Fire

One Wrong Decision

After a second he pulled back a little, still holding my hand. “I want to show you something. I think you’ll like it.”

I let him lead me over to the red fence beside the castle, watching him stretch over the top of the gate to unhook the latch. Asher shoved the gate open and it swung inwards with a squeak of protest, revealing the garden inside. My jaw dropped.

It was like the secret garden or something.

There was a river running through the center, crossed by an arching stone bride. Smooth white sand had been raked into patterns here and there, and a brilliant red Japanese maple drew the eye like a magnet.

I let out a breath and turned to Asher, discovering that he’d been staring at me the entire time.

“Do you like it?” He said softly.

“It’s beautiful. Breathtaking.”

Asher took my hand again, and I followed him over the stone bridge. There were bright leaves scattered over the footpath, crunching under our feet as we walked. He paused in the middle of the bridge. “Sometimes if it gets too hectic I come here to think. It’s always quiet here.”

I took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of the river running beneath us. “It’s wonderful.”

“Does it make you feel better?” He looked anxious, as if his happiness somehow rode on my answer. I gave him my biggest smile. “Yes, it’s nice to…to get away.” I stared down at the stream, watching the water trickle over and around the black rocks. Asher came up behind me, slipping his arms around my waist.

His breath tickled the side of my neck and stirred my hair. “I’m sorry about the elite guard. They’ll get over it. They’re overprotective idiots.”

“It’s okay.” Shutting my eyes, I leaned back into him, feeling his arms tighten around me. He rested his chin on my shoulder. “So, you’re staying, right?”

Grinning, knowing he couldn’t see my face at the moment, I let the silence stretch out for a couple seconds. Long enough for him to shift behind me and sound worried when he said, “Right?”

Finally, when I still didn’t answer he spun me around to face him. “Jess?”

My straight face slipped. “Of course I’m staying, isn’t it obvious by now?”

Asher relaxed, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Geeze, you had me going there for a minute.” He pulled me close again, leaning down to press him lips firmly against mine. The kiss deepened, sending a shiver through me. He tasted hot, spicy like cinnamon. I reached up, hooking my finger gently into his messy curls His hands pressed the small of my back, crushing our bodies together. The link surged through us then, leaving me gasping against his lips. Making my head spin.

I could feel his heartbeat echoing mine, picking up speed. My mind was brushing the edge of his consciousness. He was revealed to me. It felt like he was burning, catching fire from the inside out. Everything in him was focused on…me.

At last, after what seemed like a moment that stretched into an eternity, we broke apart. My face felt hot, and I brushed my hair back self consciously. Thankfully Asher looked just as disheveled as I did. He let out a great huff of air. “Wow.”

There, that reaction. We couldn’t possibly just a fling, could we? I’d been connected to him, I’d felt the intense focus on me. He felt the same way I did. The memory of Juku’s words, about me weakening the royal blood line rang in my ears, souring the light, happy feeling that had been blooming in my chest. I pushed the thought aside. It was a stupid thing to dwell on, I should just be enjoying the moment. Some part of me longed to ask him though. What were we? Were we dating? Did jotun even date? Was this serious? Because it felt serious.