a Primal Pursuit

twenty three

Once I reached our room-wait, our room. How bizarre is that?

My insides buzzed with butterflies as I got myself dressed in a swimsuit and t-shirt. That lake was magical. I knew it wouldn't be cold. It would only be cold when I got out, and I wasn't planning on doing that until the sun went down.

Rolling a towel up, I adorned some sandals and made my way back downstairs. The elevator death trap dinged on the last floor and I found the foyer practically empty. There was a faint buzzing of voices coming from the dining room side of the house, and I smiled softly as Eve's laughter trailed through the house.

My fingers wrapped around the front door's handle, eager to find out who my goon of the day was. I often had random wolves, mainly female when I was swimming.

My eyes widened with surprise, the door closing softly behind me by itself as I found a man stood there instead.

"You? You are my goon?"

Perfectly plump lips pulled back into a grin, the black hoodie doing little to cover his face. He wore black joggers, black trainers and had the hoodie zipped all the way to the top. Yet it didn't hide the absolute unit of meat that he was underneath. I stared at the slight stubble across his tan jaw before crossing my arms to stare at him.

"I am a perfect goon." Asra grinned.

I laughed, shaking my head. "How can you be here when you have to work?"

"It is six o'clock." He shrugged, the hood falling from his head. "I call that a day."

"True." I hummed. "You have been working eleven hours."

"Exactly." He snickered. "Now let's go. I have to protect your every move."

We filled the walk with giggles and growls of frustration. I made it my mission to wind Asra up. I jumped over logs, strayed from the path and got distracted by pretty flowers or trees. Which is what I was doing right now.

Half way up a tree branch, my fingers wrapped around the bark as I tried to poke a strange-looking piece of moss.

"Look! What is that? Is it a frog?"

"Frogs don't climb trees, Ailia."

"How do you know?" I tutted, stretching my body higher.

A frustrated growl sounded from behind me and, within an instant, he wrapped his arms around my waist and forced me over his shoulder. I squawked with surprise, my breath huffing out of me as his shoulder jabbed me in the ribs. His large hand sprawled across one of my thighs, fingers curling dangerously close to my groin. The other hand came to land a sharp smack on my ass, one that had me cursing his name.

"Save the potty mouth for when my cock is tearing you in two." He growled.

I gasped at his bluntness. "Asra! People may hear you!"

He chuckled, the sound vibrating my stomach. "Nobody cares."

I huffed as he carried me that final few hundred yards to the lake. I heard the familiar gentle whooshing of the waterfall and lifted my head from his shoulder. Using my elbow as a prop, I dug it deep into his back until he barked at me to stop stabbing him.

I giggled. "Put me down then."

"Put you down?" He wondered, coming to a stop.

"That would be grand."

"Are you sure?" He asked, and I felt his arm shift to lift me.

"Yes! I can walk." I nodded.

He shrugged, and I stilled at the sudden cooperation. A cool breeze wafted up my shirt just before I felt the impact of... well, wet.