Chapter 22

Sebastian's head spun around.

"Oh, Steve," he said reluctantly. Jane heard the slight tone of irritation in his voice. "What's good, man?"

She recognized the man. He also worked on the beach as a lifeguard and she'd seen him speaking to Sebastian a few times. Apparently, he had the worst timing too.

"Could I speak to you for a moment?" The man—Steve— asked.

Sebastian turned to look at her. She discerned the look in his eyes to be regret. The words 'don't go' was at the tip of her tongue but she couldn't be selfish like that.

"Go," she said with a small smile. "I'll be here."

After a few beats, he nodded and then walked away with Steve, deep in conversation. It must've been really important because there had been so much conflict in his eyes.

She looked around aimlessly. It felt weird standing alone amid dancing bodies, just looking and folding her arms. She needed something to drink. Anything to quell the hungry fire Sebastian had started in her lower stomach.

As she went in search of a bar, she realized she'd been about to tell him she wanted him too. Would that have been a complete fail? She supposed so. He'd said he wanted her too and there was no way she could doubt that because she'd felt it. She'd felt his need, his urgency flowing through his hands and into her body.

Her pussy still throbbed from all the rubbing she'd done earlier. Pointless activity because it yielded no fruit. Her body had refused to listen to her ever since she'd arrived here. She'd had no problem making herself cum in the past. Again, it was all Sebastian's fault.

When she got to the bar, she considered leaving for somewhere quieter after seeing how packed the place was. Different songs played from several speakers and it was hard to tell one from the other. It was a fucking bonfire, she told herself; it didn't get quieter than this.

She ordered a Vodka spritz, taking a seat on the only vacant stool available.

"Vodka? You're either annoyed or fed up."

Harry flashed her an award-winning smile as he leaned against the wooden counter.

"Where on earth did you come from?" She laughed in surprise. She hadn't heard him walk up to her. She shouldn't have been surprised; she was in her feelings.

"Dropped from the sky, love." He signaled to the bartender, ordering for the same drink as her. "I didn't think you were a bonfire-y type of girl."

"I didn't think so either." She shrugged, grabbing her drink and turning around so she was facing the beach. "It does seem like fun. I just haven't delved in yet."

"Ah," He nodded, sipping from his glass. "We rented a room on the beach. I'm beginning to regret it. My sister almost went crazy when she saw the fire. You could say I didn't have a choice."

Jane laughed. "Give her a break. She's a teenager, they like shiny things."

"I was a teenager once, you know."

"Yeah, and what did you like to do? I'm guessing you preferred video games and hot girls to nail polish and glitter."

"You guessed correctly. I've always been a sucker for the hot ones."

She giggled. "You're such a boy."

"And how do you know all these, young lady?"

She paused. "I have a twin brother."

"Really?" He seemed genuinely surprised. "If he looks anything like you, I might actually be interested in him."

Jane laughed. "He's the ugly one, so don't bother."

They talked for what seemed like an eternity. Jane appreciated him keeping her company since Sebastian was preoccupied. He was her date, after all. Harry was funny, calm and collected. Talking to him was easy. She felt a tinge of guilt that she'd friend-zoned him. He would've made an amazing boyfriend.

"So, pretty boy there, huh?" Harry gestured with a nod of his head in one direction.

"What?" Confused, she looked in the direction he'd gestured towards and blinked when she saw Sebastian looking back at them with a fierce look on his face. "Oh."

"Are you two…?" He trailed off, looking at her.

She blushed. "Oh, no, no. He's just a friend. We just work together."

And live in the same diner too. She didn't know why she'd rebuffed the question so quickly like she had something to hide. She didn't but she also didn't want Harry to think she'd turned him down because she already had someone.

That would've been a lie.

She didn't 'have' Sebastian. She didn't want him.

Liar.

"Then why is he looking at you like he wants to devour you?"

She looked back at Sebastian. Steve was still engaged in a conversation with him but he didn't look like he was paying attention. As a matter of fact, he looked like he was going to spank her when he got his hands on her. The look on his face was almost frightening, dark and husky.

"No, he isn't," She looked away shakily, her breath coming out in little pants. "Don't be silly, Harry."

"Yeah, then why is he marching towards us with murderous intent in his eyes?"

"What?"

It had happened so fast. One minute she'd been about to look at him, and the next, Sebastian was grabbing her and kissing her.

Her world tumbled.

He was kissing her.

Sebastian was kissing her fervently, urging her mouth open with his tongue and slipping in when she finally bulged. Oh, the wondrous explosions that followed behind her eyes. The wonderful, delicious things he did to her with his tongue.

Nothing else seemed to matter. Everything else paled in comparison. It was just them in their own bubble.

And then his lips were hard against her mouth, sucking and stroking her tongue viciously. No, this didn't feel pleasurable. It felt possessive.

"Sebastian!" She pushed him off with all her strength, her chest heaving.

Jane didn't know what came over her but her hand lifted and smacked him across the face. "Don't ever do that again."

His chest was heaving harder than hers; his breathing was loud and hard. He looked at her and then at Harry, clenching his jaw so tightly she thought his teeth might break. When he looked back at her, her breath hitched.

There, in those honey-brown orbs of his, was an emotion swirling deep inside that she could only identify as hurt.

She'd hurt him.

Sebastian didn't say a word. He turned on his heel and walked off.

Jane told herself that she wasn't the one who was supposed to feel bad for anything. He was the one who had kissed her so brutally.

But as she watched him walk away, her heart clenched tightly in her chest and she knew it was because he was hurt and she was the reason.