Chapter 18

Ashley

Axon got out of the hot spring with his usual speed and grace. There was something about his spider shifter ability that gave him such elegance when he moved. He was memorizing to watch.

He left the room, which gave me a chance to get out of the pool and get dressed. I quickly dried off and put my clothes back on.

I wish this moment could have lasted longer. It was a dream come true to be held by Axon like that. A part of me knew I was playing with fire and an even bigger part of me was starting not to care. I wasn't giving up on luminescence, I was giving in to my heart and my heart wanted Axon.

After I'd dressed, I heard Axon groaning in the next cave. I tiptoed into the tunnel and listened to see if he was hurt or just struggling to get dressed.

"Ashley," he grunted my name and groaned again, but this time the noise was joined by the sound of smacking flesh.

Oh my god! He's stroking himself! He's stroking himself to thoughts of me! This was new. It was...flattering. I liked that he was taking care of himself instead of pressuring me to do something about it.

"Ashley," he grunted my name again and then the distinct sound of fluid hitting the floor echoed into the tunnel.

I quickly backed up in the cave with the hot spring and grabbed one of the spare blankets to dry my hair.

Axon returned fully dressed and looking quite relaxed.

"That was exactly what I needed," he sighed.

"The bath?" I asked, just to see what he'd say.

"Uh, yeah, of course. What else?" He nervously scratched behind his ear.

"Oh nothing," I hid my smile behind my towel as I continued to dry my hair.

"Can I help?" Axon asked as he approached me with a towel of his own.

"Sure." I nodded and turned my back to him.

He gently patted my hair with the towel until it was just slightly damp.

"We should head back. It's getting late," he observed.

"Yeah, that sounds good." I held out my hand for Axon this time. The corners of his mouth turned up in a bright smile and he surrounded my hand with his much bigger one, then led the way back to the main cave.

The way back seemed blessedly shorter. I was tired and ready for bed. Once I sat down on the bed, I got to work braiding my hair. I liked to sleep in two simple braids after a bath. The braids combined with the bonnet always made my hair feel extra silky the next day.

"I've always wanted to try that," Axon commented as he sat next to me.

"Try what?"

"Braiding your hair."

"Braiding my hair?"

"Yeah, why not? It looks fun, and my hair is too short for braids."

"Okay, well, I'll do one side while you watch and then you can do the other."

I got to work braiding the right side of my head and then sat up straight as Axon delicately braided the left.

His fingers moved with as much grace as the rest of his body as he intertwined them with my hair lower and lower until the braid was done.

"You're a fast learner," I complimented. Running my fingers down the finished braid, I could tell he'd done a good job. There were no weird bumps. Everything was smooth.

"You're a good teacher. Here," he handed me my bonnet. He donned his as I donned mine and we looked down right domestic. Domestically cute.

"Umm, I was thinking," Axon began as he attempted to run his hand through his hair before he remembered he'd covered it with a bonnet already.

"that since we can hug, which is essentially cuddling, that maybe I could hold you tonight while we sleep."

"For desensitization purposes?" I asked, loving where this was going. It felt like I'd waited a lifetime for this. None of my previous boyfriends liked to cuddle as much as I did, and it always led to them pressuring me for sex. But with Axon, I knew it would be different. He enjoyed touching as much as I did, and he'd already proven to me once that he could take care of himself if he needed release.

"No, Ashley, not for desensitization purposes. Because I want to."

The way he looked at me as if I were a gift from the heavens made my toes curl.

"Al-alright," I stuttered. "Should I lay down first, and you can lay down behind me?"

"Yeah," Axon's voice cracked and the tips of his ears turned blue. "Yeah," he tried again in a more even tone.

My heart raced with anticipation as I laid down on the bed of furs. I heard the ruffling of clothing behind me and craned my neck to see that Axon was taking his shirt off. His broad blue chest was on full display.

He smiled down at me and my cheeks flushed.

"Ready?" I asked .

"Ready," he nodded.

I laid my head back down and waited for him to join me. Soon enough, I was engulfed in his warmth as his arms wrapped my waist. He slid one beneath me and one over the top.

"Are you comfortable? Am I too heavy?" I held my breath waiting for his answer. I'd been told I was too heavy a time or two before.

"Too heavy? No. You're perfect, just the way you are."

Axon pulled me to his chest and tears welled up behind my eyes. I didn't realize how much I wanted to hear those words until he'd said them. God above, I hoped he was my luminescence mate. I was ruined for anyone else already.