Page 18 of The Heart of Moonlight Falls

“I don’t know anything, Sebastian,” she snapped.

“That’s not what Stephen said. You knew about all of this.” Sebastian took a breath, trying to calm down. “I think your dad knew what Sullivan and Nelson did. All I’m asking is that you tell me, and then you’ll never hear from me again.”

“Why does it matter? If you’re free, why do you care?”

“Being free hasn’t fixed anything. The curse is still here. It’s just changing.”

His mom sucked in a breath. “I have to go.” She hung up.

Sebastian set the phone on the table with a shaking hand, and James pulled him into a tight embrace. “That won’t be the end of it,” he said into James’s hair. “She’s afraid of the curse. Once she checks on Kira, I’ll hear from her again.”

“Do you still think she knows something?”

Sebastian pulled back. “I have no idea, but she’s the only one who would possibly have information. I have to rule it out and ensure she isn’t hiding anything.” He hated that figuring this out might all come down to his mother. She was the one who forced the curse on him, and it was hard to believe she’d help now, no matter how he tried to convince her. But he had to try.

7

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian felt even more needy than usual after the phone call with his mom. He didn’t think he’d ever be unaffected by the abandonment he’d experienced at her hands, but he wasn’t letting it dominate his life anymore. He had James, with whom he felt safe and secure, and it was okay for him to need comfort when things like this came up.

After Eli picked up the box, James took Sebastian to bed and showered him with kisses. He never held back affection, never did anything but accept Sebastian no matter what side of himself Sebastian showed.

“Is it weird that I need you to fuck me after that conversation?” Sebastian breathed into James’s mouth as they kissed.

“No.” James shifted his weight, looking down at Sebastian with a tender expression. “You need to know you’re loved and cherished. That one person’s rejection doesn’t hold more weight than everyone else’s choice to stand by you. That’s all normal, sweetheart.”

Sebastian blinked at James. “I—I’m loved?”

James’s cheeks went dark red, but his gaze stayed soft. “Of course you are, Sebastian. I didn’t mean to say it so offhand the first time, but there’s no doubt in my mind that I love you.”

Sebastian wrapped his arms around James’s neck. His heart skittered, and he smiled as warmth bloomed in his chest. “I love you too, James. I’ve been falling in love with you for so long.” Sebastian clung to James, too many feelings coursing through him. “When I thought I’d lost you and would never get to see what that love would turn into, it broke me.”

James let out a strangled sound. “I’m here,” he promised, stroking Sebastian’s cheek. “You didn’t lose me. We’re only at the beginning of our time together. You have so much love in your future, Sebastian. I know it.”

A whine escaped Sebastian’s throat. “Make love to me?” The request came out in a soft whisper, leaving Sebastian feeling more vulnerable than ever.

James kissed him, their tongues tangling. “There’s nothing I want more, sweetheart.”

Tears swam in Sebastian’s eyes. He hadn’t expected his feelings to be this intense. James loving him wasn’t a total surprise. He hadn’t expected to hear it this soon, but he’d known they were headed in that direction, so why did it change his world to hear those three words?

James ran his hands delicately over Sebastian’s body in almost reverent movements. There was nowhere they hadn’t touched each other, yet tonight, everything felt new.

Once they were naked, neither rushed toward getting off. They kissed and held each other, nothing but sweetness and love between them. Sebastian had been emotional during sex plenty of times, but not like this.

He sensed the same happening for James. It had been fun to see James embrace a new boldness and be overtly sexual as he opened up. This wasn’t like that. There were no sexy words or thrillingly explicit requests. It was a new kind of open. James gave Sebastian all his deepest feelings, expressing his love and need for Sebastian even more powerfully than he had when he’d let loose and claimed him.

James kissed and licked Sebastian, tracing his throat and collarbone. Their cocks rubbed together in a sensual, unhurried rhythm.

“I love you,” James breathed against Sebastian’s shoulder.

Sebastian’s skin tingled. He ran his fingers through James’s hair. “I love you too.”

James kissed down his body and licked Sebastian’s cock from root to tip. He sucked on Sebastian’s balls and spread him to kiss his hole. His tongue was soft, movements careful and thorough but no less pleasurable than the times he’d devoured Sebastian in a frenzy.

James grabbed the lube and began to open Sebastian while he kissed his thighs and sucked his cock. When Sebastian was ready, James pressed his bare cock to his hole, and Sebastian trembled. James looked down at him with so much affection that Sebastian couldn’t breathe.

James pushed in. “Sweetheart,” he gasped as he filled Sebastian in one measured thrust.

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