Page 59 of Where the Stars Heal

Her words crack something open inside me, a tidal wave of emotions unleashes, crashing over me—fear, longing, desperation. Flipping her over, I settle between her legs, my hands circling her wrists in a possessive grip as I pin them above her head.

Her pulse beats frantically under my thumbs, and I grind into her, my cock already hard from the look of her sprawled out in my bed, ready for the taking. Her breathy moans fill the silent room, and when our eyes meet in the dark room, dimly lit by the moon, she tells me everything my heart already knows. She doesn’t care about my past, what I’ve done, the mistakes that haunt me, or who I once was. All she cares about is the here and now, the man before her, and the one who wants to be better for her.

My mouth captures hers, and I kiss her slowly, pouring every unspoken truth into her, how much she means to me, and how I never want to let her go. Her hands twist beneath mine, fighting to be released. Her breathing grows louder, more desperate. The pull between us tightens, the tension building until it finally snaps.

Releasing her wrists, I brace myself on one arm, the other moving down her body. My fingers find the hem of her shirt, slipping beneath to lift it, revealing her soft skin and her full breasts. My mouth goes dry, the peaks of her nipples hardening under my stare.

“Your tits are fucking stunning,” I groan as I grind into her once more.

Dipping my head, I take her nipple in my mouth, teasing it with my tongue before slowly moving to the other, showing it just as much attention. I suck and nip as I grind into her. Her hands fly to my head when I bite down with more force, making her gasp. She pulls at my curls, the sting sending a jolt through me.

Kicking the sheets we’ve found ourselves tangled in aside, I rip her panties from her body and remove my briefs. I pause, staring down at her. My body lights up at the sight of her open and waiting. Lining myself up, I watch her legsfall open further, her hips lifting, nudging my cock into the opening of her pussy.

“Asher,” she moans my name, “take what you need.”

And I do, I thrust forward, our bodies colliding.

27

I LOVE HIM

HALLE

I cry out as Asher fills me, stretching me in the most delicious way.

His hooded gaze roams over my face, the desperation hidden behind his need begs to be taken. The way he was thrashing in his sleep, his panicked pleas for help, and broken whimpers had my heart cracking open, the urge to save him from the shadows of his past overwhelming me.

I lift my hips, allowing him to sink deeper. “Fuckkk,” he hisses in my ear.

His weight settles over me as he braces himself on his forearms on either side of my head, his hands gripping the pillow my head lays on. My legs move instinctively, wrapping tightly around his waist, holding him to me, and I meet him halfway with every slow, tortuous thrust.

We move together slowly. He’s so deep inside of me that I feel him everywhere. In my heart, my soul, consuming my mind. His pain, his grief, his suffering, they spill into me, and I take it willingly. Allowing it all to seep into me, to fall away from his shoulders. My arms wrap around his neck as I circle my hips, making him groan.Our breathing becomes erratic, heavy, and lost in the moment.

Sweat clings to his back as his thrusts become faster, the pleasure in my core building as he hits me so hard I move up the bed. The weight of him never leaving me.

I let him fuck me. I let him take what he needs, and I cling to him, holding on so tight, never wanting to let go. Just as he’s taken my panic, I take his pain. My heart soars, racing toward him, and when he whispers my name, “Halle,” softly, with all the care, love, and longing in the world, everything inside me clicks into place.

I love him.

“Asher,” I whimper, “you feel so good.”

He lifts his head, his movements slowing as he stares down at me, his eyes glazed over with every emotion he’s feeling. My fingers rake through his messy curls, and he leans down, his lips capturing mine in a kiss full of passion and vulnerability. Our tongues dance together as he finds his rhythm once more. Thrusting into me desperately, chasing his pleasure.

Pressure builds low in my spine, and my legs begin to shake. My walls tighten around his cock, locking him in place, and he moans into my mouth, picking up his pace.

We fall together, pleasure ripping through my core and curling around my spine. His cum fills me, his body tensing above as I shake and tremble under him, our cries of ecstasy filling the room.

Asher collapses on top of me, his breathing hot and ragged against my ear. My fingers trail gently up and down his back, tracing patterns along his damp skin as we both take the time to steady our racing hearts.

“It’s never felt like this before,” he says into the quiet room, his voice low. “Never knew it could be like this.”

My pulse quickens at his confession. This man, strong and guarded, has never been loved the way he deserves, the way he needs.

“It’s never been like this for me either,” I admit quietly.

He thrusts inside me once more before pushing up and slipping out of me. I whimper at the loss of him and watch him as he heads for the bathroom. The muscles in his back ripple with each step he takes, and the sight of his bare ass sends a flutter through me.

“I can feel you staring, sweetheart,” he calls out, his voice teasing as he disappears through the door.

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