by M. H. Soars
My entire body tingles as I let myself be wrapped in Sebastian’s whole essence. I can’t believe I let things get so bad that he felt the need to kidnap me. I took the love of my life for granted, and it kills me that my ego and insecurities did that.
I pull back a little, locking gazes with him again. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
His warm eyes beguile me, and just like that, everything else fades into the background.
“I’ll kidnap you as many times as needed.”
“That won’t be necessary. I see now how insane I’ve been. I’m so sorry, Bas.”
He touches my cheek with the back of his hand. “Hey, I don’t want you to feel guilty about that. I’ve made you go through so much worse.”
“Let’s not keep score of who screwed up the most, okay? I’ve forgiven you for everything. I mean it.”
A hint of doubt flashes in his eyes. “Truly?”
“Yes. I wouldn’t have married you otherwise.”
He runs his fingers through my hair, his gaze following the movement. “Sometimes I wish we were teenagers again, falling in love for the first time. Do you remember when I threw pebbles at your window in the middle of the night?”
“Of course I remember. How could I forget? That was one of the best moments of my life.”
Sebastian chuckles. “I was so nervous that night. I thought for sure my heart would jump out of my throat the way it was beating so fast.”
“I was nervous too. But you want to know something?”
“What?”
“You know the feeling you described, falling in love for the first time? I’m feeling it again right now.”
“You are?”
I nod. “I can’t explain it. I have butterflies creating havoc in my stomach, and my heart is beating so fast, I can barely breathe.”
Without saying a word, Sebastian crushes his lips against mine. His tongue invades my mouth with purpose, leaving me no choice but to surrender to his assault. I hold on to his forearms because the world has gone off-kilter. Or maybe it’s just that my legs are having a little trouble keeping me upright.
Breaking the kiss just enough so he can get the words out, he says, “Come on, let’s go back to our room.”
I don’t know if it’s the wine or the moment, or both, but I’m feeling adventurous. “We’ve never done it on the beach.”
He chuckles. “Not for lack of me trying on our honeymoon.”
“There were too many people nearby.”
Sebastian glances around. “And now there aren’t?”
I grab his hand, tugging him toward the far end of the private beach where a section of white sand is shrouded in darkness. As we put distance between ourselves and the bonfire, it gets harder to see much until our eyesight adjusts to the lack of light. It doesn’t take long to find the beach chaise lounges, which are stacked up and secured by chains.
Sebastian tries a few, but he can’t manage to dislodge one. “So much for avoiding getting sand everywhere.”
We are now between the rows of chairs, and unless someone comes looking, no one with voyeuristic intentions will be able to find us. I push Sebastian against one of the stacks and kiss him hard. He doesn’t hesitate. Following my lead, he grabs my face and holds me in place as his tongue and teeth clash with mine. We are both caught up in a fever that won’t relent until we take our fill.
I bite his lower lip, tugging it hard before letting it go with a pop. Before Sebastian can claim my mouth again, I drop to my knees, making sure my gaze is locked with Sebastian’s as I unbutton his pants and free his erection. My tongue darts out, licking just the head of his cock. He hisses and tangles his fingers in my hair.
“Fuck, Liv. This feels so good.”
I tease Sebastian by just licking his erection from bottom to top, but not actually bringing it fully into my mouth.
“My love, please. Don’t be so cruel,” he says as he tries to guide my mouth.
“I’m not being cruel, I’m just enjoying my treat.”
He lets out a moan that almost sounds like he’s in pain. That’s when I decide I’ve tortured him enough and bring his thick cock in my mouth. Sebastian loses his restraint, taking control and fucking my mouth instead. I squeeze his balls as I suck and lick him, feeling his erection get harder when he’s near an orgasm. When his warm seed fills my mouth, I drink every single drop of it until Sebastian stops thrusting his hips.
He lifts me from the ground, crushing his lips against mine for a savage battle of tongues that leaves me breathless. Then he throws me on top of the stacked chaise lounges, which brings my pussy to the same level as his face. I lean on my elbows and watch Sebastian with hooded eyes. He gives me a wolfish grin before he moves my panties out of the way and brings my clit into his mouth.
I let my head fall back. “Oh my God.”
Chuckling, he continues his assault, turning my body into a puddle of goo. If I thought I was a floating before, this is soaring across the sky. I have to close my eyes when the starry night begins to spin out of control. Sebastian alternates sucking and licking, right before he inserts a finger inside of me. Then it’s game over. I’m launched into outer space until my body turns into stardust.
Nine
SEBASTIAN
Morning light pours into the room, waking me from the most peaceful sleep I’ve had in months. I reach to the spot next to me, searching for Liv’s body, but find the other side of the bed empty and cold. I peel my eyes open and prop myself on my elbow.
“Liv?”
I don’t get an answer, but the open balcony door clues me in. Untangling myself from the sheets, I throw my legs to the side of the bed and get up. Before I venture out, I search for my boxer shorts. Don’t really want to end up in the tabloids again, especially butt naked.
Liv is leaning against the balcony railing with her head down. The air is still cool and the morning breeze blows her long hair off her face. She must be deep in thought because she doesn’t notice my presence until I place my hand on her lower back. She turns to me, almost a little startled.
“Good morning.” I lean down to kiss her on the lips.
“Hey.”
“What are you doing up so early?”
Her gaze drops to her hands and I follow the movement. She’s holding a little square plastic container. I’m guessing her birth control pills.
“I forgot to take the pill yesterday.”
“Is that a bad thing? Does missing one day mess everything up?” Somehow I feel I should know this, but in all my years of debauchery, I never had to worry about pregnancy scares. I’ve always used protection.
“Not necessarily. But I also forgot to take it the day before. I don’t know what’s wrong with my head.”
She sounds guilty, and I hate to see her like that. Pinching her chin between thumb and forefinger, I turn her face to mine. “Hey, so what if you’ve missed a couple of days? What’s the worst that can happen?”
She frowns. “Are you seriously asking me that?”
I chuckle, trying to diffuse the tension. “Fine. You get knocked up. Would that be such a terrible thing?”
Liv opens and closes her mouth before shaking her head and looking away. “I-I don’t know. Do you think we’re ready for a baby? We’ve been fighting so much lately.”
I turn her around, holding her forearms to keep her in place. “I’m 100 percent sure we’ll work things out. As for being ready for a baby, is anyone ever? But you forgot to take the pill and it’s pointless now to stress about it. I’d say let fate handle things for now. Besides, I’ve been dreaming about starting a family with you since that evening you agreed to be my girlfriend.”
“No way! You were only sixteen.”
I shrug. “So what? I knew back then you’d in my life forever.”
“Yeah, yeah. If it were up to you, we would have never gotten together.”
“Not true. I think I would’ve eventually come around and staked my claim.”
“S
taked your—you’re impossible!” Liv makes a wild gesture with her arms, and the little pill container flies from her hand. “Oh crap.”
We both lean against the railing and stare down to see where the little box landed. It disappeared in the shrubbery below.
A burst of laughter bubbles up my throat. Liv turns to me, glaring. “That’s not funny.”
“Are you sure? How about that for fate?”
“Bas, this is serious.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest while she presses her lips together.
Raising my hands in surrender, I swallow my amusement. “Okay, okay. No more laughter. I’ll go get them for you.”
She walks around me and back into the room. “No way, Jose. I don’t trust that you won’t toss the pills in the trash.”
“Hey! Now I’m offended.” I follow her in. “I’d never do something like that.”
Liv has her back to me as she puts her yoga pants on. I place a hand on her arm. “Liv, you know that, right?”
“Yes, I know that.” She rises on the tip of her toes and kisses me, too quick for my liking. “I also want to get some coffee. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll come with you.”
She steps away, shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. I’d like a few moments alone, if you don’t mind.”
Her words don’t make me feel any better. All I can think about is that I said something wrong and already fucked up our romantic getaway.
“Okay” is all I say, even though I want to ask her a thousand questions. But if she needs space, I’ll give her space. I’ll give her everything she wants.
LIV
The look on Sebastian’s face when I said I needed some time alone made me feel awful. But I do need time to process the conflicting emotions bouncing in my chest. Sebastian’s admission that he’d be more than okay if we had a baby in the near future made my heart flutter in happiness. If only fear hadn’t also come along with the idea as well. I want kids, but do I want one now?
Every time I witness Sebastian with my niece, Grace, I imagine him with our kids. But I never really let that image linger, afraid we might never get there.
I head into the bushes where the pills landed, finding the blue container easily enough. An elderly couple glances at me funny when they see me emerge from the shrubbery, but they continue on their way without making any comment.
As I make my way to the coffee shop, I see Antoine and Richard with their children in the hotel lobby. Sebastian was so keen to be rid of them that we never got to know the couple. They seem happy all together as a family. I want that more than anything for Sebastian and me. I want to give him a family again. I try not to think about his parents’ death because that was one the darkest times of our lives. If it’s hard for me, I can’t even imagine how it must be for Sebastian. Sure, my parents treat him like he’s their own flesh and blood, but it’s not the same.
My hands curl tighter around the little box for just a moment before clarity hits me. I freeze and stare at it for one, two seconds, and then I walk to the nearest restroom and flush the remaining pills one by one.
My heart is going a hundred miles an hour as I take the elevator back to the room. When I open the door empty-handed, Sebastian asks where the pills are. I don’t say anything, just stare at him with my tongue stuck in my mouth.
“Liv? Are you okay?”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my heartbeat. Here goes nothing. “Let’s make a baby.”
He jumps off the couch as if he’s been electrified. “Are you serious?”
I nod, feeling the significance of this moment deep in my soul.
Sebastian breaches the distance between us in two long strides, capturing my face between his hands to crush his lips to mine. My arms circle his trim waist as I try to meld myself to him. In a swift move, he lifts me up and we tumble on the bed together. His warm hands drift all over my feverish skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. My own hands go on an exploratory mission, running down his ridged abs until my fingers reach the waistband of his swim trunks.
He hisses against my mouth when I reach inside his shorts and curl my hand around his shaft. In response, he cups my breast, pinching the already hard nipple through my bra. Sebastian’s touch has always been incendiary, but it seems today, just the feel of his hot breath against my skin is able to make me combust on the spot.
Impatient, I let go of his erection to yank his shorts down. He chuckles against my mouth. “Someone is in a hurry.”
Now on my knees, I lob the piece of clothing to a corner. “You’re saying you aren’t?”
Sebastian sits up, bringing his face to the same level as mine. He doesn’t kiss me, but says, “In a hurry to get you naked? Yes. To finish this?” His tongue darts out to tease my open lips. “No. We’re doing it very slowly, babe.”
I whimper when he cups my sex, his thumb applying pressure exactly where I ache the most.
Placing my hand behind his head, I bring his mouth to mine. He wants to tease, but I won’t let him do that now. I’m taking what I want.
Sebastian begins to make circular motions with his thumb, the friction against my clit sending me on a fast climb to a place of oblivion.
“Bas,” I whisper against his lips.
“Yes, Liv.”
“Oh my God. Don’t stop.”
The orgasm comes swiftly, a tidal wave that makes my body shake from head to toe. I’m still riding it when Sebastian flips me onto the mattress to cover my body with his. His rock-hard erection pushes against my throbbing clit, making me climax again.
He grunts, then curses, right before I feel his release soak my pants. He keeps dry humping me through his orgasm, going completely still moments later.
“Bas?”
“Hmm.”
“You know that’s not how babies are made, right?”
He pushes off me, leaning on his elbows. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“So much for going slow.” I giggle.
“You mocking me?” He narrows his eyes.
“Me? Never.” I laugh again.
“Oh, now you’re asking for it.”
His fingers find my rib cage, and I’m too slow to stop him from tickling me without mercy. I buckle and thrash, trying to escape the torture, but I’m too weak from laughing to be able to dislodge him.
“Come on, Bas. Not fair!”
Surprisingly, he stops, a first for him. He usually likes to torture me longer. I become suspicious immediately.
“What are you planning?”
He leans back and then proceeds to peel my yoga pants off. My gaze drops to his crotch and I see it then. He’s ready to go once more.
“Fair warning, Liv. You’re not leaving this bed until I do this right.”
“And how many tries will that take?”
His lips curl into a devilish smile. “Can’t tell. But you know I’m a perfectionist.”
Ten
LIV
For once since I started working at Reinhardt Corp, my stomach is not tied into knots as I enter the building. On my first day, I was a bundle of nerves. I had just been fired and humiliated on an international level. I was anxious to prove to everyone that I deserved the job, even if I didn’t get it by the regular route.
As I walk down the hallway toward my desk, Cynthia, one of our client relations managers, comments,” Looking good, Liv.”
“Feeling good.”
“Let’s have lunch, and you can tell me all about your mini break with your hot hubby.” She wiggles her eyebrows up and down, making me laugh.
“Sure, Cynthia. Sounds good.”
I’m still smiling when I reach my desk and turn the computer on. Celine is not in the office yet, which doesn’t surprise me; she’s always the last to arrive and the first to leave.
While I wait for the computer to start, I head to the common area to grab a cup of coffee. But when I return to my computer and see the hundreds of e-mails that await me, my mood plummets. It’
s not the sheer size of the messages, but the content of some of them that makes my heart skip a beat and my anxiety levels skyrocket.
After ten minutes going through them, I get the gist of what happened. Celine fucked up the project I had been working on, just as I feared she would. But the straw that breaks my back is the one where the idiot blames me for her mistake. Fuming, I forget the coffee and march to Bill’s office. I saw his car in the parking lot, so I know he’s in the office already.
I knock on the door but don’t wait for him tell me to come in.
He frowns when he sees me standing by the door. “Liv, I see you’re back. Good. We need to talk.”
His tone is ominous. The Liv before Cabo would be worried as shit, but I’ve reached my limit and quite frankly, I’ve run out of fucks to give.
“Yes, we do. Celine totally botched the webinar series that I had been planning for months.”
“Now, wait a second. She tried to fix the problem you left behind to the best of her ability.”
“Fix the—” I pause and take a deep breath while my hands curl into fists at my side. “All she had to do was turn on the campaign. I left detailed instructions.”
“That’s not what she told me. She—”
“I don’t care what she said. I’m telling you I didn’t make a mistake. She did. I think I more than proved that I know what I’m doing.”
“I get that you’re upset. Why don’t you go take a walk outside, breathe a little bit of fresh air, and come back in when you’ve calmed down.”
What the actual fuck! Bill is once again taking Celine’s side, and I can’t stay here and listen to his bullshit. It’s best if I cool off before I say something I’ll regret.
“Fine.”
I turn on my heels, not bothering to close the door as I leave his office. He can get his ass off his chair if he wants privacy. Spitting fire through my mouth, I march to the restroom, turn on the faucet, and splash cold water on my face. Not even a minute later, Cynthia follows me.
“Liv, is everything okay?”
“No.”
“Is this about the webinar? I heard Celine totally fucked it up.”
“Bill thinks it’s my fault.”
“That piece of shit. That woman is so dumb, she’s a menace to this company.”