Page 98 of Red River

When we reached the shore, I jumped out first, eager to explore. A small beach stretched out before us, with reeds and water lilies lining the rest of the bank. Archer grabbed the blankets while I carried the basket, and we ventured into the wood.

"The clearing is not far from here," Archer said, pointing ahead. I followed him, and soon we stepped out of the shade of the trees into a small open space—where I froze.

It was covered in a sea of red flowers I’d never seen before!

They looked like poppies but were slightly smaller, forming a dense, breathtakingly beautiful red carpet. The whole island had this magical aura, and my heart immediately sped up.

"Wow… this place is stunning," I whispered.

"The perfect spot for our first date," Archer added, looking around. "Honestly, I didn’t know it was this gorgeous. The last time I was here, the flowers weren’t blooming."

He set the picnic stuff down and straightened up, his gaze drifting back to me.

Then, out of nowhere, he reached out and took a strand of my hair between his fingers.

"These flowers… they’re almost the same color. How is your hair this red, though? Your dad’s blond, and your father’s… I didn’t get a good look at him, but I thought his hair was dark."

I smiled softly. "My father has dark chestnut hair. When he was little, it was auburn. My hair is right in the middle between both of theirs."

"It’s beautiful," Archer murmured, twirling the strand around his fingers. We were standing so close now. I could feel his warmth, his presence—like he was already embracing me without even trying.

"I’ve been under its spell since the first day I saw it."

"There were so many times I wanted to cut it," I whispered, "but I never did—because you told me not to."

"Really? It’s this long because of me? We hadn’t even seen each other back then."

I gave him a wistful smile. "It probably sounds silly, but yeah… I kept it for you. Even years later, whenever I thought about cutting it, I’d remember, 'Archer loved it’. It felt like a keepsake from the way you… admired it."

Now we were pressed so close together that my chest rested lightly against his stomach.

And that’s when I whispered it.

"I feel it, deep inside me. Completely. Like it’s ready to come out."

I lifted my hand, placing it over his heart.

"I surrender to you, Archer. In the way you wanted. I understand now."

Our eyes locked, and it felt like our minds were strangely connected.

His hand slid slowly up my arm, disappearing under my hair until his palm rested on the back of my neck. When his fingers touched my bare skin, I shivered hard.

I lowered my head, pressing my forehead against his chest.

"I’m yours, Archer," I mumbled. "Do whatever you want with me."

Then I started moving lower, kissing a path down his torso. Over his solar plexus, near his navel… then finally pressing a kiss to the outline of his hardness through his black sweatpants.

And then I sank to my knees, looking up at him with wide-open eyes.

"I submit. Please… do me the honor and enter my body today. Claim me. Make me yours."

"Strip, River."

His voice was low and velvety, his gaze intense.

Still on my knees, I started undressing. I pulled off my T-shirt and then my red shorts, which clung tightly to my ass. Over the past few weeks, I’d put on even more weight, which I was happy about—my bum always filled out first, becoming rounder, fuller.

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