When we finally part, both breathing heavily, I rest my forehead against hers. “Wow,” I murmur.
Ana laughs softly, the sound sending ripples through the water. “Yeah. Wow.”
It hits me with the force of a sledgehammer. I’ve never been here before. I’m a rock star. I’ve had plenty of women. I’ve flirted and fucked my way across the free world with a side trip to Russia just to say I’ve been there.
I’ve never fallen before. Not for supermodels. Not for women who could use their tongue to tie a cherry stem into a knot.
But here I am in a moonlit forest with a classical flutist, the formerly prim and proper Anastasia Ashcroft, and I’m feeling all the feels I’ve written about in my sappiest love songs. I’d wait a year to have sex with her—if she asked.
I think this is the real thing—the thing I’ve been avoiding since my dad walked out on me and Mom when I was ten.
And God help me, I think I’m ready for it.
Chapter Fifteen
Anastasia
The cool water laps at my skin as I float beside Nyxx, our fingers intertwined beneath the surface. My lips tingle as I can’t tear my thoughts from the kiss we shared earlier. My heart races with exhilaration… anticipation. The moonlight casts a soft glow on Nyxx’s face, highlighting the sharp planes of his cheekbones and the intensity of his mismatched eyes.
My mind whirls with the events of the past few days. Just a few days ago, I impulsively invited this man—this virtual stranger—to share my bed. The memory of my boldness still shocks me. Who was that woman? Certainly not the Anastasia Ashcroft I’ve known all my life.
And yet…
Here I am, naked in a creek with the same man, contemplating taking things even further. This would have scandalized the old Ana. She would be horrified at the very thought. But the Ana I’m becoming? She’s thrilled. Excited. Ready.
“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” Nyxx’s voice is soft, curious.
I turn to face him, treading water. “I’m thinking about how much has changed. How much I’ve changed since I met you.”
His thumb traces circles on my palm underwater. “Good changes?”
“Unexpected ones,” I admit. “But yes, good. Very good.”
Looking at Nyxx, I’m struck by how much I’ve come to trust him in such a short time. He’s pushed me, challenged me, but always with my best interests at heart. He’s seen parts of me I’ve kept hidden for years, and he hasn’t run away. Instead, he’s embraced every new facet of my personality with enthusiasm and genuine affection.
I think back to all the decisions I made these past two days—performing impromptu in the town square, rearranging the cottage, and now this midnight swim. Each “yes” has been a step away from my old, rigid self and towards someone new. Someone freer. Someone I like much better.
And now, faced with the sparks flying between us, the attraction that’s been simmering since that first night, I find myself wanting to say yes again. Not out of impulsiveness or rebellion,but because it feels right. Because I want this. Because I want him.
“Nyxx.” My voice barely makes it past my throat. “I trust you. And I like you more than I probably should.”
His gaze softens, a slow grin tugging at one corner of his mouth. “Yeah? Good. Because I’m way past ‘like,’ and it’s scaring the hell out of me.”
He’s treading water now, facing me head-on, moonlight sliding down his shoulders.
“I know this looks fast,” I say, “but it doesn’tfeelfast. Not after everything today. I’ve been running my whole life—chasing approval, perfection—and for once, this doesn’t feel like running. It feels… right.”
Nyxx’s hand finds my cheek, his thumb tracing slow circles on my skin. The shiver that rolls through me has nothing to do with the cold water.
“You sure, Ana?” he murmurs. “We don’t have to rush it.”
“I’m sure.” The words come steadier than I expect. “I want this. I wantyou.”
For a moment, Nyxx just looks at me, moonlight catching in his eyes. There’s a question there, a flicker of hunger reined in by restraint. Then, slowly, he leans in.
The kiss is deeper this time—slow burn instead of spark. It’s not about need; it’s about recognition, about everything that’s shifted between us. His hand slides to the back of my neck, anchoring me while the world spins away.
When we finally break apart, breathless, he rests his forehead against mine. “You continue to amaze me, Ana Ashcroft,” he murmurs against my skin.
