The One Adored (The One Trilogy Book 3) (3 page)

    
The result was copious amounts of alcohol and on an empty stomach and after an hour of this, I was too far gone for the 5 star wedding breakfast the staff placed in front of me. Scanning the room, I located Niall in the crowds ahead of me, chatting animatedly with a female guest at one of the round tables to my right. Normally his overly flirtatious nature would be bothering me but now I shrugged it off and downed the remainder of my champagne, with every intention of following it with buck fizz chaser.
 

    
“You Ok, Lu? You need to take it easy, you didn’t eat much earlier.”

    
Leaning forward onto my french manicured cradled fingers I look up, smirking into Sebastian’s concerned eyes. “S’all good. Don’t be so boring, Mr. Perfect Pants.”

    
His eyes follow mine to where Niall was whispering into the blonde’s ear, her giggles echoing in the ballroom. “They must know each other already - probably why he was put on that table, Lu, you know to mingle.”
 

    
No my mum was trying to keep him away from me. The table plan and his carefully planned seating, had her stamp all over it but today I didn’t care and he’d never met the blonde with the flat chest before, I was sure of that - God knows who she was.

    
“Always trying to make me feel better aren’t you, Seb? Sticking up for your pal. Well it won’t work tonight. I don’t give a shit about
that
dick-head. Men are all the same. I need to get out of here and get me some more booze.” My chair legs scraped crudely across the parquet flooring and I grab my bag, swaying slightly before heading off in the direction of the gardens.

   
“Hey, hey slow down, let me at least look after you and then I’ll join you, we can do some damage at the bar together but let’s get you steady first. You’re no good to me horizontal.”

   
“That’s not what all the girls tell me - thought you liked ze ladies horizonpull?”

   
“I like women sober if I’m bedding them. Now come on - let’s find a table before you fall over.” His face is brotherly in its concerns and not in anyway flirtatious.

   
“Suit yourself. Speaking of suits, yours looks
zery
nice- ex..extrweem..ly sexy,” I giggle at my stumble over the words.

   
“Alright Ms. Myers, no more booze for you, for a bit anyway. Let’s take a seat out here and get some fresh air.”

   
“My feet hurt.” I pout and slip my shoes off and begin to rub one of them feeling pathetic. I love shoes but I’d not chosen these ones and the fit was dire.

   
Seb pats his lap. “Pop them up here - I’ll work my magic.” He nods to a passing waiter and I vaguely hear him mutter tea and sugar before returning his gaze to me and setting his thumbs to work on the soles of my feet.
 

Ahh, bliss.
 

“Now what the fuck is up with you today?”

“Nothing. I just want to get pissed! Is that alright with you, Daddy oh?” I sound like a spoilt child.

He chuckles at my petulance and I watch him, massage my toes. He really was so annoyingly sexy.
 

“Yeah, but it’s not like you to be so ‘fuck off’ about it. You’re usually much more… chirpy.”

“I’m not a bloody bird!”

“I can see that, touchy - although your talons are out… but you’re not normally so, on-a-mission.”

“I just had a major wake-up call in the church that’s all. Like God spoke to me … or something like that.” I shrug my shoulders feeling a little silly at my statement.

“Oh really?” his grin infuriates me and I drop my feet from his lap and straighten myself, crossing my arms in front of me, attempting to appear aloof and uninterested.

“Don’t laugh at me - I’m being serious.”

“OK - what was this awakening?”

“That would be telling. You’ll find out soon enough.”

The crease in his brow lifts further and I watch as he rubs a hand across his head in thought. God he looked so very sexy.
Yes, Lu, you’ve already thought that. You’re pissed you silly woman and your boyfriend is inside, well for now anyway.
“You don’t seem very drunk?”

“All day drinking is a killer and I’ve done my fair share, Lu but remember I can handle it better than you. You don’t drink the same as you used to.”

Fair point. I don’t get taken out to drink anymore.
Well not for much longer. Things were going to change after this weekend.
I decide to lighten the mood and change the subject.
“Suze and G are so happy. The wedding has been fab; your speech was great Seb, truly inspirational.”
 

“Big G is a star and I love your sis you know that. It was an honour to be asked. I’d be happy to find half of what they have.”

“What, the almighty Mr. Silver might give in and get shackled one day? Nah - never happen.” I smile back at him, openly teasing him but confident of my viewpoint. He was the ultimate player, no matter how much I wished it weren’t the case.

“Don’t think you have me all figured out…yet, Lucia Myers. There’s another side to me you’ve yet to experience. In time, my sweet lady, all in good time.”

Fuck me
!
 

That made me close my mouth and swallow my words in an instant. The waiter Seb had collared before, arrives at that opportune moment and offloads, a glass of tap water, tea for one, a pint of beer and two tequila slammers and I raise my brows at the odd combination of refreshments.

“The beers for me. The teas for you, oh and the water. Get them down you, now.”

“And the shots?”

“For us - for after”

“Eh?”

“I want to rehydrate you and keep you standing but you’re under 25 not a fucking grandma, Lu. We can still have some fun.”

That draws a smile from my lips and I’m reminded why he is my best-male-friend.
 

“Seb?”

“Yup.”

“Thanks.”

“What for?”
 

“Putting up with me being a dick.”

“You’re not being a dick, babe.”

“Really?”

“Really. You were being a total arse but once every so often is allowed - after all its not everyday your younger sis gets married. You’re obviously going to be a spinster now and you were feeling a bit put out that all the attention wasn’t on you! I get it - really I do. I was bound to happen. The thought of being left on the shelf must be messing with your head!”

“You total shit.”
 

The beer mat hits his chest, just as he ducks and his hands grab my fingers before I can retract them, pulling me towards his body and onto his lap. “There that’s better. Now shut up, drink your tea and then we’ll get smashed, Ok?”

“Sounds good.”

“It does doesn’t it.”

I wriggle across his legs, adjusting my dress, bare feet dangling and I feel him tense beneath me. “Sit still, you’ll do me an injury.”

I don’t remember ever being this close to him. I could smell his skin, see his pulse at his throat where his cravat had loosened. His dimple flashed, as he smiled up at me and I felt his arm hug me to him.
Oh boy! It’s the booze, definitely the booze.

“You look beautiful today by the way - absolutely stunning.”
 

I lean my head into the crook of his neck to inhale more of that intoxicating scent I’d smelled yesterday. He was so familiar yet so unknown. “I do try.”

“Pink to make the boys play with their pink oboes…”

I laugh at his play on words. “I thought it was pink to make the boys wink?”

“Not in my world. Right come on te…qui…la time!”
 

I grab the salt, and about to pour a dollop onto my hand when his fingers lift my hand to his mouth and locking eyes with me, dark chocolate oozing from each orb intensely, his tongue flicks out and licks a path up the side of my thumb onto my wrist.
 

Oh.My.God. Hold on to my panties - they’ve just melted.

“Saliva holds the salt better.”

I can hardly speak but manage to mutter a pathetic “Oh” before sprinkling salt onto the wet patch on my skin, nerve endings going haywire. He licks his own hand, smiling saucily up at me (thank fuck he didn’t want me to do it) and I wrinkle my nose in preparation.

“Ready?”
 
his words are full of double entendres I’m sure of it but I nod, taking his offered glass.
 

“Ok, on three. One, Two, Three.”

 
Our eyes locked, we watch each other, lick the salt, grasp our glasses and slam the shot glasses down on the wooden tables before sloshing the liquid down in one. The burn slides down my throat as I continue to focus on Seb, grinning at our combined wincing and shuddering at the violent attack on our senses. Warmth spreads immediately in my belly and I shake my head at the sharpness and judder. “Ugghhh!”

“Here. Take a bite.” Seb thrusts the lime at me and I gratefully squeeze my teeth into it, the tartness of it both complimenting and cooling at the same time.

I’d rather take a bite out of him.
“Never done a cup of tea followed by a shot of tequila - all new to me.”

“Stick with me kid - I’lll show you a good time.”

Hmmmm I bet you could. Just his hands on my feet had been enough to convince me.
 

“So you think you’ll be next, you and Niall up the aisle? Hey look I’m a poet and I bloody well know it.”

We giggle at his silliness but I shake my head emphatically. “Not a chance. It won’t be me Seb and not with Niall.”

“Really - why?”

“Niall isn’t…well he doesn’t …. I don’t think he is…. look I’m not sure but I don’t think I’ll get married. Ok?”

“OK - keep your knickers on - or thong, or whatever you’re wearing, or don’t whichever you fancy?”

What did that mean? He was being very flirty.
“What about you? Any plans to bed one lady more than once?”

“No need for that, Lulu. Nah, I missed my chance at love when my future wife, got together with one of my friends. I was too young and too dumb to seize the opportunity at the time - to realise that she was probably
it, the one, my soul mate
- what ever you want to call it.”

I wonder what he meant? Hang on a minute, WTF? Surely he didn’t mean me? Did he?
 

The tequila flush begins to form across my body, warmth reaching every sensitive part.

“Who was she?”

“Just a girl - you wouldn’t know her.”

“Oh come on, Sebastian - you can’t tell me something that life changing and not tell me who she was?”

“All I’ll say is she was pretty special but we missed our moment and now we want different things.”

“But how do you know if you’ve not asked her?”

“Because, Lu, now is not the time. Now come on my pissed up friend, lets get back inside and do some damage on that dance floor. I hear the music calling to us. I don’t want to miss Big G and Suzie’s first dance, they’re going for it bigstyleee - It takes two by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock,” he laughs. “So cool.” Then looks up when I don’t answer. “You ready?”

I watch him pick up my shoes, swinging them in his hands and suddenly know that if I don’t do this now, I never would, call it dutch courage, whatever but for me it was the right time. I throw my arms around his neck, pressing my body into his chest and hold him to me, squeezing so tight I fear he’ll pop. Then step back, my arms still cradling his neck and look deep into his eyes. “You know I love you right, Seb?”

His inquisitive frown is serious. “Y…yes? Of course I do.”

“I do - so much. You’re everything to me. Just wanted you to know. So if I never tell you again, you’ll always know. I love ya. You are it, you’re my one.” I plant a kiss on his cheek, lightly grazing the corner of his lips and shudder at the way my body reacts to that small connection of our mouths. Even inebriated I’m aware of the power of our attraction and I panic pushing him away, on a giggle. “You are it! I’m so fucking stupid.”

“Lu…”

“Thanks for looking after me. Right, come on, partner, let’s go boogie.”

“Lu… don’t go! Lu! WTF?!”

I don’t look back to see his reaction, I can hear the frustration in his voice and I know he’ll follow me in time - the moment we’d just shared would be over - I’d made sure of that when I’d walked away and made light of things.
 

What the fuck had I just done?
 

My alcoholic mushed up brain had just played a corker, but now I was going to dance the night away and drink some more - that was about as much as I could plan ahead. Tomorrow we’d no doubt forget I’d said a thing.

*******

Present Day