Page 31 of Shifting the Flame
"I feel the same way about you," he replied softly.
When they finally separated, Asher turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her. His hands were gentle as he dried her off, and she smiled uncontrollably.
He soon led her back to the bedroom, his arm around her like he couldn’t bear to let her go. They climbed into bed together and the sheets were cool against her skin. Asher pulled her close, his body a solid, comforting presence against hers. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"This is definitely where I belong," she whispered, her voice soft but sure. "With you."
His arms tightened around her and he brushed a kiss against her hair. "You're my mate, Danica. I'm never letting you go," he said, his voice full of promise.
She smiled, her heart filled with emotion. She didn't know what the future held, but in that moment, she knew one thing for certain—she was exactly where she wanted to be—in his arms.
TWELVE
ASHER
Asher woke up with sunshine streaming across his face, but the true warmth came from the woman nestled against his chest. Danica's naked body fit perfectly against his, her soft curves molding to his hard planes. He traced his finger along her spine, savoring the silky texture of her skin.
His dragon stirred inside him, possessive and satisfied. She was his – not officially marked yet, but claimed in every other way that mattered.
"Screw the festival," he muttered under his breath, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her intoxicating scent.
Duty. The word echoed annoyingly in his mind. As Alpha and mayor, he had responsibilities. People counting on him. A town waiting for his leadership. But his body ached to stay entwined with Danica's, and to savor every inch of her again.
She stirred against him, her brown eyes blinking open. She gave him a soft smile that sent heat straight to his groin.
"Morning," she whispered, her voice husky with sleep.
"I want to keep you here all day," he growled, pulling her tighter against him. "Lock the doors. Turn off the phones."
Danica laughed, the sound vibrating against his chest. "Tempting, but I believe someone has a festival to start, Mr. Mayor."
"Being responsible is highly overrated." He captured her soft lips in a kiss that quickly deepened, his hand sliding down to cup her ass.
She pulled back, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Later. You promised your town a festival, and I promised them the best damn festival they've ever seen."
Asher sighed dramatically. "You're killing me."
"Consider it delayed gratification." She slipped from his grasp with surprising agility, wrapping herself in his discarded button-down shirt. "I need to grab my things from the guest room."
He watched her go, admiring the way his shirt barely covered her ass. Last night replayed in his mind – her writhing beneath him then straddling him, taking control with a confidence that had driven him wild. Then the shower afterward, her back against the cold tile as he claimed her again, her legs wrapped around his waist as he drove into her.
"Christ," he muttered, forcing himself out of bed. Duty called, much as he wished to ignore it.
He showered quickly, memories of Danica's wet body pressed against his making the task more difficult than it should have been. The light gray suit waited on its hanger – his mayoral uniform for official functions. He dressed methodically, each button and cufflink a step further from the primal man who had claimed his mate last night and closer to the leader his people needed today.
As he fastened his watch, he stared at his reflection – composed, professional, and controlled. But his eyes betrayed him, burning with an intensity he couldn't disguise.
She had awakened something in him – not just desire, but a connection he hadn't known he was missing. Their connection transcended the physical, though God knows that aspect had exceeded his wildest expectations.
He descended the stairs, pausing at the sight that greeted him in the foyer.
Danica stood bathed in the morning light, a vision in a yellow sundress that hugged every curve he'd explored with his hands and mouth just hours before. The color made her skin glow and set off the rich brown of her hair. The hemline showed just enough leg to make his mouth go dry.
"You're staring, Alpha." Her lips curled in a knowing smile.
"Can you really blame me?" He crossed to her in a few long strides, his hands finding her waist. "You look good enough to eat."
"You already did that yesterday," she quipped, her eyes sparkling with humor. "Twice."
