Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
The declaration sends shivers racing through me, and I cling to him desperately, needing him closer. I slide my leg around his hip, pulling him firmly against me, craving more contact, more heat, more of everything he has to offer.
Asher groans deeply, his hands tightening on my waist as he gently pins me beneath him, mindful of every bruise, every ache. The warmth of his body against mine feels impossibly good—protective yet possessive, gentle yet fiercely passionate. His kisses trail along my throat, hot and lingering, igniting fires that race through every cell in my body.
His voice is rough when he speaks, his lips brushing the hollow at the base of my throat. "You have no idea what you do to me."
My breath hitches again, my fingers tangling in his hair as I pull him back up, desperate to see his face. His eyes are dark and filled with intensity, the emotion raw and unguarded. "Show me," I whisper, almost pleading. "Show me how much you love me."
Asher captures my mouth again, deepening the kiss, his tongue sliding expertly against mine, drawing me deeper into a state of heated bliss. His hands roam freely, touching and teasing, exploring every inch of me, careful yet confident, igniting a heat that blazes brighter with every stroke of his fingertips.
Each touch, each kiss, each whispered word of love chips away at the last remnants of fear and pain. For the first time in my life, I feel truly safe—truly cherished. In his arms, there’s no pretense, no façade—just Asher and me, our hearts beating in perfect rhythm, our bodies moving instinctively together, driven by pure desire and profound love.
He moves inside me, pushing deeper inside me. I suck in a breath, thanking my lucky stars I’ve found this man. He thrusts his hips, diving deeper inside me. I spread my legs, accepting more of him. Deeper. Harder. Together we find a balance.
“I’m so close,” I whisper.
“Come for me, Charlotte. Come all over me.”
My body comes alive, knowing this man loves me is all it takes to have a kaleidoscope of colors bursting behind my eyelids as my orgasm crashes down around me. Wave after wave washes over me as my body calms.
“You’re beautiful, do you know that?”
My eyes meet his, and he leans closer, kissing along my jaw.
“You’re mine.”
I nod. “I’m yours.”
I can tell the moment he loses control, and his orgasm crashes over him. He groans out as he continues to pump his hips. “Fuck, baby,” he whispers as he rides out the last of his orgasm.
When we finally pause, breathing heavily, foreheads pressed together, I trace my fingertips along the line of his jaw, smiling softly. "I've never felt this way before."
"Me either," he murmurs, brushing his thumb across my swollen lips. His eyes search mine, earnest and tender. "I'm never letting you go, Charlotte. You're everything I've ever wanted."
I believe him completely. My heart swells with the knowledge that this is real. This is something true and powerful and unbreakable. No matter what comes next, no matter the threats that still linger, we'll face them together.
"Good," I whisper, pulling him down for another slow, intoxicating kiss. "Because I'm not letting you go either."
“I count on it.”
30
Asher
Three dawns have bled together since the lake-house rescue, each one marginally quieter than the last, but Wade Sinclair still floats somewhere in the periphery—an untethered threat. I feel him like barometric pressure behind my eyes. The air might look calm, but a storm cell hovers just out of view.
Checkout morning arrives gray and humid. Packing is finished—my tactical duffel, Charlotte’s luggage, a discreet med-kit taped under the truck’s rear seat. I run one last sweep of our suite: balcony door sensor armed, closets empty, no intel left behind. When I step into the corridor, Charlotte’s parents are waiting outside their door, anxiety etched into every polished line of their wardrobe.
“Mr. Hawke,” Margaret Lane greets, hands clasped. Her husband nods a silent echo.
“We appreciate everything you’ve done,” he says, voice rough. “But until Wade is in custody, we can’t relax. Where do we go from here?”
I keep my tone calm, firm. “I have a secondary secure location—undisclosed even to resort security. Off-grid, hardened, fifteen minutes from a regional trauma center. Charlotte and I will be headed there.”
Margaret’s eyes widen. “Just the two of you?”
“The fewer people who know the address, the safer she is. I’ll feed status updates through encrypted channels.”
She looks like she wants to protest, but schooling wins over maternal panic. She nods once. “We trust your judgment.”
Charlotte appears a moment later, suitcase rolling behind her, Melanie at her elbow chattering away about some new boyfriend she’s dating. I sidestep three paces to give them privacy but keep peripheral vision locked. The hallway’s empty, and the service elevator doors are closed.
Melanie hugs Charlotte tight, then turns to me, brow furrowing. “You text me the second you arrive, okay? And if she so much as sneezes wrong, hospital.”