Chapter 45
Astrid
I’d assumed he’d mentioned it just to avoid getting kicked in the shin—my go-to threat at that time. I'd forgotten all about it, but he'd held onto it like a promise. Now, with moonlight gently pooling over the pond, standing here beside Aeron felt almost too intimate.
Across the lake, a tiny wooden cabin sat, looking exactly like the sort of place people fell in love.
“I built this,” he said. “It’s where I come when I need to disappear for a bit and now—” his eyes met mine,“—it’s ours.
I smiled. Ours . One little word, and my heart went soft. Funny how yours to ours could feel so deeply personal. “It's beautiful. Can we?” I slipped my arm through his, and pulled him along until we reached the pond's edge. A narrow path stretched ahead, leading straight to the cabin.
“You’ll fall. Let me carry you.” He moved to lift me, but I swatted his hands away.
“Calm down, Hercules . I've got legs.” He acted like I’d snap if the wind blew too hard.
I stepped onto the narrow path, balancing carefully one foot at a time. Would it have killed Aeron to add just one more plank?
Miser .
“Careful,” he warned from behind me.
I made it halfway across without any trouble. Somewhere between realizing I was dead center over the water and Aeron’s endless careful warning from behind, my foot slipped. Before I could steady myself, my leg slid right into the pond, and a moment later, the rest of me followed.
I gasped as the cold water soaked through my clothes, head to toe.
Aeron crouched down, doing a terrible job at hiding his smile. “Didn’t someone just say they had legs?”
“Why would I need enemies when I’ve got you?” I brushed wet strands from my face.
Aeron’s expressions shifted—intense, hungry.
He jumped into the pond, water splashing around him and rising halfway up his thighs as he walked toward me. The soaked white shirt clung to his chest, revealing every hard line and muscle, leaving nothing, and everything, to my imagination.
He’d undone his shirt buttons by the time he reached me, sliding it off and letting it fall carelessly into the water, revealing every inch of skin I suddenly, desperately wanted to touch.
One arm slipped around my waist, pulling me close, his fingers tipping my chin up. “Enemies wouldn’t chase you into water just to see how irresistible you look soaking wet.” His lips crashed into mine—hungry, restless, demanding—turning the cold water impossibly hot.
I pulled back, breathless, desperate. “How irresistible am I?” My fingers slid possessively down his bare chest.
“One touch from you makes me lose my damn mind,” he murmured roughly, tugging impatiently at my soaked dress. I guided his hands, helping him slide it away until I stood naked, trembling beneath his hungry gaze.
“How are you even real?”
“Feel me. I promise I’m real.”
His hands roamed down my body, fingertips grazing over my breasts. My own hand moved lower, boldly, and cupped around his hardness, squeezing gently.
A deep, throaty sound escaped him. “Don't test my control, sweetheart.”
I rose onto my toes, gently biting his earlobe. “What if I'm craving your wild side tonight?” I guided his fingers down and pressed them exactly where I ached for him.
His control snapped.
He slid a finger into me, curling it perfectly, pulling a sharp gasp from my lips. Another finger followed, moving deeper, quicker, until my knees buckled and I clung desperately to him. One more stroke, and pleasure slammed through me, his name spilling from my mouth as I fell apart against him.
He didn't give me a second to catch my breath, grabbing my wrist, pressing my palm urgently against the waistband of his pants.
“Take them off,” he ordered, voice rough. “Condom—my wallet. Now.”
I swallowed hard.
His eyes had turned fierce, any trace of gentleness gone. My heart raced as I slipped my fingers into his pocket, quickly finding his wallet, the foil cool between my trembling fingertips.
“Put it on.”
My eyes jumped from his demanding eyes down to the condom.
My hands shook a little as I tore it open and tossed the wrapper into the water. Reaching under, I slid it onto him, deliberately brushing him with my fingertips. He jerked, muttering a low curse.
He lifted me, my body flush against him. I felt every inch of him pressed against my body as he carried me out of the water and gently laid me down at the pond’s edge.
“Why are you so beautiful?” he whispered.
“So are you.” I arched under him as he settled between my legs, spreading my thighs wider with his own. We'd been close these past ten days—exploring every inch—lips, hands, pleasure—but this was different.
“Relax,” he rasped softly, brushing his lips over mine. “Just feel me.”
He pushed into me slowly. I pressed my eyes shut at the sudden, sharp stretch of him. Aeron captured my lips, kissing me deeply, easing away the pain with tender strokes of his tongue.
I gripped his shoulders tightly, breathing hard. He wasn't doing any better, his breaths uneven, sweat beading on his forehead, muscles tense as he held himself back, waiting for my body to take all of him.
“I’m fine now.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded desperately.
He thrust fully into me, burying himself deep and pulling a gasp from my throat. Pleasure replaced the ache as he started to move. My legs wrapped around him, nails pressing into his back as I pushed my hips up, meeting every thrust, hard and fast.
I came hard, his name tearing from my lips in a desperate cry.
Aeron growled deeply, losing himself completely as he followed me over the edge.
He collapsed onto me, both of us sweaty and breathless, hearts pounding wildly together.
The night closed around us, moonlight the only witness to our messy breaths and tangled bodies.
My eyes blinked open, taking in the unfamiliar walls—the cabin, I assumed. Memories of last night hovered vaguely: Aeron lifting me up by the pond, my sleepy head against his shoulder.
I reached for him instinctively, panic flaring when I found the bed empty beside me. But then, I saw him, holding a steaming cup. Relief flooded me, and my pulse slowed to something closer to normal.
“Morning.” He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead before setting the mug on the bedside table.
“Morning,” I shifted a little so he could settle into the tiny bit of space beside me.
“How are you feeling?”
Memories from last night came flooding back, warm and vivid, sending a pulse of heat straight down my spine. “Good.” Too good. Incredible.
I lifted my blanket and peeked. Shit. My dress. It was probably still floating sadly in the water. I turned my best pitiful eyes toward Aeron. “My dress…”
“Relax,” he said, mouth quirking into an easy smile. “I rescued it already.”
"How the hell did I get so lucky?" I pouted. He kept beating me to my own thoughts, like he had secret access to my brain’s private chat.
“I ask myself that every day.” He leaned in, kissing the pout right off my lips.
My phone rang from somewhere nearby. He grabbed it from the bedside table, his expression souring as he glanced at the screen. He silenced it and set it back down, irritation flickering in his eyes.
“Who is it?”
“Nobody,” he said, voice clipped.
It started again. He reached for it, silencing it swiftly, but before he could put it down, I snatched it out of his hand.
Kelly.
Mystery solved. No wonder he looked like he'd swallowed something bitter.
“Don’t answer.”
“It might be important,” I insisted.
He made a grumbling noise deep in his throat. “She just wants your attention.” The jealousy in his voice was adorable.
“I promise I'll keep it short.” I answered the call.
“I’m doomed,” she cried dramatically. “I can’t live on Earth anymore. Mars is my only hope.”
“Okay, breathe,” I said patiently. “Mars isn’t exactly welcoming new residents yet. You'll still have to find a spot on Earth. Now tell me, what did you do?”
“I liked a photo on Insta,” she confessed miserably.
“Whose?” I asked carefully.
Silence.
My suspicion spiked instantly. “Ayden’s?”
She let out a guilty hum.
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” I warned, remembering how many times she'd insisted Ayden meant absolutely nothing.
“I promise I will, once I’m out of this. Please help.”
“First, go like about thirty random posts, then put up a story saying your account got ha—” My words evaporated into a startled gasp when Aeron bit softly at my neck.
“You okay?” Kelly paused suspiciously.
“Yeah, totally fine. Just… bug attack.” I shot Aeron a glare that promised murder. “Anyway, put up a story—you account got hacked—”
His hand slipped beneath the sheets, thumb slowly circling my nipple. My head fell back, completely betraying me as my thoughts turned into useless mush.
“Astrid?”
One more second, and Kelly would hear my moans. “I'll call you back later,” I rushed out breathlessly, hanging up before she could protest, then turned fully to face him. “How am I supposed to look at her face if she'd heard?”
“With pride. Your moans are delicious.” he whispered, voice deep and raspy, pressing closer until every inch of me trembled beneath him.
“You’re impossible.” The blush on my face ruined any attempt at seriousness.
“I don’t like you giving attention to anyone other than me, especially her.”
I laughed. “You’re about to go down in history as the boyfriend jealous of his girlfriend’s best friend.”
“You haven’t seen my jealousy yet, sweetheart.” he drawled, all cocky confidence.
I'd throw out all my money to see the day Aeron finally admitted to being jealous. I'd probably frame the moment, too.