“Not at all. What do you think?”
She turned around to face him, her eyes full of surprised delight and exclaimed, “I think it’s fantastic! I can’t wait for them to see your house. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, because it’s your house now too.”
“What?” she said.
“I said it’s your house now.”
“My house?” she repeated.
“Yes, Arielle. You are going to be my wife, and the lady of the Gaulle manor. What I have is yours, including my very soul.”
Her head was spinning; it was all too much to comprehend. She felt an incredible warm feeling taking over her. Of course what he was saying made sense, but she just couldn’t believe that she would be the lady of that awesome house.
His voice interrupted her thoughts. “I thought it might make you happy to have all your friends at the house before the new semester begins,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” she said, looking at him affectionately.
He was smiling as he pulled her even closer and pressed his lips on hers gently. She was now deep in thought as she rolled on her back and stretched leisurely. She locked her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. She closed her eyes, imagining the effect the house would have on her friends. I know how it affected me as soon as I stepped through that door, she remembered.
Then suddenly she recalled something else, and the face that popped in front of her made her body shiver, her heart thud in her chest, and her lips tremble with anxiety. It was the sight of Annabel glaring at her with all the loathing she held for her. What if she showed up when they were all there? What if she tried to hurt someone? The thought made her tremble and she felt an instant tightening in her chest. She moved her arm and squeezed Sebastian’s hand with unusual pressure, making him look at her with concern.
“What’s wrong?”
“What if she shows up at your house while we are there?”
He was quiet for a short time. Finally, he spoke in a low voice, “I don’t think she will do that. But if she does I’ll handle it, and remember, Troy will be there as well. He is just as powerful as I am.”
“I wish all my friends knew the truth. It would make it easier for them to decide if they wanted to take the chance to take this trip with us,” she said.
Sebastian paused before answering. “I think that’s a pretty big step to take with them such a short time before we leave.”
“When were you thinking of leaving?”
“I thought Monday or Tuesday would be good if they all agree. I’m paying for their trip, it’ll be our gift to them, as I said before.”
“You are paying for all of us to go there?”
“Yes, of course,” he said, and she smiled at him.
“That’s amazing. You are the most giving person I’ve ever known.”
His eyes closed, and he looked so beautiful. Arielle rolled onto her side and kissed his eyelids before she assumed her normal position cuddled in his arms. How will I ever sleep when he’s not here? she thought. Well, I guess I’ll just have to stay up until he comes home.
She giggled at the thought and closed her eyes, blissfully secure.
Chapter 22
THE NEXT DAY WAS A GLOOMY, RAINY DAY. Rain pounded against the windows and Arielle could hear the wind gusting through the trees, making them sway in all directions as a steady noise rose from the beach from the waves thrashing against the rocks below. The weather had been wonderful during the holidays, but now it was getting back to the more typical boring and dreary conditions they were used to in January in Brighton.
Arielle got out of bed and gazed across the ocean, which looked murky and shadowy. The cliffs on either side looked uninviting. She shivered slightly and jumped back into bed, making Sebastian laugh out loud.
“What are you doing?” He opened his arms and let her fall into them. He held her close, making her feel warm and safe.
“I don’t want to get out of bed. The weather is terrible and there is not a single place I want to go.”
“What do you want to do?” She smiled and searched for his mouth with her eyes closed. He was glad to help her in her search and let his sensuous lips find their way to hers. He kissed her and let his hands caress her gently.
“Why do you bother to wear anything in bed?” he asked.
“I guess I am used to it, why?”
“Why? That’s a silly question, do you really have to ask?” he asked, his lips curving into a seductive smile.
She wound her arms around his neck and his lips parted to welcome her into a scorching kiss. He groaned as his lips moved from her mouth to the hollow of her throat and pressed softly. Arielle moaned and drew a deep breath, losing touch with reality for a short moment. His palms were sizzling as they slid downward over her breasts, bare stomach, and around her magnificent hips, making her shudder with pleasure. Sebastian hauled in a sharp breath and felt thrilling tension through every muscle in his body. He smiled wide as he moved his hands lower and gently stroked every soft spot and sensitive nerve.
Arielle gasped for air as heat spread across her body. Sebastian’s touch was hypnotizing and all she could think about was how much she needed him. She gasped when he rolled on top of her and her gaze fell into the deep, passionate green ocean of his eyes, filled with desire and anticipation. He took her mouth in a fevered kiss and they merged together, passion coursing every fragment of their bodies, spinning their minds away from reality to another level filled with ripples of passion, ecstasy, and intense rapture. His body was glorious and she was completely under the influence of his magnificent presence. He thrilled her with utter fulfillment and she knew that she too was taking him to an unbelievable level of pleasure as he imploded, taking her with him on an amazing, utopian journey.
Afterward, he lay still for a long time with his eyes closed, totally spent. He finally opened his eyes and gazed adoringly at Arielle, who was still lost in a delightful stupor. His lips found hers one more time and held her to a long gentle kiss. Then he rolled off of her and lay flat on his back, letting out a deep sigh of contentment.
“You will be the death of me, I know it,” he said, laughing. His voice was breathless and she laughed joyfully as she lay back, closing her eyes. She loved hearing those words every time they made love. Afterward, they lay there together wrapped in the aftermath of their incredible encounter. Arielle was feeling lazy and content, and she wasn’t going to move out of that bed anytime soon.
They dozed for a while and when they woke up again, Sebastian reached over, picked up his phone, and called Troy. Arielle couldn’t hear everything he said, but she could tell that the conversation was about making arrangements for the trip to St. Jean de Luz, so she was sure he had accepted Sebastian’s invitation. When he got off the phone he looked pleased.
“Well?”
“He said he would talk to the others, but he thought it was a great idea, and he was sure they would all love to go.”
Next, Arielle’s phone rang, and she was surprised to see that it was Loren calling.
“Hello, Loren,” she said. Sebastian turned around and stared at her, a curious look in his eyes.
“What’s up?” Arielle asked. Loren began to talk, her voice full of excitement and passion. She went on for several minutes without stopping at all while Arielle just listened. Her face must have changed expression because Sebastian was now standing very close to her, trying to hear what Loren was saying. When Loren finally stopped talking, Arielle said, “I’m so happy for you, Loren. I hope everything turns out the way you want. I’m here for you anytime you want to talk, or if you need my help.” Then, she closed her phone, a stunned look on her face.
“What? What!” Sebastian exclaimed.
“You are not going to believe this one.”
“Oh, my God, Arielle, will you please tell me what’s going on?”
“Loren is in love with P
aul, and Paul is completely taken with her.”
“What?”
“They got together at the Christmas party. I guess it was a mutual thing. Now I understand why Daniel was not at your mother’s party, and why Loren said she would explain later.”
“You are not serious, are you?”
“That’s what she just told me.”
“That’s incredible!”
“Well, it’s not that incredible. He is very good-looking and extremely nice, so I’m not surprised that she liked him. As for Loren, she is beautiful beyond belief and I can completely understand how Paul could fall for her.” She pressed her lips together, remembering the shock she had gone through learning about Sebastian’s immortality and the way Gabrielle had taken the news about Troy. If this turned out to be serious, Arielle was pretty sure Paul would be in for the shock of his life. She chuckled at the thought.
Sebastian looked at her surprised. “What now?”
“I would like to be there when she breaks the news to him,” she said, now laughing out loud. Sebastian smiled too, remembering.
“Oh, boy,” she said, shaking her head. “This is getting to be like the Peyton Place of the immortals,” she giggled.
“What is Peyton Place?” he asked.
“Oh, it’s an old film, and I think I’ll make sure we watch it together one of these days,” she said, giggling again. He cocked his head in amusement. Arielle closed her eyes again and thought about the six of them being together in St. Jean de Luz. How wonderful it would be. The only thing that could possibly ruin their trip would be Annabel, and Arielle was determined not to let Annabel upset her again. She pressed her lips thinking again of how hateful Annabel was. But Sebastian is mine, and I won’t give him up no matter what it takes, she thought.
She opened her eyes and saw that he was sitting on the bed next to her, watching her carefully.
“You are pressing your lips together,” he said. “You only do that when you are worried about something.”
“How do you know that?”
“Arielle, I know a lot of things about you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I’ll bet I do.”
She sighed and closed her eyes again. She was planning to tell Gabrielle and Eva about her dreadful gift on the trip and was hoping they would understand why she had kept it a secret from them for so long. She fervently hoped they would remain her best friends after her revelation; she couldn’t bear the thought of losing them.
Later in the day, when Sebastian got out of bed and walked into the shower, Arielle waited for him to finish because she knew what would happen if she followed him in there. She smiled to herself and walked into the family room. She sat down at the piano and looked through the music, choosing a couple of melodies to help soothe her emotions. Playing the piano always helped her regain her focus when she was feeling stressed. As she was playing she completely lost track of the time, fully absorbed in the music. When she finished, she kept her fingers on the keys for a short time as if to absorb the calm that she had achieved while playing. She looked out at the stormy waters, and noticed that they had no effect on her at all. She felt calm and content.
Well, I guess it’s time to go and take a shower. Sebastian must be finished by now, she thought. She slowly rose to her feet and turned away from the piano. She was startled to see Sebastian leaning against the doorframe, his hair wet, a bath towel wrapped around his waist. He looked like a model posing for a shoot. His eyes were closed and his face looked tranquil.
“Hey. How long have you been standing there?” she asked.
“Oh, for quite a while.”
“You could have said something…”
“I didn’t want you to stop. I love listening to you play. And Mendelssohn’s ‘Venetian Gondola’ is one of my favorite pieces.”
“Yes, I know that,” she said. Reaching up, she cupped his jaw and traced the curve of his bottom lip with the tip of her thumb.
“Mmmm,” he moaned. “It was beautiful…you are beautiful.”
“Tell me that you love me,” she said and moved even closer. His arms snaked around her, molding her body against his.
“That piano has to be the best piece of furniture in this whole house. It makes you happy, and I love to just hear you play.”
She reached up on her tiptoes and touched his lips softly.
“That’s not good enough,” he whispered.
His lips were partly open and she could smell his delicious scent, which always completely unbalanced her. She sighed with excitement as their lips met in a wild kiss.
“Can you play?” she asked, as she pulled back from him, breathless.
“A little.”
“Let me hear you play something.”
“That is your piano.”
“Please play something for me?” she pleaded as she took his hand and pulled him towards the piano.
He sat down, paused for a moment, and then his hands moved across the keys with ease. He didn’t use any music, he just played. The music was so beautiful that she was overwhelmed; she couldn’t believe how talented he was. When the melody was over, he stood up and walked toward her.
“Oh. My. God. How can you sit and listen to me play when you are such a master?”
“You say that because you love me,” he said. His hand cupped the back of her neck, and he tangled his fingers in her hair as he tilted her face up and his lips came down on hers with a stormy passion.
Arielle shut her eyes and sagged against him. She couldn’t seem to control either her equilibrium or her thoughts. She was lost in Sebastian’s arms as pleasure spiraled in and settled deep in her very core.
Finally, she opened her eyes and their gaze locked. She pulled back from the kiss and cleared her throat. “Sebastian, be serious. You are amazing,” she stammered.
“This piano is still for you to play and me to listen. You promised. So we’ll not talk about this anymore.”
She paused and reluctantly pulled away from his embrace. “I’m going to take a shower, and I’ll be right back.” Then, a loud shriek escaped her as he moved with his high velocity speed and lifted her into his arms.
“Well, here, let me help you,” he chuckled.
“I thought you just took a shower,” she said as he walked into the shower with her and closed the door.
“I like to be extra clean,” he laughed, and let her down slowly. His arms enveloped her and held her against him with fervor. She loved him so much and she couldn’t help the wild desire that swept over her every time he was near. How could she feel this way every time they touched?
Arielle had never dreamed that her life would turn out this way. She understood he was not like any other man. Still, the depth and intensity of her feelings for him was just unbelievable. She was sure that she would die if she couldn’t have him in her life.
Sebastian pulled her tighter against him and, bending down he took her mouth and crushed her lips beneath his, moaning painfully. His muscles were aching with unfathomed desire. Their encounter went deeper than mere seduction or simple indulgence; it was a scorching inferno born of intense love and passion for each other. Arielle held on to Sebastian breathlessly, unwilling to move a single inch away from him.
“Isn’t it better taking a shower with me, baby?” he murmured, brushing his lips across her jaw. She moaned and nodded, incapable of uttering a single word. She heard him chuckle and, pressing his lips on her forehead, he let her go. He pulled the shower door open and started to walk out. Arielle opened her eyes, a happy smile on her face.
“I guess we’re done here?” she finally said flirtatiously. He stopped mid step and turned around.
“Did you want to go another round?” he asked playfully. He reached and pulled her back in his arms. “Because if you are, I’m ready.” His lips were curved up into that amazing smile, and leaning in she took his mouth and savored a hot kiss. His lips parted, her tongue found her way into the warmth of his mouth, and the kiss deep
ened. Arielle moaned and Sebastian groaned, heat rising rapidly. “I thought I was indestructible, but you are going to kill me,” he mumbled as he pushed the shower door closed once again.
Sebastian stepped out of the shower first, and she followed. She didn’t have anywhere to go, so there was no need to hurry and get dressed. But she did need to think about their upcoming trip and what she was going to pack.
“You are drifting again,” he said.
“I was just thinking about you.”
“That’s a good thing,” he said happily. He took a book and walked off toward the family room, still wrapped in just his bath towel. She followed him, eyes filled with awe as a light shiver coursed through her muscles. She smiled wide and shook her head in disbelief.
Arielle decided to phone Eva and Gabrielle to talk about their trip to St. Jean de Luz. They couldn’t get over the fact that Sebastian was giving them such a generous gift. They went on and on about how wonderful he was, and of course, Arielle felt exactly the same. They talked about their wardrobes and little details about what they would need to bring. “The weather is so beautiful in the south of France,” Arielle said. “It’s nothing like Brighton weather.” She told them they would need mostly summer clothes.
The night before the trip Arielle had terrible nightmares about Annabel. Once again, she could see the wild look of hatred in her eyes and could hear her repeating over and over again. “Sebastian' will never belong to another woman. Stay away from him I am warning you, before it is too late.” She woke up in a cold sweat, shivering with fear. She looked over at Sebastian. He was sleeping peacefully, looking like an angel. She moved a little closer to him, and he instinctively encircled her in his arms without waking up. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, only to have the exact same dream again. This time she stayed awake for several hours, in a complete panic, wondering what it all meant.
She didn’t get to sleep until early in the morning, so she was very tired when the time came to get ready to go to the airport. While Sebastian drove, she kept her eyes closed, trying to get some rest. Sebastian reached over and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.
Arielle Immortal Seduction (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 2) Page 25
