Fast Burn (Burned Duet 1)

So as he brought his head up, his dark-brown-eyed gaze meeting mine, my thoughts were confirmed. “Damn, sweetheart.” He chuckled as he pulled out, but he didn’t make to move away from me. Instead, he stepped closer, wrapped his arms around my waist, and picked me up off the counter. “We’re gonna need to disinfect that.”

I laughed, so free and loud that if I really thought about it, I would have scared myself. But that was what Asher made me feel. Free. He’d freed me from the constraints I’d put on myself, but from then on, I’d always be Elodie, the girl who could do anything she put her mind to.

* * *

ASHER

Intense heat blasted me from my left side, and I shuffled, trying to cool down, but it didn’t matter what I did, the heat was still there. I groaned and turned my head, slowly opening my eyes to see what it was.

Fuck.

My eyes snapped open and my heart hammered in my chest. I’d fallen asleep. I’d fallen asleep next to Elodie. I hadn’t slept next to someone all night since I was a kid. I was the kind of person who liked his own space, but with Elodie’s body pressed against mine, I could see that changing really fast.

My movement caused her to stir, and her lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Her body tensed and then relaxed as she saw it was me next to her, and I couldn’t help but reach out to push some hair out of her face. “Morning, sweetheart.”

“Morning,” she croaked back, stretching her body out and then curling back up beside me. Her face was pressed into my arm as she stared up at me, and I grinned down at her, not believing what happened last night while also

wanting a repeat just to remind me how goddamn good it felt. “What time is it?”

“Dunno.” I spotted her cell on the bedside table closest to her, so I wrapped my arm around her and moved her with me as I reached for it. I clicked the side button and told her, “Ten o'clock.”

“Well, shit.” She closed her eyes and scrubbed her hands over her face. “I was supposed to be at the studio thirty minutes ago to help Aleste with the classes.” She looked back at me. “But I don’t want to leave right now.”

I pulled her closer to me and relished in her naked skin against mine. “I could think of something to do so you can’t go.”

“Oh yeah?” Her lips quirked on one side and her hand trailed down my chest. “What did you have in mind, Marine?” My stomach bottomed out at what she called me, and goose bumps spread over my body. I’d been called a Marine from the time I was eighteen, but when she said it…fuck, it sounded so goddamn sexy.

“It involves exercise,” I murmured, rolling her onto her back and pushing between her legs. The comforter was too much, so I threw it onto the floor, leaving only a white sheet and our naked bodies on the bed. “I think you’ll enjoy it.” I reached down between her legs, already finding her wet, and I couldn’t wait. Last night I’d been patient, but this morning I just needed to feel her pussy around my cock.

“Do you think?” She trailed her finger down the side of my face and down my chest. “Maybe you should show me so I can decide for myself?”

She didn’t have to tell me twice.

I thrust into her in one smooth motion, pushed up on my knees and brought her up with me. My arms wrapped around her and I maneuvered her up and down. I didn’t want slow and steady, I wanted hard and fast, and from the way she pressed her hands into my shoulders to give herself some leverage, I was sure that was what she wanted too.

The burning sensation at the bottom of my back started to push forward, and I knew I was close, so I pushed my arm between us, flicked her clit with my thumb, and waited until she was moaning. As soon as her pussy tensed around me, I pounded into her, finding my release within seconds.

“If every morning started like that, I’d never have a bad day,” I rushed out, my breath leaving me in bursts. My head spun, my ears ringing, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt, Elodie was it for me. It may have been quick, but when you knew, you knew. For me, there was no turning back, which was why I blurted out, “Come to the family cookout with me today.”

She blinked, her mouth opening and closing, and I could see she was trying to make sense of what I’d said. I’d been forward, but I’d waited long enough. I’d kept my distance and let her come to me, but now that she had, I wasn’t going to back down. “I…” She swallowed, and just as I was about to tell her to forget it, she blurted out, “Okay.”

“Yeah?” I smiled slowly and my stomach fluttered. She’d given me damn butterflies.

“Sure.” She pressed her soft palm to my face. “When do we need to leave?”

I leaned down, pressed a kiss to her lips, and murmured, “Get ready, then we’ll head to my place so I can get changed.”

I didn’t want to lift up off her, I wanted to stay exactly where we were all day, but the only time I’d missed a cookout day was when I was away on tour. And if I didn’t go today, I’d never hear the end of it. Elodie pushed out of bed and I didn’t move my attention off her as she walked to her en suite completely naked. She was fuckin’ perfection.

It wasn’t until we were leaving my house an hour later that I realized by bringing Elodie there, Belle would find out we were more than just friends. It wasn’t like I’d lied to her a couple of weeks ago. Back then we had only been friends, but now—

“You look more nervous than me,” Elodie commented as I pulled into the street my mom and dad’s house was on. I could already see the cars parked on the driveway and outside, and a quick check told me Cade and Belle were already here. That meant we’d walk into a house full of people and—

“Asher?” Elodie asked, her voice measured and unsure. “If you don’t want me to go—”

“No.” I shook my head and pulled up at the end of the driveway. “It’s not that.” I blew out a breath and ran my palm over my face. “I’ve…” I turned to face her. “I’ve never brought a girl home before.”

Her brows rose and she blinked several times. “You haven’t?”