The front had three steps leading up to a small porch. There were no windows on the walls, just a door surrounded by weatherboards. The house he’d chosen was pink, and I wondered if that was a tribute to the hair color that had brought us together.
Asher didn’t let me down, holding me with ease as he opened the door and stepped us into the dark interior. It was quite the contrast to the eternally bright and warm world outside the door, and I wondered if the lack of windows was so you could actually sleep.
I was a little disappointed that we’d be cut off from the ocean though. Just seeing it there was soothing for me, but at least I knew it was close. I could still smell that briny freshness in the air.
Lights flared, and since Asher hadn’t moved to touch a switch, I was guessing it was magic illuminating the inside. I gasped and wiggled to get down. With a laugh, Asher let me drop to the ground.
“It’s amazing,” I said, running to look around. There was one bedroom with an attached bathroom, a living room, and a gorgeous open-plan kitchen. Everything was painted in white, cream, and soothing grays, a stark contrast to the bright exteriors.
“It’s so … homey,” I said, surprised.
Asher nodded. “And you haven’t even seen the best part yet.”
That definitely piqued my interest.
I watched as he crossed back to the front door and placed his hand against a small panel there that I hadn’t noticed. It flared red, and then a moment later turned green. I stilled at the whirring sound that followed, my eyes widening even further as the walls started to lift up.
Like, literally lift.
Within two minutes, every wall in the house had risen, allowing sunlight and the ocean breeze in. Like a tent with the canopies open.
Joy danced through me at this integration of indoors and outdoors. Now it was perfect. No matter what room I was in, I could see the ocean, as the hut had been designed to capture that view from all angles.
Dashing into the bedroom, I jumped on the bed and sprawled back against the pillows. Hands behind my head, I relaxed deep into the cushion and watched the water splash out there. If it wasn’t so bright, I could imagine sleeping like this for days.
“No wonder this is used as a prize,” I said to Asher as he dropped down beside me. “This is … incredible.”
His chuckle was low and husky, and suddenly I was very aware of the bed and the privacy and the sexy, sexy Atlantean beside me. Rolling to my side, I focused on the only thing here more captivating than the ocean. Asher.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, those hypnotic eyes caressing across my face.
“Just wondering how the heck I ended up here. Twelve months ago I was in a dirty bathroom, dyeing my hair pink, all the while trying to figure out what to do next with my life. Today…” I spread a hand to sweep across the view. “Today I’m here. At the ocean. With … you.”
As I dropped my hand, he moved forward and kissed me with enough force that my toes curled and my stomach filled with swirls of butterflies and arousal. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, and I let out a soft breath as his firm grip ran across my back and down to my ass. His touch sparked tingles across my body. As he gripped the bottom of my dress, pulling it up so that he could scrape his fingertips across bare skin, I felt like I was actually going to combust.
“You’re so damned sexy,” he practically growled against my lips. “Seriously, Maddi, you’re all the fuck I can think about.”
No complaints here. I’d always hoped that if I ever fell in love, they’d be equally as obsessed with me. I never wanted what my adoptive mother had—meaningless and sometimes violent relationships that did nothing except strip her of soul and heart and dignity. I wanted someone who made me feel everything and never used those feelings against me.
When you loved someone, they had a certain amount of control over you. A scary concept when you truly thought about it, especially when it was someone who didn’t deserve or cherish that gift.
Asher had never made me feel like that.
Leaning back, I yanked at his shirt, managing to pull it up over the rigid muscle it covered. Asher was built like a god: tall, broad shoulders, slim hips, and thick muscles that I’d compare to those of an elite athlete. You know, if he were human.
When my hands were finally on all of that bronze skin, I bit my lip to stop the groan of appreciation from emerging.By the holy fucking gods.
My lips descended; I pressed them to his chest, right above his heart. I could feel it beating under my touch, slow and steady at first, but as I touched him more, the pace picked up.
I affected Asher, and it was the best fucking feeling ever.
He allowed me to touch and explore for longer than usual. “It’s your birthday,” he joked when I laughed about his need to control. “It’s all about you.”
My dress was long gone. I wore only a barely-there lace bra and a thong. Asher’s hands traced across my skin, and before I could catch my breath, he flipped me over so I was on my stomach.
When I tried to turn back to look at it, his firm hand on my back stopped me from moving.
“Trust me,” he said.
