Beyond the Black Curtain

Chapter 9 - Try

Rae

***

"Stay with me tonight," Sebastian said, and by the way his eyes held me in, there wasn't any other way I'd respond.

"Okay," I replied. "I'll stay."

I woke up the next morning feeling sore all over. I didn't open my eyes just yet, savoring the steady breathing against my neck and the solid warmth pressed against my back. I carefully look up to the windows just as the early morning sun was peeking through the expensive curtains of what I could only surmise was one of the more exclusive suites of the Sands. I gently push myself closer to the man behind me, and I felt him respond by tightening his grasp around my waist. I felt a smile involuntarily escape my lips, the memories of the past night's events catching up on me.

One night stands are not my thing. I could only count in one hand how many I've had of those, and most of it was back in college more than a decade ago. I never had a boyfriend until after I started working, and if my memory serves me right, I think I only have four, maybe five exes. I didn't waste time on mindless flings. If I don't feel the connection on the first date, then, thanks, but no thanks.

Dread started creeping up from my stomach, making its way up to my throat. Sebastian and I had connected with such an intensity I have never felt with any of my exes. Apart from the sex, (which was mind blowingly sensational, the man has stamina for ages) it was as if Sebastian was the missing piece I didn't know I needed. Granted, there are a lot of things that we needed to learn about each other, but that was something that can definitely be worked on. I just didn't know if he wanted it with me just as much I wanted it with him.

I felt him stir behind me, prompting me to turn around so that we were face to face. My breath hitched at the sight of his lazy blue eyes, just crinkling around the edges as he took the sight of me naked under his arms.

"Pinch me," he said sleepily. I chuckle at his slightly inane request and pinched his left cheek. I scoot closer afterwards and ghost my lips over his.

"You dumbass," I say and he replied with a grin. "I should be the one to check if you're real and not just a figment of my hyperactive writer's imagination. Let's see," I poke him in the chest but he pulls me closer to him instead and I rest my head over his chest as I splayed my hand over his torso. I feel his arm wrap around me and I snuggle into him. The steady rise and dip of his chest calms my worries momentarily.

"Real enough, sweetheart?"

I sigh contentedly and murmur a soft 'yes'. We stayed in silence for a few minutes, the morning sun slicing through the curtains, casting a golden glow around us. Neither of us wanted to acknowledge the huge elephant in the room.

"I wish we could stay like this for as long as we want," I say instead, and Sebastian's chest vibrates as he let out a groan.

"I know," he replied. "Where the hell were you all my life?"

A sad smile creeps up my lips. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Are we actually doing this, Seb?" I ask, my voice small. By the way his chest rose high and fell low, he understood what I meant.

"I'll be damned if I don't give this a shot, Rae."

"But how? You're leaving today, god, I don't even know how much time we have left," I respond, fighting the onslaught of tears threatening my eyes. He shifts in his place so he could look at me.

"Please don't cry, Rae, we--we'll figure something out, I promise, okay?"

I could only nod, fearing my eyes would betray me with a flood of tears if I let my mouth say anything else further.