Resistance Read online

  Later, they'd take it slowly, explore each other's bodies properly and make love for hours through the night, but right now they just needed each other, hard and fast.

  From this position, she took him in just the right place, his length hitting her in just the spot she needed. His hand moved from her right thigh to press his thumb against her nub.

  She came apart in moments, barely managing to keep her hips grinding against him as euphoria claimed her body. Their cries of each other's names mingled, as his grip tightened and he came apart as well.

  She collapsed on top of his chest afterward, panting, but content. Nuzzling into his neck, she shut her eyes as Sebastian ran fingers through her now knotted hair. "I've missed you," she said, because she knew they were still in their little bubble, and it was okay to admit that now.

  "I've missed you, too," he replied, wrapping an arm around her to hold her tight. "You can't even imagine."

  Eighteen

  Sebastian

  Jasmine was sitting on his lap, and his arms circled her waist as though this entire situation was completely natural. He was leaned away from her, card in his hand, and she was grimacing at him.

  "The Lady with the Lamp," he said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Crimean War. Come on, you know this, surely."

  "Time!" Blake called from across the room where he was sat on the floor near the board.

  Sebastian scowled at her, and she scowled back. "Florence Nightingale," he said. "That was easy."

  The game they were playing had seemed so simple when Lauren first brought it out and explained the rules. You got a category and then a card with words on. You had to describe the word and the other person on your team had to guess the answer. You did as many of those as you could before the time ran out.

  Sebastian picked up the one card they had managed. "At least you know who Barack Obama is." Their category had been People.

  His family were watching them with fond smiles, and he almost hated how easily they fit in. Playing board games and chatting, Jasmine sitting on his lap whilst they bickered like an old married couple.

  He was absolutely going to make the most of this weekend: love her like she deserved, treat her as well as he knew how.

  But the entire time there was a painful ache in his chest. A permanent timer telling him how long he had left in this isolated little heaven in the Wisconsin countryside.

  Reality just kept poking its head in and reminding him that this was temporary.

  That he was only making it worse, making himself care more about her, by being with her this weekend.

  Blake and Sarah rattled through five cards easily, but Sebastian and Jasmine weren't paying attention. She sat, smiling up at him, eyes glazed over in thought. She looked so peaceful and happy that his chest ached even more. His thumb brushed against her stomach, and he felt her shiver in his arms.

  She pressed a chaste kiss to his jaw, the only place she could reach in their position, and he practically melted against her.

  It was all so natural.

  They ended up losing the game by a landslide, but they did it with gracious smiles and the knowledge that both were excited to get back into bed. Not even for sex, just to hold each other. To lay with their legs entwined and hands resting on each other's skin.

  To be around each other, like a couple.

  They walked back to their room hand-in-hand, and there, in this little bubble of pretense, no one batted an eyelid at the fact a student and teacher were about to fuck each other senseless.

  Nineteen

  Sebastian

  "You don't think anyone will mind that we've disappeared for the day, do you?" Jasmine asked, her feet dangled in the crystal clear water, head thrown back in the sun. "Actually, I'm not even sure if I care if they do, this place is amazing."

  They'd taken the car twenty minutes to the North and found a small lake with water so clear you could see every inch of the bed it sat in. "They won't mind," he assured her, own feet moving back and forth to create waves. "Today was the day when we could do whatever we wanted. I know Blake and Sarah have gone walking somewhere."

  "Okay, that makes me feel better. What's the plan for tomorrow? I don't know how wedding's work."

  "The ceremony starts at eleven. There's the big walking down the aisle thing, then photos, then dinner. That's when the drinking starts, and everything goes to shit."

  Jasmine chuckled, and Sebastian memorized the whole picture. The sun on her face as she looked up at him and grinned. He wished he could capture it, treasure it forever.

  "Sounds like fun. I think that I should definitely avoid the alcohol. I'd rather be witness to the chaos than part of it."

  "Sounds like a sensible idea. Have you ever gotten really drunk?" It was a dangerous line of questioning, venturing down the road that she was still only eighteen, and couldn't even legally drink whilst he had been doing for four years now.

  He felt sheltered by their surroundings, though. They were in the middle of nowhere, just them. Their ages didn't matter here.

  "Twice. Once on Evie's birthday last year, she threw a house party and I drank way, way too much. It was funny, though. The second time was one night at home when I was in a miserable mood for some reason, I can't even remember why now. I stole some vodka from my parents' collection. That time was... not so fun. And I have no intention of ever repeating it."

  Sebastian laughed. "At college you'll be repeating it so often you'll lose count."

  That was dangerous, too, but Jasmine only laughed. "I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing."

  "Definitely good."

  She leaned back, lying flat on the ground and running her fingers over his hand. "This is perfect," she said, staring up at the blue sky. "I never want it to end."

  He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, forcing his smile not to be a sad one. "Me neither."

  Twenty

  Jasmine

  "You look really gorgeous," Sebastian said as Jasmine grabbed her purse from the bed.

  She flushed, and stepped into the circle of his arms, pressing a kiss to his mouth. "Thank you."

  Wearing the baby blue dress and with her hair curled to perfection, Jasmine felt pretty today. She was excited, too. A real wedding, and she was going to be there with Sebastian.

  She'd meant it to be a peck, but his lips were insistent against hers, and soon they were open-mouthed and her hands were running through his hair.

  It was only when he went to lace his fingers through her curls that she snapped backward, batting his hand away. "I spent forty minutes doing my hair today, so I'm sorry, but you'll have to control yourself."

  He pouted, and it was almost enough to make her give in. She made sure it was just a peck when she kissed him this time, and double-checked her appearance in the mirror.

  "Right," Sebastian said, holding out his hand to her. "Ready?"

  He was irresistible today: his suit and tie were tight enough that his physique wasn't even slightly hidden, and she just wanted to spend the day pressed against his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulder or waist.

  "I'm ready." Hand-in-hand was good enough, though.

  There wasn't a church in the hotel, but they were using a function room for the actual ceremony. It had been done up beautifully: proper chairs rather than plastic fold-up ones like she'd expected, and lacy bunting around the top of the room, lights dimmed tastefully.

  "Your sister has really good taste," Jasmine whispered as they took their seats. They'd taken a bit longer than most to come down, and so there wouldn't be a long wait before it began.

  The groom was already stood at the altar, looking around nervously, fiddling with the button on his shirt. "Do you know the groom well?" she asked Sebastian.

  "Not that well. Lauren met Greg in Australia, and I never managed to get over there to visit. He looks nervous, huh?"

  "He looks seriously nervous. I guess everyone must be kind of nervous before getting married, though. It's a big commitmen
t."

  "True."

  "Do you want to get married, have kids, and all that stuff? I mean, I know that's why I'm here, to give off that impression, but do you actually want that one day?"

  "I do. I thought I would be married by now. I proposed to Callie when I was twenty-two. We were going to have a long engagement, but we would have been married by this summer if we hadn't broken up."

  It was something that nagged at Jasmine, even though it didn't matter in the long run: Sebastian was ready to settle down and she hadn't even left high school yet. "What about you?" he asked.

  "I want to get married and have kids, too." But at what point? By the time she'd finished college, maybe taken a year to settle into a job, she'd be twenty-three. That was so young, but Sebastian would already be thirty. He was ready to settle down now, and she could never give him that.

  Even if they agreed to wait to be together, that they could rekindle a real relationship at the end of the school year, it wouldn't be long before Sebastian realized that he couldn't get what he needed from her.

  She hid her doubts behind a smile, though, and The Wedding March began playing through the room. Everyone stood as the singular bridesmaid walked down the aisle, and then Lauren came.

  Her dress was stunning: white and lacy, with a train so long that it took two little girls Jasmine didn't recognize to carry it behind her. She was grinning so hard her cheeks must have been hurting, and that only seemed to make Greg look more scared. He cleared his throat, Adam's apple bobbing.

  Everyone sat, and the Priest began going through the motions. Jasmine zoned out for most of that, preferring to people-watch the different reactions of the people she could see. They were on the front row, and so she could only see Sebastian's family, the bridesmaid and the best man.

  Sebastian's family were all watching with affectionate smiles and tears in their eyes. The bridesmaid was the same.

  The best man almost looked as nervous as the groom. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, and couldn't look at Lauren for more than a few seconds.

  Jasmine frowned, a sinking feeling in her gut.

  When it got to the I do's Lauren said hers eagerly, squeezing Greg's hand.

  He swallowed again, hard, and there was an agonizing pause.

  A tear ran down his face. "Lauren, I'm so, so sorry but I just can't do this."

  There was a stunned silence in which Jasmine and Sebastian looked at each other, shifting closer together in their seats as Greg shook his head and fled the room, the best man following after him. Lauren collapsed on the floor, sobbing, and Sebastian, Blake and their parents rushed to help her and offer some comfort.

  Greg's friends and family could only filter out in silence, whispering behind their hands and trying not to look too guilty.

  Jasmine sat stock still in her chair, tears pricking in her eyes that she refused to let fall. She couldn't even imagine the pain of getting to the altar and then being dropped. She and Sebastian had known each other barely two months and it felt so heart-breaking being away from him that she wasn't sure how she was going to go on sometimes.

  Lauren must be falling apart right now. Her family helped her up and guided her from the room. She ripped off the train of the dress and let out a hysterical scream, rushing from the room. Sebastian offered Jasmine a half-shrug as he disappeared with them, but she gave him a look she hoped conveyed that she was okay, and she understood he needed to be elsewhere.

  Jasmine and Sarah ended up in the bar with most of the other people, drinking the champagne that there was no point putting to waste.

  "It's so sad," Jasmine said, staring into her glass. "I can't even imagine what she must be going through. I mean, how could you trust someone again after that?"

  "I know," Sarah agreed, staring out of the window into the endless countryside. "It would have been such a beautiful wedding, too. I know it's not the main thing, but can you imagine how much money they've lost? I hope Greg covers it all, the bastard."

  "I feel so bad for them."

  "It wasn't as extreme, but Sebastian was just as devastated when Callie left him. I remember seeing him the week after they broke up and he looked like he hadn't slept for that full week. I'm so glad he's happy again."

  Jasmine's heart clenched. She couldn't imagine how anyone would have broken their engagement with Sebastian, or cheated on him. He was everything: smart, funny, attractive, kind. He was the perfect man, and only an idiot would throw him away.

  For once, Jasmine really didn't know how to respond to that. She wanted to gush about him, but that made her throat burn with the need to cry.

  What she needed more than anything was to see him. Right now her longing was so bad it seemed physically painful, but she couldn't go up there and knock on Lauren's door to find him.

  "I can't imagine anyone choosing to let go of Sebastian," she said instead, still distracted.

  Seeing that relationship fall apart made her want to seize the final bit of the weekend they had together. To let him know that if the circumstances were right, she would have never let him go.

  "You guys are adorable, far better than they ever were," Sarah assured me. "Callie was cold. I'm still surprised they lasted as long as they did. Young love, I suppose. Though I can't really talk, Blake and I are high school sweethearts."

  Jasmine definitely couldn't afford to talk. If they found out she was eighteen, they'd be singing a different tune.

  Suddenly, Jasmine frowned. "Oh God, I can't believe this happened to his dad, too." Sebastian had been paying her to give the illusion of the perfect love life, and now his oldest child's wedding had just fallen apart before his eyes. "I bet he's devastated."

  "I never even thought." Sarah shook her head. "It's such a sad day. I wish there was something I could do to help, but I guess it's just one of those things that heal with time."

  They both downed their champagne as Sebastian and Blake entered the dining room. Sarah rushed forward and hugged Blake. "I'm so sorry. How is she?"

  Jasmine sidestepped them and stood close to Sebastian. "Can I talk to you for a moment? Alone?"

  He frowned, but nodded. "Of course."

  She took his hand and didn't even look back to give Sarah a smile before dragging him away. She wasn't even sure where she was going, she just knew she needed him, now.

  She looked behind a couple of doors before finding an empty lounge, a smaller version of the one they'd played board games on the first night.

  "What are we doing?" he asked for the fifth time, but this time she had an answer for him. She shut the door and leaned against it, dragging Sebastian to her, and pressing her lips to his.

  Her kiss was ravenous, open-mouthed and desperate and she molded every part of her body to his. "I need to fuck you," she said, in between kisses, already undoing the buttons on his pants. "I need you."

  Their kissing resumed and Sebastian groaned, hands slipping down to pull her dress up. She was soaked beneath her panties, just having his lips on hers enough to send her desire skyrocketing.

  He hiked her legs around his hips, propping her up against the door and pulling her panties down to push his cock inside her.

  "Fuck this is a bad idea," he groaned, stretching her as he thrust inside her, again and again.

  Jasmine clung on, entire body humming with pleasure having him this close to her. She never wanted to let him go, needed to make the most of the short time they had together.

  After watching Lauren fall apart, after watching Greg's tear as he walked away from his bride, Jasmine needed to be in Sebastian's arms so that the cave inside her chest didn't open.

  "I don't care," she said, holding him as tight as possible, breathing heavy into the silent room. There were no footsteps outside the door. "I just—" she gasped as he altered his angle just slightly and hit the perfect spot inside her. "I just." She didn't even know how to say it, to explain how she just needed him close. "I just need you," she said again burying her face in his neck as her climax explo
ded through her.

  He came with her, trying to muffle his cry of her name in her hair.

  They leaned against each other for a solid minute, both panting, both refusing to let go. He nudged his nose against her skin, nuzzling into her. "Fuck," he said, tightening his hold on her. "I don't even know what to say."

  Jasmine felt tears pricking in her eyes, and fought desperately to push them back. "I just don't want this to end."

  How could they waste what they had together? They both felt this strong pull and there was nothing they could do about it. Circumstances made it impossible.

  "Me neither," he whispered, voice choked.

  They stayed like that for another few second, before Sebastian pulled away. "We need to get out of here before someone catches up. I mean, our room was only a couple of floors away."

  She grinned up at him, having forced down her tears once and for all. "This was more exciting."

  "True," he said, and set her back down on the floor. She felt cold as soon as he'd removed his heat, and her thighs were sticky. It was the first time they hadn't used a condom, and Jasmine flushed. It was more intimate this way. Having his cum inside her.

  She was on birth control, so it made no difference for pregnancy, but somehow she felt closer to him now. Like they trusted each other enough for that.

  Hand-in-hand, Sebastian and Jasmine walked back to the dining room, stopping at the bathrooms to clean themselves up.

  Blake and Sarah had been joined his parents, and they welcomed them back, sitting at a small table, all with a glass of champagne.

  "Join the celebration," Blake said, sarcastic, and patted to the seat beside him.

  The rest of the evening was melancholy, and for Jasmine, she knew she was selfish enough to be mourning Sebastian rather than Lauren and Greg's relationship.

  Twenty-One

  Jasmine

  "We need to talk."

  Jasmine stopped, her hand on the doorknob, and looked back over her shoulder at her parents. "Why?"