“No, it’s not bad, but it makes it hard for me.”
When they pulled up at the hotel, the bellhop greeted Sebastian politely and warmly. Sebastian took Arielle’s hand as they walked toward the elevator. His eyes locked on hers as the doors closed, and he released all the dazzling power he possessed. She grabbed the railing as she felt herself becoming completely disoriented, and started to fall. His arms closed around her and he locked her in a passionate embrace. His lips encircled hers, his tongue parted her lips and searched her mouth as the kiss deepened and he softly groaned. She pulled back, gasping for air as the doors opened to the penthouse.
He supported her down the hallway, locking the doors behind them as he turned. Reaching around her, he drew her face up toward his as their lips locked in a hot kiss again. She bowed towards him as he ran his fingers underneath her shirt, leaving a burning sensation on her bare skin. He moaned and she sighed through the kiss.
“Arielle, you are going to be the death of me,” he chuckled.
She kept her arms around his neck and intertwined her fingers in his beautiful, sandy hair, keeping him locked to her lips, refusing to let him go. His hands moved slowly, caressing her body and moving down to her hips, making her shiver as the kiss became voracious and they both moaned with excitement. She couldn’t take her eyes away from his beautiful face, and he seemed to have the same reaction to hers.
She simply couldn’t believe that such a beautiful creature could love her and want her. His tongue was circling her lips again, before landing in her mouth. His scent was amazing and she could feel the fire burning her very soul; the feeling was unbelievable. Finally he released her, reluctantly. He cleared his throat, shook his head as if awaking from a dream, and walked over to the balcony. He stepped outside and she followed him.
They settled into very easy conversation about the details and the excitement of her school life, her friends, and all the small and unimportant events they had experienced since they had last seen each other. He wanted to know the people she was spending time with.
“I’m not so sure about this Paul guy,” he said. “Should I be worried about him?”
“Jealous, are you?” she asked, smiling at him just a bit teasingly.
“Extremely jealous when it comes to you,” he said. “I want to be the only guy in your life.”
“You are the only guy, Sebastian,” she answered him. “Any other guys are just friends, nothing more.” She couldn’t help laughing as she realized once again how incredible this whole thing was. How could someone like Sebastian be jealous over someone like her?
She was doing most of the talking while Sebastian just sat and listened to her laughing now and then at the funny little things she told him. Finally she decided to talk to him about Troy.
“I have something pretty big to tell you,” she said.
“Oh, what is it?”
“I have a strong feeling that Troy is an immortal,” she said.
He looked startled. “Are you serious? No, you’re kidding, right?”
“Why not? You’re an immortal. Why couldn’t someone else come along just as you did?”
“I must admit that I’m intrigued,” he said. “However, it’s hard to believe that there would be an immortal in a town like this.”
“Why? Why not in this town?”
“Well, it’s just not a typical hangout for immortals. However, I could be wrong,” he allowed.
“Sebastian, his looks are similar to yours, he walks like you do, his voice sounds like yours, and the most important thing of all is his scent, which is just like yours.”
“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting him,” he said. He still sounded doubtful, but interested in learning more. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
“No, I seem to lose my appetite when I’m with you,” she chuckled.
They talked some more and then fell into a restful silence. She started falling asleep on the chair and the next thing she knew she was in his arms, being carried to bed. His face was but a couple of centimeters away from hers and he locked their lips into another blistering kiss. She felt that a million butterflies were fluttering in her stomach from the anticipation of this moment, and she was happy just to be with him in complete bliss. She changed into a little camisole as he watched her, with eyes full of excitement. She lay in bed and waited, breathless, as she felt him climb into bed next to her. His body heat made her shiver with excitement. His arms encircled her and she sank closer to him, pressing her body against his. She could feel his excitement hard against her abdomen.
“You look very sexy,” he whispered. His lips moved against hers as he pushed her softly onto her back and rolled over her. She thought she would shatter. He pulled back, gasping as he remembered how she felt about abstinence before marriage.
“Sorry, baby,” he said, completely out of breath, rolling onto his side.
She wanted to tell him how much she loved the feel of his body on top of hers, but she didn’t. He gathered her in his warm embrace and she sank blissfully against his body as she drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and breathing quietly. She wasn’t sure how long she was asleep, but when she opened her eyes she could feel his arms pulling her even closer. She peered at the clock on the nightstand and was astonished to see that it was four o’clock in the morning.
“What’s wrong?” she murmured, still half asleep.
“I love you,” he breathed softly into her ear. He didn’t want to tell her about the impossible battle he had fought for the past two hours, against his own desires. The sensation of her warm body resting against his had painfully aroused him. All he wanted to do was to take Arielle down the path of pleasure and show her ways to enjoy being together without breaking her commitment to abstinence. However, he needed to put a stop to his wild thoughts and try not to scare her away.
His fingers traced her jaw line slowly, seductively, sending a prickling sensation down to her toes. He leaned closer and set his mouth on hers. His lips moved against hers, pulling her deeper into a whirlwind of passion and sheer longing.
Arielle stopped breathing. She could taste his incredible immortal scent and heat spread across every inch of her body. His lips were moving slowly as they brushed the side of her face, down her neck, across her collarbone and stopped, lightly pressing the hollow of her throat, intoxicating her to a new level of excitement. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he felt it in the core of his bones. His warm palms moved gently down to her waist, over her stomach, and stopped at the beautiful curves of her hips, making her writhe in his arms. He shifted slowly, pulling her flat against his body, and she lost track of time. The tectonic plates of her mind shifted dangerously, and she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. She was lost in a sea of wild emotions. He paused for a long moment, trying again to restrain his desire. He was learning, touching, and enjoying the feel of her silky skin against his fingers. She held on to him, growing hotter, utterly captivated. She moved into him and he moaned as he felt her trembling with eagerness. His chest was pounding. “I want you,” he gasped, “I’ve never wanted another woman like I want you; I’m crazy about you!”
His breath was scorching her skin and Arielle’s mind was lost in a sheer fog of pleasure. Then suddenly, reality slammed into her mind like a massive iceberg, reminding her of where she was and what she was about to do. And she remembered that she wasn’t ready to take that step. She poured every ounce of strength she possessed and, putting her hands flat on his chest, pushed him softly away. “Sebastian, no,” she whispered, anxiously. She felt his hands ease immediately, and he pulled back.
“I’m not going to make you break your vow, Arielle. There are a lot of ways to enjoy each other,” he said.
“How?”
“Trust me, and let me show you.” His voice was warm, loving, filled with emotion.
Arielle remained unmoved for what it seemed like a century. Then, slowly her muscles eased and relief spread across her body. What am I doing? she thought. I trus
t him implicitly, I trust him with my life. She was sure that Sebastian would never hurt her, that he would never make her do anything that would be as damaging to her as breaking her vow.
“Will you trust me?” he asked patiently. She didn’t answer his question. She just moved into him, searching for his lips, and drew him into an intoxicating kiss. She had decided that she wanted to explore the pleasures that he spoke of – right here, right now – with him as her guide.
Sebastian had waited patiently, and now he was delighted to pull her once again into his warm embrace and hold her tight. Her hands twined around his neck, pressing him even closer as their lips locked into a ferocious kiss. His hands were moving over her again, caressing every inch of her body. She was burning up with desire and he knew it. He lifted his head and gazed down at her. He smiled gently and, bending down, pressed his lips on the hollow of her throat. His hands roamed her body tenderly and he touched her in ways that made her sob with delight as heat ignited and spread wildfire through her veins. Arielle was lost in the heat of passion as an unfamiliar surge of sensation coursed through her muscles, sheared them, scorched them, and her body shuddered uncontrollably. A loud moan escaped her lips and the sound resonated through his body. His mouth covered hers, and absorbed her sounds of pleasure, cherishing the moment.
“You will be mine for eternity,” he moaned, completely out of breath as his lips met hers one more time.
She was completely exhausted. He pulled her into his arms and she rested her head against his chest. They savored their absolute bliss and fell asleep in the early morning hours.
Arielle was shocked by the amazing sensations she experienced under his skillful touch. He had been right when he said that there were many ways to enjoy each other without her breaking her promise to herself, and he showed her all those ways, making her want him even more.
It was almost noon when they finally left the room. They went downstairs to get something to eat while she talked nonstop. She was so excited to be with him and he laughed along with her, enjoying her stories and her enthusiasm. Later they drove to the beach and took a long walk. She was filled with such pleasure, just walking next to him and holding his hand.
But then she began to fret. She was thinking about earlier that morning, feeling very anxious and worrying that she hadn’t pleased him.
“I love you, Sebastian, and I want you so much, but I can’t… ”
But he didn’t even let her finish her sentence. His mouth found hers, he kissed her, and she stopped breathing. He held her even tighter against his body and whispered in her ear, “I don’t care about this morning. Making love to you is something I think about all the time, but it’s not going to be an issue for us right now. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for,” he said, and repeated, “I don’t.” He bent down and kissed the tip of her nose.
“Can we talk about you and your family today?” she asked. “You know everything about me, but I don’t know anything about you, your family, your friends, what you do with your free time.”
“What is it that you want to know?” he asked, touching her face gently.
“Tell me about your family.”
They sat down on the soft sand and he started to talk.
“I had a wonderful family,” he said. “My mother was very beautiful, and my father was very powerful. My brothers were my best friends and we grew up in a very warm and loving home. But I lost them all during the influenza epidemic that hit practically every country back in the sixteenth century. It was the most painful experience I had ever been through. I had a very hard time moving on with my life. I loved them all and missed them so very much.” He sighed and paused for a moment, lost in thought. Then he continued. “I became the sole heir of the family fortune at a young age and found myself involved in a very complicated business. It took a lot of time to become familiar with everything required to run the business as well as my father had done. It took a long time, but I was successful in accomplishing my goal.” Here he paused again. “Then, when I turned twenty-seven, something changed my life forever. I never got a day older, I never got sick; and I didn’t know why. I was desperate for answers to what was happening to me.
“One day while I was in Germany – I was trying to get away from Annabel – I met a young lady named Loren. She was the daughter of the Dillon family, a very powerful family in that part of the world. I already told you about Olivia Dillon, who gave you the necklace you’re wearing. She took me under her wing and told me all about immortality. We both think it was Annabel who gave me immortality just so she could torture me for all eternity rather than just for a short segment of my mortal life.” Sebastian laughed ruefully. “Olivia has been like my own mother for centuries now,” he said. “And Loren is my one and only sister, and I adore her.” He paused again, seemingly lost in thought. “I do remember that early on, during the change in my life, I was in utter shock. But I had to get used to my new self and move on.”
She turned toward him so that he was facing her and put her hands on either side of his face. She pulled him down toward her, searching for his lips. He encircled her in his arms and crushed her lips beneath his with a wild hunger.
“Sebastian, I love you no matter what. You are my own personal and private miracle,” she murmured, without taking her lips away from his.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
There was a pause as they both just gazed at the ocean, watching the waves break on the shore.
“Who are your friends?” she asked. “Who do you spend time with when you’re not with me?”
“I have three very close friends. One lives in Paris and two are in Germany. We see each other often and we talk on the phone, sometimes daily. We have been friends for centuries,” he laughed.
“What are their names?”
“Jon Lacroix and Pier de Zorzi live in Germany. Jacques Louvser lives in Paris. All three work in my company from different locations. Nathan is another very close friend,” he added. “He is in the London office.”
“What do you do with your free time?”
“I mostly think about you,” he said, smiling as he bent down and kissed her.
“No, really, Sebastian, what do you do for fun?”
“I love horseback riding,” he said. “That’s my passion. I also like to ski. And I love to read and listen to music.”
“Gabrielle loves to ride horses,” she said. “I’m not one for riding horses at all. I do like to water ski. And I love to read and listen to music, too.”
“We have a lot in common,” he said softly. “I do want you to learn to ride because that is one of my favorite sports. And I want to have you with me all the time. Will you give it a try?”
“We’ll see,” she said. “I don’t want to make any promises I may not be able to keep. Unlike you,” she teased, smiling to let him know that her barb was all in fun. He smiled back, good sport that he was.
Back in the hotel, Sebastian announced that he had something to tell her, and she was stunned to hear his next words.
“I’ve decided that it has been a long time since I’ve attended college. So I thought it would be a good idea for me to attend the University of Brighton this coming year. It’s one school I’ve never attended before.” He laughed and she joined him, thinking he was kidding, but then his face turned serious.
“Really?” she asked.
“I never joke when it comes to you, Arielle.”
“Are you bored?”
“No, I’m not bored, but I’m tired of being away from you.”
“Have you applied?”
“I sent my papers in and I have willed them to accept me. That is another gift of mine: being able to make people do what I want or need.”
For several minutes she was stunned and didn’t know what to say.
“Why do you feel you have to do this?” she finally managed to ask.
“Well, I think that this is the only way I can keep you close to me until you get
out of school.”
She was at a loss for words. Of course she was extremely happy and excited knowing that he would be with her, but she was also completely overwhelmed with this new information.
“What is it?” he asked. “Don’t you want to be with me?”
“Oh, there is nothing that would make me happier than having you near me,” she answered. And just to make sure he understood just how happy she felt, she leaned in for another long passionate kiss.
“Well, I guess it’s time for me to go home,” she said, as the sun began to fall. “I haven’t been out of the same outfit since yesterday morning.”
“Please don’t go,” Sebastian pleaded. “Stay with me and I will try to control my crazy desire of wanting to touch you every time you’re near me.”
“But I really need to change my clothes,” she objected. “I’ve been wearing the same jeans and top since yesterday morning.”
“I don’t think you need any clothes at all,” he teased.
“I need fresh clothes,” she repeated.
“I don’t think you need anything,” he insisted again with a soft laugh. “But if you must, then go ahead.” He kissed her on the forehead, moved away from her, and went to lie on the bed, as if he wanted to show her that she had her freedom.
She smiled back at him and, hard as it was for her to leave him on that bed looking the way he did, she knew that she had to at least go to the flat and pick up some fresh clothing if she was going to stay the night.
“I won’t be but a few minutes,” she promised.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’ll keep your spot warm until you get back.”
When she got to the flat, she was happy to see that no one was there. She really didn’t want to share Sebastian with anyone – not yet, not even for a moment. And she didn’t want to waste a moment in getting back to him either. This weekend was for them. He was there for her, and she was there for him alone. A strange feeling had taken over her. She felt like a whole, complete person, not just a girl in love. It was an incredible feeling, and one she had never before experienced.
Arielle Immortal Awakening (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 1) Page 21
