Page 89 of Time After Time
I allowed Sebastian to position his hips higher, planting the soles of his feet on the sand and pushing my naked, sweaty chest against his as he started thrusting upwards. Wet sounds quickly filled the space around us, while our moans were silenced by the connection of our mouths, each of us reluctant to be apart.
Our hands clung desperately to every inch of skin they could reach, as if the very touch might slip away. Lips glided against each other, tongues tangled in a fevered dance, and teeth gently grazed, igniting every nerve. The heat between us was overwhelming, a fire that neither of us could control. Before either of us could anticipate it, we both reached our peaks, a sharp, exhilarating release that left us gasping.
It might have been a little embarrassing, our hands gripping each other as if afraid of being torn apart, but it was more than enough. It was everything, and it was absolutely breathtaking.
The feel of bare Sebastian inside of me had been even better than I’d imagined. The way his body fit with mine, the way he moved—it was as if nothing else mattered. When he released inside of me, my vision turned white, a blinding intensity. My eyes nearly rolled back, and my head fell to rest beside his, my lips brushing against his skin as if savouring every last moment.
Our breaths came in harsh, rapid bursts, the air thick with the scent of sweat and desire. We stayed locked in the same position, as if neither of us could bear to let go. My chest heaved against his, and I could feel the frantic pounding of his heart against mine. “I missed you,” he whispered, his voice raw, barely above a breath. “I never want to be apart again.”
“I love you, Sebastian.” I couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for us. I couldn’t wait to be able to go to sleep having him by my side and wake up in the morning with him still being there.
I had once been terrified of time, yet it was time itself that had woven our lives together.
His lips brushed my neck, planting a kiss as he held me closer. “Time after time, I would choose you and love you, Geneviève St. James.”
At that moment in time, I was certain that all the choices I had made were the right ones.
Extended Epilogue
Geneviève
6 years later…
The sky was one of the most striking sights I’d ever seen. It was a deep, fiery orange, so intense it almost bled into brown in some spots. Below, the sea stretched out, calm and mirroring every shade of the sky like glass. The sun, a molten orb, dipped slowly toward the horizon. As it sank, the light softened, fading into a gentler glow.
Once the warmth slipped away, a cool breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver slightly and tug at the buttons of my white shirt, pulling it tighter around my body. I felt reluctant to let go of the last of the day’s heat.
My left hand dropped to my side, fingers curling around the coffee cup and bringing it closer to my face. I closed my eyes for a moment, the heat from the ceramic leaching into my skin, creeping up my arms. It lasted just long enough to make me pause before a shiver ran down my spine.
I brought the cup to my lips, the steam rising in a swirl. The sweet scent of caramel coffee pulled me in, and I took a quick sip, not thinking, which I regretted as the heat shocked my tongue. I winced, eyes shutting tight.
When I opened them again, the sting was gone, and arms wrapped around my waist from behind. A smile tugged at my lips as I leaned back, sinking even further intohim.
His embrace anchored me, and for a moment, I almost forgot how to stand. The solid press of his body against mine had a way of quieting everything—settling my mind, and soothing the noise that had been there just moments before. Without him holding me, I might’ve just melted into nothing.
“Did you sleep well?” I asked, my voice still a little rough from sleep. In my defence, I’d been up late last night—drowning in work, making sure every detail of the wedding was perfect. Of course, I would have loved to linger in bed a little longer, wrapped in the soft sheets, even knowing I’d be wide awake with nerves. But I could have stayed there, with the heat of his shirtless body beside me, pulling me in as the morning light crept through the window.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” he whispered, his fingers sliding the fabric of my shirt aside as his arms wrapped around my waist again, pulling me in, skin against skin. “Waking up with you, falling asleep beside you, coming home to you.” His voice trailed off, and I felt the heat of his breath against my neck. His lips brushed against my skin in a way that left me acutely aware of every brush of his lips, every press of his teeth. “This view… the view of you.”
After seven years of being together, and with Sebastian always reminding me that we’d known since childhood we were meant to be, I still couldn’t quite believe it. And I could tell he felt the same way. Sometimes, I’d catch him looking at me, as if he was trying to capture every little detail—afraid that if he blinked, it would all disappear. I felt that way too. How could something so real, so perfect, ever be anything but exactly what it seemed?
I set my coffee down on the small white wooden table beside the vase of pink flowers we’d placed on the balcony of our apartment. Turning in his arms, I allowed my arms to trail up until they wrapped around his neck, letting the evening breeze swirl around us.
I nearly laughed as I took in the sight of his face, still marked by the imprints of our lazy afternoon nap. His hair was a wild mess of golden curls, each one pointing in a different direction, with a single eyelash resting on his left cheek. I tiptoed closer, gently blowing it away, and his lips lifted. It started at the edges of his mouth, barely noticeable at first, then deepened as his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.
My hands traced the familiar path from the back of his neck to his shoulders, my eyes drifting to his arms. It was a habit now—reminding myself how far he’d come, how strong he was. The challenges he faced after the accident were part of who he was, but they didn’t hold him back. Physical therapy had been an important part of his journey, and while it still played a role in managing the aftereffects, he had learned to adapt, finding a balance between pushing his limits and listening to his body.
“I hope you aren’t thinking of work right now.”
After I got my event planning certification, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. An online business seemed like the right move, but I also understood the importance of face-to-face connections. Trust was everything, especially when it came to planning a wedding. Clients needed to feel like I wasn’t just capable of executing their ideas, but that I genuinely cared about making their day as perfect as they imagined.
The first two years had been tough. I’d only managed to book one wedding and had to take on other types of events just to make ends meet. There were moments when I thought about giving up, even though I knew deep down I wouldn’t. What set me apart from those with years of experience? Sebastian spentcountless days and nights reassuring me, reminding me that no one could create what I could—and that, sooner or later, it would lead me to the right people.
One afternoon, just when I had nearly given up on things turning around, a couple walked into Robert’s diner. They were vacationing in Golden Sands, and as they chatted about their trip, the bride mentioned how perfect it would be to get married here. Robert overheard them, and, without missing a beat, recommended me.
To my surprise, the bride was a social media influencer. She loved every detail of her wedding, from the ceremony to the reception, and shared it all with her followers. The post went viral, and before I knew it, our inbox was flooded with inquiries.
That day was unforgettable.
