“This is the kind of welcome that men dream about,” he purred into her mouth.
Arielle smiled wide. She simply adored sharing her life with Sebastian. He was like a safe full of treasures. She seemed to find something new, something incredibly different and magical that took her breath away every day since the first moment she set eyes on him. How could that be even possible? she asked herself. He was incredible, and she was irrevocably in love with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her for another kiss.
“Have I told you that I love you?” she asked, gazing in his eyes.
“No, not in the last few minutes, but I’m expecting you to show me shortly.” She cocked an eyebrow, and gasped in surprise as he scooped her up in his arms and headed to the bedroom. His pleasant laughter reverberated in her ears and she smiled.
Chapter 11
MAKING LOVE WITH HIM was something she would never tire of and never fully understand, though she couldn't explain why. He was amazing. Their encounters were beyond scorching, they were blazing hot.
While in the shower, he asked, “What did you do today?”
“I went with Gabby to Eva’s house, and the three of us took a walk on the beach. We spent quite some time together just as we did when we were young girls.” She laughed. Joyful memories flashed through her thoughts. His arms were wrapped around her holding her against him with their faces almost touching.
“Did you talk about me?” His lips brushed against hers.
“Your name did come up, but it wasn’t the most important part,” she murmured against his lips.
“Then, what was the most important part of your conversation?” he asked, his lips never leaving hers.
“I would have to say that the most important part was when Gabrielle found out about Ian's and Eva’s immortality.”
He stilled, and then pushed her away gently, holding her at arm’s length. His eyes rested on hers.
“You told her?” He sounded shocked.
“Yes, and she took it quite well. This is what happens when we become familiar with your amazing undying world,” she said, trying to keep a straight face.
“Oh, that’s wonderful, I know Troy will be extremely pleased.”
“Oh, trust me,” she said, suppressing a giggle, “I know for a fact that he’ll be utterly and exhaustively pleased.” Arielle broke out in a hearty laugh.
“What do you mean?” He looked startled with her reaction. Arielle went on to explain, still laughing.
“Gabrielle is going to thank him in a very special way for keeping her best friend alive. The kind of thank you that he’ll receive from Gabrielle will make him wish he had kept a couple more people alive.” Sebastian was now the one to break into laughter. He pulled her back into his arms and crushed her lips beneath his.
“Arielle, you have no idea how happy you make me,” Sebastian said. “I love every moment that I spend with you, I love your happy laughter, your incredible voice...” he said as he moved closer. His hands were on her backside sliding down and pulling her against him. She moaned with pleasure and caressed the planes of his back, aching to merge into him. Her tongue traced his jaw line and pressed softly at the hollow of his throat, making him groan in bliss. She could feel ripples of excitement travel through his skin, and she fell apart as his arms touched and caressed every part of her body. Getting out of the shower, he wrapped her in a large bath towel and carried her to bed. She felt completely exhausted but more in love with him than ever before. He encircled her in his arms just as he did every night, and she could hear him moan in satisfaction as she drifted off to sleep.
It was Saturday morning of the week before Arielle’s birthday, and the room was still dark when her phone rang, sending her flying out of bed, scrambling to get to it before it woke up Sebastian.
“Hello,” she whispered as she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
“Arielle, it’s Loren, did I wake you up?”
“No, no, what’s up?” She asked trying to suppress a yawn.
“Something happened yesterday evening and my life is a total chaos. I have been up pacing the floors unable to sleep, and unable to think about anything but my stupid mistake. How can I be so careless?” Loren’s voice was despondent.
“What did you do?” Arielle asked.
“Oh, Arielle, Paul and I were to meet at a restaurant yesterday evening, and the agreement was that whoever arrived first would reserve a table. I was running late, and had to park a little distance from the entrance because there was no valet parking. All I was thinking about was Paul. My mind was overwhelmed with excitement by the mere thought of him. I forgot myself and moved a little faster than I should have trying to get there quicker. Paul was standing at the entrance waiting for me. He saw my car pulling up so he had zeroed in on me, and he didn’t miss any part of it.” She was gasping in total panic.
“Oh, God, I think I understand… but tell me what happened,” Arielle said. She knew exactly what Paul saw, and she was sure that he freaked out completely. She was familiar with immortal speed, and even she was still startled every time Sebastian used it. Loren’s miserable voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
“I saw him and I froze. He wanted to know how I did it and there was no way I could explain. I tried to make light of it, but he kept coming back to the same issue. All night, he looked bothered by the whole thing.” Her voice quivered.
“So, what happened?” Arielle pressed on.
“I tried to tell him that he was mistaken, but he didn’t buy it.”
“I’m sure of that,” Arielle said. Paul is very intelligent. He is not going to let it go, Arielle thought. “What did he say?”
“He told me not to bother denying it. He needed some kind of explanation as he knew he was not crazy.”
“What else did he say?”
“He told me that I was freaking him out.” Loren sighed deeply.
“Oh, my, how did you get out of it?”
“I didn’t, I promised him that I would explain everything today. He agreed to drop the subject reluctantly, but he seemed quite upset by the time we left the restaurant.”
“Are you going to do what I’m thinking?”
“I don’t think I have a choice, I have to tell him now. But I’m scared to death. I’m afraid that I’m going to lose him, and that will be the worst thing that could ever happen to me.”
Arielle was sure that if Loren could cry she would be sobbing right now.
“I am deeply in love with him,” she continued. “I know you’re his best friend. Arielle, you’re also my sister now and I need you… Can you please help me?” Her voice was breaking, causing Arielle to experience a pang of compassion.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Can you call him and talk to him, please?” Loren pleaded.
“Loren, I’m not going to do this alone,” Arielle said. “I truly believe that you should tell him yourself. I’ll be there to support you, but you have to tell him.” Arielle knew that this was the right thing to do.
“Oh, Arielle, I don’t have a problem telling him, but I don’t think I can take the rejection.” Her voice was pitiful.
“How do you know he’ll reject you?” Arielle asked. “Loren, I know that he’s madly in love with you.”
“How do you know that?”
Arielle didn’t want to spoil Paul’s surprise, but under these circumstances she found it absolutely necessary, so she went for it.
“I didn’t want to tell you this, but he is planning to propose, and I can assure you he’s one of the most sincere people I know. He has told me that he is hopelessly in love with you. He would never reject you, I can promise you that.” Arielle heard a soft sigh. She continued. “I’ll call him and set up a meeting. What time is good for you?” she asked Loren.
“Anytime you choose will be good for me.” Loren sounded anxious.
“Why don’t you come here around three, and I’ll ask Paul to
come at two. I’ll have time to discuss a few things with him, and prepare him for the shock of his life.” Arielle chuckled, trying to make light of things, and she heard Loren’s soft laughter.
“Is my brother going to be there?”
“No, Sebastian will be playing golf.”
“Thanks, Arielle,” Loren whispered. “I’ll see you at three.” The call ended, and Arielle cleared her throat. Much to her relief, this would be the last of the disclosures within the group.
Arielle set the phone on the kitchen counter and stood in silence for a short moment. She shook her head and walked back into the bedroom mumbling under her breath. Sebastian was lying on the bed with his arms behind his head, watching her closely with his lips slightly parted. He looked like a Greek god with nothing on but that soft smile on his luscious lips. She jumped on the bed and threw herself on top of him, making him laugh out loud. His arms moved faster than she could see and wrapped around her waist holding her captive. She was happy to remain his prisoner for as long as he wanted her to be. His lips found hers, and his kiss was soft, warm, inviting.
“I love you,” he whispered without breaking the kiss.
“Mmm… me too,” she murmured. Her hands held his face to hers.
“You are simply gorgeous,” she breathed into his mouth, eyes fixed on his flawless face. He laughed and squeezed her tighter, making her giggle with excitement.
“Who was on the phone?”
“Oh, God, Sebastian, you won’t believe this. It was your sister.”
“Something wrong?”
“No, not really…” She chuckled.
“Go on.”
“She’s ready to break the news to Paul.”
An obstructed look settled over Sebastian’s face. “What news?” His lips curved with amusement.
“Oh, you know exactly what news. She’ll divulge her secret.”
“When?” Sebastian shook his head in disbelief.
“Today… right here… in this house.”
He flinched. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m dead serious, do you get a sense of déjà vu?”
“As a matter of fact I do,” he said. “You seem to be doing this a lot lately.”
“Paul will be here around two, and she’ll come over at three.”
“Why separately?”
“So, I can prepare him before she gets here.” Arielle smiled playfully.
“You do know that I’m playing golf with Troy, Nathan, and Ian this morning, right?” he asked. “I’m sure it’ll be quite late before I get home. Will you be all right doing this alone?”
“Absolutely, I’m an authority on this subject now,” she said, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably. “I’ve become the queen of immortality and a professional in shocking the hell out of people.” She was laughing so hard tears rolled down her face. She finally stopped and rolled off of Sebastian. She laid back, stretching in a leisurely manner. He lifted himself up on one elbow and looked down at her. A beautiful smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he slid his arm underneath her and pulled her up to meet his thirsty lips in a refreshing kiss.
“I need to get up and get ready. Nathan will be here in about an hour.” He smiled. All she wanted was to get lost in those magical emerald eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.
“You have ample time to get ready, I want–” she started to say but didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence. He moved fast, and she cried out in exhilaration as he pulled her underneath him and took her with fervor, eagerness, and passion.
“What do you want?” he whispered, panting hard in her ear.
She could hear amusement in his voice. She gasped. “I, um, I can’t remember anymore.” She pulled him closer, making him groan with excitement.
“You’ll be the death of me,” he said, and she smiled. She loved that expression, knowing it meant he was utterly satisfied. She shifted underneath him and his next movement made her cry out in ecstasy. He rocked her whole existence, filling her with scorching desire. They reached the pinnacle of their encounter and their emotions unraveled; they came apart as rapture enclosed their bodies. They shuddered. She heard again his frustrated groan.
“What is it?” she asked, completely out of breath.
“I’ve no idea what happens to me when we have these encounters,” he gasped. “I want to consume your very existence. I don’t seem to ever get enough of you, Arielle. It’s the most maddening thing I’ve ever encountered in my long life on this earth.”
“Is it so bad to feel this way?”
“No, it’s not the feeling that bothers me, but the fact that I can’t explain this type of desire. I’ve lived on this earth for over five hundred years, and never had to deal with this until I met you.”
“Do you want me to go away?” she asked, a teasing tone in her voice. He gazed deeply into her eyes and smiled as warmth spread across his faultless face.
“I’d rather die than let you go away. How am I going to breathe if you’re not here?” He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with fresh air.
“Oh, that’s right, I forgot about the breathing part,” she said. She was laughing. She reached up, and pulled him down to her, pressing her lips hard on his, letting him know she wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’m going to get up now, and you need to let me because I’m very weak when it comes to you,” he said. He squeezed her tightly and she giggled. He got out of bed, ready to walk in the shower while she kept talking.
“I sensed an urgency in Loren's voice, and I don’t understand why she is so worried. She has the power to will anything and anyone she wants. She can have Paul eating out of the palm of her hand, so why all that anxiety?”
He leaned out the bathroom door and gazed at her with that beautiful smile still spread across his face.
“We can’t let the power we hold supersede our conscience because there will come a time when we’ll regret our actions. When it comes to true love we never manipulate anyone’s mind. We want to make sure that the person we fall in love with wants to be with us for eternity, knowing exactly who we are with no insecurities or doubts.”
“I know you are right,” she mumbled.
“I just could sense sadness over the phone, and I care about her very much.”
“I care about her a lot, too,” he said. “But Loren has to find her way just as we all did. She is fortunate that she has you to be there for her, but she knew what she was getting into from the first moment she made her choice to be with Paul. I must admit that I was delighted that she chose to pursue him. It worried me that he was madly in love with you when we first met, and I’m a very jealous man.” He chuckled.
“Oh, you are so ridiculous,” she chuckled. “He was always just a friend.” Sebastian got back into the shower. Arielle closed her eyes and let her mind drift back in time a few years. She remembered the first moment she set eyes on Paul during their sophomore year in chemistry. She knew that Paul was in love with her for a long time. It was not until her last birthday party that he finally believed that she had made her choice, and Sebastian was that choice. She kept her eyes closed as she shook her head. She thought of how drastically their lives had changed. In her wildest dreams she couldn’t create a scenario with a more diverse group of characters than the one she was actually living in.
“You look like you are miles away.” His voice startled her. She snapped her eyes open. He was already showered and in the bedroom getting ready. He moved so fast that her breath held in her throat. She found him standing right next to the bed reaching down and putting his finger under her chin, tilting her face up until their eyes met.
“What are you thinking? I don’t like not being able to read your mind,” he said in frustration.
“Oh, I was thinking about my friends, and how drastically our lives have changed since our sophomore year.”
“Is that a bad change or a good change?” His lips pressed onto hers.
“You’re what changed my life, so how can it be bad?” she asked, and heard him moan.
“Thank you, baby, I feel the same way.” He broke the kiss and moved to the other side of the bed to finish dressing.
“Do you have any plans for this morning before Paul and Loren?”
“Yes, I’m going to see my parents around eleven. They want me to have lunch with them, but I’ll make sure to be back before Paul gets here.”
“Give your parents my love. I’d like to have dinner with them one of these evenings.”
“That’s a very funny statement coming from you when I know you dislike human food intensely.”
“Arielle, I’ll do what it takes to keep your life on a normal path with no interference from my needs or wants. Your time with your parents is very important, and I’m here to make sure you don’t miss a moment of it.” He was back standing directly in front of her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Her heart thudded against her chest.
A wide smile appeared on Sebastian’s beautiful lips.
“What?” she asked.
He just shook his head, turned, and started to walk away. “What were you going to say?” Sebastian looked back with a half-smile. His voice was velvety smooth.
“I think the best thing for me to do is go and get my golf clubs ready. If I stay here a minute longer you’ll be in trouble,” he said with a boyish grin on his face.
“I still want to know what you were thinking,” she called out. He stopped at the door and turned around.
“It’s your eyes, Arielle. There is something very unique about your eyes. Every time I pierce through your eyes, I get this peculiar feeling of a precise moment in my life that I just can’t clearly identify. It has been driving me crazy.”
“You’ve never told me that before. How long have you had that feeling?”
“From the very first moment I set eyes on you.” She detected puzzlement in his voice.
Arielle Immortal Journey (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 5) Page 10