Chapter 43
Astrid
He wasn't supposed to be here for another week. Seven more days—I’d counted them on my way home.
Now that I saw him, every part of me wanted to run straight into his arms, but my pride held me back. Again . He hadn't called even once since our abrupt, ten-second conversation.
I turned toward my door, refusing to look his way. If he was really watching, he'd see exactly how deeply he'd hurt me.
Three steps forward, and he matched each one right behind me. My fingers trembled as I clicked the lock. He waited silently, his warmth brushing the back of my neck. When the door opened, I stepped inside, fighting the urge to shut him out, but his foot was already through, demanding his place.
His restraint vanished the moment we were inside. He locked the door, stepping close enough to press his chest against my back. His arms came around my waist, keeping me exactly where he wanted me—no chance of escape.
“Let me go.” My voice came out icy.
“Look at me.” His voice was calm, melting right through my defenses.
“You left without even looking back at me.” If he wanted to demand that I look at him now, I'd remind him exactly how it felt when he didn't.
He turned me in his arms, forcing me to face him. His eyes moved slowly over my face, like they needed to memorize every detail. I stubbornly looked away, but he caught my chin, tilting it back toward him, gently. Firmly. “What did I say before?”
I hate when you look away from me.
“You got what you wanted. I looked. Now just go.” His skin had turned a shade darker—probably from working too close to the volcano, and that tiny difference irritated me, because I liked it too much.
“Curb your anger, sweetheart.” He caught my wrist, thumb rubbing over my pulse there.
“You think I was angry for no reason?” I snapped. “Ten seconds. That’s all I was worth to you?”
He drew in a tight breath, regaining control. “Astrid, listen to me—”
“No, you listen,” I cut him off sharply.
“I called you multiple times, and every single call went straight to voicemail. You called me once—for what, ten seconds? And you didn’t even bother trying again.
All those promises about calling me were just talk.
” My eyes met his, vulnerable. “Tell me, did you even miss me at all?”
His expression darkened. “ Did I even miss you? ” he repeated, voice rough.
“I’ve thought about you every single day.
Counted down every damn hour. Worked like a madman just to get back to you a week early.
” His eyes burned into me. “If you still don’t believe me…
I’ll show you. Every inch of how much I’ve missed you. ”
His mouth crashed onto mine—rough, hungry, possessive, stealing every bit of air from my lungs.
He backed me up until my back hit the wall, the chill sending goosebumps under my shirt.
His hands tightened on my waist, drawing me in until I was pressed right up against him—hearts beating together, barely room to breathe.
I parted my lips without thinking, and he took advantage, his tongue slipping inside as he reached up to pull off my glasses. Everything blurred around me as he deepened the kiss, tasting me until I was dizzy, and gripping his shoulders tighter to anchor me.
No matter how much I wanted to stay angry at him—for the silence, for every call I waited for that never came—this kiss erased everything else. All I knew now was how desperately I needed more.
He captured my lower lip between his teeth, sucking gently, just enough to draw out a breathless moan from me.
His mouth moved lower, finding my sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder, biting it gently, earning another moan. He soothed away the sting, licking the same spot. He repeated the torture again and again, hands pulling my top off. My pants followed, and within seconds, I was completely naked.
His eyes were dark, hungry, as his hands closed around my breasts. His thumbs slowly circled my nipples, teasing me until I was shivering, desperate and unsure—torn between pushing him away and pulling him even closer.
His mouth moved lower, teasing one nipple with his tongue before drawing it into his mouth.
Heat rushed through me as he sucked it slowly and surely.
He brushed the other nipple with his thumb, and I almost lost it—I wanted that mouth there instead.
Impatiently, I grabbed his hair, pushing him exactly where I needed him.
He continued the sweet torture, hands moving down to firmly grip my hips. His fingers dug into my thighs as he dropped to his knees in front of me, spreading them apart.
“A…eron…” I breathed, barely audible. It wasn’t a protest—I wanted this, wanted him, but his intensity left me trembling, weak and helpless.
His mouth was already between my legs, tongue flicking slowly, then faster, driving me insane. I lifted my hips, grabbing his shoulders to keep from falling. My thighs tried to close on instinct, but he held them apart firmly, making sure I felt every slow lick of his tongue.
He'd promised to show me just how much he'd missed me, and now I was feeling every second of it.
Without warning, he slipped a finger inside me.
My breath hitched, hips jerking toward him from the sudden, toe-curling rush.
He matched his finger to his tongue, moving faster, deeper, until I couldn’t hold it anymore.
My head fell back, thighs shaking as I came hard into his mouth, his tongue catching every drop.
My knees trembled, barely holding me up. He kept a firm grip until I steadied, then stood up, kissing me deep enough to taste myself on his tongue.
I felt him then, hard and insistent, pressing against my thigh. I had no idea how he was keeping himself together—how he was fighting what every part of me was already willing to surrender.
“I've been imagining your fantasies every single night. This,” he breathed, forehead pressed against mine, “is how you drive me crazy.”
He must've seen it in my eyes, the insecurity I couldn’t hide, because he cupped my face.
“The place I stayed was remote, right on top of a hill. Signals barely worked. Most days, I was up at the volcano, shooting. The few times I got reception, it was so late I knew you'd be asleep. I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up, even when I was desperate to hear your voice.”
“You’re such an idiot, Aeron!” I snapped. “I was waiting here every night for your call, and you were worried about waking me up?”
“You were really waiting for my call, sweetheart?” he asked, eyes teasing.
“Every single night,” I said, hitting his chest lightly. “So don't you dare do that again. Next time, either I’m coming with you, or, worse, I’m never letting you leave at all.”
“I’ll happily take option one.” He lifted me up easily, carrying me toward the bedroom. Halfway there, it hit me—I was stark naked, and he still had all his clothes on.
He lowered me onto the bed. I made a clumsy grab for the blanket, but Aeron beat me to it, pulling it up around me.
He kept his eyes exactly where they belonged, not letting them wander anywhere that might embarrass me.
He disappeared briefly, then returned, glasses in hand, and put them on the bedside table.
“I’ll get LASIK.” My glasses always ended up interrupting our kisses, making him stop to pull them off every time.
“You don’t need to.” He settled in next to me. “I like you in glasses. They’re cute.”
I smiled, cheeks warming. Every little compliment from him did this to me. Maybe I'd buy more glasses—red, brown, green, even neon if they had them, just to keep torturing him.
A comfortable silence thickened between us.
My mind wandered to the Cryptex box—the root of this fight.
“I didn’t talk about the box before because you were already angry.
You weren’t in the right headspace, and I didn't want to make it worse. But if you still want to know, I’m ready to tell you everything. ”
He shook his head, tightening his hold on me. “Forget that damn box. I’ve thought about it, about our fight, how I’d messed it up. That thing isn’t worth hurting you. I won’t let it come between us again.”
“Promise?” My eyes fell to the dark circles under his. Had he slept at all? I remembered him mentioning how he'd pushed himself hard, rushing through work to come home early, back to me.
“Promise,” he murmured, burying his face into my chest, the exact opposite of how I usually curled into him.
“Aeron.” I tested him.
He hummed sleepily.
I giggled.
I called his name once more, just checking. Only the soft rhythm of his breathing answered me. How tired must he have been to fall asleep in seconds?
Tonight, it was my turn to tuck him in.