The CEO’ s second choice novel Chapter 31

　　Elena

　　I woke up the following morning in Sebastian’s arms and couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. Sebastian was holding me tightly to his chest, his breathing calm and laboured. Last night I had given myself to him completely and without judgement, and I did not regret it one bit.

　　I peered up at him as he slept and my heart felt full; how did I fight what I was feeling up until now? Why did I not just admit it to myself? I snuggle closer into his embrace and breathe out a sigh; then I feel a sudden pressure in my abdomen and know I needed the loo. And I needed it badly.

　　Lifting his arm from my waist, I swung my legs around the bed but did not expect the sudden pain to shoot up from my nether regions.

　　“Ow!” I cried out as my feet hit the floor and Sebastian immediately sat up in bed, a look of concern crossing his face. “Elena?” he asks, regarding me with worry. I turn around and shake my head. “It’s nothing, love. I just didn’t expect the after-effects of our tryst last night.” I tell him, as a blush sweeps across my cheeks.

　　Gosh, last night will forever be imprinted in my memory.

　　“I’m sorry, Elena. I-”

　　“No, don’t you dare apologise. I gave my body willingly, Sebastian.” I interject his apology, wanting to hear nothing of it. He chuckles, a deep throaty chuckle still laced with sleep, and I find myself falling even harder. Gosh, my husband was gorgeous.

　　“Yes, Ma’am,” he starts, “can I at least get you an Advil?”

　　I frown at this and shake my head, “No, it would probably just knock me out until tomorrow and I wish to savour every feeling, even if it is this uncomfortable burning.” I say truthfully and see the smile that lit up his face.

　　Then he pulls me back towards him on the bed and kisses my forehead. “I am thankful for choosing the wrong twin first,” he says and I look at him in confusion, but he just smiles at me. “Because I know now that I was always meant to be with you, it was always you, Elena, and that won’t ever change.”

　　This causes me to smile and I lean in and kiss him, “You have a way with words, Mr Dumont,” I say and lay my head back down on his chest. He lifts his arm and strokes my hair and it occurs to me that I had never felt as content as I did now while laying in Sebastian’s arms. It took me almost four months, but I let go of my fear and jumped; he was always at the bottom to catch me.

　　A shrill ringing cut through our moment, and I realised it was Sebastian’s phone. Oh, shoot! It was a working day for him!

　　He sighs and gets out of bed and I marvel at his pert butt, feeling a blush burning my cheeks as I stare. “It’s all yours, petite pâquerette,” He says as he feels my eyes on him and I immediately cover my head with the comforter. Sebastian chuckles then answers his phone, “Dumont,” and I took this as my cue to go to the loo.

　　I enter the bathroom with a big smile as I remember our shared bath last night. It was such a normal thing to do but felt so intimate. He bathed me gently, washing every inch of my body as I protested, but he stood firm and told me to stop being a brat.

　　Ugh, that man.

　　After our bath, Sebastian removed the blood-stained covers, and I helped him put on clean sheets before we laid down to sleep. The both of us passed out soon after; tuckered out from our lovemaking and shared emotions. He was so gentle with me, right from the kiss at the foot of my bed to the actual deed. He only had my comfort in mind, and it made my heart swell even more.

　　As soon as I was done, I headed to have a refreshing shower to wake up. The area between my legs was still a bit tender, so I tried not to be as rough there. While lathering up my hair with shampoo, I feel Sebastian’s arms around my waist and lips at my neck.

　　“You truly are beautiful,” he says as he plants kisses in my neck and I feel it slither all the way down to my core. I give a light moan. “Hm, you better remove any impure thought from your mind, Sebastian. I am in no way ready for round two!” I say as I rinse off my hair.

　　He chuckles. “As much as I would love to bury myself completely inside you, I know better than to do that now, love. We will wait until you are ready.” He says, and this makes me smile. How did I not see this side of him before? Was I so blind by my ambition that I almost missed the best thing that was mine?

　　“Thank you,” I tell him and he spins me around before his lips are on mine and we share an intense kiss. No one has ever kissed me the way he kisses me, where I am swept off my feet and feel worshipped like a Goddess. Sebastian’s kisses did that to me.

　　He breaks off the kiss and draws his forehead to mine. “Hm, you have made me the happiest man alive, Elena.” He says, then opens his eyes to look at me; what lay behind them was nothing but love.

　　This was the man I met at the masquerade ball, the man I had an instant connection with and who actually listened to my opinions on things. The man I had fallen in love with at our first kiss.

　　Speechless and smiling, I grab my loofah and lather it up before I proceed to wash him as he did me last night. There were no protests from him, as there was with me. He just took it with a content expression on his face. Gosh, had my rejection of him really played with his emotions that much?

　　I started to rinse him underneath the flowing water. “Was the call work-related?” I ask him suddenly, and I peer up at him. He nods, “It was Sarah. The Somersett's wish to have another meeting this morning to discuss the merger.”

　　Ah, two names I did not wish to hear while naked with my husband; Sarah and The Somersetts.

　　My lips were a thin line as I nod, then I remembered the line Elijah had uttered: “I am needed in a meeting I do not wish to attend, with people I have no intention of doing business with.”

　　“You know Elijah has no intention of doing business with you, right? He sort of said it in passing before he knew who I was.” I tell him as I recall the conversation, but all he does is shrug. “I have no intention of having him anywhere near my company, but this merger with him and my offshoot company would be profitable on both sides.” He says, bored with the conversation already.

　　I frown. “You’re a billionaire already, Sebastian. What could you possibly need with more money?” I ask him. He had enough money to live happily on, yet he probably made millions daily.

　　But Sebastian only chuckles, “The wealthy stay wealthy through hard work, Elena. For every billion I make, I donate 100 million, so I’m not just working for myself.” He says, and I am blown away at this. Sebastian was a philanthropist?

　　“I never knew that! And how often do you reach 1 billion?”

　　“Daily.”

　　My eyes widened at this. Oh my gosh! Maybe he wasn’t the cold-hearted man I had initially thought he was. Sebastian had a heart of gold hidden under the billionaire playboy disguise, one I never even knew about.

　　I wrap my arms around him and silently wonder if this was what pure joy felt like.