Sleet Banshee by S.J. Tilly

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

MEGHAN

This might be a new low for me. I’m chugging a glass of champagne, hiding behind a bank of elevators, at my best friend’s wedding.

But, gah! Sebastian looks like sex on legs. He looks like the Devil. But like a sexual Devil that will tie you up and do orgasmic things to you until you beg for him to put you out of your misery. So, like, a good Devil.

I take another long pull from my glass.

And, on top of him looking sexy as fuck, it looks like we freaking coordinated our outfits together. We couldn’t look more like a couple if we tried!

I figured he’d show up in the standard black suit, white shirt. But noooo, Sebastian had to swap the classic white out for a deep red that perfectly matches my dress.

I don’t know if he noticed our matchy-matchyness, but I know he noticed me. He was staring at me so hard while I was walking down those stairs, the dinosaurs could have come to life and he wouldn’t have noticed. He was so zoned in that I don’t think he even noticed me watching him.

I know we’ll end up talking tonight, but I need to get a few more servings of bubbly in me, and get through this ceremony, before that happens.

Taking another sip, I feel a presence join me behind the elevators.

Knowing who it is before I even look, I brace myself as I slowly turn my head. Finding myself staring into Sebastian’s eyes, I admit no amount of bracing would’ve made a difference.

He’s so goddamn good looking.

Sebastian steps closer, not breaking eye contact.

With every foot that disappears between us, my heart rate increases.

And he hasn’t said anything. At all.

My self-consciousness growing, I glance away and smooth my free hand over my dress. I’ve never been this dressed up around Sebastian before. I need him to say something, anything, about how I look.

A large hand cups my cheek, and my eyes slowly rise back up to meet his.

He’s closer now. Mere inches between us.

His other hand comes up, and now he’s cupping both sides of my face. The heat from his palms seeps into my blood, raising my body temperature.

Slowly, he leans in, stopping with his lips a breath away from mine. “You look beautiful.”

I swallow.

“Thank you," my words are a barely audible whisper.

“I’m going to kiss you.”

Instead of responding, I lean into him.

Our lips connect and it’s… heart-wrenching.

This is nothing like the frantic or frenzied kisses of our past. This is slow and sweet. It’s a greeting. A promise.

I’ve been trying to pull back, to put distance between us, but I can’t. I can’t fight these feelings I have for him. And I don’t know where that’ll leave me.

When he presses his mouth more firmly to mine, I part my lips on a sigh. I lean into the kiss. I can think later.

Sebastian’s hand slides around to the back of my neck, as he teases his tongue across my open lips. It’s innocent, but so dirty that I’m clenching my thighs. I’m pretty sure I moan.

Sebastian breaks the kiss, but - instead of pulling away - he rests his forehead against mine. “Hi.”

“Hi.” My kissed lips pull into a smile.

“You okay?”

I give a tiny nod. “Yeah.”

His thumbs are rubbing small circles at the base of my neck. “Good. Because it almost seemed like you were avoiding me.”

I make a small humming sound. “That’s preposterous,” I mumble. “Why would I do that?”

“Hmm. Why indeed.”

His thumbs are fuzzing out my brain, and all I want to do is kiss him again.

A throat clears behind Sebastian.

“Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but we’re being told to sit down.” Zach chuckles.

Sebastian rises to his full height but keeps his eyes on mine. Whatever he’s searching for, he must find, because he nods. Stepping back, he places a hand at the small of my back to guide me towards the ceremony.

I can’t believe I lost track of time. I should’ve been the one to let people know it was time to sit down.

I look up to Sebastian as we walk towards the rows of chairs. “I need to sit in the front, so I can adjust Katelyn’s dress if she needs it.”

“Okay.”

This is where we’ll part ways for a bit. I know he’ll want to sit in the back.

But he keeps walking with me. All the way to the front.

“Which side?” he asks.

“Oh, um, they aren’t really doing sides, but I’ll go over here - ” I gesture to our left.

“Alright, but let me take the chair at the end. That way my big head won’t block anyone’s view.”

“Oookay?” I can’t help the questioning tone.

He wants to sit with me? At a wedding? In the front row?

We take our seats, and Sebastian rests his arm across the back of my chair. This is so boyfriend-like that I’m about to lose my mind. I want to run off to find Izzy and Katelyn so I can ask them what this means.

As if she heard my mental plea, Izzy steps into the row right behind us, with Zach at her side. They look gorgeous together. He’s in a classic black-and-white getup, with a blue silk pocket square. The color is a few shades darker than Izzy’s periwinkle silk gown. She looks like a princess, and he looks like her prince.

I twist in my seat, my back to Sebastian so I can face Izzy.

“Hey!” she says cheerfully, and I can see the moment she takes in Sebastian next to me, and how he’s sitting.

Her eyebrows go up, and I widen my eyes in a I have no idea what the fuck is happening look. I don’t even care if Zach can see my expression.

Probably having the same thought as Sebastian, Zach shuffles past Izzy to take the end seat.

“I was worried I lost you,” Izzy says to me as she takes her seat.

“Don’t worry, Sugar,” Zach mirrors Sebastian by draping his arm behind Izzy.  “I found them making out in the coat room.”

“We were not in a coat room!” I blurt, before clamping my lips shut.

Zach grins as Izzy gapes at me.

Sebastian leans forward to talk into my ear, but he’s loud enough for them to easily hear. “Just ignore him, Baby. He’s an idiot.”

I spin back around in my seat and tug on Sebastian’s lapels until he’s close enough for me to whisper in his ear. “How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t call me Baby.”

“At least once more.” He surprises me with a quick kiss on the lips.

Izzy’s giggles float around us.

I narrow my eyes as I watch Sebastian, but he seems calm as can be, leaning back, stretching his feet out in front of him. As if kissing me in public, in front of all our friends, is a normal thing.

My brain’s about to throw in the white flag, when the overhead lights dim. It’s almost time.

The rest of the seats are quickly filled. Katelyn’s parents and brother join our row, and I give Alex a little wave. He smiles back, then seems to stutter-step when he realizes who is seated next to me. I pretend not to notice. Being best friends with his sister for decades means he treats me just like a sister, and I don’t need the third degree right now.

I smile when I see Jackson walk his mother down the aisle to her seat in the other front row. She gives him a huge hug before she sits, and I can see tears already tracking down her face. Jackson smiles at her, and he looks so happy. And handsome in his dark grey suit. He’s wearing a white shirt, with no tie, under his jacket. It’s simple and perfect and I know it’ll look great next to Katelyn’s dress.

Katelyn’s aunt is officiating the ceremony and has slipped into position. With Jackson joining her, we’re ready.

The spotlights highlighting the two large dinosaur skeletons in front of us, morph until the light glowing down is purple. The other spotlights throughout the room vary between purple and white light. The mood is a perfect blend of romantic and sexy. And the photos are going to be killer.

Soft instrumental music begins to play over the speakers, and that’s the cue. We all rise, and turn as one, to see Katelyn walking down the staircase with her father at her side.

My breath catches.

She looks like a fairy. Like a dream. Like a bride.

Her dress is made up of various shades of blush in flowy tulle panels. The color is perfect with her dark brown hair, which is in a loose braid with just the right amount of escaping curls. With her hair pulled back you can see the beautiful little cap sleeves that lead to a plunging neckline. The top half of the dress is embroidered with small white flowers, and they’re sparkling like diamonds under the spotlights.

Tears fill my eyes. She’s perfect. This is perfect. And I could not be happier for her.

I remind myself to breathe as she makes the walk down the aisle. When Katelyn’s dad kisses her on the cheek, before handing her off to Jackson, I lose the battle against my tears. A few escape and I quickly wipe them away with my fingertips.

I’ve been so preoccupied with Katelyn’s entrance that I haven’t even looked at Jackson. The love and tears in his eyes cause more of mine to spill over. Damnit. I should have picked a dress with pockets. I need a tissue.

Sebastian catches my wrist as I reach up to wipe away another tear.

I almost jump.

I’ve been so involved in watching Katelyn, I forgot he was even here with me. Before I have a chance to be embarrassed about crying at a wedding that’s only just started, Sebastian places a tissue against my palm.

I stare down at it, like he just gave me a stolen jewel.

With his hand still holding my wrist, he uses his other hand to close my fingers around the gift.

When the officiant tells us to be seated, Sebastian wraps his arm around my shoulders instead of just putting it on the back of my chair.

Leaning into Sebastian’s solid body, I dab at my tears and watch my best friend marry her Happily Ever After.

The ceremony’s half over before I even remember to look at the train of her dress. Thankfully, it’s a short train that naturally laid out perfectly. On a relieved exhale, I melt further into Sebastian’s side. This man is a mess of mixed signals, but - for the duration of tonight - I’m giving in to temptation.