Fated Encounter

by Lesia Reid

  She stood up. He hated the annoying way she always tried to dismiss him. She did the same thing on the patio of his house last weekend. But Sebastian would not be dismissed. He stood and pulled her close. He did not kiss her immediately. He watched her eyes go from surprise to anger then to something else. Some thing he found wild and enticing in their black depths. Only then did his mouth touch hers.

  His lips were hard against hers. The hand holding the front of her robe moved to her back, and the other tilted her head giving him full access of her mouth. She tasted of wine and something exotic and unmistakably Deana. The same thing he tasted last weekend. When she didn’t pull away from him, he wrapped his hand around the silky black hair and tilted her head even further. She moaned against him when he kissed her cheeks, her earlobes and finally her neck.

  Deana found him irresistible. Two weeks ago she would have wagered her life that no one could let her feel like this. No one could make her so hungry with desire. But Sebastian did. She’d never desire any man. They had their purpose, and she had always seen them as such. That clumsy definition did not hold true where Sebastian was concerned.

  He barely broke their contact for a minute as he pulled on the string of her robe. She didn’t move away, and he would have chased her if she did. She was naked beneath the robe. His hands reached up and kneaded her breasts. He teased her nipples and they hardened to his touch. Her fingers were on his shirt, fumbling with the buttons. She moaned and arched her back as flames of desire ignited her body. He broke contact with her as she pulled his shirt away.

  When he dipped his head to kiss her breasts, her fingers dug in his back and she pressed against him, loving the slight pressure he placed on the small of her back.

  “You are beautiful, Deana,” he whispered. His breath was hot against her skin.

  He kissed her breasts, her belly, then up to her neck again. He lifted her slightly and she went with him. He turned and leaned her against the wall for support. She thrust her hips towards him when his hand touched the soft spot between her legs.

  “God,” he said against her neck. “You’re hot and I want you.” “Shut up,” she said, but the tone was not harsh. She didn’t want to hear lies and promises now. She just wanted him to release her from these emotions.

  The first wave of relief would have knocked them to the floor if they hadn’t lowered themselves there already. His expert tongue was licking and kissing her tender places, his hands caressing and kneading her body. He felt and tasted her climax against him. She tasted good. He was filled with her. She helped him out of his pants, and he only paused for the “just-in-case” condom he carried in his wallet.

  She was so tight and hot against him he had to slow himself not to explode on contact. Her hips arched and met his. He slammed into her and they were joined, complete. He moaned her name as they moved together, timing each others stroke in the waltz that came so naturally. Her body arched as she erupted against him. He propped himself on one hand and the other lifted her buttocks and he felt his loins on fire. Even as they crested the wave together, he knew it was not enough for him. This was not enough. He wanted more of her, needed more of her.

  He buried his head in her hair and kissed her neck, not wanting to break their contact. He felt both her hands on his sides. She wasn’t hugging him any more. She wanted him to move. He felt it but didn’t respond immediately.

  “I think you should go,” she said. Her voice was thick with emotions. “Deana,” he said.

  “Go,” she said.

  He moved away from her. She stood up and reclaimed her robe from where it had fallen. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She refilled her glass with Arbor mist and waited for him to get dressed. She slammed the door shut when he turned to tell her goodnight. Deana wasn’t proud of herself. She hadn’t intended on having sex with Sebastian. But it was done, no use to rehash or think about what might have been if she’d just pushed him away.

  Men do this all the time, she rationalized. They have fun, and then they leave. So what if a woman did the same thing? It was natural to desire a man, why not him? He was handsome, well built and had the most sexy mouth she had ever seen, and he knows how to use it, she added. Well, there was no seeing him again. They both got what they wanted and that was that.

  She turned out the lights and meticulously went through the house making sure everything was locked up tight. She felt sore in places, and she still had a longing for more of him.

  “Nothing another glass of wine can’t cure,” she said aloud.

  She removed a bottle of 2001 Marsannay Rouge from the small collection she kept in the wine rack of her butcher’s block. She took her glass, the wine and a few candles and made her way to the new tub. She needed to wash Sebastian away. She was filled with his scent and would have a restless night if she didn’t.

  While Deana soaked in a tub of fragrant soap and oils, sipping wine and watching the flames of the candle dance, Sebastian was cursing himself. He had felt desire in her arms. When their bodies had joined, he felt complete, he felt like a whole person. He’d clung to her and her to him as they climaxed. Then she’d kicked him out as if it was nothing.

  He couldn’t tell what secrets or mysteries were in her eyes, she had avoided looking at him. Once they were no longer tangled together on the floor, she had scorned him, like yesterday’s trash. He shouldn’t have left, shouldn’t have allowed her to cheapen the moment; to reduce the act to its basic components. He realized as he sped towards his house on the beach, that he was powerless against her.

  He wanted her and she humbled him. He could still taste her and feel her wrapped around him. No one had so completely ignited his passion or so completely matched his. For the minutes of glory he had spent with her, he would have traded all he had. And it wasn’t enough. She was under his skin. He was the oyster and she his grain of sand.

  Chapter 6

  Deana was in the middle of packing, but her mind was not on the task. She was thinking of last Friday night with Sebastian. It was the middle of the week and fortunately, she had worked the early shift at the diner. Joey was in school and it gave her time to pack. The offer on her house was only a few thousand below her asking price. It was a good solid offer and the buyer had been pre-approved for greater than that amount. Joey had sulked when she told him the news. Sebastian called every evening. Deana was fortunate to miss his calls on Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoons. She deleted his messages without listening to them. On Tuesday afternoon, however, she was not as fortunate, as Joey answered the phone. She declined speaking with him, but he spoke with Joey. She couldn’t help listening in. The smooth timbre of his voice shocked her system and she couldn’t help glancing at the kitchen floor where they’d had sex.

  “Hey, Joey,” he said. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” Joey sounded a little depressed. “Mom sold our house.” “Sorry to hear that. I’m sure it’s for the best.”

  “Yeah,” he wasn’t committing to that storyline. Deana was not surprised how easy it was to read her son. He had made his feelings clear about selling the house.

  “How is your mom?”

  “Pretty good I guess. She’s been kind out of it since we accepted the offer. She started packing yesterday. I’m going to miss my room.” “But you’ll get a new room,” Sebastian was trying to cheer the boy up. “Think of all the fun you will have painting and choosing colors this time. Plus, you get to hang out with your mom and paint.”

  “I know,” Joey sounded more upbeat. “It’s just that with this house Mom was always working at it and then the diner, plus her pastry stuff and she gets tired. We didn’t spend as much time doing fun stuff. Now, we’ll go back to that.”

  “Oh,” Sebastian said. “Well, I know how to use a paint brush. I’ll help so she doesn’t get as tired.”

  “You will?” Joey’s voice brightened.

  “Sure, and I know guys who can paint your house in one day. When I get back, we’ll go look at the house
and the colors and see what we can do.” “Cool,” Joey was definitely in a better mood. “Sebastian, are you going to be visiting us often?”

  There was a pause and Deana’s heart raced. She hadn’t discussed Sebastian to Joey, and it must be confusing to him that they picked him up at school together, invited Sebastian to their house, dined at Sebastian’s house, then Deana refused his calls.

  “I want to,” Sebastian finally said. “Is that okay with you?” “Sure. You’re cool, plus you send Mom pretty flowers that make her smile.”

  “I want her to smile all the time.”

  “Me too,” Joey replied. “But sometimes you can’t help it, and she gets sad.”

  “Well, I’ll try to make her smile all the time. You know I like you too, Joey, not just your mom.”

  “Okay, I guess I should stop beating you at video games then.” “No,” Sebastian’s voice was serious. “We play a fair game. I like you because you’re my friend.”

  “I like you too. Hey Sebastian, next Tuesday we have take your kid to work day at school. I don’t want to go to the diner with mom. It’s boring sitting in Mr. Benton’s office and he can be frightening. I could go to the police station with Carl, that’s Trevor’s dad. I know you’re not my father—”

  “You can come to work with me,” Sebastian said. Deana heard a slight glee in his voice. She put it aside as wishful thinking. “It will be fun.” “Cool, now I have to figure out how to tell Mom,” Joey said. “I don’t want her to get mad at me or you.”

  “Let me handle your mom.”

  Deana almost told Sebastian nobody handled her, but she was intruding in their conversation. It wasn’t Sebastian who would think the worse of her, it would be Joey. So, she bit her tongue.

  “Good,” Joey said.

  There was a brief pause on the line. Deana felt foolish for eavesdropping, but now, she would arm herself for Sebastian Torrance. If he thought he could snake his way into her life through her son, he had another thing coming. Handle me, she thought, I’ll show him.

  Sebastian heard the soft click of the phone hanging up. So, he thought, she was listening. He was in the middle of discussing a new video game with Joey when it happened. He knew she would protest his offer to Joey, but he was ready now; he knew she had the facts.

  On Friday, Deana rang the bell at the Wayne’s house around six o’clock. She’d worked the lunch crowd at the diner and was exhausted. The only great thing about today was for the first time since signing the sales contract for the house; Joey was in a good mood.

  “Hey,” Thelma said and kissed Deana on the cheek. “You must be timing me. I was just about to sink in the bathtub.”

  “Lucky you,” Deana said, entering her best friend’s house. The lack of noise from a heated video game match struck her as odd. As a teacher, Thelma was strict on homework. All homework was usually completed before video games. School was out over three hours ago. Friday was no exception to her rule. “Where are Trevor and Joey?”

  “Out with Sebastian.” Thelma waved her off. “God, Deana, he’s so fine. On the news and in the paper you could see he’s a handsome gentleman, but when I opened the door, I had to roll my tongue back into my mouth. He must know he stinks of male sexuality. And that mouth, Lord, if Carl had a mouth like that, I’m not sure I could get out of bed in the mornings.”

  “You let him take the kids?” Deana asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah. He’s Sebastian Torrance. I can’t see him kidnapping them especially since Carl’s the chief of police. He doesn’t strike me as stupid and he’s your boyfriend anyway.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend.” Deana realized she sounded like a defensive thirteen year old. She’d sounded this way when her mother had chastised her about Luigi Ventura many years ago. Then, it was truer than now. She’d like Luigi, but that was childish infatuation based on a need her mother never understood or wanted to understand.

  “I should have called you first,” Thelma conceded. “It’s just that after the dinner, taking Joey to school and you inviting him to your house, I thought the relationship was going somewhere. Joey was so happy to see him; I thought it would be okay.”

  “Joey knew he was coming?” Deana asked.

  “Here? I don’t think so,” Thelma said. “But he knew Sebastian would be in town today. I’m sorry, Deana.”

  “I’m sure they will be okay,” Deana said. “I can’t imagine Sebastian with two nine-year-old kids.”

  “Three kids,” Thelma corrected. “He had his goddaughter with him. They are going to the mall and I think Dave and Busters. He left his cell phone number if I needed to reach him. He said you knew how to contact him.”

  “Joey wants to do kids’ day at work with him,” Deana said. She dropped in the sofa with a worried look on her face. “What do you think?”

  “As a teacher, I think every kid should participate in kids’ day at work and it is especially encouraging when they want to try something other than their parents’ lines of work. As a friend, I think if Sebastian likes Joey and Joey likes Sebastian you should encourage it. You know Carl and I are always here for you, but it never hurts for Joey to have another person who’s willing to look out for him. All the better if you like Sebastian.”

  “I don’t like Sebastian.”

  “Now you have my attention.” Thelma sank into the loveseat across from Deana. “Talk to me.”

  “Thelma, I’m a cashier at a diner that has not expanded since the sixties. I’m stuck in a dead-end job with a nine-year-old kid and I spend almost sixty hours every week trying to give him a good life. Sebastian’s inherited a fortune. He’s suave, sophisticated, I don’t think he’s ever had to sit one day and say ‘hey how am I going to pay next month’s mortgage’, or something like that. We have nothing in common. I’ve seen him driving three separate cars; I have to pray my engine turns over in the morning.”

  “So what?” Thelma retort. “He’s a man with needs and you’re a woman with needs whether you choose to admit it or not. Deana, he met you at your job, he’s been to your house. I’m sure if it bothered him he wouldn’t have looked at you. You’re beautiful but I’m afraid to tell you that banging you for brags doesn’t seem to fit his profile. A limo and flowers almost every day doesn’t sound like cheap sex. Besides, I can’t imagine the most eligible bachelor in Florida becoming that desperate.”

  “Thank you, Thelma,” Deana said in a cheerful voice. “You sure know how to put me in my place.”

  “That’s why we’re friends. I don’t b.s. you.”

  “And you’re the only teacher I know who says b.s. and banging without a filch. You should have your bath,” Deana said, standing up. “I have boxes to pack.”

  “Deana, I’m sorry again. I should have called.”

  “Stop apologizing, Thelma,” it was Deana’s time to wave her off. “I trust your judgment.” The women exchanged kisses then Deana left.

  She was happy she had Thelma to talk to. She never had many friends as a kid. And since Joey, she’d spent more time moving from place to place than she thought possible. It was fortunate for her that Joey and Trevor had taken an instant liking to each other when Thelma showed up on her front porch with macaroni and cheese casserole. She’d invited them in the mess of a house then, and over cheesecake, she and the woman became close friends.

  On the short drive to her house, Deana told herself she should be fuming mad at Sebastian. He had no right to her son without her permission. What was he playing at anyway? She tried hard to work up the anger, and ended up with a headache instead. Maybe she should call him and tell him off. That would be enough fuel until he took her son home.

  Deana had to go through her purse and then her car before finding his card stuffed in the ashtray of the car.

  The noise in the background was deafening and she could hardly hear him. After attempting a mere greeting, she realized it was an exercise in futility.

  Deana heard the vehicle in the driveway. It was half of seven. She peaked th
rough the window. Joey and a brown-haired little girl were with him. She watched as both kids exited the Lexus RX 470 and waited for him to open the rear. She didn’t need to work up the anger now; she had it in full bloom when she saw what he removed from the vehicle.

  The little girl and Joey each had a small bag. Sebastian was tugging a computer box and a bouquet of flowers. She stepped away from the window. Sebastian caught the movement from the corner of his eyes.

  Deana pretended to act surprised when she opened the door a few seconds later.

  “Hey, Mom,” Joey said, slipping by her. “Come in, Britney.” “Hello, Deana,” Sebastian said. “Britney, this is Deana, Joey’s mom.” “Hello,” Britney said.

  Deana swallowed the anger and smiled at Britney. She was a pretty girl. There was no doubting that her father was the friend who’d casually made the introductions at the restaurant. Jaime, she remembered his name. The little girl smiled at her and despite her perfect copper tone, the freckles on her nose seemed to wiggle. Deana knew from looking at the child that Jaime’s wife had to be of some exotic heritage. The mop of curly brown hair shook as she looked from Deana to Joey.

  “Hi, come on in.” Britney followed Joey into the kitchen. Sebastian stepped by her and placed the computer box on the floor. He then turned and gave her the flowers which she grudgingly accepted.

  “What is that?” She pointed to the computer box.

  “It’s a computer for Joey,” Sebastian said. “It’s a house warming gift.” “We don’t want it,” Deana said.

  “I didn’t say it was for you,” Sebastian said. “It’s for Joey. It’s my gift to him. He’ll need it for school and these days it does not hurt to become computer literate at a young age.”

  “When Joey needs a computer, I will buy it for him,” she closed the front door.

  “Good, you can pick up his next one or the upgrades.”

  “Uncle Sebastian,” Britney came from the kitchen with Joey behind her. “Can I go look at Joey’s room? He says he has a nice bright blue color and I love blue.”