“Tell me if—” he starts, voice husky.
I shake my head. “I want this,” I whisper, reaching for his belt. My fingers fumble as I tug it free, the clink of the buckle snapping.
Asher growls low in his throat, pulling me in for another fierce kiss. The taste of him is intoxicating—coffee and something purely masculine. My heart hammers wildly when he undoes my pants, sliding them down until I can kick them off.
I’m aching, every nerve aflame, as he settles between my thighs. His cock strains against his underwear, thick and insistent. I bite my lip at the sight, a rush of heat flooding me. He tugs off the last of his clothes, and for a moment, we just look ateach other—me perched on the counter, him standing there, tall, powerful. His erection proof of just how badly he wants this.
Slowly, he runs his palm up the inside of my thigh, his gaze never leaving mine. I part my legs for him, pulse roaring in my ears, and the moment he touches my center, a gasp tears from my throat. My fingers dig into his shoulders, urging him closer.
“Please,” I manage, voice trembling.
He answers me by leaning in, capturing one of my breasts in his mouth, sucking gently. I moan, bracing my hands on the countertop behind me for support. Electricity zips down my spine as his tongue teases my nipple, and I feel his cock press against my entrance.
“Damn,” he mutters, lifting his head. “You’re so wet.”
There’s no space for embarrassment. Only need. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him in. He grips my ass, lifting me slightly so he can line himself up. His first push steals my breath, and we both groan at the stretch, at the sensation of him sliding inside me.
He gives a quick thrust, burying himself fully, and I cry out, clinging to him. Pleasure washes over me in waves, each one more intense than the last. Asher braces one hand on the counter beside me, the other on my hip, guiding me as he starts to move, each stroke slow and deliberate.
I can’t form words, only moans that he swallows with a deep kiss. My back digs into the counter as his cock, his cock pumps in and out of me, my breasts bouncing with every thrust. He leans down, capturing one nipple between his lips again, and the sensation of his mouth on my breast while he’s buried deep inside me nearly undoes me.
“God, Mia,” he groans, voice thick with desire. His pace picks up, his grip shifting to my thigh to angle me better for each thrust. “You feel—fuck.”
The friction grows, heat building at the base of my spine. My head falls back, eyes sliding shut. I’m vaguely aware of the sounds we’re making—our ragged breathing, my whimpers, the slap of skin on skin. He’s so big, so powerful, and yet, I’ve never felt safer.
The knot of pleasure coils tighter and tighter until it snaps, and I jerk against him, a strangled cry escaping as I clench around his cock. He moans my name through gritted teeth, hips faltering as he finds his own release, buried so deep I can practically feel his heartbeat inside me.
We stay like that for what feels like forever—his forehead on my shoulder, my legs still wrapped around him. Our chests rise and fall in staggered unison, hearts hammering. Slowly, he lifts his head, brushing sweaty strands of my hair out of my face, his gaze searching mine.
I open my mouth, not sure what I’m about to say, but he kisses me again. Softer this time, full of a tenderness that sends warmth flooding back into me.
Asher zips up his jeans and puts his shirt back on, his movements slow and almost hesitant. I tug my shirt back over my head, my body still thrumming in the aftermath. The kitchen is quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and our unsteady breaths.
I don’t know what to say. What this means.
I glance at him, and he’s already looking at me, something raw and unguarded in his expression. Then he exhales, raking a hand through his hair before letting it drop to his side.
“I love you, Mia.”
The words land like a shockwave. My fingers freeze on the hem of my shirt, and my breath catches.
“What?”
His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t take it back. “I love you,” he repeats, more certain this time. “I don’t know when it happened.Maybe from the moment you told me I wasn’t as charming as I thought. Maybe when I saw you fighting for your girls like nothing else in the world mattered. Or maybe it was when I realized I didn’t want to leave.”
My stomach twists painfully. “But you are leaving.”
His throat works as he swallows. “Yeah.” His voice is thick, strained. “But that doesn’t change what I feel.”
I stare at him, my heart hammering. I don’t know what I expected tonight, but it wasn’t this.
“Asher…” I start, but I don’t even know how to finish the sentence.
He shakes his head. “You don’t have to say anything.” His mouth twitches into something that isn’t quite a smile. “I just needed you to know.”
Before I can say anything, the soft patter of little feet reaches us. I turn just as Emma appears in the doorway, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“Princess,” I say, forcing my voice to stay calm. “Why aren’t you in bed?”
