STRINGS OF THE HEART-E

`Are you out of your mind, Astrid?' Enlil was livid. Stay the night and do what? Fuck each other out?

`What, it's not like I'm asking for sex', she snapped and realized she spoke too much. Astrid closed her mouth, eyes wide. Shit, now he will think I am promiscuous. 

`I can indulge you in any way, my lady', Ace was on full flirty mode, closing the distance between him and Astrid, pulling her away from the kitchen.

`Astrid, we spoke about this earlier. Stay by it. And I mean it', Enlil eyed Ace suspiciously.

`I know, I mean I have been. Please? I will help you get a date from the Tinder app?', she asked for a compromise.

Enlil looked at them both and said `We meet up in your room after all of our showers. You are showering in my room.' Enlil pointed at Ace who smirked and nodded.

Ace showered and changed into a pair of fresh boxers and shorts, leaving his chest bare. He was only an inch shorter from Enlil and their built was almost the same. Ace texted his parents of him sleeping over at the office.

Enlil frowned when Ace walked towards Astrid's room without his shirt but did not comment further. Ace stopped a foot away from Astrid' room door and knocked on the opened door. Ace glanced at Enlil and pushed his boxer and shorts down, revealing his perfect V lines. Enlil was fuming mad at his audacity. This vampire is purposely seducing my naive niece!

`Ace?', her eyes lit up at his bare chest, displaying his sexy body and his tattoos. Ace immediately sat on her bed and pulled her on his lap. He leaned on the headboard and stared at her beautiful face and eyes, drowning himself into her. Astrid eyed his chest like a child eyeing a cotton candy. I don't know why but I can always look into his tattoos and kiss his chest the whole day long.

`You smell good, Ace' she gushed aware of his stare. Her hands touched his bare chest, loving the warm contact between her hands and his chest. She started tracing all his abs, indents and finally the outlines of the Arowana fish and the phoenix. 

`Your Jungle Jones products are divine. But you know what smells better?', he flirted with her.

`This', he put her hair on one side, closed the book she was reading and kissed her exposed neck lightly. `This is out of this world', he kissed a trail starting from her neck going upward to her earlobe.

`Ace, baby, you know my weak spot', she murmured against his kisses.

`Love, I can find out all the weak spots and fix them up for you', British accent thicker, laced with desire at her.

`And you will be out of this house in no time!', Enlil scolded Ace Wagner.

`Ace', she was flushed yet she pushed him away. Ace glared at Enlil, but held Astrid on his lap, not moving.

Enlil passed her his mobile and Astrid laughed. So the jerk wants to date after all. So much being a God. `I am a man, after all, don't laugh at me', Enlil mumbled. Astrid created a profile for him and told him to pose sexily. But Enlil kept a stern face and Astrid struggled to capture a good pose.

`Enlil, I have an idea', Astrid spoke.

`Whoa, your ideas can be detrimental to my existence', Enlil shook his head multiple times.

`Listen, you remove your shirt, flex your muscles and stand by the window. Admire the moon and I will take a picture from a different angle', she suggested.

`Why must he remove his shirt?', Ace was unhappy at the prospect of Enlil showing his body to her. He was getting jealous for no reason. Both ignored him.

Enlil did as told and Ace saw the intricate tattoos on his back. He has tiny scars over his chest which had faded over time. His build was tougher and firmer than him. Ace turned to look at Astrid who seemed unfazed by him. After getting a good pose, they completed his profile. Enlil put his shirt back on and sat on her chair.

`Okay, Astrid since Ace is here, I won't disturb your cuddle time. A short recap of our day today. Concentrate on face and body maps', Enlil pulled a notepad to scribble.

Astrid started with face mapping, reading of body language and behaviour. She was a good student. When Enlil showed her pictures of people in different positions and emotions, she deciphers them correctly. For example, a young girl in a pub with older girls suggested insecurity and indecisiveness. Perhaps forced to go to join a group of friends.

Ace was surprised at their session. He was building her to be alert of her surroundings, sharpening her social skills. His security firm did this training but in classrooms and in real situations. He felt proud of her.

`Enlil, do you want to train her in firearms?' he asked out of the blue. Enlil looked conflicted.

`I need to ask Jones about it', he concluded. When the clock struck 10.30 pm, Enlil called it a night and moved to the door, waiting for Ace.

`Ace, I prepare the guest room for you', Enlil had a feeling it will be unused. He knew both were mature couples and not some horny teenagers, but their actions were showing the complete opposite of maturity.

`But we promised to sleep next to each other-', Ace pouted at Astrid before Enlil cut him short. Ace was gliding his hands at the small of her back, easing her tensions.

`What do you mean sleep next to each other?!', Enlil was pissed. This is escalating easily. Ace tore away from Astrid and pulled Enlil outside.

`When did I mention anything about making love?', Ace hissed at him.

`You said-'.Ace cut him from finishing.

`I hugged and cuddled with her when she stayed at my house, and we did not go overboard. She is not someone I intend to let go anytime soon and she knows it. I may flirt with her and tease her, but my intentions are clear as it can be', Ace was fuming.

`She has to remain that way until her training finishes, Ace', Enlil told him.

`Wrong. She is not ready. Her heart is not mine. Yet', Ace looked away when he spoke the bitter truth. It hurt when he knew he was developing strong feelings for her. He wanted her to reciprocate his feelings as well, but for someone who hadn't even kissed another person, heck he will wait for her.

`You love her, don't you?', Enlil asked him, but he knew the answer to it. He saw the way Ace kept glancing back at Astrid, with a longing look on his face. Lovestruck puppy.

`I want her heart to beat my name, her soul to imprint my name, only then I will know she is mine, wholly mine', his eyes blazed with love and determination.

`Silly boy, you already have her heart, but she doesn't know it yet', Enlil whispered the last sentence into his ears. Ace was shocked but Enlil dashed to his room and closed his door leaving Ace grinning.

`Thanks, Enlil', he walked to Astrid's room and locked her room door.

Astrid saw him and lifted her arms waiting to be hugged. He hugged her snugly and twirled her around, feet off the ground. She buried her face on his bare chest and laughed softly.

Ace closed the room light and carried her to the bed. Astrid asked him about his chat with Enlil, but Ace dismissed it saying he gave his piece of mind to Enlil and he won't ask personal questions again.

The moon shone luminously through the window, even the gentle wind felt comforting. Ace gazed into Astrid's eyes looking into the depth of her pale brown eyes. She looked back at his lilac eyes, glimmering under the moonlight, full of love.

It was then her deepest buried feelings for him flowed through her, her eyes slowly flickered with love, even though for a fleeting moment, he captured it. That was all he needed for it to bloom fully. His eyes fell on her lips and she smiled, ready to be kissed. She licked her full lips, prompting him to ask,

`May I devour this?', Ace's finger running along her lips.

She whispered seductively, `I thought you'd never ask'.

His lips moved to hers and kissed her as gently as possible as if cradling a fragile glass. His lips felt delicate and moist. Her eyes fluttered shut, cherishing this moment with him, savouring his warm lips.

His tongue plunge past her lips and explored her sweet mouth. He could never get tired of it. He loved the rhythm of her heart going askew with his kiss. He knew only he could have that effect on her, and he felt content.

Astrid felt a bliss of sorts, her mind could not think of anything but him and she pressed her body against his, pulling his neck to kiss deeper, she craved for him. Ace knew he would lose control if he gave in, so he gradually pulled back.

She touched his face and he intertwined their fingers together; he pressed his forehead against hers and kissed her eyes, cheek and nose. She buried her head on his strong and firm chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Ace ran his fingers along the small of her back, fingers going up and down her spine. She relaxed and felt sleepy.

`Ace, what are we now?', she asked him softly, knowing what she felt for him was real.

`What do you think darling? I prefer a more definite answer' he coaxed her to face her feelings.

`I prefer lovers', she answered just above a whisper, but his ears caught it well and he smiled into her hair, kissing her forehead.

`So do I, good night, love.' He pulled the blanket over them. She kissed his chest and slept, satisfied.

Ace waited until her heartbeat turned steady; indicating slumber and confessed to her `I love you, Astrid', his accent thick. He closed his eyes and hugged her closer.