Sebastian shot daggers at his mother. Mariss scooted from between them and sat at the counter where Brenda had been.
“Mother, that was uncalled for.”
“I don't think I said anything out of turn.” Martha blinked at him innocently.
Mariss shook her head. Juliet fiddled with her spoon, pouring soup out of it back into the bowl, but not eating.
“Whether you like the situation or not, you have to deal with it. I gave Brenda my word weeks ago that she could come with me to Fashion Week. She's been looking forward to it.”
Martha frowned and looked to Mariss who nodded.
“We were being mean girls,” she agreed.
“What is a mean girl?”
“It's a bully,” Juliet answered.
Martha straightened her shoulders. “I stand by what I said. I feel the way I feel.”
Sebastian shook his head at his incorrigible mother. “Be that as it may.” His eyes slid over to Mariss with a strange longing in them. “No matter how we feel, this is the situation and we deal with it.” He finally looked away from her and to his mother. “I'm going to take Brenda some dinner. I'll be staying here tonight, if for no other reason but to make sure you three behave.”
Mariss gave a slow smile as his eyes caught hers once again. He couldn't look away. Whether it was because he sensed her mischeif or the constant sexual tension between them, she didn't know, but it was good to know that she had the same effect on him that he had on her.
“I'll behave about as well you do.”
Sebastian pegged her with his lazy grin. “I look forward to it, May.” He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips before he left the room.
“That idiot,” Martha almost shouted. Mariss and Juliet giggled. “He's so in love with you he doesn't know what to do.”
“I think the feeling is mutual,” Juliet chimed in
Mariss shot a hard look at Juliet and contemplated flipping her off.
“Everyone can see it,” her friend defended. “Even you can't deny it. I know you're still mourning, but get the shit over with. I swear you two will be so much happier.”
Mariss rolled her eyes. “It's not that easy.”
“Yeah, I know.” Juliet's tone was sarcastic and a little bored.
“Why isn't it?” Martha asked. Her eyes were wide with curiosity.
Mariss didn't know whether she wanted to tell her or not. Sebastian and Juliet were the only ones who knew. She hadn't even told Brit, who had been her assistant until Juliet showed up needing a job. As a matter of fact, her relationship with Brit had suffered because of it.
“We had an affair,” she blurted. Saying it out loud made the guilt so much worse and she was suddenly light headed. Mariss steadied herself with her hands on the counter and took deep breaths.
“How many times?” Martha wanted to know.
“Just once, but isn't that bad enough?”
“Did you tell your husband?”
The questions were starting to sound like an interrogation.
“No, but he knew, like he expected it.”
“He was your husband, dear. He knows what you're attracted to. Of course he knew.”
“What if…” It was so hard to bear the thought. Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked up at Martha. The woman's face suddenly softened. “Is it my fault?” She couldn't force the words out above a whisper. “Is he dead because of me?”
“No,” was the immediate answer from both Martha and Juliet.
“It feels like it is.” Mariss spread her fingers over the smooth surface of the marble counter.
“You did not cause your husband's death because you slept with Sebastian.” Martha came around the counter and wrapped Mariss in a tight, motherly hug. “Do you hear me? It's not your fault. Was he angry?”
Mariss nodded. “He forgave me.”
“Of course, he did!” Martha said again. “He loved you. He was a good man. Sebastian is a good man. You have good taste.”
Mariss chuckled. “You do realise that if Bassy and I get together we probably won't ever have children.” She pulled away from her would-be mother-in-law. “Could you imagine Sebastian with children?” Mariss shuddered.
“Oh, god,” Juliet moaned. “Please. Please get that fixed before the two of you start doing it. Please. Promise me.”
Martha scowled. She crossed her arms over her chest with a grunt and said, “Don't you dare. I want grandkids.”
Mariss snorted. “Yeah, good luck with that.”
Martha took Mariss by the arm and made her look her in the eyes. “You understand that it's not your fault, don't you? You did not cause your husband's death,” she said forcefully one more time. “Tell me you understand that.”
Mariss nodded slowly. “I will work to understand it. I've never felt so guilty about anything in my life, Martha. Part of me wishes I could take it back.”
“Trust me. I understand infidelity from both ends. If your husband was good enough to forgive you, then you need to follow his cue and forgive yourself. Got that?”
Mariss nodded as fresh tears filled her eyes. “Yeah. I'll work on it.”
“Good. Now you need to eat. Both of you.”
After dinner, Mariss found Sebastian at the indoor pool, right where Martha said he would be. She and Juliet promised to play interference in case Brenda scrounged up the courage to leave her room and go looking for him.
Sebastian was swimming laps. His strong arms propelled his body seamlessly through the water. Mariss could see the muscles in his back work as he swam. He touched the edge of the pool at the far end, turned, and came back. She wasn't sure how aware of her he was, so she waited for him to stop. When he got to the edge of the pool, he grabbed the ledge, his fingers splaying over her toes. He looked up her body and pulled the goggles off.
“I'll race you,” she said, smiling.
“The first thing she thinks to say is that she'll race me.” Sebastian shook his head with a savage grin. His long, tan fingers wrapped around her ankle and jerked. She hit the water with a splash.
Mariss surfaced and tread water. Sebastian faced her, his perfect teeth framed by a delicious smile.
“What does the winner get?” Mariss asked.
“Sex with me.” His eyes blazed, unapologetic.
“Are you going to let me win?”
“Yes.”
Mariss shook her head. “And what about Brenda?”
“I spoke with her,” was all he said.
“Right. Because that's going to make it all better.” Mariss ducked under the water and swam away toward the other side of the pool. She knew when Sebastian caught up. She felt him behind her, not just in the way the water moved around them, but in her skin and bones. It sent a thrill through her, knowing how close he was and how easily he could catch her if he wanted to.
Mariss reached the end of the pool. She turned to see how close Sebastian was, only to have her body caged by his. He pressed his chest against her and, when their eyes met, fire seered them both as their desire and need for each other reached a head.
Sebastian's lips hovered over hers. He kept himself afloat with his legs while his hands gripped her hips and hauled her against him. His length pressed against her thigh and it didn't matter that the water might be a little cold. He was all hot, firmness against her.
Finally, his lips claimed hers. Mariss melted into him. He pressed her against the side of the pool, his body holding her there. One hand continued to grip her hip while the other held to the side. His bicep flexed. Mariss moaned into his mouth.
“God, those sounds you make, Mariss Red. You don't know what you do to me.”
“I know what I want you to do to me.”
“Do tell.”
Mariss threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him into a deeper kiss. “Fuck me,” she whispered when she let him up for air. “Now. Here. Make me yours.”
“Make you mine, huh?” His tone changed, cooled some. The words may have been
a mistake, but they were the ones she'd meant.
“Do you not want me to be yours?” Mariss challenged. She nipped at his lower lip, praying she hadn't said the wrong thing.
“I would love nothing more than to make you mine, Red.” Sebastian lifted her out of the pool. He sat her on the edge and pushed up with both hands. His body slid over hers, laying her back on the floor. “I'm not going to take you here,” he murmured against her stomach. His lips ticked her skin as he worked his way up and Mariss giggled.
“What's wrong?” he asked.
“Tickles.”
“Hm.” The sound vibrated against her collar bone. Mariss moaned.
“Where are you going to take me, if not here?” She wondered if he was going to take her back to his room, or if there were other places in the house he'd like to take her. The idea intruiged her.
“Shower. Just a few feet over there.” He motioned with his head. Water dripped from his curls.
“Better get on that,” she arched into him when he nipped at her ribs.
Sebastian scooped her against him, then pulled her into his arms as he stood. He carried her through a door into the showers. There was a metal cylinder in the middle of the room with six shower heads hanging from the top. Sebastian started the water.
“I want this off,” he almost moaned. “I want to see you.”
Mariss couldn't deny that she wanted to see him too. She untied her bikini top and let it fall to the floor. Then she wriggled out of the bottom and stood before him in all her glory. When she was naked, she reached for him and he came to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed his lips to hers. She couldn't get enough of the taste of him or the way he felt against her. For the first time since Holden's death, she felt like she might be okay. She could survive this.
“You're not naked yet,” Mariss muttered.
Sebastian chuckled. “In time, sweetheart.” With his hands spread across her ass, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist.
“Bassy?”
He moaned against her lips. “Yes?” he hissed.
“Take me now. Please. I…I need you.”
“I need you too,” he groaned.
The admission was more than she'd expected. She'd worried her truthful words would scare him away, but he needed her too.
Sebastian pressed her back to the cylinder. “Hold on,” he commanded.
Mariss squeezed with her arms and legs while he wiggled out of his speedo. Their lips never parted. His hands glided over her skin, caressing her stomach, back, hips, ass, anywhere he could touch.
When the head of his sex pressed against her, Mariss moaned.
“I'm not doing anything yet,” he chuckled, but the sound was strained, completely breathless. She knew he was struggling to keep it together.
“Sebastian, hurry.”
Sebastian made one quick thrust and he was inside her. He was big, and she was small. There was stretching and some pain, but once he was in she wasn't going to let him go.
Mariss moaned at the intrusion.
“Oh, god, the way you sound.” Sebastian buried his face in her neck. His teeth scaped her skin and she moaned again. “I'm not going to make it if you keep that up.”
“Stay with me tonight,” she said without thinking. “I don't want to be alone.”
“I'll do anything you want.” Sebastian thrust into her. Mariss gripped his shoulders. Her nails cut the skin, but all he did was groan and pump into her harder.
“Bite me,” she whispered.
Sebastian sank his teeth into the fleshy part of her shoulder. Mariss cried out in pain and pleasure.
“Shit.” Sebastian hit a rhythm that was almost hard to dupilcate. His hips worked against hers fast and hard. Mariss let out a low groan that built with her climax until she exploded over the edge. Her nails raked his back and she pressed her face into his shoulder to muffle her cries.
“Don't do that,” Sebastian grunted. Mariss turned her face into his neck so he got an earful with the next moan that broke from her. “Oh, god.”
Sebastian came with more force than Mariss had ever felt before. He jerked inside her and his body tensed against her.
“Goddamn,” he groaned as he jerked one more time. Sebastian slid to the floor with her in his arms. He cradled her body against his. They sat there on the shower floor for a long time.
“So, now I need a real shower,” Mariss said.
Sebastian chuckled. “Stay with me a moment longer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
I WANT TO PUT MY MOUTH ON YOU
After Mariss washed the chlorine from her hair, she went back to her room where Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed in nothing but those black silk pajama pants he seemed so fond of.
“I like those,” she said as she unwrapped her towel and let it drop to the floor. She found a pair of boy shorts and a t-shirt and slipped them on before she joined Sebastian in the bed.
“Why?” Sebastian reached up and turned out the light.
“I just like the way you look in black.”
“Ah.”
Mariss wanted to snuggle against his side, but some invisible force kept her where she was. Sebastian's stomach growled. Mariss giggled.
“Didn't you eat?”
“I worked it all off,” he replied.
“Ah.” Mariss' own stomach rumbled loudly, much to her embarassment.
“Didn't you eat?” Sebastian mimicked.
“You worked it all off.”
He chuckled. When his stomach growled again, Mariss sat up.
“Let's get something to eat.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I don't know. Let's raid the kitchen like two college kids with the munchies. I'm seriously hungry.”
The bed shifted with Sebastian's weight. The light clicked back on. He wasn't even in the bed anymore.
“Come on.” He held a hand out to her and helped Mariss off the bed.
The sheet wrapped around her ankle and she tripped. Mariss put her arms out to catch herself, but Sebastian was there before she could fall. He grabbed her arms and lifted her back up onto the edge of the bed.
“Careful.”
Mariss snorted as she laughed and fought to keep her balance. Sebastian hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her to the floor. They snickered their way to the kitchen and Mariss stuck her head in the refrigerator.
“Is there any pie?” she asked. “I want your mom's pie.”
“Check in the back.”
Mariss pushed some leftovers aside and moved a jar of pickles.
“Your mom isn't going to come after me because I moved things in her fridge, is she?” she wanted to know.
“Yeah. She's going to kick you out of the house and make Brenda her new favorite.”
“Oh, that's funny. Oh! There is pie!” She pulled a container out from the very back. There were only two pieces inside. “What if she was saving this for something?”
“Probably her tea. We'll just get her a new one.” Sebastian popped the lid off of the container and set it on the counter.
“Get her a new one? You mean she didn't bake it herself?” Mariss asked and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Of course not,” he chuckled. He pulled two plates down from the cabinet.
“I am very disappointed. I feel cheated. Don't dirty the plates. We can just eat it out of the container.”
“I don't want to do that.”
Mariss narrowed her eyes to keep from laughing at him. “Oh, live a little, Bassy. Not everything has to be eaten off plates.” She snatched the container from his hands and took the fork he held out to her.
“I suppose you want to share a fork too?”
“Mm hm. It's so intimate,” she joked.
Sebastian shook his head and leaned back against the counter.
“You're seriously not going to eat any because it's not on a plate?” He shrugged like his feelings were hurt because she was teasing him
. “What if I fed it to you? Would you eat it then?” Mariss winked and offered a forkful of the apple pie to him.
Sebastian opened his mouth and took the pie, but not without setting her brain on fire with the way his eyes burned with intensity directed at her lady parts.
“I will put whatever you offer me in my mouth.”
Mariss laughed. “You must be out of your mind with hunger. That didn't even make sense.”
Sebastian grabbed her hips and pulled her against him. With his lips by her ear, he said, “Come here. I want to put my mouth on you.” His hot breath hissed down her neck, sending her body convulsing with shivers.
“Oh,” she squeaked. “See, now that makes sense.”
“Hush.” Sebastian's hand slid behind her thigh and lifted her left leg up until her foot was perched on the counter. “I want you this way.”
“Right here?” she asked, her voice low and husky. “Right now?”
“Hm. Anywhere. As for right now, I don't think that would be advisable. Unless you wanted it.”
Mariss frowned.
The kitchen lights popped on. Mariss' eyes widened. Anyone who found them in the compromising position would have something to say. Of course, it would be Brenda.
“Wow. In your mother's kitchen?” Brenda's bitter voice rang through the room.
“You'd be surprised what I've done in this kitchen.” Sebastian's tone suggested he wasn't above telling them each story in detail.
Mariss slapped his arm and tried to pull her leg down, but he held it fast.
“Mariss, the next time you hit me I will have to punish you.”
She grinned.
“It doesn't matter who I'm with, I can't seem to compete with you young ones,” Benda sighed.
“Oh, it's not you,” Mariss said. “It's me. He had me first, you see.”
“Had you?” Sebastian asked, his eyes wide with humor and disbelief.
“Stole me. Chased me. Adulterated me.” She laughed, even though it wasn't really funny.
“Is that even the right word to use there?”
“I don't even know. I'm too tired and hungry to make sense.”
Brenda huffed from across the room. Mariss couldn't see what she was doing, but something made Sebastian pull himself up to his full height. He was truly terrifying when he wanted to be. He helped her put her leg down. Something squished beneath her foot. Sebastian didn't move. He held her close to him so she couldn't turn or leave.
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