❝Let's never leave...❞
"YOU KNOW, I'm going to have to change my last name to James." Ria floats on her back next to Ashton, auburn hair floating in the water around her shoulders like a halo.
Ashton scrunches his nose and his stomach twists at the idea of her taking his father's name. "No. I don't want you to be a James." He sinks lower into the lake until his chin touches the cool water. "I like DeVoure for you and for our little one."
"So we're not going to share names?" She puckers her lips and turns her head slightly enough to look at him. "I liked the idea of sharing names."
"Hmm." Ashton mulls over the possibilities for a moment. He's always hated the elements of his name. Carter was taken from his mother's affair and James from a father who never loved him and is now dead. His name holds no significance to him. He'd hate to have to share it with anyone else. "How about I take your name instead?"
Ria's hazel eyes spring open and she tilts her weight until she's swimming upright. "What?" she exhales.
Ashton strokes a thumb across her cheek. "We're already breaking all of the traditions. What's more untraditional than a man taking a woman's name?"
"But...well...won't that be weird for you?"
"I've always hated my name and what it stands for." He stares at her, suddenly marveled at the way sunlight drips over her being, igniting her hair in flames. "Your name came from a father who loved and raised you. Who loved and appreciated your mother for their entire marriage. Plus, what an easier way to blend in with the country than to take a Frenchman's last name?"
Ria laughs and runs her fingers through his wet hair. "Okay. If you want to, we can do that. You can take my name."
"Ashton DeVoure." He laughs. "That sounds so weird."
"Say it a million times and you'll get used to it." She slings her arms over his shoulders and runs her fingers through his hair, massaging his head. "I can't believe we're married." She smiles dreamily. "You're my husband."
"And you're my wife." He kicks his legs gently under the water and wraps an arm around her waist. "This is real. You're mine and I'm yours."
She rests her head on his shoulder and her soft breathing caresses his collar. "Just think, this winter we'll have a little girl or boy running around with us."
"Yeah." Ashton looks towards the early morning sky. "When we move back, we're going to take every parenthood class and visit every doctor so you and this baby can come out of this healthy and kicking."
"We will." Her voice softens. "I know we will. You're not getting rid of me that easily. We still have a ton of love stories to read together. I actually saw a bookstore not from our hotel. We should stop by before we leave. Maybe I can get you some books about Italian culture and language."
"I like that idea. I'm basically a citizen now anyway. Ashton the Italiano."
Ria snorts. "Never say that again."
"You don't think my accent is absolutely charming?" he teases and digs his fingers into her sides, making her squirm and laugh.
"N-no. Stop it," she squeals and kicks away from him.
Ashton grins and swims towards her. "Watch out, Ria. Just give me a few months and I'll be the most charming Italian man in the country. With my authentic accent and fluent speaking of the language. My soon to be well respected French name."
Ria rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. You'll always be an American. Just look at your blonde hair and blue eyes. Talk about cliché."
"You love my blonde hair and blue eyes." He smirks. "And you're the only Italian I've met with hair as red as yours."
"At least my accent is real and I don't go around telling people I'm very gullible in another language."
He narrows his eyes. "That's it."
"No!" Ria squeals and tries to swim away as Ashton hunts after her.
He cuts through the water and grabs her waist, tugging her body into his. "I'm going to find a way to embarrass you just as much."
"You only know one language." She laughs and wriggles in his arms. "How can you possibly embarrass me?"
"I'll think of something really good. Just you wait." He kisses her neck.
Ria sighs and lies back in his arms. "You're going to have to think very hard. You're in my territory now, Mr. DeVoure."
"Hmm. Maybe I don't want your name anymore."
"What?" Ria twists in his arms. "Take that back. You can't change your mind!"
"I just did."
"No. You are Ashton DeVoure. Ashton James DeVoure."
A soft glow ignites in his lungs allowing him to breathe something entirely delightful. "I like the way that sounds. Your name next to mine. It's like you're giving me a piece of yourself."
Ria runs her fingers down his face, admiring his features with hazy eyes. "Do you accept this piece of myself?"
"Is that even a question? I accept all of you, Ria. From your childish giggles to your warm heart. From your bad cooking and awful taste in literature."
"Hey!"
He grins and places his forehead against hers. "I accept all of you, Ria."
"And I accept all of you," she whispers before her lips touch his.
For the first time in years, Ashton stares at his canvas with something foreign floating around in his conscience. He glances down at the set of paints Ria found at the market resting between them. She hums to herself as she dips her brush in the lavender paint and then brings the softest stroke to her canvas.
All the while, he is stuck on something new building inside him. He's always painted with the darkest colors, used the harshest shades because his emotions were drawn to them. They constantly reflected his mood and the demons that lingered over his shoulders.
As he sits here, he realizes his demons have been silent since he's been in Italy. It's like he's almost forgotten about his past crimes and the dark horizon that lays over them in New York. As if the moment they left the borders of his country, a spell was cast over his mind and guilt no longer gnaws at the edges of his soul.
What's in him now? Light. Prosperity. Optimism. The beautiful land of Italy. The thrills of marriage and indescribable love.
His brush trembles between his fingers as he hovers over the brightest yellow. He dips the bristles in the oil paint and brings it to his canvas, dragging it along the white surface with absolute relief. Sunny streaks come away and he drags it along almost effortlessly, using it as a center of his emotions.
"Wow," he laughs at how amazing it feels. Like light itself is burning in the core of his spirit. He reaches over and dips into a pale orange and laughs again at the bright colors that come away. Now he's yearning for color, craving each bright hue and shade. He dips and drags and cleans his brush occasionally, but releases every sensation burning inside him.
The corners of his lips arch rather than a scowl digging into his forehead. His hands are shaky with elation rather than hate. The image bursts to life before his eyes, a fusillade of energy and jubilation.
When he's done, his breathing is harsh and invigorated. The ending result is radiant and optimistic. Endless colors splashed and dragged along, bringing about a beautiful image. "What do I call you?" He touches his bottom lip, eyes dancing over the surface as he tries to find the heart of it all.
"You're so beautiful," Ria whispers.
Ashton catches her infatuated eyes and lips curved with an adoring simper. He laughs. "That felt amazing. I don't know what to call it. It's everything." He looks down at his paint-stained hands, proud of the leftover bits of lavender and azure rather than obsidian and grey.
"You were so happy, Ashton. I've never seen you so happy." She blinks back tears. "This week has been the greatest decision of our lives."
"It really has." He grins and looks at her painting and his heart slows to a halt.
Two sets of hands, one slender and the other more masculine, holding a light that glows and burns, almost cradling it. Their baby. It must be... Ria loves their child so much and it's hardly begun to form inside of her. The child that threatens her future, she loves them unconditionally without letting fear take that away.
Before he realizes it, a tear slips out of the corner of his eye and he wipes it away roughly. "You've made me so soft," he whispers while staring at her painting. "I swear, I've never cried until I met you."
"Crying is good. You're allowing yourself to feel emotions instead of bottling them up."
He glances at her catching her saddened smile. "You've made me so different, Ria. I don't feel like I'm the same man I was a year ago. Everything about me has changed and...and I'm happy. We've lost so much yet I can't stop feeling happy. It's almost wrong."
"I know what you mean." She extends a paint-splattered hand and touches his cheek, letting the substance smudge against his skin.
"You did not just do that."
Ria's eyes widen as if she didn't realize she had paint on her hands. "I'm so sorry!" She giggles and snatches it away.
"Now we have to be even," he declares and reaches over to wipe his hand across her cheek.
They both gasp at once as nearly his entire handprint is smeared on her skin. "Shit. I didn't mean to do so much." He throws his head back and laughs.
She wipes her face furiously and glowers. "You're so done." Without warning, she's scrambling over to him and straddles his waist.
"Ria, wait," he says through laughter. "It was an accident, I swear!" He grabs her hips but can't pull her off in time to stop her from smearing her hands down his exposed chest. "Okay, now you've gone too far." He grabs her tank top and lifts it high enough to smear his hand across her stomach.
"Ashton! This is my only white tank top."
"Buy another," he teases.
Ria pouts. "I didn't plan on going shopping for the rest of the week."
"Now it looks like you have to."
"You're so mean."
"But you love me."
"Those feelings are so questionable right now."
"Ohoho," he laughs. "Is that so?"
Ria nods and he tilts her chin, bringing her lips to his. He kisses her softly and nibbles on her bottom lip. "How about now?" he mumbles.
"Maybe a little..."
He grins and tilts his head to kiss her more feverishly. His hands glide down her sides and grip her waist as she continues to straddle him. Ria releases a soft sigh between his lips and grabs his shoulders as she kisses him back with a familiar hunger.
Worries of fading paint dissipate to the back of his mind as need surfaces. She begins moving her hips steadily against him, igniting a desperate haze over them.
Ashton grins and kisses the curve of her jaw. "You're always so damn horny," he murmurs against her rosy skin before teasing it delicately between his teeth. "What am I supposed to do about that?"
"Sh-shut up," she hisses and arches her neck as his lips flutter across her soft surface. Her hips move with more fluidity, creating undying friction between them and her fingers roam from his shoulders to his chest.
Ashton pulls the end of her shirt over her head, exposing her breasts and their devilish allure. He leans in and places his lips against them, relishing in Ria's instant sighs of satisfaction. Her moans alone are enough to strike his blood with flames. Adrenaline rushes to one center of his body and he wants her so bad it drives him crazy.
He strains against the fabric of his shorts and Ria's steady movements tease him ruthlessly. She can feel him stiffening between her legs because her motions become more feverish, starving for him. As he flicks his tongue over her aroused breasts and nibbles her delicate curves, she reaches down and feels him over his shorts.
"Ashton," she sighs with hesitance, almost asking permission.
He looks up to see her eyes shut and her lips parted. It's unbelievable just how fucking beautiful she is and how he was lucky enough to find this woman and marry her.
Moments like these, he wants to appreciate her and take his time touching and teasing every plain of her perfection, but he's going to burst if he doesn't get more soon.
Ria leans down and kisses his lips again. She grabs the waist of his shorts and pulls them down and he manages to take hers off until they're in nothing but their underwear. She drives her hips lustfully against his lap, teasing his stiffening arousal with her own hot and desperate sentiment. He touches between her legs, feeling over her panties, shocked by just how wet she is, dampening the fabric.
Soon the rest of their clothing is ripped away, leaving nothing but air and the lust for friction to drive their bodies insane. Ashton guides her hips forward and drags his tongue between his lips.
"Look at me," he demands.
Her eyes flutter open and he's hit with her beautiful hazel irises littered with desire. She bites her bottom lip and silently begs for him to bring her closer.
"Tell me what you want," he whispers, fingers digging into her waist.
"Don't make me beg." Her brows rise as she tries to lower her hips onto him. "Please, I need you." She digs her nails into the muscles of his shoulders. "Ashton..."
He can't wait any longer. He lowers her hips until every inch of him is easing inside her, bodies becoming one marvelous masterpiece of love and lust.
Ria throws her head back and groans as pleasure explodes through them. Ashton leans in and nips her sensitive skin while driving her hips back and forth on top of him.
"Ashton," she gasps his name as if she weren't expecting this feeling or her ravenous craving for every inch of him.
"I want to see you," he says breathily and cups her face. "Look at me, Ria."
Her lowered eyes focus on his and they're staring at each other intensely as Ria's body teases the beast inside him, dying for more. Endless heat. Tantalizing friction.
A familiar rigidness goes through her body and her nails dig harder. "I-I love you," she claims desperately right as she reaches her limit of pleasure and comes undone against him.
It's absolutely stunning. The way her body falls apart on his, how she weakens slightly and how he can feel her growing more and more aroused.
He can't take it anymore.
Ashton secures an arm around her waist before swiftly shifting positions. He pins her down and buries himself between her quivering thighs. Her sudden gasp of pleasure sends him on an absolute high.
"Oh my god," she breathes as he continues at his own hungry pace, letting the beast inside him take over. "Yes," she moans and drags her nails down his back. "Ashton, oh my god." She hooks her legs around his waist as he spreads her thighs with each and every desperate thrust into her body.
Her cries of pleasure drive him mad. He groans as the intoxicating feeling of her overwhelms him. Her name falls from his lips as pure ecstasy courses through him. She feels so amazing. Her eyes, her lips, her tan skin and cinnamon freckles are breathtaking under the sunlight that falls over them.
His lips find hers in the heat. They become breathless too quickly and have to break away to stare into each other's eyes. Ashton drives his hips between her warm thighs, relishing in how slick and aroused she grows with every thrust.
Tears touch the corners of her eyes and she shuts them as yet another orgasm shudders through her body. Her lips part and she releases a desperate cry. His name falls from her lips over and over again, a beautiful melody against his ears.
It's like their souls are touching and the force of it is just too much for her. Ria hooks her arms around him, bringing his face to the crook of her neck. He heaves searing breaths over her collar as he moves his hips more fluidly, harder, spreading her legs and digging his hips between hers.
He can feel his end coming, fast and relentless. He grabs the back of her thigh and finds her lips desperately again until he falls apart inside her. "Fuck," he moans and collapses against her.
Ria's pants are in sync with his. She runs one hand down his back, the other through his hair, and kisses from his cheek to his jawline.
"Th-that was unreal. I want to stay like this forever," she pants in his ear.
Ashton shivers. "Let's never leave..."
"We don't have to."
A lie, they know, but one they tell themselves anyway. In just a couple more days, they'll have to fly back to New York. They'll have to face reality and deal with hell again.
For now, they hold each other. Laughing with sex lingering in the air and whispering with love in their hearts. They can remain in this heaven, this fantasy, like the real world doesn't exist.
What do you guys think of Ashton taking Ria's name over her taking his?
I was contemplating scrapping this chapter cause I thought you guys might be getting tired of the romantic sappy stuff, but I just had to write this!
More epic things to come!
-bri💕
p.s. sorry about suddenly taking the story down guys 💔 if youve seen the post on my page, you know i was hit with a bit of insecurity and felt like maybe my writing wasn't good or sticking with you guys like i wanted it.
thank you to those who were patient and understanding! your support means everything to me! 💓
IMPORTANT QUESTION: do you guys think i should remove the sex from these books? i see so many authors talk about not having smut in their books and how readers usually skip it and im wondering if maybe i waste too much time putting it into the story?
i personally enjoy intimacy being shown in relationships so i never thought it was a big deal, but maybe ashria have too many sex scenes? idk 😬