“Delilah, are you okay?” Sebastien’s voice was soft and his gaze filled with concern.
My head was spinning, and I felt as though someone had sucked all the air out of the room. Sebastien’s arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close to him.
“I don’t understand how Elliot got in here. I gave strict instructions that no one gets in without an invitation,” I whispered shakily.
“His name full name is Elliot Hawthorn, and he got in because I sent him an invitation.”
My eyes widened and I stepped back. Sebastien’s arms loosened around me, still gently resting on my hips. “You did what?” I hissed.
How could he have invited him here?
Sebastien whispered, “Listen, we can’t talk about this here. Let’s enjoy our engagement party, and we’ll talk about it home.”
I knew Sebastien was right. But boy, was I going to give it to him as soon as we got home.
For the rest of the night, people I didn’t know kept coming up to me to congratulate me on my engagement. My team, who were here tonight, seemed genuinely happy for me. And the other Quantum men offered their congratulations under the watchful supervision of Sebastien.
But despite the happy faces, the upbeat music and the dancing taking place, my nerves were a mess, thanks to the stunt Sebastien had pulled by inviting Elliot. My eyes were constantly glued to the door, expecting him to bust in with a group of men, throw me over his shoulder and toss me back into that damn hotel. To calm my nerves, I kept my champagne glass topped up.
Throughout the night, Sebastien kept returning to my side, to take pictures, steal a quick kiss or just stand there and place his hand on the small of my back. The more champagne I drank, the more receptive I became to his touch.
After a while I was loose enough to enjoy the attention of almost being Mrs. Sebastien Quantum, and enjoyed the party till the very end.
***
Three and a half hours later, as soon as Sebastien closed the front door behind us I turned to face him, champagne flowing freely through my veins, loosening the words on my lips.
“Now that we’re here, what were you thinking, inviting Elliot without telling me?” I snapped.
“If I had told you, you would’ve made up an excuse not to attend, and I couldn’t have that,” he stated.
“But did you even consider how seeing him there would affect me? I was scared shitless! And I kept thinking that he’d return and grab me, and I’ll never see you or Dean again!”
Sebastien stepped towards me, but I moved out of his grasp.
“I’m sorry that having him there affected you negatively, that wasn’t my intention. And there was no way Hawthorne would’ve gotten to you. I needed to see him face to face to let him know that you’re under my protection.” Sebastien’s gaze was dark.
“But you could’ve seen him anywhere!” I screamed. “Why did you have to see him when I was around? I don't like what you did! That was a risky move, Sebastien. Elliot could’ve escalated things, exposed me and make good on his threat of claiming that Dean was deep into the drug trade and human trafficking!” My eyes glistened.
“Men like Hawthorne aren’t street thugs. He wouldn’t have escalated anything knowing that his reputation was on the line,” he said gently.
“But he—”
Sebastien shook his head and interrupted me, “No buts, Delilah. The deed is already done. You were safe the entire time. Did you really think that I, or my brothers, for that matter, would let anything happen to you? Think about it.”
I bit my lower lip. I knew in my heart that Sebastien would protect me, but that hadn’t stopped me from being nervous. I folded my arms across my chest, still glaring at him.
“That still didn’t take away the fear I felt at the time.”
Sebastien stepped towards me, but this time I didn’t step back.
“Why are you still this angry? What are you really annoyed about?”
“You put me in danger and I didn’t like it,” I pouted. I knew it was childish, but I didn’t care.
“You were never in danger,” Sebastien reminded me.
“You weren’t in my shoes, and you don’t know how I felt!”
Elliot’s snide tone and his crude compliments echoed in my mind, making my skin crawl.
“You know what I think?” Sebastien’s tone had a hint of amusement in it.
“I’m sure you can’t wait to tell me.” I rolled my eyes.
“I think you’re angry because he interrupted our kiss. Do you still want me?” Sebastien smiled smugly.
I swallowed hard as images of the kiss we shared before Elliot interrupted us flashed through my mind. My nipples began to swell and pressed against the thin fabric of my dress.
It took everything in me to keep my voice steady as I spoke. “And that’s my cue to call it a night. I’m tired and I’m heading to bed.”
I practically ran up the stairs. Sebastien wasn’t half wrong, though. The way he had kissed me reminded me of the day in the dressing stall.
As soon as I got to my room and was about to close the door, Sebastien stopped me as he pushed against the door.
“W-what are you doing here?” I asked, backing away from the door as he stepped into the room.
“You didn’t answer my question.” Sebastien kept his eyes on me, and he used his foot to shut the door.
“W-what question?”
As Sebastien walked towards me, I stepped back until my knees hit the bed.
“Do you still want me?” He trailed a finger along my arm and goosebumps appeared as my nipples pressed harder against the fabric of my dress.
“N-no, I don’t.”
Sebastien looked down at me and then smiled. “It seems that your nipples have a different opinion, Delilah.”
Sebastien used his thumbs and rolled them over my nipples through the fabric of the dress. He pinched them gently, and I folded my lips in to stop myself from moaning. I took everything in me to keep standing at that point.
“Delilah, I’m going to ask you this one more time. If you say no, I’m walking out the door. Do you want me?” Sebastien asked in a husky tone.
He applied more pressure to my nipples and I closed my eyes and moaned, already feeling moist between my thighs.
“Open your eyes and say it,” he growled.
When I looked into Sebastien's eyes I saw hunger.
“I want you,” I whispered breathlessly.
A deep growl escaped his chest and he gently pressed my back against the bed as his mouth devoured mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I could feel his hard cock on my stomach, and I felt a pool of desire swirl between my thighs.
He moved one of his hands and undid the knot at the top of my dress. Bracing himself on one hand, he pushed the fabric below my breasts with the other, without breaking our kiss. A wave of panic rushed through me and I tried to cover myself. With one swift move, he grabbed both my wrists and pinned them above my head with one hand, and I squirmed beneath him, panting.
The intensity with which he looked at me made me turn away. My arms were flabby, my thighs had cellulite, and my shape was far from perfect. I’m sure Sebastien has had his fill of perfect women. What if he didn’t like what he saw when he removed my clothes?
Don’t you think it’s a little too late to think about that?
His voice cut through my thoughts sharply, “Delilah, look at me.”
My eyes snapped to his. What caught me off guard was the softness behind his eyes.
“Delilah Jennifer Malone, you are a beautiful woman. Don’t ever cover yourself from me, understand?”
I nodded hesitantly.
“I need an answer, Delilah. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
A look of satisfaction washed over his face. “Good.”
Sebastien lowered his head, his mouth hovering over my nipples, blowing gently on them, sending shivers through me. His tongue flickered and teased my nipples, shooting sparks of desire between my now-wet folds. Releasing my wrist, his hands moved to cup my breasts, molding them, and caressing them with care. A moan escaped my slightly parted lips as I arched my back, pushing my breasts deeper into his hands. By the time his mouth covered one breast and then the other, my breathing was coming in short gasps.
I wanted Sebastien.
No.
I needed Sebastien.
I wrapped my legs around him pulling him closer to me and rolled my hips against his in a desperate motion, my panties soaked.
“Sebastien, I want you, please,” I pleaded breathlessly.
Sebastien pulled back. “Delilah, are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Sebastien got up off of me. “Take everything off, now,” he said hoarsely.
He shrugged off his jacket, unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt and the cuffs at his wrists before pulling it over his head. Meanwhile, I pushed my dress and my panties down my legs and kicked them off, sending them onto a pile of accumulating clothes by the base of the bed. As I shifted further up the bed, I should’ve felt insecure laying there completely naked, but I was too absorbed in soaking in every inch of Sebastien’s body.
There was no doubt that Quantum men were fine as hell, but Sebastien was the one who did it for me. He was a perfect mixture of muscular and lean. His arms were a canvas of tattoos, but the one that caught my eye was the lifelike tattoo that covered the left side of his chest.
It was hauntingly beautiful. There was no other way to describe it. Etched on Sebastien’s skin was a skull with crossbones, each bone bearing numbers resembling dates. Surrounding the skull were delicate hearts that floated around it like fragile bubbles, ready to pop at the slightest touch. A thick black serpent emerged from the back of the skull, slithering through a hollow socket, and slipping into a nostril before the snake’s head exited from the mouth, poised and ready to strike.
My eyes drifted from his chest to his waist as Sebastien unbuckled his pants. He slid both his pants and boxers down revealing his thick, large cock. My breath hitched as he kicked the clothing away. I barely had time to ogle the best part of his body before he was on top of me. The moment our naked bodies touched, my body shivered under him, hungry and eager to take whatever he had to offer.
He kissed my neck and nibbled gently on my ear as his fingers trailed up and down my inner thighs. I opened my thighs, giving him the room he needed. I wiggled under him impatiently and whimpered every time his fingers moved away from where I wanted them to be. When his fingers finally slid between my wetness that was hidden beneath dark curls, I moaned, “Sebastien.”
A sound escaped Sebastien’s lips that sounded more animalistic than human.
“Sweetheart, you’re so fucking wet.”
He placed his head on my shoulder, his fingers stroking my wetness, his breathing erratic.
“I can’t wait. I need you.”
Before I could register his words, I felt his cock at my entrance. Without warning, he pushed himself inside and I gasped in pain, my eyes squeezing shut.
And I felt Sebastien freeze.