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’t feel fast. 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 want you.”
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.
A laugh trembles out of me, soft and incredulous. “You bring out the best in me, Nyxx Night.”
He grins at that, small and real, and it’s ridiculous how proud I feel of making him smile.
We wade to shore, fingers laced, water streaming off our bodies in silver threads. My heart’s hammering—not from the cold, but from the terrifying, exhilarating sense that I’m doing something right for once. Not perfect. Not planned. Just right.
On the bank, he uses his tee to dry me as much as it can, then pulls me in until my chest meets his. His lips find mine again—no hesitation this time, no carefulness. Just warmth and promise and that electric hum that’s been building since the day we met.
The world narrows to the press of his mouth and the rhythm of our hearts syncing up. For the first time in a long time, I’m not overthinking. I’m just here.
And as the night folds around us, I know with bone-deep certainty: this isn’t reckless. This is trust. This is freedom. This is the start of something real.