Chapter 10

Elle

My hair waves in the breeze as I watch Asher approach my house, his athletic frame moving with the ease and grace of a professional hockey player. The sun kisses his skin and shines off his wavy black hair, and his green eyes shine with mischief.

"Hey Elle," he calls out, his voice warm and inviting as he's holding something behind his back. "I have a surprise for you."

"I can see you’re trying to hide something," I reply, biting my thumbnail nervously.

Asher brings his arms forward, revealing a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers – vibrant reds, deep purples, and sunny yellows. My eyes widen in delight as I take in their natural beauty.

"Wow, Asher. They're... they're stunning. Thank you." I smile, genuinely loving how he knows that I like the out of ordinary type of flower.

"Aw, it was nothing. I just wanted to show you how much I care about you," he says, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I know you love nature, and I thought these would brighten up your day."

My heart swells at his thoughtful gesture, and I invite him inside my sanctuary. As we enter, I place the flowers in a vintage vase on the windowsill, where they catch the sunlight streaming into my eclectic haven.

"Have I told you that I like how cozy your home is? Even if I barely fit in here," Asher asks with a chuckle, looking around at the potted plants and quirky trinkets that fill the space. "It's like stepping into another world."

"Thank you," I reply with a laugh, feeling grateful for his appreciation of my personal oasis. "I've always found comfort in surrounding myself with things that bring me joy."

"Which is precisely why I brought you those flowers," Asher says, his eyes meeting mine. "Because you deserve every bit of happiness this world has to offer."

My heart skips a beat. Could Asher be the one who will help me break free from my past? Is he the one who can show me that I'm worthy of love and happiness?

"Come here," I say softly, pulling him in for a gentle hug. I breathe in his scent – sweat, leather, and something uniquely Asher. It's intoxicating, and I can feel the walls around my heart starting to crumble.

"Thank you," I whisper into his chest, my voice barely audible. "Your kindness means more to me than you know."

"Anything for you, Elle," he murmurs, his breath warm against my forehead. "I just want to see you happy."

We pull apart, and I look up at him, our eyes locking. We still have so much to learn about each other, but our connection runs deeper than either of us ever imagined.

There in my tiny home, surrounded by the trinkets and plants that represent my life, I believe him. It’s been a long time since I’ve believed that happiness was within reach – and Asher is the key to unlocking it.

We laze around for the rest of the day and then decide to build a campfire. So, I’m almost home with all the items needed. I left Asher to do the manual labor at the beach to get ready while I made a run to the store.

I fumble with my keys, using one hand to flip through each until I find the right one. The key turns easily in the lock, and I walk into the low noise of the tv playing some golf tournament rerun. Asher turns from his seat on the couch when I walk in.

“You got the goods?” he asks, and I hold up the fire starter and the bundle of logs currently spilling out of my arms. He bolts from the couch, hurrying to take them from me.

“Everything ready on your end?” I ask and he smiles in response. With one arm still holding the load I struggled with just moments before, he offers me his free hand. I take it and follow him out the back door, across my little lawn and up the wooden steps to the boardwalk. As I crest the last step, the sounds of the waves crashing reach my ears and I smile.

"Here," Asher says, handing me the thick blanket he brought along. "Let's spread this out and get comfortable."

I nod, helping him arrange the blanket on the sand. As he starts the fire, I admire the way his muscles flex beneath his T-shirt, his athleticism evident even in this simple task. The sight sends a pulse to my core.

Within minutes, the pit Asher dug is spilling light onto the dark beach and the warmth of the fire tickles my face, warding off the cool breeze blowing off of the ocean. I sigh.

“This is bliss,” I say as I lean against his back. He feels just as warm as the fire. He, meanwhile, tends his roasting hot dogs, humming a little tune. I start to fall asleep when he shifts and turns, jostling me back into wakefulness.

“One of those is for me right?”

He snorts. “What gave you that idea?”

I wrap my arms around his neck from behind, squeezing him tight. “Please?”

“Not a chance,” he laughs. He pulls one from its skewer and places it in a bun, leaving the other unattended. Quick as a whip, I snatch the hot dog and take a bite, laughing at his protests as I take off running down the deserted beach.

“Get back here!” he laughs as he lets me slip past him one more time. Before I know it, I’m tearing my clothes off, running full tilt towards the water with him hot on my heels. He stops at the water line as I continue splashing into the incoming waves, throwing the last of my clothes onto the dry sand. I turn and sink down into the water, grinning like a crazy person.

“What’s wrong?” I call out. “Afraid of the cold?” I’m lying of course. The water is still warm from the day, but the implication still stands. Can’t have him getting cold feet now.

He scoffs good-humoredly. “You know I’m not.”

My smile splits my face. Gotcha. “Then get in here, Jet.”

Within moments, he is wading towards me, his own clothes in a pile like a land marker so we won’t get lost on our way back.

But we won’t be coming back for a while.

This time, I let him catch me and he has no intention of letting me go. He scoops me out of the surf on his path to deeper water and I fold around him, my legs wrapped around his waist, my ankles locked tight.

He walks until the water is up to his shoulders and I kiss him to stop, stealing his breath and attention. His tongue is quick and darting in my mouth, the kisses plentiful and unsparing but I want more. I want to steal his breath away. So when his tongue darts in again, I lean into him, sucking in so that he can’t get away, and the kiss becomes deeper until he is leaning in too, as if touching each other isn’t close enough. Even as his arms hold me up, his hands caress the curves of my body, slight though they may be, and I respond in kind, my hands traveling the ridges of his toned body.

Suddenly I can breathe again, and his lips have found my neck, showing me all the stars hidden by the Miami skyline. Then it’s my turn and I kiss him hard enough to leave a bruise. “Elle,” he moans under his breath, encouraging me to keep going.

Time slips away with the current and I don’t know how long we’ve been in the water. All I know is that we both want out.

He carries me all the way back to the fire, grabbing his t-shirt on our path up the beach. He uses it to wipe the salt water away from the crucial places. The fire got low while we were gone but the sand still remembers its warmth as Asher plants me on the ground. Then he is on top of and inside me so suddenly I shudder. My nails reach around and dig into his back as the sand gives beneath me with each thrust, pushing me deeper and deeper into the ground. Between laughs and fumbling kisses he lifts me again by my thighs and the sand comes with me into the air. I exclaim in surprise but he smothers the sound with his mouth, entering me over and over again.

“Keep your voice down. Someone might hear,” he whispers in my ear without stopping. I bite his ear and moan louder than I need to, wrapping my arms tighter around his shoulders. If someone walks by, lucky them right?

We continue just like that until he tells me he’s finishing, pulls out and comes on my stomach. I pull him close one last time, smear both of us and we fall to the ground, me laughing and him groaning his complaints. We lay there, silent, until the fire is nothing but embers and the night air carries a much harsher chill on the wind. I shiver and crawl closer to him.

“We should probably stop having sex on the beach every time we have a fire. We’re gonna get seen one of these days,” Asher says.

I snuggle a little closer. “You know you like it.”

He snorts but says nothing. As the waves crash against the shore and the embers dwindle, we know what these moments are worth.

We lay side by side on the blanket, our bodies close enough to feel each other's heat. Asher wraps an arm around my shoulders, drawing me even closer, and I rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Elle," he begins, his voice low and intimate. "What do you want most in life?"

I chew on my thumbnail, considering his question. It's not something I've shared with many people – not even my closest friends.

"More than anything," I admit, "I want to become a nurse. I want to help people, to make a difference in their lives."

"Wow," Asher says, his eyes softening with admiration. "That's an incredible goal, Elle. And I have no doubt you'll achieve it."

His faith in me sends a good feeling through my chest, making me smile.

"Thank you, Asher," I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "That means a lot to me."

"Your turn," I say, looking up at him, suddenly excited to learn more about the man who has captured my heart. "What do you want most?"

He hesitates, clearly pondering his answer before speaking.

"Truthfully," he says, "I want to find a love like the one my grandparents had. They were soulmates, Elle. The kind of love that transcends time and space. That's what I want."

"Then I hope you find it," I tell him sincerely, our eyes locking as the sun dips below the horizon. "You deserve that kind of love, Asher."

"Maybe I already have," he murmurs, his gaze never leaving mine.