“I love,” I assured him.
Sebastian kissed me, the kiss turning hungry quickly, and he began leading me over to the bed.
The abrupt cacophony of our friends’ arrival broke us apart.
“Later,” my boyfriend promised with a growl before guiding me out of the room to greet his guests.
The Thornes’ French housekeeper had stocked the kitchen with food and alcohol. However, a wee bit weary from our travels, Sebastian drove us to a local restaurant for dinner. Upon our return, we cracked into bottles of chilled beer and lounged around outside all evening, chatting and laughing. It was wonderful. The boys were funny, my girls were relaxed, and I tried not to think about the fact that this was probably one of the last times we’d be together like this.
At night, Sebastian made gentle love to me in a way that brought tears to my eyes, and I fell asleep in his arms with thoughts of gratitude and amazement. There was a small tug of fear in the back of my mind that somehow this,he, would go away. But I thought that was normal considering my past relationships, and I was sure over time, that last remaining niggle of uncertainty would fade.
The noise of our friends out at the pool woke us the next day. We grabbed a quick breakfast and showered. Sebastian was already in his swim shorts before I even left the bathroom, so I told him to go out.
I lingered, staring at my reflection in the large mirror that hung on the bathroom wall. Sebastian clearly loved my body, but there was a huge difference between being naked in bed with someone to walking out into the bright sunshine in a bikini that barely covered your tits and arse.
Especially when Sierra and Maddie were out there to compare me to. Both of my friends were slender in that toned, athletic way I’d never, ever be.
While my thighs and legs were toned from cycling everywhere, my arse still had a jiggle to it. My belly had that curve no amount of tummy crunches in the world could rid, and my boobs were very much hogging all the attention in the bikini top.
Unpleasant butterflies fluttered awake as I tried to force myself out of the bathroom.
This was ridiculous. I hadn’t felt this self-conscious in ages. But suddenly, I was Lily from six months ago, covering the rolls of fat on my belly when I sat down.
“What is taking so long?” Sebastian asked, barging into the bathroom without knocking.
I opened my mouth in protest but cut off at the heated look on his face as he ogled my body.
He swallowed comically. “Dear God, am I to spend the entire holiday with a tent in my shorts?”
Instinctually wrapping my arms around my belly, I let out a huff of embarrassment.
Sebastian scowled, coming up behind me but only to unwrap my arms. “Why are you hiding?” His countenance cleared. “Is that what’s taking so long? You areactuallyhiding?”
“No,” I lied, my eyes wide as they met his in the mirror.
His expression turned chiding as he smoothed his hands down my hips. “You look beautiful. You always look beautiful.”
“It’s not … my boobs look ridiculous.”
He stared intently at them, his cheeks flushed at the crest. “They look spectacular. Mesmerizing. You should always wear this.”
Hearing the sincerity in his voice, I chuckled, relaxing a wee bit. “Even in the height of winter?”
“Yes. We’ll get you a fur coat for whenever you have to go outside.”
“A fake one.”
“Absolutely.”
He gave my boobs a playful squeeze that made me squeal. Laughing, he stepped back. “Come on, before I can’t leave this room for anatomical reasons.”
I was still laughing as he gripped my hand and led me outside.
Other than Sierra wolf-whistling at me upon my appearance, I quickly forgot my self-consciousness as I lazed by the pool with my friends. Sebastian said we were lucky the weather was so pleasant. He informed us that sometimes April was very rainy and mild, but we’d stumbled upon a wee spring heat wave.
The boys and Sierra and Maddie fooled around in the pool. I did for a bit until the pull of the sun lounger drew me and I settled on it to study. Studying proved more difficult than I’d foreseen, however, and I ended up switching from my study notes on the iPad to my book app.
“Are you reading those filthy books you’ve gotten Sebastian into?” Zac called out to me mid pool volleyball.
