Page 22 of Aries

“But don’t get it twisted,” he said, blowing on his food. “You’re my muse, and I need you to keep doing things a muse would do.”

He continued to surprise me. “I consider you my muse.”

Ash let out a slight moan as he took the mouthful of food from the fork.

“Not in a way like you, I guess,” I continued as he ate. “I’m not compelled to pull out those large canvases and paint. But I do want to make pretty patterns on your skin, in whatever ways I can. Biting, sucking, ropes, maybe even a little spank.”

He nodded to each word before gulping. “Firstly, did you sprinkle dopamine in this? It’s delicious. And second, I’ve never—” he sucked in a shaky breath. “I’ve never had someone take so much time to go over my body the way you did, like you were taking every part of me in, and—and I want to do that to you.”

“Let’s finish eating first,” I told him. “And then I can show you the surprise I’ve got for us to play with. You don’t have to, but I’d love it if you did.” I was teasing him now; he would never guess what it was.

Ash lifted his glass, and I joined him in another cheers.

“Since I’m about to devour every last forkful of this meal, you might have to give me a little time before we—you know, have sex,” he said.

“You can have the time,” I told him. “I came here to be around you, and any time I can insideyou, well that’s just a bonus.” I gave him a wink. I meant every word I said. I’d lived into my forties, sex wasn’t exactly the first thing on my mind, but creating a bond was.

Not to toot my own horn, but this food was delicious. I didn’t want it to end. I’d worked up a hunger after working all day.

“I want to tell you the truth,” Ash said. “I’ve never thought of myself as a romantic before. So, I might not know how to do some things, like be romantic.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked. “You called me your muse. You created art based on our first and second time together. If anything, I think you’re one heck of a romantic. And not a light romantic, you’re someone who lives, sleeps, and breathes it.”

He chewed on his lip, his eyes growing misty. “That’s true, I suppose, but what it’s never been like that before. Well, in different ways, I’ve always felt drawn to create after cumming.”

“Post-nut clarity,” I told him. “A great feeling, right?”

Ash wiped his face and shuddered. “A strange one. But at this rate, I’m going to be out buying more paint and canvases before the end of the week. I don’t think it’s sustainable.”

“Lucky for you, the after-dinner activity I’ve got planned might help with that.” Even dropping a clue here and there, I doubt he was going to get it.

“And there’s still those chocolate strawberries,” he said, digging around on the plate again. “So, I think I’m finished with this.”

He’d got through half of it. I was impressed, just like the way he’d worked his way through the bagel this morning. “What do you think I’ve got planned for us?”

“Other than the strawberries?” he asked. “And more champagne.”

“Just the one bottle of that actually,” I said, my hand around the bottle neck to pour more. “But I did bring some white wine. I didn’t know what you were into, so I hope you like it.”

“Love wine,” he said. “Any wine. All wine. In fact, I once went on a wine tour, not like in Italy or wherever, just at the bodega. It was like a lucky dip of wine, and we ended up with six bottles and I loved all of them, even the really cheap ones.”

“Wow, bodega wine, huh?”

He shrugged. “Now you know I’m low-key cheap,” he said. “I’d have been happy with prosecco, or like even just a bar of chocolate and a single strawberry I had to eat at the same time just to get the same chocolate covered strawberry effect.”

“I will—” I couldn’t finish what I was going to say from chuckling. “I will definitely keep that in mind for next time then. But I doubt I’ll remember; I prefer the good stuff. Even if the more expensive stuff isn’t always nicer.”

“It’s all nice to me,” he said. “Just the thought of it is nice. Nobody has ever gotten me chocolate strawberries before.”

If I could, I’d have covered his entire body in chocolate and sucked it from him, just enough suction to leave more little marks. He created a whole new level of hunger in me, and I wasn’t ready for my appetite to be satisfied.

9. ASH

I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had tried to feed me strawberries dipped in chocolate before, but that didn’t matter now because Gael was the last, and then the next, and every other afterwards.

We took it in turns, passing them over the table to each other, aiming right for the mouth.By now, all three of the candles were nearly nubs on the small saucer I’d set them on. But as the chocolate crossed over the flames, a little amount melted and close to dripping on the tablecloth.

“Do you want to take anymore guesses as to what I’ve got planned?” Gael asked.

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