"IF SOMEONE ASKS FOR ME just tell them I'm not back yet, thanks." I wave at Carly tirelessly and she exits my office.
I groan at the sight of my suitcase next to the door. I'm finally back yet I feel like I have nowhere to go. I'm not ready to face Sebastian yet and I'm sure he'll find out when I go back to the apartment.
Could I sneak into my apartment without Sebastian knowing? Or should I just book a room in a hotel instead? This is exactly why you don't fall for your best friend!
I'm exhausted. I just want to go home. I want to have a bubble bath. I want to sleep in my own bed. I want Sebastian.
There is a crash from the outer office, followed by Carly's frantic shout, "Mr Lowe she's not here!"
"Oh shit," I mutter under my breath. My first instinct is to crawl under my desk and in two seconds I'm on my hands and knees. Carly screams again, "Incoming!"
Sebastian bursts through the doors and I see Carly's feet hot on his heels.
"See! She's not here sir so please leave now." Poor Carly, her voice sounds shaky.
Sebastian grunts and closes the door behind him leaving Carly outside. I admire his signature black converses on his feet as he crosses the room and stops right in front of me.
"Come on Bella, I see you." he sighs.
I freeze in place. My whole brain goes blank and I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out.
A gasp escapes my mouth when Sebastian squats down and our eyes meet. He heaves with a pained expression as if the air has been knocked out of him.
His gaze lingers on the circles under my eyes, "You look tired."
"You too." My chest aches at the sight of him, I look down focusing on the floor.
"Come home with me," he whispers.
"I can't."
"Bel come out and talk to me," he sighs, running his hands over his hair. But I shake my head no and stay on my knees under the desk.
"Alright fine." Sebastian's jaw clenches and crawls next to me, joining me under my desk.
I sigh heavily adjusting myself so I sit more comfortably. Sebastian sits facing me with his legs crossed and his neck bending awkwardly.
He pushes a lock of hair behind my ear, "We are going to talk about this." he says quietly.
I lean into his body for a scant second before catching myself. "What is there to talk about? I don't even know what you're talking about." I say avoiding his eyes, wondering if I can pull this off.
"Bel, come on. Talk to me." he prods massaging the back of my neck. "If we're going to do this, we need to talk to each other."
Do what? Be your best friend? Pretend like I don't want to rip your clothes off and fuck you? He's here under my desk in a black t-shirt and ripped jeans looking like a fucking model. His entire body looks so cuddly and warm and sexy and kick-me-in-the-head gorgeous.
"Okay let's talk. What do you want to talk about?"
"Why are you hiding from me?"
My heart damn near leaps out of my chest. My brain is shutting down in shock and denial. He wants to know why.
"How did you know?" I ask.
He kisses my forehead gently. "Because all of a sudden, you weren't my Bel."
"What?"
"You called me Sebastian," he says with hurt in his eyes. He's right. I only call him by his name in public, other than that I only ever call him loverboy.
"I'm sorry." I sniffle. He wraps me in his arms and rocks me back and forth as I let out ridiculous sobs and wails.
"You're so...so...great and I can't...I can't... you're so sweet...and loving and... I can't...Jeez...you're so hot...at Kimberly's wedding... sparks flew...and...I want you...but you don't want me I...I...I....think... I love you."
Stop. What did I just say?
"Bel, hey, stop crying, you gorgeous girl. Mind running that last part by me again?
I just told Sebastian I love him. I breathe in his scent, then peel myself off him. Nerves spring to life, this is it. This is it for us. This is how it all ends.
"Which part?" I ask, playing with my fingers.
"That last part," I hear him say, his voice strong and clear.
"Kimberly's wedding?" I hedge.
"You really think that's the part I'm asking about?"
"Um, no?"
"Try again."
"I don't wanna."
"Bella Young," he warns in a deep voice that unexpectedly makes me giggle.
"I had a great time at Kimberly's wedding," I blurt, my exhaustion mixing with my confession. I actually feel a little relieved.
"I'm very tired, so a quick recap, if I could. One, you had a great time at Kimberly's wedding, yes?"
"Yes," I mumble.
"Two, I'm very sweet and loving, yes?" he chuckles.
"Yes," I breathe out, not able to move my gaze away from him.
"And three, you think you love me?" he asks, his voice deep and thick, like molasses and honey.
"Yes," I whisper, knowing it is one hundred percent the truth. I love Sebastian. I always have.
"You think, or you know?"
"Yes I love you! Ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard!" I scream in his face.
He grins like a devil. "You really have no idea, do you?"
My breathing quickens, "No idea about what?" I murmur, allowing him to pull me close by the small of my back.
"You had my heart a long time ago," he says leaning in to whisper in my ear. "I love you Bel."
And then he kisses me, he kisses me like a fairytale. He opens his mouth sucking on my bottom lip, my tongue. A thrill runs through me at the sound of his tight moan. And I kiss him back as though my life depended on it.
His hands explore my body as my fingers tangle themselves in his hair. "Wow." he breathes. "I love how your lips feel on mine."
"You taste so fucking good," I whisper with a smirk.
"Fuck," he murmurs against my mouth as his hands massage my ass. I open my mouth, biting him gently, testing. He gasps and pulls me even closer. My mind floods with images of his fingers digging into my hips, my mouth open as I rock towards him.
"Wait." He peels away from me and pulls out the anchor necklace from his pocket. My hands fly to my mouth. It's my necklace, my anchor necklace.
I lift my hair up and he fastens the necklace around my neck. "I missed wearing it." I sigh, touching the necklace.
He scans my face with careful hope in his eyes, "I still can't believe you're mine."
"It's the tattoos," I shrug.
A wide smile stretches across his face, making his dimple sink into his cheek. "Come home with me," he says, enveloping me in his arms.
My eyebrows shoot up. "You said all that to get me in bed? I must have made quite an impression."
"The only thing I'm thinking about right now is holding you in my arms all night."
"Let's go," I say.
I stand in the lobby of my office with my luggage, waiting for Sebastion to pull up his car. It's pouring rain, I take one step forward so the raindrops hit me. I close my eyes and let myself feel every droplet of rain landing on my skin. I open up my arms with my palms facing up hoping it cleanses my pain.
"Bel!" Sebastian's voice comes from afar. I open my eyes and there he is. My baby's fit like a daydream, walking with his head down. I'm the one he's walking to.
I run to him and jump into his arms. He holds me tight in his arms under the pouring rain, kissing away my pain. Sebastian is my once in a lifetime, better than new years and midnight.
When I walk out of the bathroom, Sebastian is already tucked under the covers in my bed. His eyes flash up to mine and I know I'll never be the same.
Since our getaway, I always missed the comfort of having him in my bed. I miss the way my body fits perfectly in his arms. I miss breathing in his scent.
I crawl next to him and he wraps his arms around my back, holding me tight.
"I missed you. I missed this." I tell him.
"Me too, baby. Me too."
I look up at him to find his eyes resting on my mouth. Instinctively, my head tilts up, bringing my mouth closer to his. When I close the space between us and press my lips to his, he rolls on top of me. I feel one hand resting on my lower back, pushing my body further onto his. My hands roam across his bare chest, making him moan into my mouth when my cold fingers brush his nipples.
"Fuck," he grumbles, then sweeps his tongue over mine. I wrap my fingers into his hair and kiss him harder. My other hand snakes down to touch his hard muscles, but he stops me, with his body still pressed into mine.
He smiles, not without chagrin. "I think we should take it slow." His cheeks are flushed and his breath heavy against my face. I want to protest, to tell him that I need his touch, but I know he's right.
He pulls me in and presses his lips on my forehead. "Promise me you won't leave me again. Promise me you'll still be here when I wake up," he says with his lips brushing against my skin.
His begging tone makes my heart sink, I snuggle even closer to him breathing in his smell. "I promise you I'm not going anywhere. Now sleep loverboy, I'll fight off the bad dreams when they come to get you."