https://youtu.be/_SOb_xlnpPQ

*This video is crap (it's the best quality acoustic I could find), sorry guys, but it's his voice that will paint the picture of this scene. This is how I imagine Seth's voice to sound when he sings to Talia. "Angel's Wings" by Social Distortion (Mike Ness singing) *fans herself at the raspy sexiness* 

Seth's voice echoed through my ears as I laid in his arms, his strong tattooed hands stroked through the fire red strands of my hair. His raspy voice, soothed my soul as the moonlight creeped into the dark room and spilled across the bed. Faint hints of the twinkling of the stars that shown bright in the night sky, spilled across Seth's face, radiating across his strong features like he had been kissed by angels.

As the words left his perfect lips, words that professed his love and desire to be a better man; words about marriage and a future, I melted. That raspy and seductive voice sang "Angel's Wings," by Social Distortion to me and all I could think about was this moment etched forever in my brain and the millions of moments that would follow; moments etched in time, moments of our future. 

"I don't care about what they say, 

I'm gonna marry you some day, 

Go ahead and wake up, it's a brand new day"

I looked up at Seth and saw everything I had ever wanted, all packaged into a neat box and wrapped up in my favorite colored bow. He had always been mine and I had always been his. It had taken me a long time to realize that everything I had ever wanted, had always been there, waiting patiently for me to get my head out of my ass and latch on to it. Seth would someday, hopefully soon, be my husband; then, he would be the father of my children. He would be everything that I had always dreamed of and much more; there was nothing that could tear us apart. No force was great enough that it could destroy the love that I felt in my soul for Seth Carter.

His hands lightly grazed down the side of my pink cheek, as I felt the fire brew underneath my skin. His simple touch, the feeling of his calloused fingertips running along my silky soft skin, sent electrical shockwaves through each nerve ending. Attached to those little electrical currents were feelings of desire, love, and pain at the thought of him withdrawing his touch from my skin. My skin craved him as much as my heart did. 

I felt his thumb graze over my bottom lip, like fine sandpaper pulling at the skin in a seductive, yet affectionate manner. My lip jutted down by his action, exposing my row of bottom teeth. I looked up into Seth's green pools and saw something that I had seen a thousand times from him, yet this time I didn't feel hesitant or afraid. I felt as if I could read his thoughts and feel every single thump of his racing heart. I felt as if, in that moment, I could feel his soul mold to mine, connecting us for eternity.

His forest green eyes flickered in the moonlight, the rays of faint white light caused the darker greens to slowly seep into the lighter portions, almost like a kaleidoscope would merge colors. At that moment, those eyes were the only eyes in the world. The only eyes that I ever wanted to gaze upon, the only eyes that I ever wanted comfort and understanding from. Seth inched his face closer to mine and I could smell the faint hint of mint, left behind by his spearmint flavored toothpaste. His breath was warm and sweet against my face, like the first breaths of summertime and the awaiting sweetness that would follow the anticipation of those sugary ice cold treats against your tongue. 

I closed my eyes briefly in anticipation and desire; desire for his strong lips to overtake mine and claim ownership of me. I felt their soft texture against mine and found that I was parting my lips to allow for his thick, firm tongue to enter. His kiss became passion, ignited with the flames of our soul, as our tongues wrapped around each other. I would never tire of kissing Seth. While Damian's kiss freed me in many ways, Seth's kisses grounded me and made me feel safe. While the feeling of being free might have appealed to me in more than one instance, I knew that I craved safety and assurance. I needed to feel grounded and secure, not constantly at conflict or unsure of tomorrow.

My hands made their way up into Seth's wavy strands, my fingertips wrapping and clutching around the silky soft strands that smelled similar to the orange scent of his body wash. I pulled his face in closer to mine, igniting more passion in our kiss, but keeping with the sensually slow nature of it. If that moment was a movie, it would be the part in slow motion; each touch, each movement, slow enough to be forever cemented into the memories of all that viewed it. It would be the one memory that you would forever be able to easily recall; each individual curling of the fingertips, each scrap, each flicker of emotion.

I felt his hands crawl up the insides of his oversized t-shirt and grip into the flesh of my porcelain skin. I could feel his hesitation to move forward; not because he didn't desire it, but because he was Seth, and if Seth was one thing, it was respectful. Instead of letting words dictate the nature of the moment, I simply reassured him that this was what I wanted, by clutching the waistband of his black fitted sweatpants and slowly pulling them down.

The feel of his soft tattooed skin underneath my fingertips was enthralling and I felt my hands become needy, trying to trace every muscular curve and every simple scar. I could spend my life exploring his skin, like a traveler mapping an uncharted ocean. I felt the t-shirt I was wearing come up over my head, causing my long hair to fan out across his pillow as it descended all around me.

"Fuck... You're beautiful..." his voice trailed off, as he just stared at me, similar to how someone would view a masterpiece of art. Studying each detail with their eyes, searching for the hidden meaning, the emotion, and appreciating its essence. It was like Seth was seeing me for the first time and I saw him gulp down the breath that was stuck in his throat. For a second, this wasn't the overly confident man that could easily have any woman throwing themselves at him. This man was nervous, worried about disappointment or afraid of rejection.

My hands raised to cup his face, stroking over his smooth skin, savoring the man in front of me; savoring my everything. 

"Kiss me, Seth."

His lips slammed against mine and his strong arms wrapped around my bare body, clutching me tightly against him. When he released me, I struggled to catch my breath. I felt like I was drowning in all things Seth, but for once in my life, the pit of sadness which threatened to bubble up and engulf my lungs was replaced by something foreign. It was replaced by Seth's love for me. In that single moment, I welcomed that feeling of drowning, hoping it would overtake me and carry me out into its darkest waters. I needed to feel the waves crash against my skin. I needed Seth to be the one to swim out and take hold of my hand, to wrap his arms around me, saving me from myself.

His kisses trailed down my exposed neck and down my chest, savoring every moment. The feel of his lips and tongue on my skin caused shivers of desire to crawl up my spine. This was really happening. I let out the breath trapped in my lungs as he looked up at me, seeking silent permission. The moonlight streaming through the window caught on the black stone of my promise ring and I felt something stir in the pit of my soul. The sigh that followed, told him everything he needed to know, as his hand fished in the bedside table and grabbed something that flashed like foil against the faint hint of light in the room. 

Every touch, every kiss, every single moment of slight pain, pleasure and most importantly love was a perfect conclusion to my night with Seth; but more importantly, it was the beginning of my life with him. He treated me like a precious package and handled me with care and the utmost affection. His chest heaved under the side of my face, as he tried to catch his breath, his hands stroking down the side of my face.

I nestled further into his chest and he softly kissed me on the forehead as I felt my eyelids slowly get heavy, pushing me into the throws of blackness and calm. For once, I didn't fear the darkness that followed sleep. I welcomed every moment that would follow my dreams.

Since her death, I welcomed what tomorrow would bring.

............................

The sunlight broke through the panes of the window and spilled down onto my face, their warm rays intermingling with the chill in the air. I felt my eyelids flutter open and my hands traced the area beside me; the area that was empty. For a split second, I wondered if I had dreamed what had happened between Seth and I, but then a smile crept across my lips as I looked at his pillow. A singular small piece of paper sat in the middle of it, a quickly scrawled pen drawing of a boy blowing kisses to a girl graced the whiteness of the surface.

My fingers ran over the surface of his navy blue colored pillow, bringing it to my chest and inhaling it. His scent lingered through the air around me, like a security blanket. I didn't want to leave that moment, but I couldn't lay there forever, much to my dislike. I grabbed a pair of charcoal fitted joggers from my duffle bag and a clean white, Black Flag t-shirt, with the 4 large black bar logo on it and threw it on. I ran my fingers through my ratty hair, successfully untangling it, trying to give off the impression that I didn't have major bed head. 

I headed down the steps to the downstairs, the smells of french toast instantly invaded my nostrils and caused me to salivate slightly. My stomach growled in agreement and for a second, I giggled when I heard the loud rumbling sounds. I headed into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks when my eyes landed on Seth, who was sitting bare chested on one of the barstools, only in his fitted black sweatpants, a blue mug of coffee on the counter in front of him. As if he could sense my presence, he looked over at me and his eyes sparkled as he smiled that perfectly straight, white smile, which instantly called forth his long dimples.

God, I loved that guy. 

Miriam was busy at the stove, but when she looked over at me, she grinned in a way which had me instantly knowing that she was aware of what had transpired in the early morning hours between Seth and I. When I looked over at Seth, he just shrugged and I knew that he had more than likely been very honest with his mom about us. Seth didn't keep secrets from his parents out of respect and while she would probably be upset that we had broken the 18-pact, Seth wouldn't have kept it from her. He valued people too much to lie to them. He used to proclaim that lies only tarnished hearts, coating them in a thin layer of filthy deceit, no matter how innocent the lie was. 

He patted the barstool next to him, as he slid a large glass of juice in front of it. When I sat down, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me slightly into him and whispered, "Sorry babe, she heard you on the way to the bathroom. I had to tell her."

I just nodded at him, a crimson blush coated my cheeks; however, not hurt in the slightest that he had been honest about us with his parents. Eventually, we would have to tell them about the engagement and part of me felt like it was the right time to do so, especially on the heels of the revelation that we had slept together and Seth had taken my virginity.

"Seth, I think we should just tell them about the whole thing," I whispered and for a second he looked slightly lost in thought, but then he nodded, another sharp and face consuming smile formed on his face.

"Mom... Um... So, there was something we wanted to talk to you about."

Miriam turned around from the stove, after plating a heaping pile of french toast on a ceramic platter. She set it down in front of us on the island and quietly placed her hands on the counter and leaned in, ready for anything. Her black hair was pinned up in a tight bun, her fierce emerald eyes almost pierced through the bubble that Seth and I were consumed in; the post amazing night bubble that had formed around us. While Miriam had the typical mom stare, there was always warmth that lay beneath any sternness or anger. Today, her demeanor was almost unreadable and I worried that she was disappointed in us, especially since we had violated her no sex till Talia's 18 rule.

"Oh, come on Seth, stop beating around the bush. It can't be more dramatic than getting up at 2AM to void my bladder and hearing a mini porno taking place under my roof. Spill it, Casanova!" she wiggled a finger in his direction, but a corky smile followed and I found myself releasing the fearful breath that I was clutching to.

"I don't know about that-" He was interrupted by Miriam interjecting, "Oh dear God, please tell me this was the first time. I'm not sure I can handle something like news of a baby. At least wait another year before I have to adjust to being called Grams, Nana, Gigi, or Nonna. I would prefer the new hot boy at the bank, to still think I've got a few more years of desire under my belt, before I waltz in with a grand baby!" She chuckled as Tim walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Oh sweetness, you're going to give poor Marcus, at the bank, a heart attack one of these days. You tease!" he playfully scolded her as she handed him an empty plate and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Stay, Tim. Your son has something he needs us to know, so put off the Saturday morning cartoon marathon for a second."

They both stared in our direction and I looked over at Seth, who all of a sudden was beyond nervous, but he opened his mouth and spoke, "Alright, well, as you know. the 18-pact is dead in the water, but don't worry, last night was the first time. It was unplanned, but I promise we were safe."

Miriam waved her hands for Seth to move along in his story, because most of this was already known based on his confession that he had told her already. Seth continued, "Talia found the CD, she heard the song ahead of plan."

Miriam's eyes lit up and an eye to eye smile formed as she clutched onto Tim, who looked equally as pleased with the information. Miriam ran over and snatched us both in her arms, cradling us and softly crying tears of joy. She planted a huge kiss on Seth's cheek and then released him from her grip and wrapped me in a firm hug, while she whispered, "Your mom would be so happy, honey. She wanted this more than anything someday. She wanted you happy and Seth is clearly the best guy for your happiness, but I might be a little biased."

"I love you guys," was my only response. The Carters were my family. They had been there for me at every turn, no hesitation and knowing that they would forever be my family made everything feel complete.

"What the hell is going on, besides the sex marathon that I heard from my room," Kimmy's sleepy voice pierced the joy that filled the room. She rubbed her eyes and tried to smooth out the rat's nest that was an excuse for her hair, without success. She just winked in my direction and all I could manage was to turn a bright tomato red. She plopped down on the empty barstool next to me and bumped me with her shoulder.

"Your brother and Talia are going to get married," Miriam turned back to the stove and finished off the last bits of breakfast that were cooking in a pan nearby. She stirred the eggs that she placed in the hot pan with a spatula, ensuring that they were fluffy and didn't dry out while cooking.

Kimmy squealed as she wrapped her arm around me and pulled me close, "About damn time!" That was all that needed saying, because I guess everyone saw it before I did. They saw that I was meant to be with Seth, so I guess it was.

It was about damn time.

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A/N: Hey Guys!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please don't forget to comment and vote. Your interactions mean a lot to me. 

So the big moment happens between Seth and Talia. For those wondering, I'm not sure yet if I will post a full mature chapter separately. I will if I find that people really want it. It's not my intention to up the rating on this book, so it won't be done here (you all got the beauty of the moment in what I wrote here, so yeah)

Now that they've had this big moment, will it be harder for Talia to go home and see the Reevers again? Thought?

<3 Amina