He sighs. And it’s long and laced with relief. “Thank you.”

“What for?” I ask, leaning my head back into his chest. I’m so tired, all I want is to get on that raft and drape my arm across his chest and sleep as I float down River Asher. “I should be thanking you. For sticking it out and not letting me push you away.”

“I was an asshole. I get it. I told you this last night, but I’d like to say it all again, if that’s OK. Because you don’t remember much, do you?”

I pull away and turn around so I can look up at his face. “No. But… I feel different. Like our relationship has changed. And instead of fighting it off, I’m just gonna go with the flow.” I point to the water. “And I’d like to go with that flow.”

He picks up the raft and walks down the sloped edge of the river’s entrance and places the raft on the water. He holds out his hand, beckoning me. “Come on. I’ve never floated on this river with a woman before. Let’s make memories.”

Wow. Maybe he really is my prince? I walk forward and take his hand. He gives it a squeeze before letting go so we can climb on the raft. When he’s settled, he opens his arms, inviting me to join him.

I climb on and settle against his chest. My body instantly stills. Relaxes, sinks into him, trying to become one. The stress of the day seeps out of my weary muscles. The reality slips a little. And even though I’m ready to embrace it, what’s one more night of denial? That’s the thing about reality. It’s always there waiting for you. “This is perfect.”

“Yeah,” he says back, his voice rumbling up against my ear. “I like the lazy river because you don’t have to think. You just plop yourself on here and forget. You can forget everything and just exist. And this one was perfectly made. The trees are placed so that you float in and out of the sun every few minutes. It’s almost impossible to burn because the light is so fleeting.”

My eyes are already close. His voice is so soothing. “Tell me more, Vaughn. I just want to listen tonight.”

His chest rises and my head rises with it as he considers my request. “Once upon a time,” he finally says a few moments later, “in a land far, far away… there was a princess. And she was strong and brave and didn’t need a prince to save her…”

I listen to every word. I hang on every word. Because this man is the one I dreamed about. This man is the one who comes galloping up on the white horse and sets everything back in place.

“I do need a prince,” I interrupt. “I really do. Maybe I don’t need saving, but I like the thought of being saved all the same.”

Vaughn Asher hugs me close as we float down his lazy river. He lightly strokes a fingertip up and down my arm as he talks. He twines his leg with mine and swipes an errant lock of hair from my eyes. Never pausing his tales of life in the Land of Happily Ever After.

Tonight that place doesn’t seem so far away.

Right now that place is all around me.

I’m there.

Chapter Nine

#UseYourMasterVoice

“GRACE?” VAUGHN whispers in my ear. “Wake up, sweets. I have to go to my parents’ house this morning and I want you to come with me.”

I roll over in bed, trying to drag myself out of the best sleep I’ve had… like ever. But his strong arms pull me close and he tucks me under his chin. “Don’t go away,” he rumbles.

“I’m not, I just wanted to look at you.”

“Mmmm. We’re gonna take a shower and you can look at me all you want. Then we’re gonna get dressed—I have clothes for you, don’t bother asking—and then we’re going to my parents’ house. I didn’t have a chance to tell you, but Samantha left her husband.”

“What?” That wakes me up.

“Yeah, she called me upset and said she couldn’t stand the thought of sleeping with the guy, so I had her come home. But—”

He pauses and this is how I know the ‘but’ is a big deal. “But what?”

“But Tray—that’s her husband—made an embarrassing video of her and we think it’s best if she just addresses it before it gets too complicated.”

“Oh. Wow. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. This will be good for her. So we gotta get up, OK?”

He loosens his grip on me and I roll over so I can see him.

God. Damn. He is so fucking gorgeous.

He smiles and his eyes light up. A hint of a chin dimple appears that I’ve never seen before. I reach up to touch it. “I never knew you had a chin dimple.”

“No? Well, my number one stalker is seriously slacking. You should be ashamed.”

“Seriously, how did I miss that? It’s adorable.” But just then it fades away. “Hey, it’s gone.”

“It’s only there when I’m smiling a certain way.” And then he grins and sure enough, the little cleft is back. “I have to be really smiling, you know. It’s my shit-eating-grin smile. And I never use it, or they Photoshop it out. It makes me look too soft for the action roles, they tell me.”

“They are stupid,” I say as I lean my mouth up to touch his. Our lips connect and electricity shoots though my whole body. God, I want him like now. He draws me closer and presses his hard cock against my leg. “Do we have time?”

“I don’t even think that question deserves an answer. But if you need one”—he flips me on top of him and hikes my ass up so my pussy is right over his hips—“this is your answer.”