Chapter 167

Ava

By the time we stepped off the helicopter, my legs were a bit wobbly from the ride. Chris turned back and offered his hand, helping me down onto solid ground. As soon as my feet touched the earth, however, my eyes went wide and I immediately forgot about my discomfort.

“Chris,” I breathed, my voice barely audible over the whir of the helicopter blades, “it’s... it’s beautiful.”

I couldn’t help but stare in awe. This was my first time seeing the human countryside in person, and I was thrilled that Chris was the one to show it to me. The rolling hills stretched out as far as the eye could see, covered in neat rows of grapevines. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over everything, making the scene look almost magical.

And to think, all these years, I had limited myself to human cities… No wonder I had developed such a negative view of humans.

“Just wait till you see the rest,” Chris said, grabbing our bags from the helicopter. “Let’s go.”

With a grin, Chris took my hand and began leading me down the path toward a sprawling estate.

“I just can’t believe how vast it is,” I said as we walked, the breeze kicking up my skirt around my ankles. “And those vines... they go on forever!”

Chris chuckled, adjusting the bags on his shoulder. “Come on, let me show you where we’re staying.”

We walked down a small path, and I found myself pausing every few steps to examine a vine or comment on the view. Chris didn’t seem to mind; if anything, he looked amused by my excitement.

After a short walk, we came to a clearing where a quaint little white-washed cottage was nestled. It was made of stone, with a thatched roof and flower boxes bursting with color beneath each window. My jaw dropped.

“This is where we’re staying?” I asked incredulously.

Chris nodded as he fished the key out of his pocket. “Our own private little getaway. And wait till you see the back.”

He unlocked the door and ushered me inside. The interior was cozy but luxurious, with plush furniture and a fully stocked kitchen. I wandered through the rooms, running my hand along the smooth wooden surfaces and soft fabrics.

“Chris, this is amazing,” I said, falling back onto the king-sized bed. “I could stay here forever.”

Chris laughed, setting our bags down. “Well, don’t get too comfortable just yet. We’ve got plans.”

I propped myself up on my elbows, raising an eyebrow. “Plans? What kind of plans?”

“You’ll see,” he said with a grin. “But first, let me show you my favorite part of this place.”

He took my hand and led me to the back of the cottage. As we stepped onto the patio, I gasped. There, nestled among a beautifully landscaped garden, was a large wooden hot tub.

“That’s all ours?” I breathed, my eyes lighting up.

“All ours,” Chris replied, wrapping an arm around my waist. “But that’s for later. Right now, I need you to get changed into something comfortable for riding.”

“Riding? What are we riding?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out. Now go on, get changed. We don’t want to be late.”

I hurried back inside, where I changed quickly into jeans and a light shirt, pulling my hair back into a neat ponytail. When I emerged, Chris was waiting, dressed similarly.

“Ready?” he asked, offering me his hand.

I took it, interlacing our fingers. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose. You going to tell me where we’re going now?”

He shook his head, leading me out of the cottage and down another path that wound through the vineyard once again. “Nope. You’ll see soon enough.”

We walked for about ten minutes, the path gradually sloping downward. As we rounded a bend, the vineyard gave way to a stunning view of the coastline. The sun was starting to dip toward the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink.

My grip on Chris’s hand tightened. We continued down the path until we reached a small stable near the beach, and as we approached, a stable hand led out two beautiful horses, already saddled and ready to go.

My eyes widened. “We’re going horseback riding? On the beach?”

Chris nodded, unable to keep the grin off his face. “At sunset. I thought you might enjoy it. Romantic, isn’t it?”

“Romantic? It’s like something out of a movie!”

The stable hand helped us mount our horses. I felt a bit nervous at first on the back of the large chestnut, but quickly got the hang of it. We set off at a leisurely pace, the horses’ hooves leaving prints in the wet sand as we made our way down the beach.

As we rode, the sun continued its descent, casting long shadows across the sand. I was quiet for a while, just taking it all in. When I finally glanced over at Chris, he wasn’t looking at the ocean; he was looking at me.

“Well?” he asked. “What do you think?”

“I never imagined the human world could be like this,” I admitted. “It’s so... peaceful. And beautiful.”

Chris nodded, guiding his horse a bit closer to mine. “It’s easy to forget sometimes, with all the hustle and bustle—and the garbage—of the cities. But out here, it’s like an entirely different world.”

The ride back was quieter, both of us lost in our own thoughts but enjoying the companionable silence. By the time we returned the horses and made it back to the cottage, night had fully fallen. The air had cooled considerably, making the idea of a soak in the hot tub even more appealing.

As we stepped onto the back patio, Chris flicked a switch, and soft lights illuminated the garden and hot tub. Steam rose invitingly from the water’s surface.

“Care for a dip?” Chris asked, already kicking off his shoes.

I bit my lip. Chris hadn’t mentioned that there was going to be a hot tub when he told me to pack. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

Chris shrugged, pulling his shirt over his head. “Neither did I.”

My eyebrows shot up, my face turning red. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” he admitted with a grin. “Is that a problem?”

In response, I began unbuttoning my shirt. “Not at all.”

Soon, we were both fully nude and submerged in the hot, bubbling water. Chris reached over to a small cooler he had prepared earlier, pulling out a bottle of wine from the local vineyard and two glasses.

“A toast,” he said, pouring the deep red liquid. “To my favorite person.”

I clinked my glass against his, my cheeks reddening beneath his heated gaze.

We sipped our wine in comfortable silence for a while, letting the warm water soothe our muscles after the long ride. I was the first to break the quiet.

“Chris, this has been... well, amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I said, setting my empty glass aside. “How can I possibly thank you?”

He smiled, setting his own glass down and moving closer to me in the water. “Well, the night’s still young. And we’ve got plenty more activities planned for tomorrow.”

My eyes widened slightly. “More? Chris, you don’t have to—”

Before I could finish, he put a finger to my lips, silencing my protest. “I want to. You deserve it all, Ava. But if you’re really set on thanking me…”

I caught his meaning, a slow smile spreading across my face. He didn’t need to tell me.

Without a word, I reached beneath the surface of the water. My fingers found his warm member, already hard and throbbing slightly at my touch. A soft gasp escaped his lips, his jaw tightening as I gently began to stroke up and down under the water.

“How’s this for a thank-you?” I whispered, leaning closer to nibble at his earlobe and lick along the length of his neck.

Chris merely huffed in response. I felt his fingers flutter toward my waist beneath the water, tugging me a little closer, but I had done enough riding for one day.

“You just lay back,” I murmured, pressing my hands into his chest and pushing him back against the side of the hot tub. “Let me work my magic.”

Taking a deep breath, I sank beneath the water and parted my lips. My tongue found the tip of his cock, and I slipped it into my mouth.