Beastly Desires

Chapter Fourty-One

Night flooded the sky as Sébastien made the trek towards the watchtower. Colette weighed heavily on his mind. Betrothed. He felt himself sinking into the despair he went through after learning about Celeste's betrothal. He should have known a beautiful woman like her would have suitors lining up at her door. He felt envious, jealous even at the man who was to wed her. Bed her. Rage coaxed at his body and he had to stop and inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

There was no point in being jealous. Colette would never be his. He might as well forget about her. Tomorrow she will leave and never come back. Never again would he see her. Smell her. Watch the sun bathe her raven hair with its radiant, golden light. Her doe eyes would become watery mist in the back of his mind and her tan skin a translucent stain in his eyesight. One day he will wake and it would have been like she never existed. No. He could not see her go before saying goodbye. He had to hear her voice one last time. So he turned on his heels and ran towards the castle.

He was panting by the time he arrived at her bed chamber door. He listened closely for any sign that she was awake. He heard the muffled sound of blankets rustling and knocked once, twice and then a third time, before stepping backand waiting for her response.

The silence was deafening as the seconds went by before he heard a key turn and then the door unlock. It swung slightly ajar but Colette was no longer standing behind it. He heard her retreating steps and took the allowance as an invitation to come in.

The heavy scent of lavender was a smack to his senses as he entered her bed chamber and closed the door softly behind him. He was not prepared to smell that heady fragrance again. He hadn't smelled it since the day he found her on her knees at the banister.

"Sébastien."

He followed her voice to where she stood beside a bed post, her arms crossed over her chest. She was in an ivory, silk nightgown that did nothing to hide the curves of her body. Her hair was down and spilled across her shoulders like tendrils of dark oil to hang past her waist. The brightness of the gown made her hair look almost black.

Damn. This was not a good idea.

"Colette." He spoke her name with as much gentleness he could muster. He felt his body start to come alive from the scent of lavender and sensual images started to flood in the back of his mind.

"I did not think I would see you again. I wasn't sure if you would be awake by the time I left tomorrow before dawn." She kept her distance, leaning against the ornate wooden post.

Sébastien remained at the door, feeling dumbfounded as to what he was even doing here. It was a mistake to come. He should have left her alone to rest for her journey tomorrow. But here he was. Sweating with anticipation.

"My thoughts exactly, which is why I came to say goodbye."

Colette's eyes filled with surprise then sadness. It pained him to see what she so clearly wanted but wouldn't dare to have.

"Goodbye." She said, holding herself tighter. As if she didn't trust herself not to do something.

"Goodbye." He breathed.

Nothing. Nothing but two hammering hearts and a tension so heavy it felt like he couldn't breathe. Was this it? Two words and they would never see each other again?

Colette seemed to think the same thing and slid her crossed arms down to hold her waist. "Goodbye, Sebastian."

The movement pulled the fabric below the collar of her nightgown taught across her raised nipples and Sebastian found it hard to utter his next words.
"Goodbye, Colette."