Arielle knew that both of her friends had been intimate with their boyfriends and she had told them that she was still a virgin, but she didn’t want to discuss her feelings about this particular issue at that time.
As she listened to them talking, she wondered why she had been so afraid to give herself to someone she loved with all her heart, someone she knew she would be spending the rest of her life with.
After a while, silence fell in the room, each of the girls lost in their own thoughts. They had gone through two bottles of wine and were now lying back on the sofa, spilling out various details about their boyfriends. Arielle didn’t remember how or when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, she and Gabrielle were on the floor. So sore she could hardly move, she looked around and was astonished to hear Gabrielle moaning in pain as she too tried to get off the floor.
“You guys look pitiful,” Eva laughed.
Arielle and Gabrielle looked at each other and saw that Eva was right; there was nothing else to do but laugh. For the first time since the ugly encounter with Matt, Arielle felt truly happy, and so fortunate to have such wonderful friends in her life.
Chapter 4
IT WAS A TYPICAL GLOOMY, RAINY MORNING in Brighton. Arielle got up to get a cup of tea, picked up a book, and jumped back into bed. It was during that first cup of tea when she had a strong intuition that she needed to go home. She felt strangely, without knowing why, that the most important thing she needed to accomplish for the day was to spend time with her parents. Her father hadn’t seemed to be doing that well, and she was worried about how her mother had told her that he had stopped taking his morning walks in the garden for a couple of weeks now.
Arielle could see her mother was hiding the stress she was feeling, and that she was putting too much energy into pretending Arielle’s father was doing fine. Something was telling her she needed to be there that day, a vague intuition of some sort. She finished her tea and before long was on her way home.
Everything seemed normal when she arrived, except that her mother was preparing breakfast alone. Usually her father was part of this activity on the weekends.
“Where’s Daddy?” she asked as she came in the door and gave her mum a kiss.
“He wanted to read the paper in the living room today,” her mum replied.
Arielle proceeded to the living room. She saw that her father was sitting in his chair, looking like he was reading the paper. The first thing she noticed was his face. He looked pale, and there was moisture dripping off the side of his temples. There were dark circles under his eyes and his body was sluggish. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Arielle ran to her father’s side.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure,” he whispered. His voice was barely audible.
“Are you in pain?”
“My chest feels heavy, and I can’t move my arm. I feel weak and a little disoriented,” he replied. His speech was uneven, unsure.
“Don’t try to move. I’ll be right back,” Arielle said, and she ran to the kitchen.
“Mummy, please call an ambulance. There is something terribly wrong with Daddy.”
Arielle’s mum dropped the plate she was holding. It shattered on the kitchen floor. Instead of picking up the phone, she ran to her husband’s side. Arielle picked up the phone instead and asked the operator for an ambulance. She quickly provided all the information they needed to get there. A sick feeling took over Arielle as she hung up the phone. This was her father, one of the most important people in her life. “Please God,” she prayed. “Please don’t take Daddy.”
The ambulance was there in a matter of minutes. They put an oxygen mask on her father to help him breathe and administered an IV while they monitored his situation. Arielle held his hand, tears rolling down her face. Her heart was breaking and she was praying as hard as she could.
“What’s wrong with him?” she asked one of the paramedics just before they climbed into the ambulance.
“It looks like he’s had a stroke,” the paramedic said. “We’ll be at the hospital shortly and they’ll be able to evaluate the damage.” Then, Arielle’s father was on the way to the hospital before she could even comprehend what was going on.
The damage? What damage? She couldn’t even imagine anything bad happening to her father. Her mother had accompanied her father in the ambulance. Arielle drove to the hospital alone, her heart overflowing with concern. She arrived just as they were taking her dad into the emergency room.
Arielle held her mother in her arms, trying to calm her down as her own heart was breaking. They both sat in the waiting room, tears in their eyes. After a while, the doctor came out and told them he’d had a mild stroke.
“We’re going to keep him here overnight to make sure he does all right,” he said. “If everything’s okay, we can send him home tomorrow.”
“Is there any damage?” Arielle asked with a shaky voice.
“We won’t know for sure until tomorrow,” the doctor replied. “We need twenty-four hours before we can tell if there has been any brain damage. Let’s hope that everything will be all right.” He smiled and told them not to worry, that they were doing everything they could to make sure he came out of this experience unscathed. Then, he walked away.
Arielle’s heart sank as she looked at her mother’s face, which had lost its color. She was pale, trembling, and her eyes were full of tears. When they brought her father to his room, he looked as if he had aged several years in a matter of hours. Arielle’s mother sat next to him while he slept, holding his hand. Arielle bent down and kissed him on the forehead, tears saturating her face.
“I love you, Daddy,” she whispered, hoping he could hear her, but doubting that he could. “I’m going to go for a walk, Mum,” she said. “I need to think.” She knew she had to face it sooner or later, so she might as well deal with it head on.
Outside she pulled out her mobile phone and pressed Sebastian’s number. She had no idea what time it was, where he was, or what he was doing, all she knew was that she needed to talk to him. She needed to hear his voice reassuring her that everything was going to be all right. He picked up on the first ring.
“Hello,” he said. “How’s the love of my life?”
“Hi,” she said, her voice barely audible and clearly distressed.
“Arielle, what’s wrong, baby? Where are you?”
“I’m at the hospital.”
“The hospital! Are you hurt?”
“No, it’s my dad, he’s had a stroke.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, baby, how is he doing?”
“We won’t know until tomorrow. They need twenty-four hours until they can tell if he has any brain damage.” There was silence on the other end for a moment, and then he spoke, his voice calm and supportive.
“I’m sure he will be fine,” he said. “How’s your mum holding up?”
“She is devastated, and I feel so bad. I don’t think I have the strength to be optimistic for both of us. How I wish you were here!” she said, and she started to sob.
“Arielle, please stop crying. I’m sure he will be okay. I wish I was there too, but it’s hard for me to do that right now.”
“I understand. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’m in a meeting right now, but I’ll try to call you later today.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for interrupting your meeting.”
“It’s okay. You can call me whenever you need to. Don’t worry about the time or what I am doing. If I can pick up the phone, I will. If not, leave me a message and I’ll call you right back. I love you, and don’t worry, your dad will be fine.”
“I miss you,” Arielle said softly.
“That’s all I want you to do when I’m not there. I love you so much, and miss you more than you’ll ever know. Miss me,” he said softly, and the phone went dead.
Feeling better, Arielle went back to the room and sat with her father until it was late. He was
still sleeping, but his breathing was much better than it had been earlier in the afternoon. She held his hand and bent down to kiss him as she thought how fragile this wonderful man looked right at that moment. A mixture of emotions flooded her. Her heart was breaking, and she was unable to accept the situation he was in. Finally, the nurse asked Arielle and her mother to go get some rest and come back in the morning. “I’m sure he’s going to be fine,” she assured them.
They left the room reluctantly and went home without saying a word to each other. That night, Arielle lay down in her mum’s bed with her and held her until she went to sleep. She stayed awake for a long time afterward. She didn’t think she would be able to sleep at all, but the next thing she knew sunlight was slipping through the window shades and her mum was up and ready to go. Before long they were on their way back to the hospital.
By the time they arrived, Arielle’s dad had already been through all the tests required for the day. He was awake and alert.
“Good morning, Daddy,” she said, ecstatic to see him looking so much better. Her mum moved close to him and hugged him, exuding sheer bliss.
“How are you feeling this morning, dear?” she asked, her voice both warm and shaky. Arielle kissed him on the forehead, filled with joy to see her number one man alert and with a smile on his sweet face.
“I feel good,” he said. His voice was steady and strong.
“Did you talk to the doctor?” her mum asked.
“Yes, I did. He said he would be coming around again in a few minutes.”
Arielle and her mother sat next to the bed and talked quietly, trying not to exhaust Arielle’s father. He didn’t seem to have any problem with his speech, and his face looked perfectly fine. Arielle felt happy and relaxed as the doctor walked in smiling. Well, she thought, that’s a good sign.
“Good morning,” the doctor said cheerfully.
“The good news is he’s going to be fine. There is no danger. He hasn’t lost the use of any limbs, and he’s in good shape for now. We will put him on medication and with a good diet, and a little rest, he’ll be just fine. It was a mild stroke. He can go home today.” Arielle and her mother let out simultaneous sighs of relief. They each laughed.
“Thank you so much!” her mother exclaimed, wiping her eyes, which were filled with tears of joy.
For the next couple of days, Arielle stayed at home, reading to her father and taking care of him as her mum made his meals and sat quietly with him, holding his hand.
By the third day he was feeling pretty good. She was happy to see him get up and walk slowly with her mother in the garden. By the end of the following week, everything was back to normal. He was on a new medication, and he was back at work. Arielle was so happy to see him well, with no lasting effects from the stroke. She knew it could have been much worse.
Chapter 5
IT WAS THE FIRST OF DECEMBER and nearing the time when Sebastian would be back. The holidays were approaching, and everyone was getting ready to start decorating and shopping. Arielle’s mother had already decorated the whole house. She hung beautiful Christmas wreaths with large red bows on every window and door. She had placed Christmas decorations in every room. The halls were decked with branches of holly and mistletoe.
Christmas was a time Arielle always looked forward to. Her mother would decorate two Christmas trees, a very tall one in the family room with its high ceilings, and an even bigger one in the foyer. The stockings hung by the fireplace, and the atmosphere was exuberant.
Exams were coming up the second week of December. Arielle knew she would have to buckle down to get through them. She was happy Sebastian wasn’t coming before her exams, so she didn’t have to worry about studying while he was there.
It was a Wednesday morning, and a typically rainy day. Arielle had a class late in the afternoon, and afterward she decided to go shopping for a new outfit. The rain had picked up, but she was determined to get out of the flat, and since Gabrielle and Eva were in class, she went alone.
She was searching for a new pair of jeans when suddenly her phone rang. To her surprise, Sebastian’s name popped up on the screen. Arielle smiled, and an exhilarating feeling washed over her. Quickly, she pressed the answer button and looked around for a quiet corner so she could hear him better.
“Hello,” she said quietly, walking away from the crowd.
“You don’t sound very excited, baby.” The musical voice that made Arielle’s heart beat a million miles an hour was coming from the other end. She could hardly speak from pleasure.
“Sebastian, I’m in a store full of people, that’s why I’m talking quietly,” she explained.
“Why don’t you walk outside?” he replied chuckling.
“I can’t, it’s pouring rain,” she said ecstatically, unable to keep her excitement at bay. “So, are you coming home?” she asked breathlessly.
“Yes, I’ll be home tomorrow night,” he said. Arielle gasped out loud and her knees gave in. She could hardly believe the moment she had waited for so long was finally here.
“I can’t wait to see you!” she said, and the decision she had made sent a flashing, scorching sensation through her veins.
“I was hoping you would say that,” he murmured. “I thought after all this time maybe you had forgotten about me.”
“Have you forgotten about me?” she countered, snorting.
She heard his soft chuckle through his next statement. “Forgetting about you would be like forgetting to breathe.”
She chuckled with joy. “What’s your flight number?”
“Have you missed me?” he asked, ignoring her question.
“Yes, of course I have, I can hardly wait to see you.”
“I’m so happy to hear that,” he said.
“I have your face imprinted in my mind and it’s really the only thing that keeps me going,” she added.
“That sounds pretty serious,” he said with a soft titter.
“Yes, it is for me.”
“I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon. I love you,” he said, his voice passionate.
“Not as much as I love you,” she countered quickly.
“That depends on what you consider as much.”
“You are my whole world, Sebastian. I don’t think I can convey the enormity of my love for you with words.”
“Arielle, I can’t breathe if you are not next to me, you are the focal point of my existence,” he whispered, longing in his voice. She was so blissful hearing his words she could hardly speak. He took advantage of her speechlessness to tease her, saying, “So you see? I do love you more.” She could feel his grin, and almost feel his sensuous lips on hers. Her body shivered with excitement at the thought of being in his arms.
“Please hurry home,” she breathed.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on you,” he said in a deep sensual tone, making her shudder. He gave her his flight information and she heard him say almost in a murmur, “Miss me.” And the line went dead.
Arielle was so overcome with longing her throat felt dry and her heart beat faster. She picked up her packages and jumped into the car, barely missing the downpour. His amazing face filled her mind, and she smiled as she turned the radio up, letting the music take over.
It was now raining hard, and the sound of the water thrashing the windshield seemed to balance the beat of the music on the radio. She turned her windshield wipers on and her thoughts drifted to the weekend ahead. She felt completely mixed up and anxious. His last statement had sent ripples of fire across her veins. “I can’t wait to get my hands on you,” he had said, sending a scorching sensation through her body. “Well, I can’t wait for him to get his hands on me either,” she said, and broke out into a hearty laugh. She had been going back and forth in her mind concerning her feelings about her virtue, and she was at a crossroads. Sebastian would never know how many hours she had spent pondering this issue and wondering why she should abstain from sex after her attempted rape. She was happy that he wouldn’t
be able to read her thoughts and discover the reasons she was drastically altering her commitment to virginity. What had happened to her was a secret she was determined to take to her grave. Now that she wouldn’t have to testify in court, she couldn’t think of a good reason that Sebastian should find out what had happened. She had asked all her friends to keep it quiet and never bring it up, and they had promised to do so.
By now, Arielle was sure that nothing could make her continue resisting what she knew she and Sebastian both desired. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone on the planet. The desire ripped through her like a tornado. She focused on the unshakable craving to surrender her body and soul, and plunge into the astonishing passion called Sebastian. He was the man of her dreams, the man she wanted to be with, to spend every waking moment with, just fulfilling his every sensual desire. She was longing for him and she felt thrilled just knowing that he would be home soon. She loved to press her lips at the hollow of his throat and taste the sweet scent of his mouth. She loved to hear him moan with exhilaration, and to know that she was his absolute benediction.
Tomorrow night she would be in his arms. She just couldn’t wait. She was going to skip classes on Friday because she wasn’t planning to leave him alone, not even for a single moment.
His presence rejuvenates me, she thought. I need him more than anything I’ve needed before. I want to gaze into his beautiful emerald eyes, wrap my arms around his gorgeous body, and kiss those sumptuous lips of his. Her thoughts ran wild. The excitement made her body ache, and she stifled a groan. It was almost unbearable. She went home to drop off her packages and picked up her books for her afternoon class. Then she sat in the auditorium, buried in her own thoughts, and never heard a word of the lecture. She was nearly suffocating from excitement and could hardly wait for the next day to come.
Arielle Immortal Seduction (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 2) Page 4
