9. Avery
nine
Avery
I t's the best first kiss I've ever had in my life. Sure, I only have a handful of first kisses to compare it to, but this kiss blows them all out of the water so completely that I've forgotten about any man I've ever been with. No, there's only Phial in my head now. As long as his lips are on mine, there's no one else.
I've imagined kissing him so many times, though it's hard to imagine since his mouth is built so much differently than mine. I wasn't sure if his scaled lips would be hard or soft, cool or warm. But now he's kissing me, and, yes, it's a little strange, but it works. Not to mention just how good it feels to finally be with him, even in such a small way.
Phial pulls back, his breath hard against my lips, his eyes scanning over my face, making sure I'm still okay. I don't know when we switched positions or if it was just the natural progressions of this, but he's kneeling above me on the loveseat, and I'm pressed back against the arm on my back, my legs long down the seats.
My dress is still in place, and I haven't started spreading my legs even though every fiber of my being is telling me to. It's part of the Rytharian stuff I'm pumped full of now. They're a horny species, and now I'm just as horny all the time.
Phial moves his head to the side, his mouth close to my ear. The words are soft, accentuated by the strong hiss he gets when emotional or not trying very hard to mask it. "Please, can I tell you what I want to do?"
I nod, needing to hear everything. As much as I'd like to say I'm in control right now, I'm not. I'm going purely off what makes me feel good, and so far, everything Phial has done has made me feel good.
The fact that he keeps checking in with me is just the icing on the cake. Maybe he is the best person for this. I'm glad he's here, but that's mainly because I want to be with him. I didn't think he'd be so good at being patient with me.
Phial's tongue flicks into my mouth, the forked ends tracing inside of my mouth like he wants to memorize my taste. He pulls away too quickly, like earlier, and I make another whining sound.
When I pull on him, he settles his forehead against mine, his fluffy, feathered brows tickling against my hairy ones. His smile is bright, his eyes shining with something I don't quite recognize.
"I want to spend all day right here on top of you," he says.
The words have more warmth pooling in my stomach. I'm glad he hasn't asked me to spread my legs so he can lie between them because me holding them tight together is the only thing keeping all of my slick from dampening my dress. I'm sure the back of it already has a wet spot. I don't need to be adding more.
Phial's hand cups the back of my head, tilting my face so our lips are brushing as he speaks to me. "I want to do this however you need, at whatever speed you need. I'm fine with kissing all day, but I need you to tell me if you want more."
My hands are still fisted in his shirt, so when I tug on it, he relents and brings his lips back down on mine, not questioning, not hesitating, just doing exactly what I need. Do I want more? Without a doubt. But right now, I need to make sure I'm comfortable with this.
I mean, a makeout session wasn't what I was expecting to happen today, but I'm not upset by it in the least. Plus, this is nice. I haven't had a single freak-out. I'm pretty sure I'm using my unforked tongue in a way Phial likes. His claws are wrapped around the side of my neck and extending softly into my skin, where he's holding the back of my neck. It's kind of exhilarating and ensures I know it's him even when my eyes are closed. Not that I'd not know, considering his lips are scaled.
Phial makes more of the soft chirping sounds in the back of his throat as he deepens the kiss between us. He hasn't mentioned the sound once, and I'm not about to either if it's not something he wants mentioned. It is pretty cute, though.
It's like happy little sounds that can't help but make themselves heard. I'm not sure if that's really what they are, but it's fun to think that way. I arch closer to Phial, wanting to feel more of him on top of me, and he pulls away from our kiss again.
"If you want to feel my weight on you, you need to spread your legs," he says.
His voice is deeper and husky as he says it, and I don't miss how he licks at his lips, waiting to see what I'll do. I want to feel him on top of me, want to rub myself against him a little bit, but that's too much for me right now. Way too much.
I don't know if he's just that good at reading me or if I'm that expressive in my features. But Phial's face softens, and he gives me a smile that takes my mind off not feeling like I can do enough.
"I could die a happy male if we only ever kissed," he tells me.
I want to believe it's the truth. I want to believe he thinks this way and isn't just saying it because I need to hear something sweet right now. So, I choose to accept it. I believe it, and I wrap my hands around his neck and tug him close to my face so we can keep doing exactly what we've been doing.
He doesn't complain that he's having to crouch over me or that the position might be awkward. He keeps his body from putting too much pressure on mine and kisses me until I'm out of breath and dizzy from just how good he feels.
"Phial," I moan his name, and he immediately pulls away, thinking something's wrong.
I keep my fists tight in his shirt, not wanting him to get further. His look of worry turns to one of understanding before nodding to himself. Maybe it's my embarrassment at moaning my best friend's name, or maybe it's because he thought it was because I was not enjoying this that I blurt out. "What else do you want to do?"
Phial tilts his head to the side, his brows furrowing as he takes in my question. "I'm not going to rush you, Avery," he says, keeping his grip soft on the back of my neck.
His other hand is planted on the other side of my head, helping to keep him from putting too much weight on me. I wouldn't mind a little bit, but if he does that, there's a good chance I start trying to hump him because of all these Rytharian hormones coursing through my body.
"We don't have to do them. I just—" I try to look down, to avert my gaze from his. It doesn't help that he's so close, so there's nowhere to look but right at him as I try to put into words what I want right now.
"You just what?" Phial asks, his hand unfurling from behind my neck and moving to cup my cheek. He's careful with his claws, making sure not to scratch me or poke me.
When I don't answer him quickly enough, he pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger, bringing his lips close to mine again. When I try to bring him closer to kiss, he holds back. He might not be the biggest male, but he's still stronger than me, and if he doesn't want to put his lips on mine, it's clear he won't.
"Do you want me to tell you I want you to pull this pretty little dress up around your waist so I can see the mess you're making for me?" Phial says it all so casually, as though he's perfectly aware of how much he affects me.
The thought of it has my core tightening, needing something to fill me. It's not as brutal of an ache as I have when I'm going through my heat, but it's there and reminds me of how badly I need someone.
"Avery," Phial's voice turns serious, probably one of the few times it's happened in our friendship.
"What?" I ask, not understanding what the problem is.
I'm covered in slick from the waist down, my body's burning with desire, and Phial's willing to say dirty things to me that I'm going to use later when I get enough alone time to touch myself.
He gives me a crooked smile. "If I keep talking about what I want, will you tell me if you're not enjoying this anymore?"
"Oh." My mouth pops open, and I nod, or at least I try to, but Phial's keeping me pretty still with his hold on my chin. "Yes, I'm good. Promise."
The soft chittering sound happens in his throat again, but if he notices, he doesn't make note of it. Instead, he takes my lips in his for a quick kiss and then holds himself away from me—not far, but far enough that I know we're not about to kiss unless I push myself off the couch and initiate it. Maybe that's what he wants, but I'm too eager to hear what he has to say.
"This is interactive," Phial tells me, his words laced with amusement. "No staring wide-eyed and silent, okay? I want to know you like what I'm saying. I want to know you want to do these things with me, for me, to me."
I whimper, my legs pressing tighter together as warmth fills me and more slick pools in my panties. No one ever tells you what the repercussions are of being altered into an insatiably horny species and never getting laid.
Of course, they don't because this isn't a normal everyday occurrence. Well, the repercussions are that I'm like a leaky faucet that won't stop getting wet in anticipation of taking a big, fat cock with a knot at the base.
"Are you going to be good for me, Avery? Are you going to play along?" Phial asks. His words are soft, and his face offers me comfort as he waits for my answer.
I could say no if I think this is too much. I could say no, and he'd be back to putting those scaled lips against mine. Back to memorizing the way we work together. We can do that some more another time.
I want to know all the filthy things Phial wants to do to me and what I have to look forward to the next time we're here. Because I've already decided the next time we do this, I will take the next step.
I don't know exactly what that will be, but I'm sure he has some idea. Maybe I'll pick my favorites from what he says today and ask him to do that the next time we're here.
"I'll be good," I murmur, watching his eyes light up again as a soft groan sounds in his throat. It's a sound I want to hear from him more. It's a sound of pleasure, and I'm sure he makes sounds similar to it when he's fucking.
"Just words. I don't expect any of this now, okay?" he reassures me and waits for my nod before starting. "I want you to pull up your dress for me, Avery. All for me. All that slick and your juices. How wet are you?"
My mouth pops open at the question, not expecting him to start with something so intimate. I should've seen it coming since it was the first thing he mentioned. But still. It's one thing to know he wants to see me and another to admit to him that I'm making a mess all over this couch because he kisses that good.
"Avery." Phial pinches my chin a bit to get my attention again. "Did you make a mess in your panties for me?"
The sound that comes out of my throat is whiny and desperate, and it has Phial glowing. I nod, not knowing if I can trust my words just yet, and thankfully, he accepts it and releases my chin so he can stroke my cheek with the back of one of his claws.
"When I get you more comfortable, and when I get you all to myself, I'm going to drag this dress up your thighs so slow that you're going to beg me to reveal you by the time I get to that patch of drenched fabric between your legs." Phial keeps stroking my cheek, watching my eyes as I take in his words, how my pupils dilate, and how my breathing catches. "I'm going to spread your thighs as wide as they can go, and I'm going to admire just how eager you are to take my cocks."
"C-cocks?" I stammer out the word because there's no way I heard him right.
Somehow, his smile grows even wider as he tilts his head to the side and shakes it. He's about to tell me if I misheard him or not when there's a knock at the door.
Phial is off of me in an instant, his scales shimmering something fierce and his body tense like he's willing to fight someone right now for interrupting us. Whoever's on the other side isn't deterred by the loud hissing coming from inside the room, though.
"Avery told us she only wanted to be in there for two hours today." Jia's voice comes through the door, clear and calm.
I groan and know that's exactly what I told her earlier. I didn't want to be trapped in here any longer in case things were awkward and I didn't get along with whoever I chose. Now, I regret that decision and am trying to figure out how we blew two hours just kissing.
"This true?" Phial asks me, looking over his shoulder at me.
I nod, worried he's going to be upset with me for setting a time limit on it. If I had known it was him, and he'd be as into this as he has been, I would've told Jia not to interrupt us until I had my fill of him. I don't know if we would've done any more than kissing, but I'm interested in how many cocks he has since that was definitely something that wasn't answered.
"Give us a second, Jia."
"Avery was clear," Jia says, with more authority in her voice. Phial makes a face at the door as if Jia can see him. She probably knows it's happening anyway with how the two interact. "You may leave now and I'll see to her needs. Are you both decent?"
"I can see to her needs just fine," Phial grumbles under his breath but replies to Jia louder. "We're dressed."
The door slides open, and Jia comes in with fresh furs for me to wear. She has an annoyed look that she shoots in Phial's direction. He gives her an overly sweet smile until her back is to him, and then his forked tongue is poking out at the back of her head. I muffle my amusement with the back of my hand.
"You can leave," Jia says, waving a hand over her shoulder at Phial.
He looks like he's about to argue, but when I shake my head, he sighs and resigns to do what Jia's asked. I like him being near me, but I made an absolute mess of myself and needed a second to clean up and redress.
"Another sister will be out there to guide you out."
Phial stands in the doorway for a second longer. He wears a look I can't decipher on his face. Almost like he's unsure or worried, and it has my gut clenching at what he could have to be concerned about.
"I won't tell anyone else about this," he says, giving me a small smile as he runs his fingers through his feathers to smooth them down.
My heart lurches inside me, a deep hollowness filling the spot where warmth was. Of course, he doesn't want to tell anyone about this. Why was I so hopeful that this would be us moving our friendship to a different level?
Jia moves to step in front of me to hand me the clothing. I take it and give her a small smile in thanks for blocking my view of Phial. I don't need him to see how devastated his words make me feel. It'll only make all of this that much more awkward. Now, I'm only grateful that Jia interrupted us when she did.
What if Phial told me all sorts of other things he wants to do to me but only in secret and only to make sure I'm comfortable enough to be with a male later on down the line? I'm so foolish.
"He's an idiot," Jia tells me, no hint of joking or laughter in her voice. Phial's already left, so he can't hear her insulting him. I don't say anything. Just wait for her to move toward the door. I expect her to leave, but she turns around, hands on her hips. "Avery, that male is undoubtedly the stupidest male I've ever met. Don't take his words to heart. I don't even think he realizes how stupid he is."
"Jia," I start to defend Phial, but she holds up her hand to stop me.
"The male is an idiot. Don't stick up for him now. Not when he just hurt your feelings." With that, she takes her leave. "I'll be right outside when you're ready to go."
The door shuts, and I spend the next few minutes trying to gather my thoughts. A few things are clear to me.
One, I want Phial more than I've ever wanted anyone. Maybe it's the Rytharian hormones. Maybe it's just him. I don't know.
Two, Phial doesn't want anyone else to know about what we do here. I can live with that. If he keeps giving me pieces of himself, I can live off the scraps in secret for as long as he's willing to give them.
Third and finally, he and Jia hate each other, and I want to figure out why.