Beyond the Black Curtain

Chapter 20 - Touchdown Romania

"Hey," Josh reached out for me and rubbed my arms. "Just try to relax for a bit, alright? I know it's a lot to take in, but right now, your man's probably wondering what's taking me so long to come get you. You're gonna be fine." I nodded and we continued on our way to the parking lot.

The anxiety about meeting Sebastian's mother temporarily faded as soon as I saw him leaning against the door of the town car, his back facing me. I beckon for Josh to let me go first, taking ginger steps so as for Sebastian not to hear me coming. I tiptoe over to his right ear and whisper.

"Are you stalking me?" I ask cheekily, seeing as he was perusing my Instagram feed. I step back as he skipped forward then whipped around to find me grinning at him like a kid in Christmas. The look of sheer surprise and the huge smile on his face were two things I'd probably never forget for a long time.

I was suddenly enveloped in the biggest bear hug ever while I was lifted and spun off the ground. Talk about getting swept off my feet by my handsome Romanian prince.

I was still giggling breathlessly as my male set me down. Pushing a stray wisp of hair off to the side of my face, he then dips his head down and lays a tender kiss that went from zero to scorching hot within seconds. The sense of urgency of his kiss make me lose all perception of time and place, my senses simply just honing on the man who has me pulled flush to his firm torso.

It was amazing how in tune I am with him, and he with me.

Sebastian coils me in tighter around his arms and I feel the heat emanating from both of our bodies, slowly licking each fiber of my being, threatening to consume me whole until an exaggerated clearing of someone's throat rang around my ears. We both pull away rather awkwardly, our breaths laboriously heavy.

"Jesus F Christ, really?! Couldn't wait to get her to your room, Seb?" Josh asks a little annoyedly but I can tell he was fighting a grin at seeing us just go at it like two lovesick bunnies.

Sebastian attempts to shoot him an intense glare a la Winter Soldier but he ends up looking like a petulant kid who just got caught red handed with his hands inside a cookie jar. I laugh so hard at my blushing male as I press the side of my face against his chest and then plant a playful peck on his cheek before releasing myself from his hold.

"And you," Josh continued in contrived horror, pointing a finger at me as he approached. "Have you no shame?!"

"Hey," I say as my tall, now brooding male went around to the driver's side to ask to pop the trunk. "Let's talk about shame when you finally get a hot girlfriend you couldn't keep your hands off of."

"Agreed," Sebastian came back around behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my neck as he did so. "Find the balls to ask Lizzie out yet? She knows you're staring at her when she isn't looking." Josh's eyes widened in surprise, causing me to laugh again.

"You two are fucking insufferable. If I wasn't on your payroll Sebastian, I would've hightailed my ass back to Denver a long time ago. At least people there know when not to poke on other people's business," Josh declared, and I laughed even harder. Sebastian and I know what Josh's dream really is, which is to become a screenwriter for TV. And on several occasions, he has told me how much he loves working for Sebastian, how he's grateful for the opportunities that came his way whenever he put in a word for him. In fact, he just submitted three pilots to all the major TV networks and a couple of them were wanting to meet with Josh once he returns Stateside.

The three of us eventually piled in the car, Josh riding shotgun with Sebastian and I taking the back seat. With a nod to the driver, we were off.

"Josh has a thing for Elizabeth Olsen?" I ask innocuously as I poked a finger to Josh's shoulder. I tried to get comfy with my Romanian prince by draping both of my legs over his thighs. Sebastian began absentmindedly skimming his fingers on my jean clad legs, the sensation of it calming me.

"Shut up, Rae," Josh grumbled and then pouted as he fixed his eyes on the road. We tease and banter for a few more minutes until we got cut off by his phone ringing. He mouths to us it was Leslie, Sebastian's manager and proceeds to talk to her. I then focus my full attention to my partner whose gaze was already on me.

"Hey," I say softly.

"Hey yourself," Sebastian replies, his voice barely over a whisper. I lean forward to give him a chaste kiss and caress his cheek; loving the feel of his 5 o'clock shadow against my palm.

"So this is Romania, huh?" I ask as I look at the buildings we pass by in a blur. Apart from Singapore and the United States, I have never travelled overseas anywhere else. Being able to visit and experience different places in the world was something I've never thought of when I got together with Sebastian. I'm kind of naïve that way, and it felt just fine.

"This is it," Sebastian responds. "I haven't been here since the summer before graduating from college. My bunica, my grandma says going 14 years without visiting is a bit embarrassing."

I slightly flinch at the mention of his grandmother, making me remember that he wanted me to meet his mother here. Sebastian must have sensed my immediate discomfort and held my hand.

"What's wrong? I'm not the only one uncomfortable when stiff, apparently."

"It's just...I'm just nervous as hell to meet your mother, baby. What if she doesn't like me? What if I say something embarrassing? What if I—"

"Stop it," Sebastian says sternly. "If anything, my mother cannot wait to meet you. Ever since I told her we got together, she always tries to fly in to LA so she could visit. The timing never got right though, whenever she was free, I was the one with commitments. It took this film festival we're attending tonight for our schedules to jive. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Why do you keep saying 'absolutely nothing to worry about'?!" I ask exasperatedly and bury my face in his arm. I tried to muffle my groan and all Sebastian could respond with was laughter.

"It's because there is nothing to worry about. You need to relax, I have an event later and I need my date to look like the most beautiful woman on the red carpet."

I just let out a breath and willed myself to relax. As long as I have his reassurance, I should be fine.