Kissing Derek was like tasting the ocean for the first time; terrifying yet exhilarating, a little bit salty, but most of all, it was revitalizing.

Gentle fingers grazed upon the surface of his stubble, his jaw tensing at her touch. Fine hairs itched in contrast with the smooth ridges of his lips that cautiously greeted hers.

It was a simple kiss, the taste of hazelnut, and his love upon his lips. But by that simple act, the tingling of every nerve ending in her lips and her fingertips inspired an awakening in Ashlyn, a dawning of the emotions she'd suppressed for so long.

The attraction, the hope, and the joy that she felt towards Derek had culminated into that one moment. A bubbling spring that spilled over the banks that contained it, until everything that she touched knew of the feelings which possessed her. Each breath and each beat of her heart spoke of the emotions long unsung.

There was uncertainty and caution in the tension of Derek's shoulders when one of her hands dropped to rest upon them. He'd been taken by surprise with her kiss. For Ashlyn, however, it had been anything but. She was ready for this moment, and all it represented.

Warmth seeped through her fingertips, her fingers curling around his bare shoulder, the skin smooth to the touch despite the tight cords that flexed when he swallowed.

Their lips broke apart, and Ashlyn pressed her forehead to Derek's as she rode out the wave of emotion that passed through with her exhale. Her lashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes, staring down at the bridge of his nose. His lips were parted with an exhale of his own, and she could feel his lashes tangling with her own.

Hot breath fanned against her chin, and her head was dizzy with want and need. She wanted him. She needed his touch to remind her that this was real.

Biting the inside of her lip, Ashlyn gasped at the sharp pain, before a relieved smile claimed her lips. This was definitely real.

Breathing in the smells around her, scents of apple and hazelnut, salt, and morning dew, Ashlyn drew them deep within, committing them to the memory of this momentous day. A token of the moment when she'd granted her heart the thing it craved most. Derek.

In all the years she'd fought for security and stability, never had she thought the voice of her heart could ring so true. But when she thought of Derek and how he made her feel, her heart fluttered within her chest, a steady thrumming that drowned the voice of fear and reason, until all she could think of was him. Of what could be.

The focus of her thoughts knew more clarity in that brief moment than perhaps they'd known before. With her kiss, Ashlyn had chosen Derek. Despite all odds, she decided to fight for him. For them.

Slowly, Ashlyn pulled back, her cheeks burning beneath the morning breeze.

Derek stood motionless, his eyes burning with intensity as he stared down at her. Holding her breath, she watched each slow blink he made, his expression slowly animating once again.

When a few seconds had passed, and still he hadn't spoken, Ashlyn exhaled and dropped her gaze.

Had it not been good for him? Was he not ready for this? The doubts began to niggle, her fingers flexing at her sides to conceal the nervous energy that coursed through her veins.

She went to step back, wondering if she'd made the wrong move, misjudged the situation somehow. But then Derek's hand twitched at his side.

His movements were slow, cautious as he brought his hand up to cup the side of her face, his thumb caressing the crevice of her lips. Gazing into his eyes now filled with want, she was confident the desires that had taken root in his were a direct reflection of the same which burned within hers.

Cold fingers brushed around her waist, his hand gently guiding her closer towards him. The spaces between them dwindled as her chest pressed against his, his palm flattening against her spine.

The fluttering in her stomach was similar to that of a thousand little butterflies taking flight, and she was sure that her heart beat in tandem with the beating of the butterfly's wings. If it beat any faster, it was sure to burst through her chest.

His hand upon her cheek swept the hair back from the side of her face, resting at the back of her neck. Cold fingertips burned against the flush that had made its way across her body.

Ashlyn drew her bottom lip between her teeth and blinked slowly. She wanted this. Wanted him.

Bringing her hands up to rest on his biceps, her fingers splayed out, gently gripping on.

"Ashlyn." His voice was breathy, asking permission. Pressing his forehead to hers, he took a shaky breath. With that breath, Ashlyn felt as though he were breathing in her very soul.

Her knees began to tremble, and her grip on his arms tightened against the intoxicating green apple she bathed in. With each inhale, her resolve weakened until all she knew was she needed to know his kiss again.

Gulping, Ashlyn tilted her head back. An open invitation.

Needing no further confirmation, Derek leaned in, his lips coming down on hers again.

It was slow, reserved at first, much like her kiss had been.

His hand, which rested upon her spine, drew her closer again, his arm reaching around to lock her against his chest. As if she had any intentions of breaking away from him now.

With each passing second, the intensity of their kiss grew until Derek's lips were moving against Ashlyn's, and hers were answering every silent plea.

Her hands traveled up his arms and over his shoulders, and she pulled herself to the tips of her toes to deepen the kiss.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she relished in the comfort and security that came with his embrace.

Her feet left the ground, suspended in the air by the arm that held her waist, and she felt like she was falling into the roiling boil of desire that beckoned.

Breaking the kiss with a gasp, Derek turned and backed her up against the balcony railing.

"God I love you," he sighed, brushing the hair back from her face. His expression bled with the truth of his statement, and Ashlyn's arms tightened around his neck. She leaned towards him, lest she should fall to the ground below, carried under the weight of his declaration.

Those words never failed to rob her of her breath, a feat that wasn't all that difficult when she was already breathless. Twisting his fingers in her hair, Derek pulled her head towards him again, claiming her lips in a kiss steeped with passion, a spark igniting in the pit of her stomach until everything tingled with its embers.

Ashlyn's fingers reached into his hair, twisting around the short strands and holding him close. His hair was soft and thick, and everything she'd dreamed it would be.

A sigh of satisfaction passed between their lips at the feel of his hair. Ashlyn leaned her head back, and Derek's lips brushed along her chin and down to her throat.

She couldn't believe what she was doing. Everything about this moment felt foreign and unfamiliar, but at the same time, it felt right. Like it was meant to happen. The voice of reason had found a new master, her heart now calling all the shots.

The nerves and the fears that had once sought to dictate her every move were overpowered by the weight of care she felt towards Derek. The beginnings of love had been her guide, whispering sweet promises as she'd threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back with matched desire.

Opening her eyes, Ashlyn gazed up at the blacks and blues now warmed by the radiant golds that reached like unfurling petals towards the sun from whence it came.

Derek peppered feather-soft kisses over her throat, her chin, the corner of her lips. Smiling blissfully, Ashlyn welcomed each kiss, knowing that he had to be feeling her pulse beating beneath each brush of his lips.

With each of his kisses, he guided them back towards the desires that blazed beneath the surface.

Her desires had crept up slowly at first, like the changing tides bathed in moonlight, the waters rising upon the shore until every emotion was bubbling and lapping at her mind. Her heart accepted control as her fingers grazed over his stubble. It swallowed the shore, much like the fear, nerves, desire, and care that tumbled and turned, falling over her senses until all she could taste, and feel, and breathe was Derek.

Parted lips worked breathlessly to speak the words that she knew would never come. She wished she could give that part of herself to him. To tell him what she was feeling. Ashlyn had never felt so sure of doing something in her life, but she couldn't tell him that. Instead, she let her body speak as her hands untangled from his hair and fell to rest around his neck again, her head tipping so that she met his gaze.

The melody of emotion that met her there was her undoing.

Holding her face between his palms - the scar on his right palm tickling against her cheek - Derek kissed her again softly, this one different from the last.

No longer were they desperate for the taste of one another. Rather, this time, they elected to enjoy the beauty of this moment, of a simple touch, surrounded by the symphony of beautiful birds song, two hearts beating as one, and the gentle breath of life.

Ashlyn's hand brushed around his neck, then traced down his torso, feeling every dip and curve of muscle that flexed beneath her palm, while her other hand absently twisted the hair at the nape of his neck. She admired everything about this man.

Derek's fingers traced the side of her face before sinking into the hair at her forehead. Twisting one of the curls around his index finger, his fingertips brushed over the scar at her temple, and Ashlyn's heart stopped.

Gasping, she pulled away, his scar brushing over hers.

Her chest heaved with heavy breaths, her heart beating like a drum in the morning air, and her mind spun from the intoxication of his kiss paired with the sudden realization of what was happening. Suddenly, she felt nauseous. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to block out the swiftly flashing frames of fire, lightning, and walls crumbling that assaulted her mind.

This extra addition to the emotions that already consumed her was overwhelming. Forcing herself to take deeper breaths, she breathed in the safety of a crisp green apple, her hands grasping onto forearms of comfort.

Stepping out from between him and the railing, Ashlyn bent to retrieve the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, all of a sudden feeling the morning chill.

Clutching the blanket tightly with one hand, the other reached up to secure her bangs when the morning breeze threatened to stir. She wasn't ready yet for Derek to see this part of her. The scar, which served as a reminder of the reason behind the walls she'd built in the first place. Though she refused to retreat behind those walls again with him, her scars remained a tough spot for her. A memory permanently engraved upon her skin.

When less than seconds had passed, and the breeze had settled, she dropped her hand. Toying with the loose threads of the blanket, she gave Derek a shaky smile, hoping that this little splash of reality hadn't ruined everything.

Derek reached out to grab her hand before it could be tucked away beneath the blanket and guided her back towards him. Her stare remained fixated on his chest, watching the steady rise and fall with each breath he took. So unlike the erratic rising of her own.

White knuckled fingers tightened around the blanket, her fist resting against her heart. She wished it could have been easy to give her heart and everything that came with it away without all of these extra complications and boundaries.

Worrying her bottom lip, she dreamed of the world in which this would have been possible. A world in which she'd have had the honor of introducing the guy she liked to her father. A world in which she'd never live.

As though sensing her turmoil within, Derek placed an arm around her shoulders in comfort, the other resting on her hair. When his hand smoothed the curls at the side of her face, the tips of his fingers dangerously close to touching her scar, she shook her head, preparing to step back again.

She didn't miss the subtle shift in the tightness of his arm around her shoulders before he shifted his other hand. Brushing the back of his hand across her cheek in silent understanding, Derek squeezed her shoulder to let her know it was okay. That she didn't need to fear with him.

When she still didn't meet his gaze, Derek gently held her chin and guided her face up to meet his. When he smiled at her with adoration like he did now, one corner sitting higher than the other and the dimple in his chin, it was impossible for her doubts to take hold. The power of his love was too strong.

The creases in her forehead eased as his thumb grazed the corner of her lips.

"Hey, it's okay. No one says you have to break down every wall after one night." The softness with which he spoke was comforting.

With bated breaths, Ashlyn steadied her gaze on the love and care he wore so well. Centering her thoughts on how right this progress she'd made felt, how right her feelings towards him felt, she blinked slowly, the gentle tugging at the corner of her cheeks speaking of her appreciation once again for his reaction.

His lips turned up in response, his hand tipping her head back and bringing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. Salt, crisp apple, and hazelnut swarmed her once more, the smell lingering long after he'd withdrawn his kiss.

Releasing her chin, his fingers danced through the tangled curls that framed her face and brushed the loose strands behind her ear. His fingers remained there for a moment longer, her ear burning beneath the coolness of his touch. His scar was hot against her skin.

She was perplexed by the way his touch undid everything she'd fought tirelessly to build over the years, surprised that one touch from the right person could be the beginning of the end.

Not the end, she thought, her stomach flip-flopping with excitement—the beginning of new hope.

The turn of her lips grew more pronounced as she tilted her head to appraise him better. The man who'd broken through the walls she'd thought to be impenetrable.

Derek's head tilted in response, his eyes shining with the light of the rising sun.

"What is it?" He asked, his fingers absently twisting around the locks that tickled her ear.

A shiver crept up her spine, and she shook her head, masquing the shudder that reached her shoulders.

Ashlyn turned and untangled his hand from her hair, bringing it down to rest between them, balanced upon her palm. Loosening her hold on the blanket around her shoulders, her fingers feathered over the raised, pink scar that branded the tanned flesh.

A tremble coursed through him, the same sensation vibrating through her palm. The gentle exploration of her fingertips stalled, and she looked up at him, the inside of her lip caught between her teeth in uncertainty.

Had it been her scar he'd touched and examined as so, she would have pulled away. She had pulled away. When she'd felt his scar, curiosity had got the better of her, and she'd acted without a thought.

'Does it still hurt?' Her eyes spoke, guilt that she hadn't thought to check this was okay first, causing her grip on her lip to tighten.

He watched her with smoldering heat amidst those espresso pools, and her core melted beneath his gaze. It was unfair, the effect he had on her!

"It doesn't hurt. It just feels...different." His voice was hoarse. "Sensitive. Like every nerve is alight with your touch." His throat bobbed with a gulp.

The corners of Ashlyn's lips twitched with satisfaction. He was as much affected by her touch as she was his.

"I like it, though," he whispered, his fingers curling over hers.

Smiling, Ashlyn pointed to herself and held up two fingers. She liked it too.

Shifting her fingers, so they threaded with his, Ashlyn grasped the blanket with her other hand. The warmth of the early sun beat against her cheek, the chill cast from the vacant shadows that hugged the walls seeping through the blanket.

In the rush of his kiss and his touch, she'd forgotten momentarily of the crisp morning they stood beneath. The exhilaration had far from worn, but the heat of it had subsided. Despite the elation that held the smile upon her cheeks and the tingles that still nipped at each nerve-ending, the ocean breeze brought with it a coldness that was unavoidable.

Turning her face towards the sun, Ashlyn closed her eyes and let the warmth kiss her cheeks. She felt Derek press against her side, his arm brushing against hers through the blanket.

Something coarse scratched against the side of her face before a pair of lips pressed to her forehead in a tender kiss.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, brushing her hair aside and pressing his lips to her forehead. The butterflies in her stomach stirred in answer.

Opening her eyes, Ashlyn turned her head and chewed her lip. Would she never tire of his kisses? She felt like a giddy kid on Christmas day who'd opened their gifts to find they'd gotten everything they'd wished for and more.

Squeezing his hand and twitching her nose, she raised herself to the tips of her toes, her nose brushing against his.

Before she could kiss him again, however, a rumbling came from his stomach, and he choked back a laugh.

Pressing a playful kiss to the end of his nose, Ashlyn fell back to the soles of her feet and laughed at the sound that still echoed around them.

The flush that filled his cheeks was adorable, and Ashlyn itched to reach up and cup it. The silent protests of her hunger, however, stayed her hand.

"What do you say I make us some breakfast?" Derek chuckled, wrapping his free arm around the beast that growled from within.

Taking one last look at the blends of orange, red, and purple that painted the sky, Ashlyn nodded. Breakfast with him sounded perfect.