Chapter 18 Annalise
EIGHTEEN
ANNALISE
Ican’t contain my excitement at the thought of going to town today.
The way it was snowing on my way here, I knew there was going to be a lot of it while I was here, and I don’t like driving in it.
In the city, it’s wet snow. It melts and freezes overnight, and we end up with sheets of black ice.
The snow never sticks around long enough to truly learn how to drive in it.
The last big snowfall we had where it didn’t all turn to complete slush after twenty-four hours was before I was driving age.
It’s amazing how I’ve gone from thinking having Sebastian here was the worst thing that could happen to this trip to thinking it’s the best. I may not have completely moved on from the past. He hurt me, but after learning that it was all because of my idiot older brother, it’s easier.
Walker may only be a year older than me, but he’s always been overly protective, as though his sole duty in life is to hover over me and ensure my safety.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother. He’ll always have my back, and I’ll have his.
But he takes it too far at times. When I get back to the city, I need to have a chat with him about what’s appropriate and what isn’t.
I quickly change into more appropriate clothes and head outside, where I find Sebastian shovelling the driveway.
Even under his layers of clothing, I can tell he must take care of himself, because he’s moving large chunks of snow that must weigh a good amount.
He’s halfway done when I join him. We only have one shovel, and I have a feeling that if I were to offer to take over, I’d get a death glare.
Instead, I settle for keeping him company, talking.
Eight years is a long time, but it’s as though because we’re experiencing it, we don’t perceive how much time has passed. But as Sebastian tells me about the last eight years of his life I missed, it hits me just how much we’ve both experienced since we last really spent time together.
Neither of us has had major relationships; nothing has felt right for either of us.
Sebastian is making enough that he’s been able to help his mom out, and she’s been able to cut back on some of the insane hours she worked when we were teenagers.
The relief in his voice is evident. I remember the weight that would come over him when he talked about her growing up.
He was always so appreciative of everything she did for him, but he saw the toll it took on her.
She wouldn’t let him work, no matter how many times he offered or how much he wanted to, because she wanted him to focus on his studies.
While so much has happened in the last eight years, it’s amazing how much we’ve stayed the same. His sense of humour is one that still has me laughing until my stomach hurts, and there’s still something about him I can’t put my finger on that makes me feel wholly safe with him.
When he thinks he’s shovelled enough that he can get out of the driveway, we load up in his truck.
Music fills the air, continuing from where the song left off when we were dancing in the kitchen.
The thought has a blush hitting my cheeks.
I’ve always thought it would be nice to be so at ease that you dance with someone you love in the kitchen while preparing food, but I’ve never experienced that; at least not before today.
I have the time of my life in town with Sebastian.
He holds my hand, and we wander up and down the freshly shovelled sidewalks, popping into different stores.
I can tell that browsing knickknacks and Christmas decorations isn’t Sebastian’s thing, but he never complains, smiling at me as I get overly excited about the most mundane things.
He’ll point out things he thinks I’ll like, more often than not hitting the nail on the head.
I manage to grab a few things without Sebastian noticing, tucking them inside my jacket or into my pockets after paying.
The sun is setting, casting a glow over the mountains in the distance and we’re walking hand-in-hand when a realization settles over me.
As much as Sebastian was the cause of my pain eight years ago and all the time it took to get over it, I’ve never been as content as I’ve been the last few days.
People may shit on soulmates and unspoken connections with someone, but the way we’ve been able to fall back into a sense of comfort with one another so quickly has me starting to think it all may exist.
I stop us in the middle of the sidewalk and step in front of Sebastian, facing him.
His brow furrows as he looks down at me, but I reach up and smooth it with my thumb as I rise on my tiptoes and kiss him.
His shock quickly dissolves, and his arms wrap around me, holding me close.
I melt into him, loving the feeling of being wrapped in his arms.
When we finally break apart, he smiles and asks, “What was that for?”
I smile back and shake my head. “Nothing. I’m just glad you chose to come.”
He tucks a piece of hair that escaped my toque behind my ear, his touch soft. “Me too, Lise.”
“You ready to head back? I was thinking maybe some hot cocoa, a movie, and a cuddle on the couch.”
His smile grows, and he nods. “Sounds perfect.”
I don’t know what’s gotten into me tonight, but I now find myself sitting on Sebastian’s lap as I grind against him, my tongue trying to taste the deepest parts of his mouth.
His hands grip my ass, encouraging the rolling of my hips, and I moan with every hit of friction against my clit.
I’m nearly breathless, every part of my body feeling like it’s on fire.
Sebastian breaks the kiss, his grip on my ass tightening as he whispers, “So fucking needy, Lise.”
I bite my lip and nod, incapable of words.
“That’s right, grind yourself against me. Just like that.”
His encouragement is almost too much. I’m on the cusp of my orgasm, my muscles straining and teeth clenching, my toes curling.
“Fuck! You’re so hot, Lise.” His words are barely above a whisper, and they’re the catalyst of my orgasm. I’m not quiet in the least bit, calling his name as my back arches, my chest thrust towards him. I can’t remember the last time I came like this.
As the high of my orgasm dies down, embarrassment instantly washes over me. But before I can pull away, Sebastian grips my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Don’t, don’t you fucking dare pull away from me after letting me get to experience that, Lise.” He shakes his head slightly. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced. Don’t you dare feel embarrassed about it.”
The way he’s able to read my thoughts is eerie but comforting at the same time. He stares at me, waiting for some sort of acknowledgement. I nod slowly, and he grins.
“Good girl.”
I’m a fucking puddle. I lean into him, and he nips at my jaw. His hands skate up my sides under my shirt, and I hold my breath, waiting for his hands to find my breasts. They don’t, he keeps his hands on my side, his thumbs brushing the sides of my breasts.
His breath fans over the sensitive skin on my neck, and I’m damn near close to begging for him to touch me. To kiss me again. That orgasm may have been intense, but it’s also left me wanting more of him. To have him touch every part of me.
My hands find the hem of his shirt, slowly dragging it up.
Sebastian pulls back, meeting my eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nod. I’m ready for us to take the next step.
He raises his arms above his head, and I pull his shirt off, dropping it beside me. I eat up the sight of him, the soft tan colour of his skin compared to the pale white of mine as my hand rests on his chest. The cut between each of his abs and the way they flex as my fingers dust over them.
Sebastian plays with the hem of my T-shirt, making no move to try to remove it, so I lift my arms as permission.
He takes his time, slowly exposing each new inch of skin.
I feel his intake of breath when my breasts are finally exposed, and he fully removes my shirt.
He wastes no time taking them in his hands and rolling my nipples with his thumbs, causing me to grind into him.
“A fucking dream,” he murmurs.
I grin, grinding down harder. He tweaks my nipples, pulling a needy whimper from me.
“Do you think I could get you off just like this? Dirty words and playing with these perfect nipples?”
“Yes. Please,” I beg.
He pinches the left between his fingers while he drags his teeth across the skin on the top of my right breast. “So needy for me, Annalise.”
The way my full name rolls off his tongue sends full body shivers through me.
“You’re going to be my good girl and come for me, aren’t you? You’re going to show me just how badly you want to come.”
I bite my lip, shoving my breasts into his hands as I grind down harder. He pulls at both of them before laving them with long licks of his tongue. I’m on the edge, so close to shattering, unsure of how I’m supposed to hold myself up as this next orgasm tears through me.
I’ve never come twice with a man, let alone twice with my pants still on. His teeth scrape across the sensitive bud, and my orgasm tears through me. I grip his shoulders, falling forward as waves of pleasure overtake me.
“Sebastian,” I whisper, barely able to catch my breath.
I go limp in his arms as he pulls me close to his chest, placing soft kisses against my cheek and whispering how well I did.
He somehow manages to stand from the couch while holding me and carries me upstairs, placing me gently on the bed.