Sebastian Bear (complete)

FORTY-NINE

FORTY-NINE

Undressed.

Madeline nodded, not trusting her voice not to crack with the answer to his question. Sebastian was all smiles, bright blue sparks ran through his eyes, bursting at the edges like the end of fireworks. That's what he reminded her of, late summer nights, Fourth of July by the river where the water reflected a magic sky. He was familiar and new all at once. She wondered if she'd feel like that forever. She thought of herself as a middle-aged woman still blushing when he touched her. She hoped as much would be her future.

He was grinning at her dazed expression, almost as if he knew what jumbled thoughts danced along with her consciousness. She remembered so long ago when she thought he could actually read her mind. That brought a shy smile to her lips. She had felt so much younger back then. Everything he did before confused and thrilled her. She still felt it, the same but different because there was no question to his motives this time around. He loved her and she loved him. It was all complex and simple and a thousand contradicting things at the very same time.

He pinched the front of her dress, tugging her forward. She reddened at the sloppy way her feet moved toward him but forgot it quickly when he ducked his head to let his lips taste hers. She held her breath, basking in the warmth radiating from his entirety. She had missed him so very much.

She was distracted enough by his kisses to not shake violently in the gentle way he reached around her body. She would let him. He could do anything he wanted and maybe he always could have. She had told him no so many times because of the fear he might leave. His clever fingers traveled up her spine, pulling down the zipper that held the frustrating piece of fabric together. She swore she felt every ridge of the tiny metal teeth coming apart one by one.

Sebastian smiled down Madeline's firm grip. She still held the garment against her chest, the silly little straps falling lazily off her shoulders. He bit his lip which fascinated her completely. She didn't fight it when he dragged his index down the center of her chest pulling it down the rest of the way. Madeline didn't know what to do with her hands. She shook at the fingertips and pinching her index and thumb together almost painfully on both sides.

"Now we're even," Sebastian breathed. Madeline took note of his own whispered words. She heard it, the hushed want hiding behind each syllable. She smiled suddenly at his silenced nervousness. She felt emboldened, moving her hands to run across his stomach. His muscles tensed at her touch, a bashful chuckle escaped his lips.

He touched her next, his hands slid up her arms, around her neck, settling at her jaw. It was a game of turns, Madeline thought. She was content in their slow burn. She loved the way he looked at her, something she would've never admitted those years ago. She had been so terrified of him and everything he meant before. She hated that she had wasted so much time avoiding his stare. It was so much better to be the center of his attention.

They had been there so many times. Kisses always felt different. Madeline fell into the balmy fog. The let it cloud her thoughts and delighted in the delicious weightlessness. Sebastian tasted like mint dipped marshmallow, the same as he used to. He stopped kissing to look down at her newly exposed skin. His eyes traveled over her shoulders, over the smooth warm flesh pushing against the fabric of her nude bra with a tiny pink bow sewn between her breasts. She would've opted for the pink lace or even the plain black bra but she hadn't thought anyone would see what was underneath her party clothes. Her undies were also slightly embarrassing with their yellow polka dots. She was just about to apologize for her childish taste in underwear but stopped abruptly at the devastating want shining through Sebastian's lavender irises.