reaching out to help me up before I’ve even moved.

  “Thank you,” I say, allowing him to pull me to my feet.

  I move to take one step and stumble, nearly face-planting into his hard chest.

  “Whoa, you okay there?” He sets his hands on my shoulders to steady me.

  “Think I might still be feeling the whiskey,” I lie, just needing an excuse to cover my blunder.

  “Well, considering you drank a third of the bottle last night, that doesn’t surprise me,” he teases, draping an arm over my shoulder and tucking me into his side.

  “I think I can manage to walk now,” I reply dryly, making no attempt to step out his embrace.

  “Well, I think I’ll keep you close just in case.” He winks down at me, the action causing heat to spread from my face all the way to my toes.

  I’m quickly learning why Sebastian Baxter has the reputation he does. You have to have skin made of steel not to feel the effects of him everywhere. There’s something so consuming about him—so raw and sexy. In just one night he’s made my body feels things it never has before, and he’s barely even touched me.

  I remain tucked against him as we make the walk through the woods and back toward the house. The proof that a party took place here last night is everywhere. Just in the pool area alone there are enough bottles, cups, and trash to account for most of the student body, and that’s before we even make it inside.

  Sebastian releases his hold on me just feet before we reach the back door. I feel the loss of him instantly, but at the same time, I’m thankful for the opportunity to compose my thoughts. It’s hard to breathe, let alone think, with his hard body next to mine and his faint cologne intoxicating my senses.

  Just when I reach for the door, I feel Sebastian’s hand on my backside, my phone emerging between his fingers seconds later.

  “What are you doing?” I spin in his direction, reaching for my phone.

  “Hang on.” He smiles, holding the device out of my reach as his fingers quickly move across the screen. “There,” he adds just seconds later, reaching around me to slide the phone back into my pocket.

  I don’t miss the way his fingers linger there for a moment or the tight knot that forms in my lower belly when they do.

  For a moment, I almost swear he’s going to kiss me—his eyes locked on mine, his lips in a firm, hard line like he’s trying to fight against himself—but then a sound in the distance breaks the moment, and we both turn toward the disruption.

  “Davis, what the fuck, man?” Sebastian starts just seconds before the tall, brawny guy leans over into the bushes and loses his stomach.

  “On that note,” he quickly adds, pulling the door open, and ushering me inside. The incident with my phone long forgotten.

  If I thought outside was bad, it’s nothing compared to the mess that litters the beautiful interior of the home. Like the pool area, there are bottles, cups, and trash across every surface. A lot of the décor looks misplaced, and most of the couch pillows and cushions are strewn across the floor.

  Two girls are fast asleep on one couch, a guy I don’t recognize on the opposite one, and then a handful of people scattered across the floor—all passed out cold.

  Sebastian pays no attention to the mess, like it’s an everyday occurrence, and casually leads me around the chaos and into the kitchen. He doesn’t say a word as he crosses toward the refrigerator, retrieving two bottles of water before appearing from behind the massive stainless-steel door.

  “Your house. Um, do you want me to stick around and help you clean up?” I ask, taking the bottle of water he extends to me.

  “Nah. Sonya will be here in a little bit.” He shrugs, draining over half the contents of his water bottle in one swift pull.

  “Sonya?” I question, twisting the cap off my own bottle and taking a sip, the cool liquid instantly soothing my dry throat.

  “Housekeeper,” he replies, quickly finishing off the remainder of his water.

  “Of course.” I shake my head, suddenly reminded of how very far apart our lives actually are.

  It’s fun to pretend that Sebastian would ever be the kind of guy to settle down with a girl like me, but if I’m being honest, that’s all I’ve been doing all night—pretending.

  He’s the star quarterback—rich and handsome and well, a bit of a man whore. I’m just me. Plain old Tessa Wilson. I have nothing to offer a guy like Sebastian.

  “You okay?” He must sense the shift in the air between us, but I do my best to brush it off.

  “Yeah, fine. I should probably find Courtney, though. Her parents think she’s at my house, and my mom will be home from work soon,” I lie, knowing my mom got off work two hours ago and is likely at home fast asleep.

  She thinks I’m at Courtney’s and since I don’t typically lie, she would never expect me to be anywhere other than exactly where I said I would be. And in my defense, Courtney’s house is where I planned to be right now; clearly the night worked out differently than I expected it to.

  “Ant usually sleeps up in one of the guest rooms.” He tosses his empty bottle of water onto the island and snags my hand. “I’ll take you up there. Hopefully, he’s decent. I’ve seen his bare ass more times than I care to admit.” He’s joking, I’m sure, but I can’t help but wonder how many of those times he was with a girl that wasn’t Courtney.

  It just solidifies that I am way out of my league with guys like this.

  I try to let myself enjoy the feeling of Sebastian’s warm hand wrapped around mine as he leads me up the stairs, knowing that it’s going to be short-lived. I don’t belong in Sebastian’s world any more than he belongs in mine. We
couldn’t be more different. Hell, we practically exist on entirely different planets.

  When we reach the second floor, Sebastian walks right into the first bedroom without even knocking. I follow him inside, not surprised to see a sleeping Courtney draped over Anthony. Both appear to be naked but luckily have a sheet covering all the important stuff.

  When Sebastian releases my hand, I choose to stay back toward the doorway rather than follow him further into the room. They may be covered but that doesn’t mean I want to get all up in their business.

  “Ant.” Sebastian nudges the side of the bed with his leg the moment he reaches it. “Ant,” he repeats, nudging it harder.

  Anthony’s head instantly pops up and he looks around, dazed and disoriented.

  “What the fuck, dude?” he questions, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands as he sits up, the sheet falling dangerously low down his toned body. I keep my eyes averted, purposely not looking directly at him.

  “Tess has gotta go.” Sebastian gestures toward me and then points to Courtney who stirs in the bed next to Ant.

  “Court.” Ant nudges her with his arm, which seems to fully wake her. She pushes up on her elbows, a wide smile on her face when she finds me standing by the door.

  “Hello there, sunshine,” she says before giving into a big yawn. “Good to see I don’t have to cut any dicks off today.” Her eyes dart to Sebastian who seems a bit confused by her statement. “Or do I?” She lifts a brow at me.

  “Oh my God, you’re ridiculous.” I shake my head, honestly a little embarrassed by my loud mouth friend. “We gotta go. Mom should be home soon.” I give her a look I know only she will pick up on.

  Thankfully Courtney and I have established our own little language over the years, and she understands me instantly.

  “Okay, give me a sec to get dressed.” She yawns again, clutching the sheet to her chest as she sits up. I give her a thankful smile and step backward out of the room.

  “We’ll wait downstairs,” I hear Sebastian say just moments before joining me in the hall, pulling the door shut behind him.

  Silence stretches between us as Sebastian leads me through the expansive house and then out onto the front porch. The morning air is so warm and inviting, but it does little to calm the nervous jitter of my heart.

  I take a deep inhale, trying to steady myself. I just need to get out of here. Away from this house and this intoxicating boy who keeps looking at me in a way that makes me feel things I shouldn’t be feeling. Not with him.

  Don’t get me wrong, last night will probably go down as one of the highlights of my high school life, but that doesn’t mean it will be any more than that. Dylan did enough to show me that I’m not ready for what comes along with dating at this age. Especially with someone as experienced as Sebastian.

  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that with him, though. You’d have to be blind not to be physically stunned by him. But I can’t afford the distraction or the heartbreak that I know will follow if I let myself even entertain the idea that there could be an us.

  And what’s to say he even wants that to begin with?

  I spent the entire night with him, and he didn’t even make one move. Not one. Given his reputation, I think it’s safe to say he’s not into me like that. Otherwise, I doubt we would have spent the entire night just talking.

  But then what about this morning? What about waking up to find him looking at me the way he was? And then there was the beautiful comment, the one I’ve been trying to dismiss since the moment it left his lips.

  I’m not sure what would be worse—fighting to keep myself from drowning in the ocean that is Sebastian Baxter, or just letting myself be swept under and see where the waves take me.

  “Can I see you later?” Sebastian’s voice pulls me back to where he’s standing next to me on the porch, his large hands wrapped around the banister as he leans forward, his gaze locked on the side of my face.

  “What?” The word just falls from my lips without me meaning for it to.

  “Later.” His mouth pulls up in a smile. “Are you busy?”

  “Um, I’m not sure yet,” I stutter, my words dying off as Courtney steps outside, interrupting the moment. “I guess I should get going. Last night was fun.” I give him the best smile I can muster before grabbing Courtney’s arm and practically dragging her off the porch.

  I’m afraid that if I stay even a moment longer I’m going to give into the pull of the tide and let him drag me under.

  “I’m going to call you later, Tessa Wilson,” Sebastian yells after me, laughter in his voice as if he can sense my need to escape him.

  As much as I want to ignore his statement and just make it to Courtney’s car unscathed, I can’t stop myself from turning around. I also can’t hide the wide smile that stretches across my face when I look up to see that sexy as sin look in his eyes.

  “I’m not going to hold my breath,” I call back, taking one last look at the breathtaking smile on his face before turning and disappearing down the driveway.

  “Spill.” It leaves Courtney’s mouth the instant she slides into the driver’s seat next to me.

  “There’s nothing to spill.” I shrug, buckling my seat belt.

  “Bullshit, Tess. You spent the entire night with Sebastian Baxter, of all people, and you actually expect me to believe that not one thing happened.” She gives me a disbelieving look as she starts the car and pops it into reverse, backing out before switching it into drive.

  “That’s exactly what I expect you to believe because it’s the truth.”

  I don’t know why but I feel like admitting anything about the way Sebastian made me feel both last night and this morning is an admission of weakness, and I’m not ready to swallow that just yet.

  “Seriously, Tess.”

  “I’m being serious. We just talked.”

  “You just talked?” She glances at me for a moment before pulling out onto the road.

  “Honestly,” I tack on for good measure.

  “Wow.” She shakes her head, a small laugh escaping her lips.

  “Wow, what? Why are you laughing at me?” I cross my arms over my chest.

  “I’m not laughing at you, Tess. I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you just spent the entire night with the school’s sexiest and most sought-after guy, and you still managed to walk away a virgin.”

  “Did you seriously think I would sleep with him?” I turn wide eyes on her, but her gaze remains on the road.

  “I sure as hell hoped you would.” She smiles, giving me a quick sideways glance. “But no, I didn’t think you would sleep with him. But I did hope you’d at least have fooled around—you know, get back on the horse—show Dylan he doesn’t have the power over you like he thinks he does.” She pauses. “Though I will say, his face when you left with Sebastian was priceless.”

  This piques my interest immediately.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, he was pissed. You could see it all over his face. And so could Taylor. They left shortly after. I wouldn’t be surprised if she dumps his ass over the way he was talking to her when they left.”

  “Wait, how was he talking to her?”

  “He was just being a huge ass. You know Dylan. Anyway, I overheard her say something about him being jealous—referring to you and Sebastian—and he snapped at her, said he wanted to leave. It was so obvious how bothered he was by the whole thing. I rather enjoyed watching the show.” She smiles at the memory.

  “I don’t understand. Why would Dylan care if I went anywhere with Sebastian?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

  “Because he’s not over you. Duh,” Courtney says exactly what I’m thinking—but it doesn’t help lessen the confusion I feel.

  “But he broke up with me.”

  “Yeah, but I think he thought you’d crumble and beg for him to come back to you. Clearly his little plan backfired.”

  “I don’t know what planet
he’s living on, but in what world does a girl beg for a guy to take her back after he cheats on her?” I grind out.

  “You’d be surprised,” Court responds instantly.

  “I don’t understand the rules here.” I let out a frustrated sigh. “Just when I think I have even a small grasp on this growing up thing, everything shifts.”

  “Look, Dylan is an ass. He’s always been an ass. And he should be the last person you’re thinking about right now.” She slows the car as we enter town. “You just spent the night with Sebastian Baxter—so why are we wasting our time talking about Dylan? I want to know more about your night.”

  “I’ve already told you, nothing happened.”

  “But you did spend the entire night talking, yes?”

  “Yes.”

  “O-k-a-y,” she stretches out, waiting for me to say more.

  “Okay what?”

  “Oh my god, Tess. Do I have to force everything out of you? Can’t a best friend just get some juicy insight into the sexy as sin, Sebastian Baxter, without having to beg?” she whines dramatically.

  “I mean, we just talked. I don’t get what you want to know.”

  “Was he nice to you?” she asks.

  “Very,” I admit, resting my head against the headrest.

  “Did he seem—I don’t know—interested?”

  “I mean, I guess. He did hold my hand both last night and this morning. And he listened when I talked—like he really wanted to know what I had to say. And then this morning.” I stop, the memory causing heat to flush my face.

  I can still see him lying there, his eyes locked on mine. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” My chest tightens, a feeling I don’t quite understand settling in the pit of my stomach.

  “What? What happened this morning?” Courtney pushes.

  “Well, when I woke up, he was watching me.”

  “Watching you?” she questions. “Like, what do you mean?”

  “I mean—he was laying on his side watching me. I don’t know if he watched me sleep the entire time or if he just happened to be watching me when I woke up, but the way he was looking at me… I don’t know, Court. No one’s ever looked at me like that before.”