His arms were there, strong and sure, keeping me up as I sobbed against his chest. “I’m so sorry,” I choked out. “Fuck. I made so many mistakes. You should hate me.”
Those strong arms holding me tightened, pulling me closer, cradling me against him. “Stop,” he rumbled against my cheek. “Stop apologizing. You have nothing to be sorry for. There’s literally not a thing on any world that could make me hate you. Smack that perfect ass? Totally. But never hate.” He breathed deeply, eyes closed as he buried his head in my neck. “Just … let me fucking hold you.”
Moisture landed on my skin, and I couldn’t be sure, but maybe Asher shed a tear in that moment too. Not that I could tell when he finally pulled back, his face picture perfect.
Lurching forward, I slammed my lips against his, needing this more than anything in the world. I groaned as that fresh air, salty scent of him invaded my senses, filling me with a completeness I hadn’t felt in a very long time. Maybe now wasn’t the best time, but I’d missed my mate, everything about him. And I was done mourning. It was time to start living again.
Asher’s chest rumbled against me, a growl leaving his lips as he yanked me hard into his chest. My body pressed against his was the best feeling ever, and when he picked me up, I twined my legs around his waist.
His clothes vanished in the next heartbeat and we were naked, the long hard length of him pressed to my stomach, and I rocked forward, needing to feel more. We reached the water and Asher plunged us into the depths, allowing more of my tattered soul to repair.
Piece by piece, he was bringing me back to myself.
“Now, Ash,” I said breathlessly, water all around us. “I need you to love me now.”
He slid inside in one hard thrust, jerking my body back with the force. My nails dug into his shoulders as I held on, keeping myself anchored as best I could as he slammed into me over and over and over again. The first orgasm hit hard and fast, my body desperate for the release; the second started to build immediately.
Asher lifted me so he could take a nipple into his mouth, all the while continuing to possess my body in a way that was designed to kill a person with pleasure. It was a little rough and desperate, out of control … and totally perfect.
I screamed as the second spiral of pleasure sent stars across my vision, turning the water into a jacuzzi. My power poured heat, as did Asher’s, and we would have to finish this soon or we’d start killing our beloved sea creatures, most of whom were thankfully making themselves scarce right now.
I could feel when Asher was close, his dick swelling until it was almost painful. He was big at the best of times, but just before he came it was scary big. “Let me finish you off,” I said, scraping my nails down his chest, before cupping his balls in my hands. I could only just reach them in his position, and I honestly needed more.
His eyes darkened, teeth bared as he nodded.
My body protested when I slid off, but she soon shut up as I lowered myself in the water, wrapping a hand around him. His shaft was too wide for me to close my fingers, but that was okay, my mouth was the most important part today.
With one hand cupping his balls, the other wrapped around the base, my tongue and lips worked his knob. His taste was intoxicating, and since I didn’t have to breathe, I got to enjoy the full experience, taking him as deep as I could, licking across him over and over. He groaned, palming the back of my head as I worked his cock.
“I’m gonna come, baby,” he groaned again.
He was warning me, but he didn’t have to. I liked the taste of him, and I wanted it all. My pace increased and he threw his head back, jerking in my mouth once, twice, and again. I swallowed, loving the taste and the knowledge I’d pleasured him like this. It was a pretty big turn on.
When he was finished, and I’d licked him clean, he yanked me up into his chest, lips crashing into mine. “I fucking love you,” he murmured against my mouth.
“I love you too,” I whispered back, my head spinning at how strong my emotions were.
We kissed for a long time, before Asher carried me back to the sand and this time loved me slowly, bringing my body to the edge of orgasm with his tongue until I lost control and used my power to slam him back into the sand so I could climb on top and ride him.
Turned out my newly created island was the perfect place for us to spend multiple days and nights loving each other. It was only the thought that I had other people to see, to explain myself to, that stopped me from hiding there with Asher forever.
“We don’t have to go back,” he said, when I was lying in his arms a few days later. There was a peace in my heart now. I’d come to terms with everything that had happened during the battle against the gods, and I had forgiven myself.
Somewhat.
Asher’s unconditional love and support made it difficult to continue to place all the blame on myself. And Connor was happy. So that was something.
“You don’t owe anyone anything,” he said. “You risked everything to save the world. You were going to sacrifice yourself and stay in the lava.”
I about pulled a muscle turning my head to see him. “How did you know that?” I asked, wide-eyed.
“Connor.”
He’d talked about my brother a lot, but it still hurt to hear his name. “He remembered that?”
Asher nodded. “Yeah, when I got to him, he’d only just arrived from the processing in the underworld. He still had his memories. They were fading fast though, so I got as much of the story as I could, and then let him have his peace.”
Playing with the sand, letting it fall between my fingers, I turned back to stare at the moon. “Does he have a family there? He is truly at peace…”
