With Tongues of Fire

|02|

'Why stop there?' Ai felt the grin transforming her face with mischief. She turned round to the bartender signing for two shots of tequila.

She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, the romance of her best friends wedding, or the sheer rush that came with rebelling against her parents, but either way, she didn't care.

Ai could not think of a time where she had been truly selfish; where she had done something just because she wanted to.

For the first time in her life, she was doing what she wanted to do— not what was expected of her, not what was good for her reputation, not even what would excel her career. Something just for her.

Sebastian was caught up in that grin of hers— it was such a huge difference to the sad woman by the bar. He had the sudden premonition that Ai was capable of being a fire cracker; he wanted to see that side of her.

Nobody had warned him what it would feel like to meet your soulmate. Euphoria sang within him, his heart fluttering wildly everything she looked his way or shot him a smile.

All sense of consequence was eclipsed by the rightness of having her beside him. A blinding urge told him to never let her go.

She offered him a shot glass, their fingers sparking fireworks at the contact. His glass touched hers with a clink, a grin to match hers curling at his lips.

He had longed for this moment for his entire life, he could not help but think that the drunken buzz in his own veins only made the whole experience ten times sweeter.

He knew that this would be a night that he would never forget.

***

Ai’s brows furrowed in confusion when she woke up the next morning. The dark unfamiliar curtains over the windows hadn’t been closed properly, leaving a stream of light to filter through directly onto her face. 

She groaned, turning on the mattress grumbling about insensitive bright sunlight. Her head pounded, still feeling as though the bed were on a boat somewhere— she couldn’t remember how much she had to drink last night, but considering the bombshell her parents had dropped she figured it was at least close to her body weight in alcohol. 

At least she hoped it was, the hangover would definitely be worth it then. 

She snuggled into the warm duvet, her hand brushing the hard— what was that? Her eyes flew open, a surprised yelp leaving her mouth as she took in the very shirtless tall, dark and handsome figure in her bed. 

Her eyes widened as she sprang up, taking in the dark duvet set, dark wood bed frame, unfamiliar furniture. Well, it looked like she was in his bed. 

Just how much did she drink last night?

Sebastian was up with a start, frantically searching for any hidden threats lurking in the small room. Ai’s cry of distress sending adrenaline rushing through his veins at damned near light speed. When he realised that there was no danger around, his eyes finally came to rest on the woman beside him. 

She looked unruly, her hair sticking up at strange angles and she even had a line of drool down the side of her mouth. Even so he couldn’t help but find her absolutely adorable.

‘You okay?’ 

Her mouth softened to an o shape, eyes lingering on Sebastian's shirtless form. It had to be illegal to be that damned shredded, or good looking.