"Oh, sorry."
"You can come in." Sebastian pulled his sweats all the way up, grinning. "It's just my arse."
"Hm."
Mariss walked around him and the bed and climbed in on the far side. She pulled the covers down and slid underneath, as close to the edge as she could get.
"I hope you don't think you're going to stay there all night." Sebastian turned out the light and got in the middle of the bed. "Come here."
It took her a moment, but Mariss finally rolled over and snuggled against his side. He put an arm around her. Her face pressed against his chest and he breathed in the berry scent of her hair.
"Is your mother alright?" she asked.
"Yes. She gets emotional when she thinks I'm doing something stupid."
"And what are you doing that's stupid?"
"Falling for you, apparently."
"Oh." Mariss took a deep breath and let it out. It tickled across his bare chest, rustling against the sparse hair there. "How's your face?"
He chuckled. "It's fine. She hits hard, though." He felt her smile. "Get some rest, sweetheart. Tomorrow is going to be a long, hectic day."
Mariss spread her hand against his stomach. He hoped she couldn't feel the butterflies that made his stomach flip. Butterflies! Perhaps there was some truth to their words. A woman had never caused him to have butterflies.
Sebastian fell asleep so fast it gave him whiplash.
Fighting For Her
Sebastian woke with a face full of dark brown hair and Mariss snoring gently in his ear, but he wouldn't have moved for the world. Her body and his formed a warm cocoon beneath the blankets that made it impossible to think about anything else. Award
be
damned. All he wanted was Mariss. All of his mother's talk about love last night had him feeling disjointed and sappy.
Mariss turned over, her hair wrapping around her own face. Sebastian reached over her with his free hand and smoothed it back until he could see her. There was a peaceful look about her features that he couldn't look away from. Her eyelids twitched gently and her lips were pink and full from sleep. Was this what the husband got to wake up to every morning? Sebastian felt the unfamiliar bite of jealousy for the first time as it work its way through his limbs. His arms tightened around the woman in his arms as if someone would steal her away.
"Bassy?" Mariss rolled onto her back. Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at him. Her brown eyes were confused for a moment before she blinked and smiled.
"What were you dreaming about?"
"I woke up and you were gone." His heart tightened. She grinned. "The zombies had eaten you."
Sebastian laughed. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to her swollen ones. Mariss pushed him away and covered her mouth with her hand.
"I haven't brushed my teeth yet."
He shrugged.
"Still not a bad way to wake up."
Sebastian shifted and his morning glory accidentally bumped her thigh. Mariss snorted.
"Oh, my god."
She rolled away from him. "Go take care of that. Do I have to be up yet?"
"No." Sebastian rolled out of the warmth that was the bed where Mariss lay with her back to him. "You and Juliet have a different schedule than I do." He smoothed a hand over his chest where her touch still burned against his skin. "I have to make a few appearances. You'll meet me after the dinner for the candidates. Have you bought your dress yet?"
"Yeah."
Mariss turned over to look at him. "Juliet helped me pick it out." She rolled her eyes. "Apparently, it's just your type."
Sebastian grinned.
"Lots of breast then."
He winked, threw on a shirt, and went to take a shower.
***
Sebastian waited for the limo that would bring Mariss, his mother, and Juliet to the ceremony and fought the urge to check his watch. The media would eat up everything they could, and with Mariss coming to support him, there would be all kinds of conjecture.
He saw the car coming. There were those bloody butterflies again. Sebastian locked his hands behind his back to keep from fidgeting and waited. By the time the car pulled up, he was practically dancing in place. The door opened and they climbed out the way he'd told them too - Juliet first, followed by his mother, then Mariss.
She'd stayed true to her color scheme. The dress was a bright red with one gauzy strap over her left shoulder. Crystals adorned the right side over her breast and down to her hip. He would be amiss if he didn't notice how that one breast was pushed up enough to make it very obvious. Diamonds shimmered in her ears, around her neck, and her wrist. When she took a step, crystals shimmered on her feet as well.
The media that crowded around him stilled for just a moment before they erupted in flashing lights and question after question.
"You are breathtaking," Sebastian whispered as he gave her his arm. Martha took his other arm and Juliet followed close behind. They didn't make it two steps before they were assailed by a reporter.
"Mr. Boa!" the excited, young, red-haired woman exclaimed. "You have quite the entourage tonight. Are you that confident in your win?"
She shoved the microphone in his face. Sebastian kept his cool, giving the
camera's
his best rehearsed smile.
"I have my mother with me tonight because she promised to throttle me if I didn't bring her. Mrs. Red is here for moral support, whether I win or not."
"We were surprised to see Mrs. Red tonight. After the incident at The Tea Room in New York we were under the impression you wouldn't be spending much time together anymore. Can you tell us a little about that?"
"Mrs. Red had nothing to do with what happened at the club a month ago.
Simply a case of mistaken identity."
He fought to keep his irritation under wraps. He'd known they would have to deal with this tonight, but he wasn't prepared for what was said next.
"Our source tells us otherwise. We also have an eyewitness that places her leaving your apartment later that night. Mrs. Red, what can you tell us? Does your husband know you're here?"
Sebastian would have cut the interview off there, but Mariss took the floor.
"Yes, of course. My husband is aware of all of my activities when he's away and he can account for my whereabouts the evening I was said to have left the club."
Sebastian could have beamed. Instead, he opted for his best smolder and shot the reporter a hard-edged look that he knew would bring her to her knees. It worked. She forgot what her next question was, giving them a chance to escape.
"You do that far too easily," Mariss said as the three of them posed for a round of pictures.
"Does it bother you?" He spoke around his camera smile.
"Only when you do it to me."
They moved on. When they were a few feet from the door, Sebastian thought they'd make it inside without getting caught again, but a wiley young man stepped into their path, his microphone shoved in Mariss' face.
"Mrs. Red, you look lovely tonight. Was your wardrobe at all influenced by Mr. Boa's? Did you dress to match?"
Mariss giggled. Sebastian smiled, but it wasn't kind.
"I, as any who know Mrs. Red, knew her color preferences and put my outfit together on my own accord."
"That's interesting." He clearly wasn't interested. "Mrs. Red, what do you say to the claims that you are Mr. Boa's new mistress?"
Sebastian all but gawked. Mariss blinked a few times,
then
started laughing. He knew that the right reaction here was crucial. No one expected the reaction she gave, not even he. Juliet snickered behind him and he felt a smile creep across his face. His mother had other plans.
"Young man, who the hell do you think you are?" Martha snatched the microphone from him and tossed it in some bushes. "We are here to enjoy ourselves and to watch my son win an award. How dare you sully that with your ridiculous
accusations!
"
"Are you denying that your son is some kind of self-proclaimed manwhore?" The reporter was highly amused.
Mariss was laughing so hard she snorted. Sebastian finally chuckled, because he knew what his mother was about to say.
"If you don't move out of our way right now, I will take you over my knee and deliver the punishment that your mother clearly forgot to give you.
Move."
The young man, unwilling to argue with an old woman, moved right out of the way.
"The nerve!"
Martha continued. "To come to an event like this digging for unrelated material."
She
humphed
.
Sebastian held the door and his mother marched inside. Mariss followed her, still giggling.
The giggles stopped abruptly as Juliet said, "What's she doing here?"
It took a moment of skimming the crowd for Sebastian to recognize Hellena's black leather corset. She looked different with her long hair tucked up in a fancy twist of braids. Her makeup was lighter than usual, so her brown eyes stood out more. She spotted him and sauntered over with one of the other awards candidates in tow.
"Hello, Bash," she said, her voice soft and tender. She kissed him on the cheek and he returned the gesture with little feeling.
"Hello, Hellena." He made a conscious attempt to lighten his flat voice. "What brings you here?"
"You thought I would miss my friend's award ceremony?" Her eyes drifted from him to Mariss and Juliet.
"Hi, Jules."
She kissed Juliet on the mouth,
then
turned back to him. "Is this your mother?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes. Hellena, this is my mother-"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Boa."
Hellena extended a hand, but Martha just sucked her teeth and kept her hands loose by her side.
"Mother," Sebastian scolded. He turned to Juliet. "Take Martha and Mariss inside to find seats."
"Yes, sir."
Sebastian turned back to Hellena as a hand coiled its way through his arm. He looked down at Mariss' mischievous smile.
"I'm here to make you look pretty on my arm," she said, effectively telling him no.
Sebastian smiled at her.
"Very well."
Hellena looked like she'd swallowed a bug. Her mouth turned down into a disgusted frown and her eyes flashed with hatred. She had a hard time wiping the look off her face. There was no longer any doubt in Sebastian's mind. Hellena wasn't screwed on quite right.
Sebastian spotted a man he'd been meaning to talk to for some time. With a nod to Hellena, he walked around her and her date. Mariss moved quietly with him.
"I didn't know she would be here," he said.
"Are you apologizing?" She sounded amused.
"No. She hasn't left the US without me in many years."
"You're saying she came all this way to keep her eye on me?"
Sebastian didn't get a chance to answer. "Hello, Henry." He shook hands with the white-haired man who was easily his height. Some days he seemed a bit taller.
"Sebastian. What a lovely surprise to see you, Mrs. Red."
"Lovely to see you again, Henry."
Sebastian watched intently as Henry took Mariss' hand and lifted it to his lips.
"Henry was one of my first supporters, Sebastian." Mariss gave him an amused smile. "Your jealousy is showing."
Sebastian frowned. "Henry is a good man to have on your side," he said. "He's very influential."
"Ah, yes. With my copious amounts of money, who wouldn't want me on their side?"
"Well, you said it. Not me. I'm curious as to how you found yourself funding Mrs. Red, though." Sebastian let the real question flare in his eyes. Henry chuckled.
"A story for another time, perhaps."
"The same way she found herself in Mr. Boa's company, maybe?" Hellena asked from behind.
Sebastian turned cool eyes to her. She returned the look, batting her eyelashes. From the corner of his eye, Sebastian watched a sweet smile spread its way across Mariss' lips, and he licked his own.
"How did you meet Sebastian, Hellena?" Mariss asked. Her eyelashes fluttered like Hellena's had.
A dark emotion passed over Hellena's features. Her lips pressed into a thin line. The look of hate she flashed Mariss was vicious. Mariss turned away from her, giving Henry her kindest, most gentle smile. Sebastian didn't chance glancing at Hellena just yet. It wouldn't have done any good. She stormed away with her model date trailing after her.
"I'm sorry," Mariss said ruefully.
"Not at all," Henry replied with a knowing smile. "Model types are very jealous, are they not, Sebastian?"
Henry gave Sebastian a very pointed look.
"Yes, quite. They're never beautiful enough in their own minds. We'd better get to our seats."
"We need to catch up, Mariss. How long are you in London?" Henry gave his charming smile. Even with his grey hair and age, the women seemed to fall for it anyway.
"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."
"Then we must have lunch tomorrow. I'll call you to set up a time and place."
"I'd love that, Henry."
Mariss hadn't removed her hand from Sebastian's arm the whole time they were talking. Sebastian stepped back, forcing her to move with him or let go. She let go, but when he offered his other arm, Mariss took it and matched his long-legged stride.
"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, Bassy."
"Who's jealous? Henry and I are cut from the same cloth, I guess you could say."
"Ah. So you're trying to protect my virtue by taking it yourself?"
He flashed a grin he knew she would love and hate. "You'd give it to me willingly if you weren't married."
"Are you so sure?" Her tone dripped with ice where it had been warm and amused a moment ago.
"Have I offended you?" he asked, sparing a glance to see her face. It was empty and, for a moment he thought she'd slipped away from him like she'd done in the dungeon, but her eyes blazed with fury.
Mariss tried to pull her hand from his grasp, but he gripped it with his free hand and held it there.
"Don't," Sebastian told her, and tugged her into an empty room to the side. "What have I done?" he asked. The room was dark, but the light from the hall illuminated her features enough. "Why did that offend you?"