"Catch your breath," he told her, because it was the only thing he could think to say. "Ride it out."
Mariss pushed him away, her eyes suddenly cold. It frightened him enough that he took a step back.
"Don't worry," she said. "It's me."
"Mariss."
"No. This is your fault."
"Mine?" Sebastian looked around. There was no one in the hall, but he took her by the arm and led her into an empty room. "How is
this my
fault?"
"You and your psycho friend.
She's in love with you."
"Mariss-"
"Shut up and listen to me!"
Sebastian frowned at her. He didn't like her tone, but he waved his hand at her to continue.
"Hellena loves you. Whatever you two have under the bridge, the woman… I don't even know why I bother." Mariss closed her eyes. Her lips moved slowly, like she might be counting to ten. "I'm sorry. You're right. It's not your fault." Her back slumped and Sebastian pulled her close again. "What am I supposed to do? How do I ride this out?"
"Wait until morning. See what they're saying about you. Work from there."
Mariss took a deep breath.
"Yeah.
Okay. In the meantime, I have to do damage control with my husband and let the girls at the office know."
"I can take care of that, if you like."
She frowned. "I need to talk to my husband."
"I'll take care of the ladies at the office."
Mariss gave him a rueful smile at his choice of words.
"Yeah, alright."
"Do you want to go back to the house?"
She shook her head. "I'm here to party."
"Do you at least want to change?"
A sly grin spread across her face. Mariss reached behind her for a moment, fumbled with something, and pulled the gauzy fabric from around her. The sash over her shoulder slid down and she stepped out of the whole thing, holding up most of the tulle that made up her dress. She was left with a short, strapless, red party dress with crystals across the top. Both plump breasts were pushed up until they were almost spilling from the top.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Impressive."
Mariss grinned. He knew she was well aware that he wasn't talking about her little trick with the dress.
Hot Testosterone on a Cracker
Sebastian stuck his head out of the shower and listened. There it was again. Someone was knocking on the door. "Come in."
Mariss stuck her head in and flinched. "I'm sorry, but I really have to pee. Your mom and Juliet are asleep and I don't know where another bathroom is."
Sebastian closed the curtain so she wouldn't see him laugh at her. He pushed his dripping hair out of his eyes and told her, "Go ahead."
"You're kind of sexy with your hair wet and hanging in your face."
"Only kind of?"
He squeezed some body wash on a sponge and the smell of cinnamon filled the air.
"I'm married. It's not like I can tell you that you make my loins quiver when I see your hair dripping water in your gorgeous blue eyes."
"Didn't you just?"
"No, that was an example. I can get away with that. I feel so much better," she sighed.
Mariss flushed and washed her hands, then the curtain moved and her head poked inside. Sebastian stopped scrubbing his armpit and stared, bemused. He let her look her fill, but she wasn't looking at "him". She was frowning.
"That's why you always smell like red hots and Big Red. Do you have any idea…
"
Her eyes widened as she realized he wasn't unaffected by the way her eyes took him in. Mariss closed the curtain quickly. "Sorry."
"There's no need to be sorry, sweetheart. You can look all you want."
"No, 'cause I have to
lay
in bed with that tonight and I don't want it to get out of control."
Sebastian snorted.
"Point taken.
What were you saying about the way I smell?"
"It's like hot testosterone on a fuckin' cracker, sprinkled with cinnamon."
Sebastian laughed out loud.
"Hot testosterone on a cracker.
I have to say, I haven't heard that one before."
Mariss chuckled. "That's because I'm one of a kind."
"That you are." Sebastian rinsed away the suds, but stayed under the spray for a few more moments. He wasn't really thinking about anything as he braced himself on the wall. The hot water fell on his back, so soothing after such a long, dramatic day. A few moments later, he turned the water off.
Sebastian jumped when a towel flew over the curtain rod. "Mariss, I thought you'd left."
"Nope.
Sorry."
"Is something wrong?"
"No." She sounded confused. "I don't think so."
"Mariss, I think you're
more drunk
than you think you are."
"You think that, huh?" She snorted. "Yeah, I think you're right to think that."
Sebastian chuckled. Wrapping the towel around his hips, he pushed the curtain aside and stepped out. Mariss looked him over. Abruptly, she stood.
"I have to go. Dry off before you come to the room."
Sebastian caught her wrist as she pulled the door open. The cool air from the hall made goose bumps flush his skin and his nipples tightened. Mariss' eyes widened and she tugged on her hand to release it from his grip.
"Please, let me go."
"I don't want to. Why do you need me to dry off?"
"Please, Sebastian. Please, don't make me."
"I want to know what it is about the water on my skin that is obviously driving you wild."
Anger made her eyes flash and her cheeks flushed a soft pink. "You're such an asshole."
Mariss tried to pull away from him again, but he held her tighter.
"Tell me and I'll let you go."
"You're drunk, Sebastian. Just let me go."
"Oh, good."
He grinned the slow, deliberate way he knew she both hated and couldn't look away from. "We're both drunk. Tell me."
Mariss finally pulled her wrist out of his grip. She rubbed it like it hurt, though he knew he hadn't hurt her. She planted both feet and faced him. To his surprise, her tongue flicked out and caught a drop of water running down the middle of his chest. Sebastian shuddered, but she wasn't done. Her tongue traced a line across his pec and teased the end of one nipple. Then she dropped to her knees and traced each of his abs and the V of muscle that disappeared under the towel. When she took her feet again, Mariss shoved his shoulder hard so he was forced to step back to keep from falling. She slammed the door and left him there with a hard on and a grin that wouldn't leave. Sebastian shuddered at the thought of her tongue on his skin, and toweled off before putting on his pajama pants.
Mariss had her back to the door with the covers pulled up to her chin when he walked into his bedroom. Sebastian pulled the comforter back farther than he needed to get into bed, but Mariss didn't move. Her arms were folded over her chest.
"Are you mad at me?" Sebastian straddled her hips.
"Get your dick off of me, Sebastian."
"You're mad." He leaned over her and put his hands down so he could bend close to her face. "Don't be mad. I enjoyed your little tease. I'm sure the feeling is mutual."
Mariss punched his shoulder.
He laughed. "Ow."
"Could you just
lay
down and go to sleep?"
"I could, yes, but I'm drunk and feeling a bit frisky."
"Well, I'm drunk and pissy."
"I can fix that." Sebastian turned her onto her back and kissed her before she could tell him no. She went rigid beneath him, her hands braced against his chest to push him away, but he was stronger and drunk, and he didn't want to stop, so he didn’t. He lowered his body so he was
laying
on top of her and her body melted into his the moment they were touching. She kissed him back, her hands splayed over his back, feeling the ridged muscles there.
Sebastian pulled her leg over his hip so his erection was pressed to her heated core. She only wore a thin pair of boy shorts and he could feel her, hot and wet, through his pajama pants.
"Oh, god," she moaned against his lips. She arched her body into him, her breasts pressed against his chest.
It was his turn to moan as her body met the length of his. With his hand on her back, she wasn't getting away from him any time soon.
Sebastian ground himself against her and she pushed back. They were so close, but he
need
to be closer.
"I want this off," he growled. He tugged her shirt up.
"Sebastian," she gasped.
"Argue and I'll rip it."
"Are you always like this when you're drink?"
"More or less.
Shirt off, now."
"Take it off then."
He groaned against her neck. "Fuck." Mariss laughed quietly as he lifted the shirt over her head.
And they were skin against skin. Her body was so hot against his, it was a wonder they didn't catch flame.
Sebastian pushed his tongue into her mouth. He worked his hips against her and she matched his rhythm.
"Sebastian." Her soft voice hit the pitch just before her release and she sighed against his skin.
He teetered close to the edge himself, but what he needed was to be inside her. He knew that was off limits, but without it he wouldn't come and, if he didn't he wouldn't sleep.
"I'm going to give you a hicky, Red." He bit her neck and sucked the salt from her skin. Mariss squealed. Sebastian covered her mouth with his hand. "Sh. I need this, please."
He bit her again on her shoulder and sucked at her flesh until the salt was gone. One more time, with his hand clamped over her mouth, he took her nipple in his mouth and bit down on her breast hard enough to make her cry out. His hand muffled most of it. Her nails dug into his back and tiny muscles flexed against him as he came too.
Sebastian kept her breast in his mouth until the taste of salt faded. He soothed it with his tongue,
then
buried his face in her neck.
"Are you alright?" he asked, waiting for her to cuss him out.
Mariss shook her head. One hand smoothed his damp hair. He tried to roll away from her, but she squeezed with her leg and arm.
"Why do you do that?" she asked. "You've licked before, but you've never bitten me like that."
Sebastian blinked. "No one has ever asked before."
"Are you not going to tell me?"
He kissed her neck with trembling lips. "The taste of salt on a woman's skin is erotic to me. When I'm close but can't find release, I lick the salt from her skin."
"And the biting?"
"I wanted to hear you cry out. You know how I feel about the sounds you make."
Mariss stroked his back. A woman's touch had never made him shudder before, but she was starting to make a habit of getting him to do things that weren't normal for him.
"Bassy, your hand was over my mouth."
"I heard what I needed." He kissed her neck again and she shivered.
"Please, stop."
Sebastian pushed himself up with his arms. His groin rocked against Mariss and she gasped softly. He lay on his side and spooned her body. His thumb stroked the soft, flawlessly smooth skin of her arm.
"I've never spent so much time with a woman before." Sebastian voiced his thoughts for the first time. "I've spent time with Hellena, but not like I do with you. It's not the same with her. You make my body react in ways it never has before."
He waited a moment. When she didn't reply, Sebastian peered over to see her eyelashes flickering softly in her sleep. He smiled ruefully. Of course, she would fall asleep as he was about to make the admission of his life. With his nose pressed to the back of her neck so he could smell her hair and her skin, Sebastian closed his eyes and relaxed into sleep.
***
Sebastian's body sliced through the water, propelling himself forward with strong, even strokes. He would have liked for it to be a little warmer, but it felt good nonetheless.
"Mr. Boa."
He pushed his goggles up and looked up at Juliet.
"Yes, Jules."
"You have lunch in an hour with Henry and Mariss."
Sebastian pushed himself out of the pool. "Thank you." Juliet stared at him expectantly. "Is something wrong?"
"She's been watching the news all morning."
"Anything?"
He hadn't realized Mariss was awake. He chided himself for not having Juliet let him know when she got up.
"Nothing yet, but she's edgy."
He nodded. Sebastian grabbed a towel and started to dry off. He pulled off his cap and goggles and sopped up all the water. Then he draped the towel over his shoulders and went to find Mariss.
She was sitting in front of the telly with his mother. They were watching a morning talk show and sipping coffee like they were the best of friends.
"I'm sure by now you've all heard the latest gossip about Mariss Red and Sebastian Boa. They seem to be our new power couple." The woman host was one Sebastian didn't particularly like, given her strange views on nothing in particular.
"Or power threesome, by the looks of it," the man piped up.
Mariss leaned forward, as if that would help her hear
better
.
"Good for her, I say. It makes me think more highly of her to know she's not a prude."
Sebastian felt his eyes widen and struggled to keep the smile off his face. That wasn't the reaction Hellena - nor he or Mariss for that matter - had anticipated, but it seemed the hostess wasn't the only one to think that way. The studio audience cheered and the man spoke up again.
"I agree. I agree. All the work she does, she deserves to unwind anyway she wants. And personally, I think it was just awful of that woman to try and make a big deal out of it."
"What a nasty woman."
"I think we as a people should just let this whole thing die. Everyone should go buy a book. Hold on." The man pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket. "I'll probably get in trouble for this, but…" After a moment he shouted, "There! I bought a book."
"Red."
Mariss turned to look at him.
"We're going to be late for lunch."
"Sebastian Fenwick! Where were you when this stupidity was happening?" his mother exclaimed.
"I was right there next to her, of course," Sebastian frowned.
"You should have stopped this from happening. I am appalled."
"Martha, I don't think there was anything he could have done to stop it. Hellena was quite drunk and no one knew she was going to be there. There was no way he could know." Mariss sounded tired.
His mother thought about that for a second. "Well, I don't like it. You ought to protect her."
"I do, mother."
Mariss walked into him and pressed her face to his chest. Sebastian held her and felt the tension through her shoulders start to relax.