Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 31: Goblin Deals

Sebastian and I sat close, shoulders brushing as we watched the first rays of sunlight pierce through the darkness. The scene was breathtaking.

"So, tell me more about how Nerida carried you up those stairs. I can't imagine it was very graceful." I prodded, a grin tugging at my lips.

Sebastian leaned back, propping himself up on his hands as he began to speak. "It was pretty simple. I used my impeccable charm and she let me climb onto her back."

I raised an eyebrow. "Impeccable charm?"

He chuckled. "Alright, maybe not impeccable, but you get the idea."

"And she fell for it?"

Sebastian grinned. "Oh, she fell for it alright. And you should've seen the look on her face when she was lugging me up those steps. Determination that quickly turned to absolute regret."

I couldn't hold back my laughter any longer. "You're unbelievable, Seb. I can't believe you talked her into that."

He shrugged, a smug grin on his face. "Like I said, the lengths I'd go to for you, Olive."

The sun continued to rise, casting a warm glow across the pitch. We sat in a silence that wasn't awkward, simply enjoying the moment until Sebastian turned his gaze to me.

His eyes moved from my own to my lips. Without a word, he cupped my cheek with his hand, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. Slowly, he leaned in, his lips drawing closer to mine.

My heart raced. I closed my eyes.

And then, his lips met mine. It was a gentle and tender kiss, something I'd been missing all this time we were apart. I was almost kicking myself for depriving myself of this for three weeks. He was gentle, soft. His hand slid from my cheek to the nape of my neck, pulling me closer as if he never wanted to let go. Our lips moved together perfectly.

I let my own hand wander up his face towards his hair, but he winced when my fingers dragged across the fresh bruise on his face.

"Ouch..." He muttered, our kiss ending abruptly.

"Shit. I'm sorry," I said, kissing his cheek very softly and delicately, "I forgot."

A soft smile played on Sebastian's lips, "It's fine. But did you see that impeccable charm?"

"Oh, Merlin..." I mumbled under my breath, gently nudging him with my elbow.

"Remember the last time we were here?" He asked, shifting back to his spot from earlier but pulling me in closer to him so my head was pressed against his chest.

"Mmm." I nodded.

"And we were going to kiss but you got scared and pulled away?" He smirked.

I peered up at him, the orange glow of the sunrise painting his face in warm hues that highlighted every freckle that adorned his face. Beautiful. "I wasn't scared, I just... wasn't sure."

Sebastian chuckled softly, his fingers playing with a strand of my hair. "But, you're sure now, right?"

I smiled and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Obviously."

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss and this time I remembered to keep my hands off his face.

When we finally pulled away again, our foreheads resting against each other, I felt the completeness I'd been missing. 

"You know," I murmured, "for someone who was late to meet me and let his pretty face get beat up, you sure know how to make up for it."

"Mmm. Well, I can definitely give more than that to make up for my shortcomings." He laughed.