Always Asher Read online

  “Yeah.”

  We stood for a few awkward seconds of silence. Asher blew out a long breath of air. “Well, I have to take Faith somewhere for a second.”

  “Of course, congratulations to both of you.” Eve smiled at us. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes as Gerald wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  I nodded with a small frown as Asher interlaced our fingers and took me outside. The evening breeze tousled my hair as we started down the all too familiar pebble path down to the wooden dock on the lake.

  I felt the smile form on my lips as we approached the dock. Someone should fix it back up, seeing it in shambles didn’t sit right with me. We stood on the dirt beside it, right where he proposed, and I inhaled the rich smell of the lakeshore.

  “This brings back memories.” I admired the lake and the nostalgic feeling of being here with Asher.

  “Sure does.” His arms snaked around my waist and I leaned back into his chest.

  “I thought you only thought of me as your best friend’s annoying little cousin.”

  “Actually, I’d had a crush on you for a while. Just like I said that night.”

  “Clearly.” I snuggled into him.

  His breath was on my neck. “Do you want to reenact that night?”

  I stiffened, a heat wave of pleasure running through me. “There’s a lot of people inside.”

  “There was a shit ton of people the first time, you know.”

  I turned in his hold and narrowed my eyes. “Those people are there for us.”

  “Please.” He puckered his lips out. “For me?”

  I slowly bit down on my lip as I nodded. “Only because I really want to.”

  He smirked and within a few seconds, he took my hand and led me up the path and into the backside of the cabin. We avoided the crowd and rushed up the stairs. In the hall outside of my old room, we ran into Luca.

  “Reminiscing, huh?” He laughed.

  “Fuck off.” Asher shook his head. “Man, cover for us for like an hour.”

  “You got it.” He waved at us as Asher pushed me into the room and locked the door behind us.

  My heels clicked on the floor as I went over to sit at the end of the bed. “Not going to leave me in the morning?”

  He shook his head as he bent down to take off my shoes. “I’m never leaving you again.” He was slow and meticulous as he peeled off every piece of fabric from my body, just like he did the night he took my virginity.

  He stood, undressed, and let his hard cock burst from his boxers. I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth and sucked on it. “Just like before,” I whispered.

  His arms wrapped around my back and in one gentle pull our skin touched. I breathed in his scent. My bare breasts moved against his chest. “My nipples against your chest drove me crazy that night.”

  “Fuck, I know. Your nipples have always been sensitive.” His hand grabbed my hair. “I love how soft this is.” He watched it tumble as he released it. Then he moved his hand down my cheekbones to my lips.

  He captured me in a kiss and our tongues collided. Every part of our bodies fit as snug as they did the first night. My back arched in anticipation, knowing he would slip inside me any minute. My head rocked back against the mattress as he pushed forward, a loud moan escaped my lips.

  With the door closed, we paid no mind to the people downstairs. We didn’t seven years ago and we sure as hell didn’t tonight. Every kiss, every thrust, had a raw intensity.

  “Every movement you make reminds me of the shy teenage girl who gave herself to me here seven years ago,” his husky voice whispered in my ear before he thrust into me deeper.

  “Asher,” I moaned. “I loved you then but I love you so much more now.”

  All at once he tensed at the same moment I did. We came together, hard, and an intense feeling of pleasure ripped through me.

  He pulled out and collapsed in a heap next to me. “I love you more than anything in the world.”

  We spent a few minutes recollecting ourselves before we got dressed. And when Asher left that room, he did so with his hand in mine.

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  As an author, being able to read honest reviews of the stories we create makes all the difference in the world. More reviews mean more word-of-mouth about our books and the higher chance of those books making it into another fabulous reader’s hands. If you enjoyed Always Asher, please think about leaving a review on Amazon. It would be greatly appreciated.

  Thank you for choosing this book to lose yourself in.

  Asher and Faith love you for it, and so do I!

  Loving Luca (Book 2)

  Luca Reed.

  My best friend’s arrogant cousin. Sexy as sin.

  The idiotic oversight of sleeping with him nine years ago led me to the senseless mistake of fucking him on my best friend’s living room floor one year ago. Both times, the smug bastard ran from me with some bullshit excuse.

  Avoiding him won’t be easy, not with my role as the maid of honor and his as the best man at my best friend’s week-long wedding getaway at a tropical paradise. Even with the last-minute date I brought with me, I sincerely doubt we could stay away from each other.

  I’ve craved this man in every sense of the word since I was a pubescent girl. But, my experiences with him have warned me not to fall under his spell.

  How can I make my body listen to my brain? Luca is no good, and yet I want him anyway.

  PSA about abuse:

  On a serious note, I want to talk about one of the characters that pull at my heart strings, little miss Rosie Jenkins. Her situation and abuse is something that is happening on a daily basis with real children all over the world. If you or someone you know is dealing with abuse, speak up. The worst thing you can do is stay quiet. Reach out and get help for someone like Rosie. Reach out and get help for yourself. There are numerous resources out there to aid in abuse and I pray that anyone going through anything like Rosie did can get the help they need.

  Visit this website: www.childhelphotline.org

  Call this number to report child abuse: (1-800)422-4453

  Domestic abuse hotline: 1−800−799−7233

  Don’t wait. I urge you to reach out today.

  Personal author note about the loving couple:

  Faith and Asher’s story had been one that I stayed up late thinking about. My poor husband (he’s a trooper) sat through endless plots and character arcs that I thought up and needed a second opinion on. Trust me, I badgered him to no end about these two characters. I hope you enjoyed Faith and Asher’s story as much as I did. And I hope you’ll enjoy Mags and Luca’s story in Loving Luca when book 2 releases!

  *sly wink*

  Also by Lyra Winters

  Standalones

  Monachopsis

  Dusk of September

  Violet Ridge Series

  Can all be read as standalones

  Always Asher (Book 1 of the Violet Ridge Series)

  Loving Luca (Book 2 of the Violet Ridge Series) Coming soon

  Forever Flynn (Book 3 of the Violet Ridge Series) Coming soon

  Stay up to date on when these books will be released by subscribing to my newsletter, watching my Facebook Page, following me on Instagram, Twitter, or joining Lyra’s Book Babes on Facebook!