He fidgeted for a few seconds then went into the bathroom. I turned down the sheets, wondering if it would have been better if we’d gone to the guest room. But then again, what difference would that really make?
We swapped over and as I cleaned my teeth with the damp brush, I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror—the face was familiar but that was about all. Everything else had changed.
When I came out Sebastian was sitting on the edge of the bed, still fully dressed.
“By the way, where do your parents think you are tonight?”
He blinked and looked up; clearly his thoughts had been somewhere else entirely.
“They won’t notice I’m not there. They’ve probably passed out drunk again.”
He sneered the words.
“Ches dropped me off at home and I jogged over here—that’s why I was a bit late. I didn’t want him to know where … he’s picking me up at 10.30 am, so I’ll have to be back by then.” He sighed. “That doesn’t seem very long from now.”
“What if your parents see your room is empty and that your bed hasn’t been slept in?”
I felt a bit panicky at the thought.
Sebastian gave a half-smile. “I didn’t make my bed this morning: if they look in—which they won’t—they’ll just assume they missed me. Honestly, they won’t notice.” He scowled. “They never notice anything about me anyway—except my fucking hair.”
Unconsciously, he ran his hands over his head as he spoke.
“But it got us here, didn’t it,” I said quietly.
He looked at me seriously and nodded slowly. “Are you sorry?”
I shook my head. “No. You make me feel … alive.”
I leaned down and kissed him—a soft, gentle, loving kiss. He responded immediately and passionately, kissing me until we were both breathing hard.
“I … I have to go downstairs,” he said, standing up.
“What? Why?”
“I left the condoms in my jacket pocket,” he mumbled, embarrassed.
“Oh, well, I meant to say something about that.”
He flashed a nervous glance at me.
“I told you I was going to start taking birth control pills—and I did, I have. We don’t need to use condoms anymore.”
“Really? You’re sure?”
I smiled. “Yes, no more playing hunt the lost condom.”
He laughed softly. “I kinda liked that game.”
“Well, I didn’t. Anyway, we’re good to go,” I said, arching one eyebrow. “Oh, but I should mention … I don’t know if this will bother you … but I got my period. That’s why I know it’s safe for us to stop using condoms. Does it bother you? I mean, will it bother you?”
I felt suddenly anxious—we were reaching for a new level of intimacy and I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be.
“Can you? I mean, is it okay to … while you’re…? I don’t want to hurt you…”
I stroked his cheek. He looked so worried.
“Yes, we can still make love. I was just checking that you were okay with … a little bit of blood.”
His eyes were huge. “I want to make love to you, Caro. God, I want to.”
“Then I think you’re wearing too many clothes.”
He responded immediately, kicking his sneakers off his bare feet and tearing his t-shirt over his head. I thought I heard one of the seams rip.
“Hey, it’s okay! We’ve got all night. I want to take it slow with you.”
He looked confused for a moment, then smiled shyly.
“Okay.”
I pushed him down so he was sitting on the edge of the bed again, and sat astride him. His arms encircled my waist, pulling me toward him.
“Mmm,” I said, nuzzling his chin as I wrapped my arms around his neck, “this is my happy place.”
Using my teeth, I tugged gently on his earlobe and was rewarded with a soft moan. I let my fingers ripple across his back, enjoying the feel of his skin and the tautness of his defined muscles. I used my fingertips to massage him lightly and he groaned again.
“What’s your favorite color?” I whispered against his neck.
“What? Um … blue. No, green. Red—maybe.”
“That sounded definite! So, football or baseball? Or maybe basketball? Hockey?”
“Basket … base… um…”
“Are you finding it difficult to concentrate?” I teased him.
“Caro, I can barely remember my own name when I’m with you!”
I chuckled quietly. “What do you like for breakfast?”
“Jeez, I don’t know!”
“Tell me!”
“I don’t usually eat breakfast.”
“Well, what would you like tomorrow?”
“You!” he said.
He stood up suddenly, taking me with him, then threw me down on the bed.
“Enough with the slow,” he said, his eyes dark and serious.
A pulse of desire and lust and need surged through me.
I sat up slowly, hooking my fingers into his belt loops and pulled him toward me. He trembled as I ran the tips of my fingers under his waistband. With bold hands, I traced the outline of his erection through his jeans. He inhaled sharply.
Watching his face the entire time, I opened his jeans, one button at a time, and pulled them down his long, strong, tan legs. His eyelids fluttered closed and he breathed deeply as I pushed the jeans past his knees.
They tangled around his ankles and he nearly fell over trying to kick them off. I smothered a laugh. Sebastian didn’t have an arrogant bone in his body, but he was a man, and all men have their pride.
“Come and lie down next to me,” I said, still smiling.
I wiggled out of my skirt and tossed it onto the floor. Tonight was not a night to worry about creased clothing.
We lay facing each other: he in his briefs, me in my t-shirt and panties. He scooted down the bed till our faces were at the same level and he smiled at me.
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.”
“What’s your favorite color?” he said.
“I have absolutely no idea.”
He laughed happily and ran his warm fingers down my arm.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed.
“So are you,” I countered, “and so sweet.”
He frowned slightly and let his hand drift over my body until he was cupping my backside. He squeezed gently and I responded by hooking my leg over his hip.
He flexed automatically, pushing himself into me and another delicious shiver ran down the entire length of my body.
He rolled gently so I was on my back, and he was hovering over me.
“You still want to go slow?”
I nodded, stifling a chuckle.
He smiled reluctantly. “Okay, I’ll try.”
He slid down the bed and used his teeth to pull my t-shirt up off my stomach. He ran his nose across my body and kissed me slowly on every exposed inch of skin while he supported himself on his arms.
I ran my fingers over the front of his briefs and he groaned.
“I won’t be able to go slow if you do that again,” he