Chapter 10 #2
He bit down gently where her neck met her shoulder, just enough pressure to make her gasp and arch. The small indentation from his teeth would fade soon, but his primitive brain liked seeing even that temporary evidence of his desire on her skin, imagining marking her elsewhere.
“I should tell you.” Her voice was soft, serious suddenly. “It’s been a while for me. A long while. And never with someone...” She gestured at his body. “Like you.”
Like him.
He knew what she meant… Latharian. Huge. Dangerous.
“Then we go slow.” He pulled back to meet her eyes, his hand gentle on her face. “As slow as you need. And if you want to stop—”
“I won’t want to stop.” Certainty in her voice, in her eyes. “I want this. Want you. Have since you caught me when I fell off that stupid chair.”
That felt like a lifetime ago. When he’d been trying to maintain distance, trying to keep her at arm’s length. Now she was in his bed, under him, skin to skin, and distance was the last thing either of them wanted.
“No stopping then,” he agreed, voice rough with promise. “But slow. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” The trust in her eyes undid him. This tiny female who should be terrified, looking at him with nothing but want.
He kissed her again, slow and deep, his thumb circling her nipple until she writhed under him.
The pebbled bud rolled under his touch, her moans vibrating against his lips, fueling the relentless need in his veins.
When he replaced his thumb with his mouth, she cried out, fingers tangling in his hair.
He suckled greedily, the taste of her skin intoxicating, his erection grinding against the bed for any relief from the building pressure.
“Goraath, please—”
“Soon,” he promised against her skin. “Very soon.”
He lifted his head from her breast, and the loss of his mouth made her whimper.
His eyes met hers. Dark amber, pupils blown wide, with heat in them that made her breath catch.
“Last chance.” His voice was all gravel and deep, dark need. “Tell me to stop.”
“Don’t you dare.” She hooked her fingers in the waistband of her thermal leggings. “These. Off. Now.”
A sound came from his chest—half growl, half laugh—and then his hands were on her hips, helping her shimmy the fabric down. Cool air hit her overheated skin as he peeled them and her underwear away. She was naked. Fully, and completely naked under his gaze.
His hands stilled on her thighs. Just stopped, holding her, looking at her like he couldn’t believe she was real.
The silence stretched. His gaze traveled over her slowly—her breasts, the soft curve of her belly, her hips, her thighs—and everywhere his gaze touched, her skin heated.
“Beautiful. So draanthing beautiful.”
Heat flooded her face, her chest. She started to cover herself but he caught her hands.
“No.” His grip gentle but firm. “Let me look. Please.”
The please undid her.
Letting her arms fall she revealed herself to him.
His hands followed where his eyes had been. Traced the curve of her waist, the swell of her hip, his fingertips reverent. When his palm spread across her belly—the part she’d always hated—he made a sound low in his throat.
“Perfect.” His voice was thick. “Every inch of you.”
Heat washed through her. No one had ever looked at her like this. Like she was everything they wanted.
“Your turn.” She tugged at his waistband. “Fair’s fair.”
He stood long enough to shove his pants down, then he was naked too—
Oh.
She bit her lip, her eyes widening. She’d glimpsed him in the hot tub but… holy shit.
He. Was. Huge.
His cock was hard and thick, jutting from dark hair, the head flushed purple and already glistening. So big. For a second doubt flickered… would he even fit?
But then he was over her again, settling between her thighs, and the heat in his eyes burned away every thought except yes.
“I need to touch you.” His hand slid between her legs, fingers brushing her folds. “I need to know you’re ready for me. I need to taste you.”
“Please—”
The first stroke of his fingers made her gasp. He explored slowly… deliberately, finding where she was wet and aching. When one thick finger slid inside her, her hips jerked off the bed.
“So wet.” His voice had gone rough. “All for me?”
“Yes.” She bit her lip. “All for you.”
He worked that finger in and out, watching her face and adding a second finger when she started to rock against his hand. She whimpered. The stretch felt amazing, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more. Needed—
His thumb found her clit.
“Oh god—” Her hands fisted in the blankets.
He circled and pressed, his fingers still moving inside her, building a rhythm that had her gasping his name. The pleasure built and built, coiling tighter in her belly until she was trembling.
“That’s it.” His eyes never left her face. “Let me see you. Let me watch you come apart.”
Then his mouth replaced his thumb.
The first touch of his tongue against her clit made her cry out. He licked and sucked while his fingers kept that maddening rhythm, and then…
She came apart, pleasure crashing through her like a tidal wave.
“Goraath—oh god, Goraath—” The words tore from her throat between gasps, his name a chant she couldn’t stop. “Yes, yes, please—” Her whole body shook, pleasure rolling through her in endless waves.
He didn’t stop. He worked her through it, drawing it out until she had to push at his head because it was too much, too intense.
When he lifted his face, his lips were wet, his eyes dark with hunger and something else. Satisfaction. Pride that he’d done that to her.
“I needed that,” he said in a low rasp. “I needed to taste you. I’ve been thinking about it since that first morning when you fell into my arms.”
Her heart stuttered. That long?
“Please, Goraath.” She reached for him, wrapping her hand around his cock. Hot and hard and silky, it pulsed in her palm. “I need you inside me.”
He made a sound like she’d hurt him, his hips jerking into her grip.
She stroked once, twice, feeling the slickness at the tip.
She looked up. His head had fallen back, throat exposed, and his jaw clenched tight.
When his eyes met hers again they were wild, barely controlled, and his pupils had swallowed almost all the amber.
“Stop.” He caught her wrist, pulled her hand away. “Can’t—if you keep doing that, this is over before it starts.”
She let go and watched him position himself between her legs. The broad head of his cock pressed against her entrance, hot and blunt, and her breath caught. She clenched around nothing, her body desperate to be filled.
“Look at me.” He cupped her face with one hand, the other braced beside her head. “You’re sure? We can stop. We can—”
“Yes.” She hooked her legs around his hips. “Please. I’m sure.”
He pushed forward, and the stretch was immediate. Intense. She was tight, and he was so big, almost too big. There was a burn before her body adjusted, opened, took him deeper.
He pushed forward another inch, slow and steady, letting her feel every bit of him. The stretch bordered on too much, her body working to accommodate his size, but god it felt good. So good.
Another inch and she gasped, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He paused to let her adjust, then pushed deeper. The burn faded into pleasure, her body softening around him, welcoming him in.
“Okay?” His voice was strained, every muscle in his body above her locked with restraint. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Too much?”
“Don’t stop.” She pulled him closer with her legs. “Oh god, please don’t stop.”
He groaned and pushed deeper, inch by inch, gaze on hers. When he was fully seated inside her, he stopped, holding himself still over her.
She felt impossibly full, stretched around him, claimed in a way she’d never been before.
“You feel perfect.” He stayed still, letting her adjust, and brushed hair away from her face with a gentle touch. “So draanthing perfect. Like you were made for me.”
Then he started to move.
Slow at first, careful thrusts that let her feel every inch of him. Let her feel the drag and slide of his cock, and the pressure deep inside her until she couldn’t hold in the gasp. Her hands found his shoulders, his back, holding on as the rhythm built.
“I’ve been dreaming about this.” The confession fell from his lips against her throat. “About you. Every night, lying here in this bed, thinking about you down the hall.”
“Me too.” She arched up against him, meeting his thrusts. “Since the hot springs—”
“You watched me.” His next thrust went deeper, harder. “My naughty little m—. Did you think of me a lot after?”
“Yes—oh god, yes—”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you either.” His breath was hot against her neck. “Drove me out of my mind.”
His hand slid between their bodies, found her clit while he moved inside her. The double sensation had her crying out, her nails digging into his back.
“Mine.” The growl was rough and possessive. “You’re mine, Juni. Say it.”
She should object but all she could do was moan his name as pleasure built again, faster and harder than before.
“Say it,” he demanded, his thumb pressing harder against her clit.
“Yours,” she gasped. “I’m yours.”
The words seemed to break the dam of control in him. His rhythm faltered, then picked up harder, deeper.
“I need you to come.” His thumb circled her clit in time with his thrusts. “I need to feel it. Need to know that I did that to you.”
The coil in her belly wound tighter, tighter, until it snapped. She came apart around him, clamping down on his cock as pleasure crashed through her in waves that left her breathless and shaking.
“Juni—” Her name broke from his lips, and he buried himself deep, holding there as he came. She felt him pulse inside her, felt the heat of his release, watched his face go slack with pleasure as he emptied himself into her.
He collapsed onto her, then immediately rolled, pulling her with him so she draped across his chest. Both of them breathing hard, hearts pounding, skin slick with sweat.
His hand found her hair, fingers threading through the tangles he’d made. His other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close like he’d never let go.
“Did I hurt you?” He frowned as he swept a hand down her back.
“No.” She pressed her face against his neck, breathing him in. “That was... I can’t even...”
“Yeah.” His chest rumbled under her cheek.
They lay there while their breathing evened out. Her body felt used in the best way, pleasantly sore, thoroughly claimed. She still felt him inside her, even though he’d softened and slipped out. Felt the wetness between her thighs…
His hand moved through her hair, that soothing rhythm that made her sigh in contentment.
“I thought I’d never have this.” His words were quiet. “Someone in my bed. In my life.”
She lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were on the ceiling, jaw tight, then they slid to hers.
“I’ve been alone a long time,” he said.
Her throat went tight.
“I was afraid you didn’t want me.” The confession spilled out before she could stop it. “That you were just... tolerating me being here.”
His eyes snapped to hers, fierce and hot.
“I’ve always wanted you.” His hand cupped her face, thumb stroking her cheek. “From the beginning. I tried not to but I couldn’t help it.”
The simple admission sent warmth flooding through her chest.
“Me too,” she whispered.
His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer until there was no space between them.
She settled against him, her head finding the hollow of his shoulder like it was made to fit there. His heartbeat was steady and strong under her palm.
She traced the scars on his chest idly. There was so much about him she didn’t understand. The way colonists had looked at him in town, the scars, and the loneliness…
“Sleep.” His voice rumbled against her ear. “We’ll figure out the rest later.”
She nodded against his chest, already drifting.
Safe. Held.
Wanted.