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Dom got to her feet, placing a hand on Aster’s shoulder and squeezing. “Drinks are on me next time we head out into the city.” And then she turned to Blair, holding out a hand and cocking her head towards the door. “Come on. Let’s fix this mess at home.”

Eden watched Dom and Blair retreat out of the front door, arms wrapping around her from behind as the door closed. Aster’s lips found her neck, soft and wet, and just the idea of her mouth reaching other places had Eden’s body on alert.

Eden turned in Aster’s arms. “What did you say to Dom?”

“Just what she needed to hear.” Aster leaned in, a languid kiss dragging a moan from Eden’s throat. “She needed to remember what was important. How different things could be.”

Eden’s forehead creased.

“I asked her to imagine a world, a life, without Blair,” Aster said, her head cocked as she pulled back and focused on Eden. “The one thing that terrifies me lately is imagining my life without you in it, so I told her to imagine the same thing. I’m not very good when it comes to figuring out people’s relationships, so I went with what I thought was best.”

“I don’t think anyone has ever been afraid to lose me…”

“I don’t want to scare you off, we haven’t been dating for that long, but you mean so much to me, Eden. The night you showed up at my place because my dad was ill…it was that night when I realised just how much I wanted you in my life. By my side. And I know we weren’t even together at that point, but it was the concern you had for me and my family that did it. Nobody has ever done something like that before.”

“I didn’t want you to be alone.”

“It meant so much.”

Eden nuzzled into Aster’s neck, resting her head on Aster’s shoulder. She felt safe, warmth spreading throughout her. “My life has had a major change, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else.”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”

* * *

“Mm. Dinner was lovely. As always.” Aster pressed a kiss to the base of Eden’s neck, one hand falling to her thigh. They’d had another evening together, and every night seemed better than the last. Aster couldn’t complain. Spending time with Eden outside the office was all she could have dreamed of when she first laid eyes on this woman. “But you know what’s really lovely?”

“W-what?” She felt Eden shudder, her palms flat against the dining table.

“You…in this skirt.” Aster smiled against Eden’s skin, her hands slipping around the front of her blouse. As she popped the buttons slowly, Eden released an audible moan. “Very, very lovely.”

“Aster…” Eden stood upright, gripping the edge of the dining table.

“Yes, beautiful?”

“I-I need to clear the table away.” Eden trembled against her, but it only spurred Aster on. When she had a woman trembling, she was never going to step away. Not in this lifetime.

“Yeah, that’s not really what I had planned.” She glanced over Eden’s shoulder as she got to her tiptoes and frowned. There was barely a thing on the dining table. “And I don’t think it really requires much tidying up, do you?”

“Well, no.”

Aster slipped Eden’s blouse from her body, her lips pressing softly against one shoulder, then the other. Eden’s subtle perfume—intoxicating as ever—reached Aster’s nose, a smile instantly settling on her face. “You’re gorgeous,” Aster whispered against Eden’s skin, lowering her hand to Eden’s thigh and dragging her nails up and under her skirt. “Turn around. I want to kiss you.”

Eden turned, her legs shaking. She rested back against the dining table, wrapping her legs around Aster’s waist as she dragged her into a heated kiss. Eden’s fingers tugged at the button on Aster’s jeans, and then they lowered her zipper, sending Aster’s body wild with want.

She leaned in, taking Aster’s earlobe between her teeth. “And I want to fuck you.”

Aster suddenly found their positions reversed, Eden’s hands pushing her further back on the table. But it was the urgency from Eden as she curled her fingers around the waistband of Aster’s jeans that had her lifting her hips and willing to do anything Eden required. “Eden, shit.”

Eden quirked an eyebrow. “What?”

“You. Like this. It’s so fucking hot.” Aster wrapped her legs around Eden and pulled her closer, claiming her lips with the very same urgency Eden’s hands had. She nipped at Eden’s bottom lip, moaning into her mouth as she massaged Aster through her underwear. Right now, tonight, she’d never been so wet. Or so desperate to be taken.

“Babe, you’re killing me.”

“Lift,” Eden demanded as she hooked her fingers around the crotch of Aster’s underwear. “You may be desperate for more, but so am I.”

Once her underwear was discarded, Aster studied Eden’s eyes. This was the first time since they’d met that Eden had taken control during those intimate moments. But Aster wasn’t worried. This woman knew exactly what she was doing and exactly what she wanted. Aster sat back on her elbows, her bare legs dangling over the edge of the table. “Where do you want me?”