Open Marriage (ON HOLD)

Chapter 38

"Did you enjoy the boat ride?" Sebastian asked Y/N later that evening as the couple strolled down the beach hand in hand.

"I enjoyed all of it. The swimming, the boat, the making out in the ocean, the crew almost walking in on us. It was an amazing day, babe," Y/N declared, leaning slightly into him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was good to have you all to myself," Sebastian stated, glancing down at his girl. His eyes locked with her as they walked, all his feelings for her coming to the surface. 

 "I'm going to miss you," he confessed.

Y/N stopped, smiling up at him. "It's only four days."

"I know, but these last two weeks have meant everything to me," he admitted, placing his hands on her arms, softly rubbing them.

"Sebastian," she blushed, gazing down at the ground.

Sebastian reached out, tilting her chin with his finger, making her look at him. "I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but Doll..." He trailed off, taking a step closer. "I love you," he whispered.

"What?" she gasped, taking a step back.

"I know. It's a lot to comprehend," he began.

"Sebastian, you can't love me."

"I do love you," he repeated, cupping her face with both hands.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, peering into Sebastian's eyes, unsure of what to say. Every look he gave her assured his words. Those three powerful words coming from Sebastian's mouth scared her. Y/N shook her head, pulling from his grasp.

"Baby..." Sebastian protested, reaching for her hand.

"No," she cried, taking off down the beach, running as fast as she could, trying to get away from Sebastian and all the emotions.

Y/N ran and ran and ran till she felt like she couldn't run anymore. Tears poured down her face as she tried to get away from Sebastian, hearing him call her name. She knew she wouldn't be able to outrun him. He worked out more than she did, but she had to try.

"Doll, stop," Sebastian begged, finally catching her wrist in his hand, turning her trembling body into his. "Just stop!" he pleaded, trying to catch his breath, holding her body against his.

The woman sobbed while trying to catch her breath. She attempted to push away from Sebastian, failing each time when he pulled her back against him.

"Baby, I'm sorry that I caught you off guard with all this. I didn't mean to make you cry," Sebastian spoke into the top of her head. "But..."

"No buts, Sebastian," she whined, looking up at him, eyes swollen and cheeks flushed from crying.

"I love you, and I don't regret saying it. Yes, you might not be ready to hear it or even say it back. But, people fall in love at different points during a relationship. Why do we need to say it at the exact same time?" he replied, wiping away the excess tears from her cheeks.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to say those words to you," she revealed, feeling her heartbreak for the man in front of her.

"That's okay, sweetheart because I needed you to know that I love you. I've loved you since the moment I meant you, and you deserve to know how I feel. I cherish every second you allow me to be in your presence. You captivate me with every word you speak. You have my heart, and that's not going to change any time soon. It hasn't for the past five years," he confessed, his eyes locked with hers, a few tears stinging the corner of his eyes.

Y/N tightened her grip on Sebastian burying her face into his chest. "Just because I can't say those words, don't think for a second that I don't care about you because I do so much."

"I know, Pretty Girl," he mumbled into her hair, holding her tight against his body.

The two remained locked in each other's arms, silent, watching the sunset. Y/N felt as if she let go of him, the whole world would come crashing down around them. Things were changing for the couple, and she didn't want more change.

"You're shivering," Sebastian whispered, rubbing her back.

"I don't want to leave here," she stated, pushing her body against his to gather more heat.

"Let's go home and warm you up. I want to spend the night with you in my arms, and then you can drop me off at the airport in the morning," Sebastian suggested, gazing down at her.

"Sebastian..." Y/N protested, peering into his eyes.

"Come on. I know what you are thinking. We are going to be okay. Let me take you home and get you warm and fed," Sebastian smiled, stroking her cheek.

Y/N nodded, allowing him to escort her back to his car. He wrapped his leather jacket over her shoulder, helping her into the car. Silence loomed over the car the entire drive to Sebastian's house. The two remained quiet even when they entered his place. He ran her bath, allowing her some time alone to process things while he ordered dinner. Twenty minutes had passed before Sebastian entered the bathroom.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, kneeling next to the tub.

"Warmer," she smiled, placing a few on the tip of Sebastian's nose.

"Good," he laughed, wiping his nose. "I ordered some pasta for dinner."

"Thank you, baby," she responded, cupping his cheek with her wet hand.

"For what?" he frowned, leaning into her touch.

"For being you. For allowing me to freak out. For taking care of me, just to name a few," Y/N voiced, sighing, feeling the water relax her body more.

"I would do anything for you. I truly mean that," Sebastian assured her, kissing her forehead.

Y/N allowed her eyes to drift shut, feeling his lips against her skin. He gazed down at the woman, hearing the doorbell ring. He rose to his feet, blowing her a kiss before leaving the bathroom.

"I left you some clothes on my bed," he called to her over his shoulder. "Get that sexy body dressed so we can eat," he said, voice echoing down the hall, Y/N smiling at his words.

As freaked out as the woman was earlier, she actually felt like things were going to be okay. He knew how to calm her down, almost better than her husband. It scared her a bit to think that someone could possibly know her better than the man she married in such a short period of time. She couldn't allow herself to dwell on that. She needed to focus on the now with Sebastian because that's all they had.