Gramercy Nights (The Argo Press Trilogy Book 1) (42 page)

Sebastian’s eyes widen and I realize I’ve actually managed to surprise him and then he’s grinning and dragging me back to bed.

My ass stings from the spanking that Sebastian gave me and I roll onto my stomach and gaze at him. My body hums and I feel relaxed and suddenly calm. Sebastian smiles at me and stretches out his arm and I crawl over to him, cuddling up next to him.

“That was nice,” I murmur into his chest and I feel his laugh.

“Nice? That’s a funny way of describing what I just did to you.” I can hear the amusement in his voice.

“I liked it,” I say, pressing my lips to his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. He wraps his arm around me.

“Good. So did I.” Sebastian lets out a heavy sigh. “We need to discuss boundaries,” he says finally and I lift my head.

“What do you mean?”

“Last night was my fault and I take complete responsibility for what happened. I should have known better. It was irresponsible and I put you in an impossible position. But that can’t happen again.”

“Okay,” I say hesitantly.

“We need to discuss limits.”

I make a face.

“Did you enjoy being with Elodie?” he asks and suddenly the warm glow I’ve been feeling is replaced with dread. His voice is calm but I can feel the tension radiating off him, like even asking the question is bringing him pain.

“Sebastian,” I start. I don’t want to talk about this and I can tell that it’s making Sebastian just as uncomfortable but he shakes his head.

“We have to talk about this,” he says, brushing the hair from my face in a tender gesture. “Last night scared me. More than I’d care to admit. So please, answer the question.”

I stare into his big green eyes. I don’t want to hurt Sebastian any more than I already have but I also don’t want to lie to him.

“Yes,” I answer finally.

He nods thoughtfully. “What did you like?”

I squeeze my eyes shut and feel Sebastian’s fingers combing through my hair. “It was so powerful. So different from anything I’ve experienced before. It wasn’t just the sex. It was the fact that you’d done this thing for me. I was so thankful. All I wanted to do was tell you how much that meant to me.”

I open my eyes to find Sebastian staring at me. “Did you like being completely immobilized?”

I blush. I hate talking about this and yet, I know Sebastian won’t let it go. And maybe he’s right. If we’d had this conversation before, maybe last night never would have happened.

“Yes. It turned me on.”

Sebastian pulls me in for a kiss, his mouth covering mine completely and I melt into it, my body slackening.

“I know this makes you uncomfortable,” he says finally. “And that’s okay. But we will have a conversation about limits. And safe words. Because last night, I wanted to stop it. I wanted to tell Elodie to get the fuck off of you. And yet, I felt like I couldn’t. I felt trapped. That’s why I left. I couldn’t watch but I didn’t feel like I could stop it, either.”

I stroke his face. “I wish we could take last night back. I wish none of it had happened.”

Sebastian shakes his head, a sad smile ghosting across his lips. “I don’t. It may seem strange, but I think we both needed last night. At least, I needed last night. I haven’t wanted to admit to myself how much I feel about you, but seeing you with someone else, it made me realize just what I have to lose here. You. And I don’t ever want to lose you again. I needed last night to make me realize that.”

I blink in surprise. “You’re not mad about last night?”

Sebastian shrugs. “Mad? No. It was the rude awakening I needed. Danielle, I meant what I said last night. I think I’m in love with you. And that scares the shit out of me. The last time I loved someone…” he trails off, shaking his head. “It didn’t end well.”

“I love you, too,” I whisper.

Suddenly, Sebastian rolls on top of me, pinning me to the bed with his body. “Say it again,” he growls as he grinds his pelvis into mine.

“I love you,” I gasp.

The boyish smile he gives me makes everything worth it. He takes my mouth with unrestrained passion and I melt beneath him. When I reach out, he grabs my wrists, pinning them above my head with one strong hand.

“No moving,” he warns and I feel a ribbon of arousal snake through me.

“Yes, sir,” I joke, my words nearly eaten up by Sebastian’s mouth as he devours me.

At noon, I finally push Sebastian off me, laughing. “Enough. You’re going to break my vagina.”

Sebastian frowns. “That doesn’t sound good.” He rests his head on my belly, his mess of dark hair tickling my skin.

“No, it most certainly doesn’t.”

“Then what do you suggest?” He lifts his head long enough to press a kiss to my belly button before resting back down against. I gaze at him in amazement.

“Brunch?”

Sebastian nods happily. “That sounds perfect. We can always order in, that way there’s no need for clothing.” I shove Sebastian playfully and he laughs. “Okay, okay, we can go out if you insist.”

“I know a great place in Williamsburg,” I suggest, unsure of how Sebastian will react to the idea but he just kisses my bellybutton again and tells me it sounds perfect.

I expect three things when I go to brunch: bottomless coffee, two-for-one drinks, and hollandaise sauce. That’s it. And Jax has all of them.

I’ve been coming to Jax since I first moved to the neighborhood years ago and while it’s not much to look at, it has the best, least pretentious brunch you can find in Williamsburg. It’s still a little early for the brunch crowd in this neighborhood, so we have our choice of tables and we take a seat by the window overlooking the quiet, tree-lined street. The waitress eyes Sebastian appreciatively then looks at me as if trying to determine the nature of our relationship, and I place my hand on his arm, leaving no doubt.

I don’t bother looking at the menu. I order the eggs benedict and a mimosa, the way I always do while Sebastian decides on the short rib hash with poached eggs and a Bloody Mary.

“I never would have taken you for a Blood Mary drinker.”

“I guess we’re still getting to know each other.”

“I guess so.”

Sebastian grins at me. “I want to know everything about you.”

“I am a hollandaise enthusiast.”

Sebastian laughs and takes a sip of his coffee, cocking his head in surprise. “This is really good.”

The waitress returns with our drinks and a small basket of oven warm mini blueberry muffins.

“You know the world doesn’t end at the East River,” I joke as I grab a muffin and slather it in butter. “We have pretty decent food over here in Brooklyn.”

“Did I ever say you didn’t?” he asks, lifting one eyebrow.

“Nope. But you’re a bit of a Manhattan snob.”

“You should invite me over to your apartment more often,” he says in complete seriousness.

“You want to come over to my apartment?” I ask in surprise. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my apartment, but it’s not exactly the loft.”

Sebastian shrugs. “What do I care as long as you’re there?”

I flush with pleasure. “Want to come over tonight?” I ask shyly and Sebastian just grins.

“Absolutely. It’s about time you invited me over.”

Sebastian reaches over to brush the hair from my face, tucking it gently behind one ear. “Thank you,” he says softly.

“For what?”

“For bringing me here.”

And I know when he says this, he isn’t talking about Jax. Or Brooklyn. Or any of that. He’s talking about something more. And I’m happy he’s here with me. So much has changed recently and I know that’s just part of growing up, but I’m not ready to grow up just yet. I’m still so young and there are so many things I haven’t experienced. And Sebastian, he’s done it all. But seeing him sitting here, that silly smile on his face, in my place, it makes me realize that while things are changing, I don’t have to give up my old life. There’s a place in it for Sebastian and I must be smiling like an idiot because he takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it sweetly, and he doesn’t let go until the waitress brings our food.

We step into the bright autumn light and Sebastian pulls on a pair of Ray-Bans and I realize I’ve never spent a day with him. We’re always together at night or in his apartment.

Let’s just say, he looks fucking great in a pair of black Ray-Bans.

“Where to?” he asks, taking my hand. “I think someone owes me a bit of a tour of her neighborhood.”

We spend the afternoon wandering around. We walk up to Greenpoint, stopping in my favorite bookstore and Sebastian buys me a book that I’ve been meaning to get for ages and then I take him to Peter Pan’s for old-fashioned donuts and we talk and laugh and Sebastian holds my hand the entire time and it’s the most perfect afternoon.

That night, we sleep in my apartment. When Sebastian leaves the room, Chloe points in his direction, mouthing, ‘Holy crap!’ and I just smile.

My bed isn’t nearly as big or as comfortable as the one at Sebastian’s apartment, but neither of us seems to mind. It’s enough just being in bed together.

He wraps his arms around me, his warm breath on my neck, tickling the sensitive skin. “I love you,” he whispers, tightening his grip on my waist.

“I love you, too,” I respond, feeling warmth spread through me. Maybe this will all work out, I think as I drift off to sleep in his arms. Maybe we are meant to be. As improbable as that sounds.

I burst out laughing at the sight of Sebastian in my tiny bathroom, brushing his teeth with my toothbrush. He looks ridiculous. He barely fits, but he’s humming to himself, completely unaware of the outrageous image he’s presenting.

I stay out in the hall. I don’t think I’d fit in there with him.

He meets my gaze in the bathroom mirror. I touch my finger to the corner of my mouth. “Toothpaste.”

He grins and rinses it off before handing me the toothbrush and we switch places, Sebastian leaning against the bathroom doorway as I brush my teeth.

“Do you want to go away for a long weekend? I thought it might be nice to get out of the city for a little while,” Sebastian says. “We could see the leaves.”

“You want to go see the leaves change?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “I bet you’d look pretty cute in a pumpkin patch.”

I frown. “You’re insane.”

He shrugs his broad shoulders. “Come on. It would be fun. You and me and some cozy little B&B. Say yes. Please?”

I pretend to think about it but there’s nothing to think about. I’d go in a heartbeat.

“Yes!”

“Great. How about next weekend? This weekend there is a charity gala at the Wentworth Hotel that I have to go to. You’ll come, right?”

I take the toothbrush out of my mouth long enough to say yes and he nods, a boyish smile breaking across his handsome face.

“Do you know what that means?”

I shake my head. “What?”

“Shopping.”

I spit out the toothpaste and rinse my mouth. “I’m sure there’s something in that closet of yours already.”

“Don’t be such a spoil sport. Plus, I’m thinking plaid and maybe some of those L.L. Bean boots for the country.”

“You’re an insane person.”

“Shut up, you love it.”

I groan. I hate shopping. But then again, I’ve never gone shopping with Sebastian. “Fine. But I’m warning you, I’m going to hate every second of it. And I might hate you just a little for making me go.”

Sebastian grins at me in the mirror. “Oh, it will be worth it.”

Chapter Forty-Four

Shopping with Sebastian is possibly the most exhausting thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I am not a ball gown sort of girl, but apparently, that’s what’s expected. I was much happier poking around the plaid shirts Sebastian seemed to think I needed to go apple picking. Or pumpkin picking. Or whatever it is he thinks we’ll be doing when we go away next weekend. I don’t know why he’d bother. We both know we won’t leave the bed.

But even I have to admit, the green sequined mermaid dress Sebastian selected is stunning. It swirls around my feet, kissing my ankles as I walk out of the bedroom. The back dips so low, I’m practically naked and there’s no way I could wear anything under this dress, even if I wanted to.

I find Sebastian standing by the large living room windows, staring out at the city, the lights twinkling in the distance, and when he hears the click of my heels, he turns slowly. The look on his face tells me I look perfect.

Sebastian stands there with his back to the windows, illuminated by the lights of New York and at any other time, I might have been distracted by the view, but I only have eyes for the amazing man standing in front of me. His elegant black tux fits him to perfection, showcasing his broad shoulders and narrow waist, a black bow tie tied expertly around his neck.

“I’m starting to think I like black tie events,” I say finally.