by Vivian Wood
“So you want me to just hang out here indefinitely, avoiding Asher?” Kira asked, frowning.
“I want you to stay and learn how to wield your power. I have the books, and the practical knowledge. I can help you. In exchange, you stay the hell away from… other influences,” Mere Marie said. Kira wondered what influences Mere Marie meant, but it didn’t much matter. It was probably the best offer she’d get.
Plus, she could definitely get used to the butler’s omelettes…
“Fine,” she said. “But I want a room farther from Asher’s.”
“Hah!” Mere Marie tutted. “I don’t think so. He’s a Guardian, and a Guardian needs his mate nearby to function. I’m not saying you have to climb into bed with him, but he needs to know you’re safe. I can’t have him out there, patrolling the streets and slaying literal demons, worried about you, getting a hand cut off in the process. No ma’am. You’ll stay put.”
“You don’t understand,” Kira said, feeling the need to explain herself. “He left me. He abandoned me, his supposed forever mate. I waited for him for years, and he never came back. I was too afraid I’d miss his return, so I never went anywhere, I never experienced anything for myself. I live in a coastal state and I’ve never even been to the freaking beach! All I ever did was read books and hope that maybe one day he’d come back… Funny, because he seems pretty cozy here. Asher doesn’t need or want me, so don’t twist my non-relationship with him to suit what you want out of me. It isn’t fair.”
Kira’s voice broke on the last word, and her hand flew up to her forehead, blocking Mere Marie out. She heard the other woman’s irritated sigh and expected Mere Marie to scold her again. Instead, nothing.
Looking up, Kira found Mere Marie gone. Instead, less than twenty feet away, Asher was staring at her with intense fascination. Kira immediately turned red as a tomato, wiping at the tears forming in her eyes.
“Is there any chance you didn’t hear that?” she asked Asher, hearing how pathetic she sounded and feeling all the more miserable for it.
“No,” he said, his expression grave. “Kira…”
“Just stop,” Kira said, shooting to her feet. “Leave me like, an ounce of dignity, and don’t say anything. I can’t do this right now.”
Kira’s cowardice propelled her from the room, and she couldn’t stop herself from sprinting toward the bolt-hole. She made it to the guest bedroom in what felt like record time, slamming the door and then sinking to the floor next to it. Pressing her face to the door’s cool wood surface, Kira felt the rising tide of all the things she’d been keeping locked away. Helpless and unwilling to act, she let it come.
For the first time since her grandmother died, Kira Hudson let herself cry.
6
Chapter Six
Asher stood in the Manor’s living area, watching Kira standing in the backyard with Mere Marie. Mere Marie was instructing Kira on the proper use of a silver magician’s wand. They each held one, using their wands to raise leaves off the grass and move them around in gentle circles. Kira gestured with her wand, stirring every leaf in the back yard and bringing a shower of fresh leaves down from the shady oaks overhead.
Kira threw back her head and laughed, and even Mere Marie looked amused. Asher understood that feeling all too well; when she was happy, Kira was irresistible. When she was sad, her misery made Asher feel like he was drowning, like he couldn’t breathe for wanting to please her.
It was a dangerous cycle, wanting to make everything right in Kira’s world. The responsibility of it, though Kira never asked him for anything at all, had partly driven Asher away.
Asher’s hands clenched. He didn’t want to think about the past. Old memories flooded the space between him and Kira, making the deepest of divides. For the past week, Kira hadn’t even met his gaze, much less spoken to him.
He’d gone against her wishes, hired someone to stay at her place in Union City, feed her cat. Watch for intruders, mostly, though Kira didn’t know that. He’d also called her boss and flat-out told him that Kira was in danger and would likely not return to work for a while, if ever. When Kira found out that he’d made arrangements without asking her first, she’d turned on the silent treatment. Hard.
Kira had an edge to her, the ability to truly freeze someone out, and Asher was feeling it for the first time. He had to admit, he wasn’t liking it very much.
Then again, hadn’t he done the same thing to her? Fifteen years he’d neglected her, fifteen years he’d stayed away. If she hadn’t fallen into his lap, it would have been longer.
But not much. Asher had long felt the clawing drag, the sense of missing a part of himself, of never being complete. The last five years had been especially hard after he’d left military service and wandered, seeking entertainment and employment.
Sighing, Asher turned to Duverjay, who hovered several feet behind him.
“Did you pack everything she might need?” Asher asked the butler.
“I believe so, sir,” Duverjay replied. “I took the liberty of stowing everything in the Mercedes C Class Convertible for your trip. Here are the keys.”
Duverjay offered Asher a slim black keyless entry fob, and Asher took it with a word of thanks. Duverjay had prepared everything necessary for this much-needed surprise.
Now there was just the matter of getting Kira to go along with it.
Luckily for Asher, he’d heard Mere Marie’s thoughts on the matter of their relationship. Knowing that she sided with him, that she expected things between Asher and Kira to right themselves, Asher felt he had a little leeway.
So he’d taken that scant couple of inches, and turned it into a mile. Taking a deep breath, Asher reminded himself of the man he was, the things he’d been through. After getting shelled in nearly every corner of the Middle East, there was no way Asher was going to let his pretty blonde mate scare him.
Before he could change his mind, Asher pushed open the French patio doors that led into the back yard and strode outside. Mere Marie and Kira turned toward him, both looking at him with surprise. Asher didn’t say a word, didn’t offer any explanations.
He plucked the wand from Kira’s fingers, tossed it to Mere Marie, and then grabbed Kira.
“Wha— Asher!” Kira yelped as he swung her up over his shoulder.
“We’ll be back later,” Asher told Mere Marie.
He wrapped an arm around Kira’s waist to keep her still and carried her out through the front of the house, straight to the convertible that waited there. When she saw the car, Kira cried out and started struggling. Asher used his free hand to land a hard, solid slap to her denim-clad ass, silencing her protests.
Grateful that the car’s top was down, Asher dumped Kira in the front seat and then hopped in after her.
“Asher, what are you doing?” Kira’s voice was low and deadly-serious.
“Put on your seat belt,” Asher said. He put on his own belt and pulled the car out onto the street before Kira could try to escape.
“Are you seriously kidnapping me?” she asked, her voice rising with alarm.
Asher shot her a cool look, rolling his eyes.
“I don’t know, Kira. Do you think I would do something to harm you?” he asked. He hated that he wasn’t sure how she’d answer that question, but there was no help for it.
Kira pressed her lips into a thin white line and busied herself with fastening her seat belt. The morning was bright and beautiful, that perfect seventy five degree fall weather that made people fall in love with New Orleans.
“I wasn’t the one who wanted to stay here,” Kira said after a minute. “If you wanted me back in Baton Rouge, you could have just said so.”
Asher frowned at her and shook his head.
“We’re not going to Baton Rouge,” he said.
“Union City?” Kira asked, sounding worried.
“Nope. We’re going east.”
“Asher—” Kira started to say more, but Asher cut her off.
“We’re
going on a day trip. There are snacks in the back seat, bottled water and some of that awful healthy trail mix stuff you like. The drive is going to take about an hour. Just… pick a radio station, sit back, and enjoy the drive, okay?” Asher finished in a rush, growing frustrated with her complete lack of trust in him.
Again, not that he didn’t deserve it, but her low opinion of him was like a knife to the ribs, every single time. Kira scowled and flipped on the radio, turning on that boring public news station she loved. Asher didn’t listen to a lot of music, but what he did like was loud and angry.
News articles about beloved authors and old men cracking jokes about cars wasn’t his thing, but it did seem to settle Kira down pretty quickly. Asher rolled the convertible’s windows up so that she could still hear the radio as they drove.
Once they were on the highway, she did break open a bottle of water and the trail mix, gazing at the package with a wary expression.
“Isn’t that the kind you like?” Asher said, raising his voice to be heard over the wind and the radio.
Kira looked up at him with an unfathomable expression. She gave him a short nod and then looked away, turning the radio up another notch. She was quiet and still most of the drive, not reacting to much until they passed a huge sign on the side of the road that welcomed them to Gulfport Beach, Mississippi.
“Gulfport?” Kira said as Asher exited the freeway, turning the car south. “What’s in Gulfport? A casino?”
Asher snorted.
“Uh, not on the agenda today. I didn’t peg you for the casino type,” he said, enjoying her blush at his teasing tone.
“So where are we going?”
“You are so impatient. Were you always this impatient?”
Kira’s expression darkened, and she crossed her arms.
“Maybe,” she retorted, drawing a huff of laughter from Asher.
“Just wait three more minutes. I promise, you’ll like it.”
Kira leaned back and watched the scenery go by, and Asher watched her. Soon, he pulled the car into a private, gated parking lot, swiping a key card to get through the security check point. From there, he drove the car almost right up to the water itself, stopping in front of a festive white beach shack.
“This is it,” he said. “We each have a bag in the trunk.”
Kira shot him a suspicious glance but climbed out of the car, accepting an oversized tote bag from Asher once he opened the trunk. He took another bag, then conferred with a young valet who appeared next to the car, ready to carry the rest of their things and deal with the car.
“The beach,” Kira said as they walked out onto the sand. “Oh… duh.”
“Where did you think we were going?” Asher asked.
Kira only shook her head. He was pretty sure he didn’t want to know the answer to that one.
Spread out across a mile-long stretch of prime beach property were private, enclosed beach gazebos. Daily rentals that did a booming trade during Gulfport’s busy summer tourist season, though now they were much quieter. Aside from a few valets and maintenance people near the main shack, there was no one to be seen.
“We’re right over here,” he said, leading her along a wooden boardwalk until they reached the third building.
The gazebo was probably three hundred square feet of pristine white wood swathed in gauzy mosquito netting. There were no doors, just an opening that faced the ocean. When Asher led Kira inside, it was just like the photos he’d seen. Comfortable, clean, overstuffed furniture, a tiny kitchenette, a bathroom, and a changing room for privacy.
“Wow,” Kira said, setting down her tote bag on a white futon couch.
A low coffee table stood in the center of the room, and Kira marveled at the chilled champagne and healthy snack arrangement she found there. Asher remembered that she was a finicky eater, always preferring healthy and gourmet foods. So he’d ordered her some things he thought she’d like, including a fancy charcuterie tray and some kind of crispy chickpea snack mix. Then he’d added champagne, figuring they could both use a little loosening up.
If Kira was half as wound up as Asher, she was probably a total wreck inside right now.
“Uhh, you should have a suit and a couple of towels in your bag,” Asher said. “I’ll take the changing room over there and give you the big, fancy bathroom. Then I guess we just suit up and get ready for the beach.”
Kira’s lips twisted, but she didn’t say whatever negative thing she was thinking. Instead she nodded and moved to the bathroom, and Asher followed her lead.
He changed more quickly than she did, donning a simple pair of black trunks. Once dressed, he quickly sprayed himself down with sunblock and poured two glasses of champagne.
When Kira stepped out of the bathroom, Asher nearly swallowed his tongue. She was red as a beet, clutching a towel and a big floppy sun hat in her arms. She turned to close the bathroom door and Asher realized he had a lot to thank Duverjay for; Kira wore a very skimpy mint green bikini, and she looked damned good in it.
Mouthwateringly good, actually.
“There was a one-piece, but it didn’t really fit right,” Kira said apologetically, pulling a face.
“I’ll be thanking Duverjay for that later,” Asher said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Kira did that to him, made him feel so… lighthearted.
Even better, Kira’s gaze snagged on Asher’s bare chest and abs. Her gaze was half curious and half admiring, making Asher feel like a million bucks. Damn, that was nice. Normally he didn’t give a half a shit what women thought when they looked at him, but knowing that his mate appreciated the hours of hard work he put in at the gym every day…
Yeah, worth it.
“Champagne?” Kira said. Asher suppressed a grin when she shifted and cleared her throat, pulling her gaze up to his face.
“Just thought we could both use a little help relaxing,” Asher said with a casual shrug. “We’ve both got a lot going on this week. A lot of changes, a lot of work.”
Kira stepped out and accepted the glass of champagne Asher held out, giving him a hesitant smile.
“I guess we do,” she agreed. “It has been a long week.”
“Yeah. I thought maybe today we could call a truce, just enjoy hanging out and not worry about anything else,” Asher suggested.
After a moment, Kira nodded and gave him a more genuine smile.
“That sounds really nice,” she admitted. “So… cheers.”
They clinked their glasses together and then sipped the champagne. Asher downed the whole glass at once, wincing at the carbonation. Champagne wasn’t exactly his drink of choice, but Kira seemed to savor it.
“Alright,” Asher said. “I’ll grab the bottle and follow you down to the water. There are some chairs and towels already set up.”
“Ummm…” Kira blushed and set her glass down, fidgeting. “I actually need some help getting sunscreen on my back. I really don’t want to burn.”
“I might be able to help you out,” Asher teased, turning and grabbing the sunscreen from his bag. He chose a bottle of lotion rather than the spray he’d used on himself. “Okay, turn around.”
Kira set down her towel and tote and turned her back to him, and Asher wasted no time covering his hands with lotion and rubbing her down. He went slow, enjoying the feeling of her warm, soft skin under his calloused palms. Kira shivered under his touch at first, but seemed to relax and enjoy it after a minute.
He made sure to add a little massage in the mix as he went from her neck down to her lower back, sliding his fingers under the straps of her bikini top. He finished with a slow glide up from her hips, grazing the sides of her full breasts.
He regretted the moment he finished, pulling back with a sigh. Kira turned to him and flashed him a half-dazed smile.
“That felt really good. I don’t get a lot of back rubs these days,” she said.
“Anytime you want,” Asher said, keeping the teasing out of his voice. “No strings attached. Just ask.
”
Sure, he’d prefer to be rubbing down her fully naked body with coconut oil as she lay in his bed, but… any excuse to touch Kira worked for him.
“Okay. Ready?” Kira asked, glancing out to the beach.
“You bet. Lead the way.”
Asher grabbed the champagne in its ice bucket and the glasses in one hand. Toting a small cooler in the other, he followed Kira to the shoreline. There were four white wooden beach chairs set up, each with a stack of fluffy towels at the ready. A white wood table divided the seats into pairs, and Kira selected a seat in the middle. Asher chose one on the other side of the table, giving her a little space and allowing them both to use the table for their champagne.
“Nice,” Asher said, refilling both their glasses. After a long sip, he stretched and headed down to the water, diving in without a moment’s pause.
Asher swam out a little ways before turning around. He was surprised to see Kira standing on the shore, water lapping her feet. Her expression was priceless; clearly, she was too scared to actually get in the water.
Asher let the current pull him back in, waiting to see if she’d overcome her own fears. By the time he stood next to her, dripping with salty water, she’d only advanced a foot or so further into the ocean.
“What’s the matter?” Asher asked, trying to stifle his amusement.
“Uhhh… I just started thinking about all the fish and sharks and jellyfish and stuff…” Kira said, her gaze fixed on the water at her feet. “It’s okay. I like it here. Here is good. It’s safe—”
Kira squawked when Asher tackled her, dragging her out into the water. He lifted her up and kept her shoulders out of the water even as she fought him.
“Asher! Asher, no!” she cried.
Her struggles changed in the next moment, and Kira clung to him, nails digging into his shoulders.