Chapter Twenty-One

Twenty-One

W e race home, the action slowly heating us. Still, my hair is dripping on my back, and my face is so cold it feels like my brain has been stored in the freezer for a fortnight.

When we open the door to the apartment, Erik and I run for the shower at the same time, both desperate for hot water. I reach the faucet before him and turn it on. Steam spreads, and Erik shuts the door behind him, sealing us both inside.

His eyes lock with mine, and he starts to undress, carelessly dropping first his shirt, then his pants. They pool at his feet as he slowly removes his boxer briefs.

I remain in front of the shower, admiring his naked figure, my chest rising and dropping at the intense pace of my desire. I stare, waiting. Daring him. He stays still like a Greek statue, one of his eyebrows arching as if to say it's my turn. Without a word, I undress before his eyes. Slowly. Shamelessly.

He bites his lower lip and rakes his hungry eyes over my body. My heart thumps harder than ever.

He takes a step closer at last, his sparkly blue eyes burning with lust. His body is glorious, his hairless chest so hard and smooth, it's like he was sculpted in marble. His muscles are defined to perfection. Strong arms that can carry my weight with ease. Ripped abs I want to feel under my fingers. In the foggy, steamy bathroom, he looks like a god emerging from the clouds.

"Together?" I ask, my voice so weak and loaded with passion, it barely comes out. I almost don't dare believe he will surrender. But I can't resist anymore. I'm done pretending I don't want him.

He takes another step forward, painfully slow, provoking me, and his gaze lowers to my breastbone, then to my boobs. He stops a breath away from me, his body almost touching mine. As he moves my hair behind my shoulders for an unobstructed view of my chest, his fingers delicately brush my skin, making me shiver. My nipples harden, ready to be touched. Hoping for it. It's the most erotic moment of my life. I'm wet and burning. I'm aching for what is to come.

Gentle and careful, as if I'm made of porcelain, he slides his large hand to the nape of my neck and pulls my head back, looking down at me with fire in his eyes.

Our bodies touch, very lightly at first, sparking tingles of pleasure that go all the way down to my toes. When he presses me closer with his other hand around my waist, my blood pumps with savage lust, the powerful flow converging in my center, where it tortures me with a pulsating need that demands to be satiated soon. Really, really soon.

His lips brush mine, gentle and soft as a summer breeze—a provocation designed to test my limits, make me react in a fervent haze. But I stay frozen and let him play with my body. I love the teasing. He opens my mouth with his thumb like he did yesterday, and this time his finger slides over my lower lip as if testing its softness.

He moves the thumb to caress my cheek, then my chin, traveling around my face in full appreciation of my features. He said I'm the hottest woman in the whole fucking world . It's hard to breathe. To think. To exist.

Erik puts my hair behind my ear and leans closer to whisper, "Together it is then." His beard is tickly against my skin, and I'm so seduced my legs can barely sustain my body. He wants me. He fucking wants me.

I've never desired a man so much in my life, and I've never been so afraid to have him.

I'm afraid of what comes after. I dread what I might become once he claims me and changes me irreparably.

Because there is no way that having Erik Storm won't fuck me up.

Look at what he's already done to me. Imagine when I literally open up to him. When he reaches so deep inside, there will be a before and an after Erik has been in my body.

Because it's too late for my mind.

And for my heart too.

The warmth of his chest pressing against my breasts heats me as no hot water could. I feel his thick erection, and the flames grow, causing my sex to pulse impatiently.

"I want to fuck you, Sol Carvalho," he whispers on my lips. His hand lowers to my ass, and he squeezes it hard. I let out a low, airy moan. "Too aggressive?" He smiles in a seductive way, and it's the last straw. The point of no return. There is no stopping the hurricane about to be released.

"No," I reply through the knot in my throat. "It's fucking hot."

I pull him toward my lips at once, connecting our bodies. Erik groans and lifts my thigh to press it against his pelvis. His palm follows my curves, finding a path between my legs and reaching my center, where his fingers explore my wet folds. I sigh, leaning my head back. The sounds coming out of my mouth get louder once he finds my clit and touches it with perfect, gentle movements. I roll my eyes back in deep pleasure, gripping the nape of his neck with increasing force.

Kissing me passionately, he pushes me into the shower until my back is against the wall. Erik's tongue digs inside my mouth, exploring it with fervor, the taste of salty ocean bringing me back to our moment at the beach. I would jump in those icy waters fifty more times if this would be my reward.

I move my hands all over his body, feeling his muscles as he kisses me with a ferocious need. His lips then move from my mouth to my neck, where he lingers, breathing on my skin, making me purr. He keeps going down, and his lips tempt me most when they reach my nipples, and he licks them with divine circular movements. It's almost too much, but I don't surrender. I don't want to come too fast. I want to get as much time in paradise as I can.

I hold his face—his perfect Viking face—and bring it up to meet mine, eager to feel his rough beard. I'm a big fan of it now. I actually was all along—how could I not love everything about his flawless appearance?—but admitting that to myself would have put me even further down the path of temptation. I love that I can finally touch his beard. I love the feeling of the coarse hairs between my fingers.

Why did I think I wanted a Prince Charming? None would have a chance against Erik Storm. How could I have resisted him for so long? How did I convince myself I could stay away from the sexiest man on Earth when every single part of me was screaming for his touch?

As I caress his face, he runs his hands over my body, his fingers tracing the lines and curves of my breast, slowly moving down over the curve of my waist until he reaches my hips. His hands briefly stroke the plumpness of my butt, then move up my back.

Erik's kisses are powerful, insatiable, and I bite him, thoroughly enjoying the softness of his meaty lips between my teeth. He takes a break to look at me, eyes ablaze, cupping my face with possessive urgency. The hot water slides down his broad shoulders and spreads his hair over his back. It drips from his nose onto mine. It wets his lips and falls into my mouth, and I need— need —to feel the entirety of his massive torso.

I push him against the opposite glass wall and kiss every muscle on his smooth, husky chest, down his perfect abs and impressive V line. I close my fingers around his hardness, making him groan with pleasure, and he lifts me in his arms in a sudden, feral move, unable to stand it anymore.

"I need you," his deep, hoarse voice says in my ear, his breath tickling me.

I put my arms around his neck, holding tight, and wrap my legs around his waist, my back against the cold wall once again.

"I want you so bad, Sol..."

I rejoice in his rough voice, his wonderful hands, his Asgardian body.

"Then come in," I say on his lips with urgency, pressing him hard against my body. I'm so ready. I want him so bad too.

"Are you on the pill?" he asks in one breath.

"IUD," I mumble with my forehead on his.

He makes an "mmm" sound that could mean "good" or a million other things, but I interpret it as intense desire that can't wait another second. "I'm tested, okay?" he mutters with his mouth on mine.

I hold his face and kiss him hard. "Me too. Come in now."

He slides in, slowly at first, and I kiss him with passionate fury, closer to combustion with every heartbeat. He's still not close enough. I press my torso against his. It will never be close enough...

When I feel Erik filling every inch of me, opening yet more space, it's so overwhelming, so sublime, that I hold my breath and sink my nails into his back. He thrusts into me, and I arch my back, groaning, needing him as I've never needed anyone.

He is strong, keeping me up effortlessly, and I'm so in lust that I hold him even tighter, moving with increasing urgency, the fire consuming me until nothing in the world matters but fucking Erik Storm.

"I can't hold back anymore, Sol...you're too hot." He grabs my hair in a bunch while kissing me. He strokes my clit and kisses my neck, sending shivers down my spine and feeding my flames.

"Oh, Erik," I whisper his name. The heat is stronger than ever. Oh, it's coming... I can feel it building up, taking me over. "Together," I say under my breath in the same vulnerable tone I used to utter the word before he kissed me. But it's not a question this time. It's an ardent plea.

We climax at the same time, our cries of delight echoing through the steam. He melts inside of me, throbbing and shuddering. I grip him with all my strength, chin resting on his shoulder. My legs are shaky, my mind foggy with pleasure. Our lips meet in a delicious kiss as he lowers me down to the shower floor. He caresses my face with the tip of his fingers, and we slowly pull apart, breathless, the hot water falling over our heads like a tropical storm.

"That was amazing," I exhale, still feeling as if a thousand fireworks are exploding in my body.

"You can have it again if you want," he whispers suggestively in between kisses. The idea delights me.

"How can I say no to that?" I smile, and he gives me another lengthy kiss.

Erik grabs the bottle of soap, depositing a small amount into the palm of his hand before gently massaging it over my body. My skin is still very sensitive, craving his touch. He turns me around, our slippery bodies meeting. He then lifts my left arm, puts it behind his neck, and soaps me from the tip of my finger, down my arm, stopping on my breasts, where he lingers. It's so good and I'm so aroused, I might be ready again very soon.

We shampoo each other, the tips of his fingers running through my hair in a delicious movement. I sigh, enraptured, then I touch his long, soft hair and massage his scalp. When my fingers tease him behind the ears, he lets out a guttural sound of delight and grows hard again. I want his lips. I'm wild, beastly, so I turn around and claim his mouth once more.

"We should continue this in bed, don't you think?" he whispers in my ear, cornering me against the steamy glass wall marked with our palms.

"Yes," I say with such certainty, such impatience, he grins, turns off the water, and takes our towels. "Your bed or mine?" I ask, drying as fast as humanly possible.

"Yours. We built it together. Now let's destroy it."

I laugh and drop the towel on the floor, throwing my arms around him again. He lifts me as if we are about to enter our honeymoon suite, our lips locking in a fervid kiss as he carries me to my room.

The blinds are down, blocking any light from spilling in. Erik gently places me in bed and follows me to the mattress, positioning himself between my thighs.

He kisses every inch of my body, moving from my lips down to my neck, my breasts— oh jeez —and lowering to my belly, where his beard grazing over the sensitive skin under my navel makes me deliciously ticklish. He skips the middle, then brings the sole of my foot to his chest and caresses my leg with his fingertips before lowering his head to resume kissing me—first ankle, then calf, then thigh...until he is so far up, he is kissing my throbbing center.

No man has ever done this to me, and I almost can't stand how good it feels, not only because he knows what he is doing and his grunts make clear he enjoys it—but mainly because it's Erik. Erik fucking Storm kissing my pussy. I never, ever thought those words would cross my mind.

His tongue slips through my folds and circles my clit, stimulating me to volcanic heights. I grip the sheets, arching my back with a sigh of pleasure followed by a groan as he continues with his fingers so he can get back to my mouth. I moan and let out a breathy "Oh, Erik," as I press him against my body, aching to feel him inside me.

His sultry kisses snap me into full consciousness, and I realize I want a turn to be in control too.

"I want you on your back," I say with a confidence that doesn't show up often.

Erik looks at me with fire in his eyes, and we roll. Landing on top of him, I shift my hips to position him at my wet entrance, slowly sinking down his hard length until he is seated inside me. I hold my breath all the while, the whole of my body and consciousness halting to concentrate and revel in the wonder, the deeply fulfilling sensation, of having Erik fit perfectly inside me. My heart pumps so hard I can almost see the red of the beautiful inferno surrounding me.

" Shit , Sol," he groans because it's so good for him too, and that turns me on even more.

I move my hips in a slow rhythm first, his hardness sliding in and out. I feel his desire building with mine at each thrust, our breaths growing faster, our hips following the rising beat of our lust. He cups my breasts with his large hands, and the pressure of his fingers on my nipples gives me the last bit of stimulation I need. I ride him even faster, eager for my release. My rapture.

We are synchronized again. We explode together, lips pressed in urgent need, bodies damp, quivering, the scent of soap so mixed with our seduction I will never be able to smell his shampoo without craving him under me. So completely surrendered. So completely mine.

I lie on his chest, our breath recovering, hearts decelerating until reaching a comfortable, steady pace.

"We succeeded," I say at last, and he makes a sound of incomprehension that vibrates in his chest against my ear. "This was the wildest thing we could have done."

He laughs—a full, jolly sound that warms me and tickles me along with the gentle, delicious touch of his hands on my back.

I'm in my bed with Erik Storm.

It's almost like a dream. It can't be happening, can it? He'll realize what he has done and regret it, won't he?

I want to look in his eyes, so I drop from his body and lie on my pillow, facing him. He takes my duvet and covers us both.

What now? I want to ask. But I don't want to ruin it. The moment we talk about it, it will all crumble, I'm sure.

I touch his face, almost as if I want to test if he is real. He puts his hand over mine. Sweet. Loving.

He said he wanted to fuck me, not that he wanted to be in a relationship with me.

Perhaps this is all we'll ever have.

Wouldn't it be enough?

Nothing but all of him would be enough.

"You look worried." He half frowns, half smiles, sliding a finger over my nose.

"I'm afraid," I confess.

"Of what?"

"You backing away," I whisper, and my face gets hot. I feel more exposed now than at any other time today.

"There's no going back, Sol." He keeps smiling, and I exhale, calming down. "We've dived in."

I try to smile back, but I can't. He did that with her , and he regretted it.

I pass my fingers over his beard. He is so handsome. So...wonderful.

Too good to be real. Too good to be mine.

"Why did you stay with your parents for so long? Why did you barely text me?"

He looks deep into my eyes. "You were right to say I'm an idiot. Or I was . I don't want to be an idiot anymore."

I try to smile, but I can't.

"I was scared, Sol, that's the truth." He breathes out and plays with my fingers, his eyes lowered in shame. "That kiss was... wonderful ," he stresses the word, curving his lips up when he remembers our moment in Tivoli. I can't help but copy his expression. "But I was afraid this wouldn't work... Afraid to get my heart broken..."

"Afraid I would go back to Brazil and never return?"

He smiles, sighing, and answers, "Yes."

Like Lena returned to Poland. I frown when her name crosses my mind. "Do you still think about your ex, Erik?"

He blinks at me, a wrinkle forming on his forehead. "No. Not at all. I've... I've struggled to get over what happened, yes. I struggled to get my life back on track since all that...well, you know the story. But since you moved in, I haven't thought about her once. All I think about is you. All the fucking time."

I smile. Honesty is evident in his silly grin and in the way his eyes shine as he stares fondly at me. His chest rises with energy, his cheeks flushed. My hand is resting on his face. Erik covers it with his own and drives it toward his lips so he can kiss my palm.

"We should give ourselves a chance," he says, and the words sound like magic to my ears. They sparkle and twinkle. They open my tight chest, making me able to breathe at last. "I can't promise I'll be perfect. But I won't back away."

I kiss him, chasing his salty tongue, biting his honeyed lips.

"There's nothing I want more than to try," I say with my nose touching his, and he smiles—not just with his mouth, but with his eyes too. They are shinier than ever, his pupils enlarged by the passion, the connection that took us both by surprise.

There is so much that can go wrong. There is nothing ideal about us living together. Not to mention that Martin can reveal us at any moment. Lars can fire me. I can lose my visa and return to Brazil like Erik fears.

For a moment, though, I dare hope it will all be just fine.