imagined it could be. Though gentle and patient, his every touch held restrained hunger and desire. She could just feel it, hear it and taste it.
Sensations rushed through her veins, bringing her body to life for the first time in her eternally long life. Was this what love felt like, she wondered. If so, she wanted to love him, now and forever.
For the moment, consequences were inconsequential, tomorrow didn’t matter and her whole world was in Ashwin’s hands.
When he pulled away, she leaned into him, wanting more, needing to lose herself in his kiss. The absence of his lips over hers left her cold and hungry. The embrace had been far too short and far from fulfilling.
“Come with me,” he said through heavy breaths.
“Now?” She looked at him, wondering if she’s heard right. “Where?”
“One of my favorite places here in California. It’s my private little heaven on earth and I want to share it with you.”
“But Alexis. She’ll be back soon and she’d probably want to come…”
He held her close and she knew she would follow him anywhere.
“I want to be alone with you. Completely and totally alone. I want this to be a special time for just you and me.” He teased her with a soft and warm kiss. “As fond as I am of your sister, as charming and delightful as she can be, it’s you I love. It’s you I want to be with, alone.”
She looked at him, wanting so badly to believe every single word.
“I love you, Sadie. The moment I saw you with Keegan… The moment I saw how you looked into his eyes, I knew I couldn’t let you slip away.”
The mention of Keegan’s name brought back the dire situation he found himself in. How could she have been so selfish as to lose herself in Ashwin’s kiss while Keegan was living unbearable torture? “Ashwin, we have to save Keegan. He’s being held by Skars and I have to get him away.”
“You can’t do that, Sadie. It’s more dangerous than you realize. Please promise me you won’t try to help him. Promise me you won’t even get close to Skars.”
“I have to, Ashwin. I can’t just leave him there. If something happened to him…”
“No. I can’t let you do it. I won’t. You may not be too pleased to hear that, but I can’t let you go after Keegan.”
“It’s been a while since you’ve seen me. I’ve learned to take pretty good care of myself over the years. You’d be surprised to see the capable fighter I’ve become.”
“As well as that may be, this is outside your realm. Skars has set a trap. All he needs to do now is wait for you to fall into it. I won’t let him win… not with you.”
“And what will become of Keegan. Am I to live with his death hanging over my head for all eternity?”
“You don’t need to worry about him, I promise.” He shifted and looked away a moment, suddenly seeming unsure and edgy. When he returned his gaze to her it was with fierce determination in his eyes, though he was clearly agitated. “I set him free.”
“What? How did you…?”
“Considering he’s my greatest rival, I knew I had to do it.”
“How did you get close enough to him to help release him?”
“I didn’t so much release him as I simply allowed him to think he’d fought his way free.”
Sadie tilted her head quizzically.
“I’ve known Skars for a long time. He trusts me. When I went in to see Keegan, to discuss his fate with him, I knew we’d be alone. Skars never did like getting too involved with this aspect of his plot. After a brief discussion with your charming young Keegan, our exchange became somewhat heated. Then it simply came to fists. Too much testosterone for one little room.”
“Did you hurt him?”
“Not as much as he did me. I wanted to set him free, remember. I held back, though I did put on a convincing performance. Don’t worry. I don’t think I even bruised him.”
Sadie turned away a moment, confused by the conflicting emotions. She was concerned for Keegan. He’d come to mean
Sensations rushed through her veins, bringing her body to life for the first time in her eternally long life. Was this what love felt like, she wondered. If so, she wanted to love him, now and forever.
For the moment, consequences were inconsequential, tomorrow didn’t matter and her whole world was in Ashwin’s hands.
When he pulled away, she leaned into him, wanting more, needing to lose herself in his kiss. The absence of his lips over hers left her cold and hungry. The embrace had been far too short and far from fulfilling.
“Come with me,” he said through heavy breaths.
“Now?” She looked at him, wondering if she’s heard right. “Where?”
“One of my favorite places here in California. It’s my private little heaven on earth and I want to share it with you.”
“But Alexis. She’ll be back soon and she’d probably want to come…”
He held her close and she knew she would follow him anywhere.
“I want to be alone with you. Completely and totally alone. I want this to be a special time for just you and me.” He teased her with a soft and warm kiss. “As fond as I am of your sister, as charming and delightful as she can be, it’s you I love. It’s you I want to be with, alone.”
She looked at him, wanting so badly to believe every single word.
“I love you, Sadie. The moment I saw you with Keegan… The moment I saw how you looked into his eyes, I knew I couldn’t let you slip away.”
The mention of Keegan’s name brought back the dire situation he found himself in. How could she have been so selfish as to lose herself in Ashwin’s kiss while Keegan was living unbearable torture? “Ashwin, we have to save Keegan. He’s being held by Skars and I have to get him away.”
“You can’t do that, Sadie. It’s more dangerous than you realize. Please promise me you won’t try to help him. Promise me you won’t even get close to Skars.”
“I have to, Ashwin. I can’t just leave him there. If something happened to him…”
“No. I can’t let you do it. I won’t. You may not be too pleased to hear that, but I can’t let you go after Keegan.”
“It’s been a while since you’ve seen me. I’ve learned to take pretty good care of myself over the years. You’d be surprised to see the capable fighter I’ve become.”
“As well as that may be, this is outside your realm. Skars has set a trap. All he needs to do now is wait for you to fall into it. I won’t let him win… not with you.”
“And what will become of Keegan. Am I to live with his death hanging over my head for all eternity?”
“You don’t need to worry about him, I promise.” He shifted and looked away a moment, suddenly seeming unsure and edgy. When he returned his gaze to her it was with fierce determination in his eyes, though he was clearly agitated. “I set him free.”
“What? How did you…?”
“Considering he’s my greatest rival, I knew I had to do it.”
“How did you get close enough to him to help release him?”
“I didn’t so much release him as I simply allowed him to think he’d fought his way free.”
Sadie tilted her head quizzically.
“I’ve known Skars for a long time. He trusts me. When I went in to see Keegan, to discuss his fate with him, I knew we’d be alone. Skars never did like getting too involved with this aspect of his plot. After a brief discussion with your charming young Keegan, our exchange became somewhat heated. Then it simply came to fists. Too much testosterone for one little room.”
“Did you hurt him?”
“Not as much as he did me. I wanted to set him free, remember. I held back, though I did put on a convincing performance. Don’t worry. I don’t think I even bruised him.”
Sadie turned away a moment, confused by the conflicting emotions. She was concerned for Keegan. He’d come to mean
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