Page 38 of One Merciful Moment

Copper glanced toward Boone, who watched the interaction with worry etched across his face. "Start with him."

Ashley followed Copper's gaze. Boone's eyes met hers. He looked like he wanted to come to her but didn't know if he should.

"Everstill is reacting to the distance between you two. To the fear. To the uncertainty. You and Boone are tied to this land now. If you stabilize that bond, the garden will follow."

"You're saying the garden is failing because Boone and I are struggling?" She gawked. "How do I know you're not making all this up?"

"Because at one time, there was a team of us who discovered the veil and what it could do. But Everstill became something we couldn't control."

"Where's your team now?" she asked.

"They all died at different times, trying to escape."

"You didn't try to leave?"

He dipped his chin. "I tried, and for some reason, it pulled me back and let me live, for whatever reason. And to keep Everstill going, I've accepted my role and connection to this place."

She watched him walk away. The strange, terrifying truth settled deep inside her.

Needing Boone, she stood slowly on trembling legs. He was already halfway to her, worry etched across his face.

He pulled her to his chest and inhaled, expanding his lungs. She pressed her cheek against him and closed her eyes. He was her whole world, and she had to fix Everstill for both of them.

"Tell me what you need," he said.

She didn't know yet. But she knew she couldn't fix the garden alone.

Tilting her head to meet his eyes, she inhaled deeply. "Take me home and love me."

There was no hesitation. He looped his arm around her and walked her down the path toward the street.

Everstill could wait.

Chapter 23

Ashley

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Boone took advantage of Ashley's open mouth and delved into kissing her. She moaned. Her thoughts were still on the problem plaguing Everstill, but she couldn't process the meaning. All she wanted to think about was the way her body craved Boone's attention.

In his arms, everything was right.

She had no worries bigger than her love for him.

Her love.

She needed to tell him how she felt, but she couldn't do that to either of them if she failed to stabilize Everstill.

She grabbed and pulled at his shirt, needing to have his skin next to hers. He reached behind his neck, grabbed the collar, and ripped it from his body. Once his chest was bare, she pushed down her jeans, never letting go of his mouth. His tongue thrust between her lips... in, out, in, out.

Juice leaked out of her pussy and dampened her panties. "Boone... oh, God, I want you." She removed her shirt, reached behind to unhook her bra, and had her body naked in seconds.

He pulled down her panties. She shimmied them off, kicking them aside.

His gaze was fixed on her chest. He cupped the undersides of her breasts and lowered his head to capture one of her nipples in his mouth. Ashley tossed her head back. Electric sparks ignited in her womb and spread out to warm her body.

It was always like this with him. They could argue or go silent during the day, but once they were in bed, they gravitated toward each other with a heat that melted them both.