The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter TWENTY THREE - Time and Teapots

The night drifted on, time hidden within the smoke of a few burnt out candles and the dim light of the room. The stinging smell of each curled at the edge of my nose and teased my aching eyes. Sebastian urged me to eat a few bites of the sandwich he had brought and even cut a few slices of pear for us to share before cuddling back against each other. I wished the moments would pause, I wished them to freeze among the stars so if only I could rest awhile. With him. Yet, time didn't heed my wishes and if I listened close enough, I could almost hear the faint ticking of seconds like the clicks of a pocket watch. So I nestled my ear further into Sebastian's chest, hoping to drown out time with his heartbeat.

The longer we stayed, the darker the room became as if the Room itself was winding down to sleep, though neither of us felt compelled enough to move from the chair. Even when my limbs began to tingle and my hip to ache. Despite our bodies protests, our hearts were content to rest against the other's. Their gentle pounding only beating faster as a familiar spark twisted between the beats seeming to all at once register their proximity.

I was sure Sebastian could feel it too by the shuddered way his chest rose and fell in tattered rhythm with mine.

His skin warm beneath my palms, I let my fingertips trail along his shirt-line and dip beneath the edge as if to pull the heat into my blood.

His breathy whisper tickled the tip of my ear. "Atley..."

My ribs felt as though they might be made of solid gold, heavy over my lungs, but I turned my chin up to him once more. Even through the dim flickering light, it was hard to keep my breathing steady as my eyes landed on his, the deep browns flicking voraciously over my lips.

"Atley?" He repeated though this time his whisper tickled something in my stomach, flicking over tiny pebbles that sprouted wings and flung themselves against their cage.

Trailing my fingertips up his neck I watched in wonder as the spark behind his eyes flashed and I pulled my body along with it until my legs were hooked over his waist and the loose strands of my braid hung low, framing his jawline.

My eyes darted of their own accord from one of his to the other and then down to the swell of his lips that parted ever so gently to me.

I leaned gradually forward, the spark and winged pebbles now wreaking havoc inside.

It wasn't as if I'd never kissed him before, but something felt different now.

Something ached different than it had before.

Perhaps it was a ticking clock of its own, counting down what moments we might have left.

Just as quickly as they had come, the negative thoughts were drowned in his breaths and I leaned ever closer.

Sebastian's eyelids hung heavy and low over his cry-swollen eyes, his neck arched and chin pressed up to mine in anticipation.

The third time he called my name, it came out little more than broken syllables and I tied my tongue with his. Words tethered to satisfied hums.

The kiss, though starved, wound slowly.

The gravity of the days past hung at the corners of my eyes, salted and weighty.

His lips tied ribbons of my loosened thoughts.

Sebastian's fingers pulled at my sweater at my hips, tugging me impossibly closer and then curving along my cheeks to deepen the kiss. His teeth grazed over my bottom lip before pressing down and nipping at it softly. My head spun, my cheeks heated and I hummed happily.

Sebastian smiled into the kiss.

He bit my lip again and pulled it gently away until my breath caught in my throat and he dove back into the kiss. My body began to tingle and I threaded my fingers deeper in his hair. Over and over our kisses wound in circles until it seemed I was panting heavily between each, fighting to keep my lungs in working order.