19. She lights me on fire
19
SHE LIGHTS ME ON FIRE
ASHER
I’m so fucking proud of her. The strength Halle carries is inspiring and fuck me, if it doesn’t make me want to fight my own demons even harder.
I’m going to have to talk to Hunter because if there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that I’m not sneaking her around. Halle’s not someone’s dirty little secret. She deserves to be shown off, not hidden behind closed doors. And I get that her relationship with Hunter is fragile right now, but this is worth it. There’s no going back, not after that kiss.
From what I overheard with Connor moments ago when we were shamelessly eavesdropping, they’re working it out and finding their way back to each other. And for Halle, I’ll take that burden from her. I’ll be the one to step up and talk to Hunter about us. Shit, he’s probably going to want to knock me out, and I can’t say I’d blame him. I know I’m not good enough for her, but I sure as hell am going to try.
I’ll just have to remind him that it’s her choice, not his, and if what happened between us under the waterfall means anything, I know she wants this, wants us. She melted in my arms .
Anticipation thrums through me as I step into her room, every nerve alert. I can feel her behind me, silently following, her soft, sweet scent filling the air, and my eyes nearly roll back. She smells incredible, and now that I’ve had a little taste of her, I need more.
“Were you spying on me, Asher?” she asks.
Turning, I take a small step toward her and reach behind her to push the door closed. Sparks flicker between us, my chest tightening with want as I hear her breaths turn shallow like she can feel the same electric tension I feel. I leave my hand on the door and take another small step forward, causing her to back up against it with a gentle thud. Her eyes dart between mine, and the intensity in her gaze sends a thrill through me, lighting up every nerve.
“And what if I was, sweetheart?” My voice comes out thick, husky.
She doesn’t say anything. Her gaze roams around my face as I watch her mind working in overdrive, her thoughts spinning out of control, caught between hesitation and curiosity. She’s nervous and not sure how to make that first move. And that’s okay. I’ll take control for her until she’s ready to let go, to show me how dominant she can be. Because I know it’s in her. I’ve seen it come through in her attitude, in her snarky remarks, and the way she doesn’t take any shit from me. But this is new territory for her, and I’m not sure how much experience she has, if it’s good or bad, but I’ll teach her before I let her use me.
“I’m proud of you. That conversation couldn’t have been easy, but you did it,” I murmur.
“I did it,” she whispers back, almost as if she needs to convince herself.
Yeah, she goddamn did, and now I can make her mine. I pull my hand away from the door and eliminate the small space between us, pressing up against her. With my pulse pounding in my ears, I thread one hand through her hair, the other cupping her cheek. Her legs begin to shake, so I press in closer, holding her up with my body as I bring my mouth down on hers. I watch as her eyes flutter shut, savoring the warmth of her beneath my touch for a split second before I gently sweep my tongue out along her lips, asking for permission. The tension between us hums as I wait for her to let me in.
She melts to me just like she did under the waterfall. As her mouth opens, my eyes close, and I claim her with my hand tightening around her hair. I deepen the kiss, and a soft moan escapes her parted lips, the sound of it traveling through me, lighting me on fire. I can feel myself begin to harden. She thinks I’m in full control here, but what she’s doing to me, the way her tongue meets mine, her hands pulling at my curls, it all has me unraveling. My control is hanging on by a thread, and then, out of nowhere, she bites down hard on my lip ring. Fuckkk me.
I snap. Losing all sense, my hand travels up the shirt she’s wearing, my thumb flicks over the hard peak of her nipple, and she squirms under me, seeking relief. Parting her legs with my knee, I push against her core. We both groan, losing ourselves in the moment, before a loud knock on the other side of the door jolts us apart. Halle’s startled eyes meet mine as she tries to push me away, but I hang on to her, not wanting to let go of this moment just yet. Shaking my head, I bring my finger to my lips, silently asking her to stay quiet.
“Yo, hate to be that guy, but Hunter’s asking where you guys went.” We both sag in relief at Connor’s voice, the tension easing slightly. “And I have no idea if this is a secret or not, something you should probably fill me in on, yeah? But just sayin’… the walls here are paper thin,” he says, amusement thick in his tone.
Smirking, I glance at Halle, whose cheeks are a deep shade of pink, and a low chuckle escapes me as I move her behind me. Shielding her from Connor’s dramatics. I crack the door open, grinning as Connor smiles at us like he just caught Santa on Christmas Eve.
“Naughty, naughty,” he teases as he waggles his finger in our direction.
Rolling my eyes at him, I fight back another laugh as Halle sighs behind me.
“It’s not going to be a secret, Con, but until I get a moment to talk to Hunt, it is. So keep your mouth shut,” I say, closing the door in his face.
I feel Halle’s forehead press against my back as Connor speaks through the door, “Say please, Asher baby.”
I groan. “Fuck off, Connor.”
His laugh echoes down the hallway as he walks away. Turning, I find Halle’s slipped away from me, rummaging through her things. She won’t look at me, her shoulders are tense, and her hands tremble as she clutches a shirt. I can tell she’s trying to run behind the walls she keeps up. Shit, it’s not even lunchtime and she’s already gone through so much. Whatever this thing is between us, it’s only adding to her emotional turmoil.
“What are you doing today?” I ask, stepping closer to her.
She tilts her head curiously at me. “Why?”
I hesitate, hoping she won’t take this the wrong way, that her mind won’t run away and turn my words into something they aren’t. I want to ease the worries that are tangled up in her head, to help her love it here in Sunlit Cove even more.
“Come to Whiskey Cove with me,” I say, “and help me restock for the week. I’ll show you around properly and teach you how to carry the glasses. Anything to make your first shift back more enjoyable than your last.”
Her lips twitch, but her fingers begin to tap on the side of her leg. Something I’ve noticed she does when she gets lost in her head.
“Stop overthinking and get your sexy little ass in the shower. Some idiot threw you into a waterfall today.” I flash her a grin. “I’ll wait for you.”
I open her door and hear a little huff come from her just as a balled-up shirt hits me in the back.
“You’re the idiot!” she yells after me, but I’m already walking away with my stomach twisted in knots. Both excited and nervous about keeping her all to myself today.