Saving Us by Wendy Million

Chapter Twenty-Nine

We stood outside the back doors, which were deserted. Annika was beside me, gripping my hand. The team had won. They’d made it to the National Championship for the first time in years. A huge deal, and an opportunity Sebastian had talked about for weeks.

The biggest thing on my mind, though? I would meet Sebastian’s family tonight. After dinner, we’d meet everyone else at Gabby’s bar to celebrate.

Annika squeezed my fingers. She was vibrating. “Sebastian and Johnny are going to be over the moon.”

“Who needs sex when you can win a massive football game?” I gave her a fake rah-rah cheerleader jump.

I’d come back to campus last night, and Sebastian and I’d spent the night almost having sex, but not quite. If that was the preview, I was ready for the real show. He hadn’t once pressured me for more the last few weeks. We went so far and then he backed off.

Annika barked out a laugh and then covered her mouth with her palm. “Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Nat.”

“Hey—what’s with that?” I removed her hand. “All night when you’ve gone to laugh, you’ve covered your mouth. Did you eat a lot of garlic or something?” I leaned in and sniffed.

“No.” She gave me a brief smile. “Johnny said my laugh—well, that I use it to draw attention to myself.”

“Your laugh is awesome. It’s contagious.” What I didn’t say was that her laugh was the whole reason Johnny was attracted to her in the first place. He was tearing her down, one brick at a time.

“I’m trying to calm it down, you know. It makes Johnny uncomfortable when we’re out, and people stare when I laugh. He said the sound seems forced—I’m trying too hard.”

Trying too hard? Her beautiful, contagious laugh, one of the things I loved most about spending time with her, wasn’t “forced.” He was censoring her laugh. What else was he convincing her about when no one else was present?

“Annika, your laugh is great. I would tell you if you were making an ass of yourself. You’re not. It’s one of my favorite sounds. I love your laugh.”

“I’m self-conscious about it now. Johnny’s mentioned it a few times.” She gave me a small smile. “I can’t believe they won. I mean, I can believe it because they’ve been playing awesome ball. But I can’t because this win is such a big deal.”

Johnny and Sebastian burst through the doors. Sebastian rushed me, sweeping me off my feet into a huge hug and swinging me. I clutched him close and chuckled in his ear. He set me down, cradled my face, and kissed me as though we hadn’t just seen each other a few hours ago.

“Lord, did I ever miss you,” he said when we broke apart.

“I missed you too.” I drew him in for another kiss. “Congratulations on the win. You guys must be so excited.”

Sebastian laughed. “Excited doesn’t cover it. Even if we don’t win, man, getting there is huge.”

“We’d better win,” Johnny said from beside Annika.

“I think we’ve got a good shot.” Sebastian smoothed my hair and tugged me closer. We couldn’t seem to get close enough.

I kissed him beneath his ear. Every time I was this tight to him and our eyes connected, something came alive between us. An electrical current hummed, unnamed, but so strong it felt like its own living, breathing entity.

“You ready to go meet my parents and my sister?” he asked.

“I’m not sure I’m ready, but I’m prepared.” I smiled. “I need to get changed at my place. Rolling up to dinner in jeans and a hoodie isn’t a good first impression.”

“I better not go in the house while you do that.”

When I looped my arms around his neck, I pressed myself even closer. “You don’t want to come in?” I purred into his ear.

He chuckled and gave me a squeeze. “Nattie, you are gonna kill me.” He buried his head in my neck and nipped at my earlobe.

I shivered.

“We’d never leave the damn house if I came in.”

He was not wrong.

I waved to Annika and, rather reluctantly, Johnny as we left the exit and headed for Sebastian’s SUV in the parking lot. I slid into the passenger seat, and as Sebastian turned on the ignition, I flicked the heated seat button to high.

“You know my parents aren’t going to care what you’re wearing. They’ll be happy they’re finally meeting a real-life girl I’m dating.” He held my hand with one of his, and he steered with the other.

“Gee, thanks. Now their expectations will be sky high. You’ve never brought someone to meet them before?”

He laughed. “They were probably starting to wonder if I ever would. My sister is a serial committer like you. We’ve met a few of her boyfriends.”

“Serial committer. Should I be going around killing people with commitment? That’s how it sounds.”

Sebastian pitched his voice to carry the tune from the movie Psycho and made a stabbing motion.

“That’s deeply disturbing.” But I couldn’t hold my laugh.

“It’s you, Nattie.” Sebastian shrugged and grinned. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the back of it. “Man, I love hanging out with you.” He laced our fingers together.

“The feeling is mutual.” My heart pounded in my chest at the word “love” leaving his lips.

He snagged the parking space closest to my front door. I undid my seat belt and leaned over to kiss his cheek. When I moved back, he wrapped his arm around my middle and tugged me across him. My body landed between him and the steering wheel. The position was awkward, but as soon as my lips met his, I didn’t care anymore.

In a gruff voice, Sebastian said, “We’re never going to make it to dinner if you don’t get out of this vehicle now.”

I chuckled and ran my fingertips along the side of his face. When our eyes met, the air hummed. With one last soft kiss, I tried to wriggle myself to my side of the SUV. He watched me for a moment, desire and amusement flickering across his face. Finally, he secured his arms around my waist and helped lift me into my seat.

I ran into the house and yanked off my sweater and jeans. The purple dress was at the rear of the closet, and I tugged it down before I shimmied into it. I hadn’t worn it since that first night at the frat house. I also grabbed a light sweater in case the restaurant was cold, and I threw on my heavy winter coat. In my high heels, I teetered out to the vehicle.

When I opened the passenger door, Sebastian whistled. “That dress has made an appearance or two in my dreams.”

I glanced at myself and raised an eyebrow at him. “This old thing?” I slid into the seat.

Sebastian stared at me for a few minutes, not making any move to leave the parking lot.

“What?” A half smile played at the edges of my lips.

“They’re gonna love you, Nattie. You’re smart, funny, and absolutely gorgeous. They’ll wonder what the hell you’re doing with me.” His expression brimmed with sincerity.

I grabbed his shirt and tugged him to me. Before his lips met mine, I said, “In this moment, I couldn’t imagine wanting to be with anyone else.”

He crushed his lips to mine, deepening the kiss. His seat belt released, and he murmured against my mouth, “They can wait.”

I laughed and pushed against his chest when he started to climb over. “No, Sebastian. No. I can’t be late the first time I meet your family. We might as well carry a cardboard sign that says we were too busy screwing to be punctual.”

“You got markers and cardboard in your house? I’ll gladly make that sign.” But he eased into his seat, giving me a sideways glance.

“I do have markers and cardboard in my house. But they are for your final game of the season. I have big plans.” I threw my hands wide.

He put the SUV in reverse. “Big plans, huh? You mean, Annika has big plans?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Nope, this is me. I have ideas, Sebastian, ideas about football that are my own.”

He placed a hand over his heart and looked shocked. “Ideas about football because of me?”

“Yeah.” I gave his thigh a squeeze before gazing at him again. “Watching you on the field, now that I understand how it works, well, I’m so proud of you. I see you out there prancing.” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye with a small smile. “And I can’t get over how good you are and that you’re mine. That I know you, really know you.”

The air between us electrified. There was so much more I could say. But I wasn’t going to declare my love for him while we were in his SUV driving to dinner.

“I’m proud of you all the time too.” Sebastian’s gaze rotated between me and the road.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“You’re so strong. Man, you’re probably one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. You’re solid in your convictions, and you don’t back down, even when it would be easier. I admire that. A lot. You got a good head on your shoulders.” He cupped the back of my head.

I grabbed his hand as it left my head and sandwiched his between mine. Even though I’d decided I wasn’t going to tell him I loved him in the car, the words were bubbling, threatening to boil over.

“That’s incredibly sweet,” I whispered.

“It’s not sweet, Nattie. It’s true.” He turned into the restaurant parking lot. When the SUV was in park, he focused on me. “Look at me. I’m not even nervous about them meeting you.”

“I’m probably nervous enough for both of us.” I undid my seat belt.

He came to my side as I was climbing out and secured my hand in his.

“Here goes nothing.”

He grinned. “Famous last words.”

I smacked him in his firm abs. “That’s not helping.” Having half of my mind consumed with rated R thoughts of Sebastian didn’t help either.

Welcome, Gutter. My brain couldn’t wait to slide in.

He opened the door to the restaurant and motioned for me to go in first. I slipped past him, my stomach rolling.

He followed behind me, and we stood at the desk for a minute. The place was full of dark wood, dim lighting, and gas fireplaces. Any other time, the atmosphere might be romantic instead of anxiety inducing.

“I see them.” Sebastian guided me through the restaurant.