Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
His hot breath is on my lips, his clean scent invading my nostrils. I tilt my head back, giving him unspoken consent to continue with this kissing business. Forbidden or not, I’m far too curious about it. And seeing how many rules I’ve already broken, what’s one more? A small one at that.
It’s only one kiss.
To assuage my curiosity.
Yet just as I feel the mere brush of his lips against mine, a loud noise cuts through the air. We both fall apart. My heart is racing as I look wildly around.
“You’re trespassing!” an old man shouts at us from within the woods. He stomps onto the ground, fast approaching us, carrying with him a hunting rifle.
Mine’s eyes widen, but he doesn’t lose his composure. He gives me half a smile and whispers, “Oops,” after which he gathers our clothes, using my dress as a makeshift bag to hold them all. Before I can gather my wits about me, he pulls me up and swoops me in his arms. Well, perhaps swooping me in his arms might sound a tad too romantic.
He mostly swings me around his shoulders like a sack of potatoes and runs in the opposite direction.
The old man continues to shout at us. He even fires a warning shot.
But by the time the echo of the gun meets my ears, we’re already a distance away, nestled within the thick forest.
He’s fast, Mine. Very fast.
And strong. He carries me and our clothes with such ease, no wonder he has such impressive muscles.
“You can put me down now. I don’t think he’s behind us anymore.”
He finds a fallen log and places me down to sit on it.
Thoughtful too, I muse.
He dumps the bundle of clothes on the ground before he takes a deep breath.
His eyes meet mine and as we stare at each other, laughter bubbles inside of me. I release the sound into the wild, and his own laughter joins in. We’re both laughing. At the situation. At each other. At the fact that I was seconds away from having that kiss but instead a man with a shotgun chased us around.
The situation is amusing.
Yet soon the laughter gives way to mortification as I realize I’m still in a state of deshabille, as is he.
I lean forward to shield some of my nakedness. I could get my clothes and dress and put them back on, but that would call on him to do the same and ruin the moment. Besides, I find that my curiosity is not yet satisfied. I want to see more of him, know more of him.
He’s standing proudly in front of me, hands on his hips, and I let my eyes roam over his body.
His abdominals are hard and pronounced. On his lower belly there is a light trail of dark hair that the band of his briefs swallows.
I’ve seen this part of him before when I treated him. Yet the scar from his wound is all but gone. There’s nothing but healthy, virile male flesh.
Heat travels up my neck at the thought. Yet worry for him as I notice his briefs start to tent and become more constraining accompanies that excitement. I nibble at my lip as I instinctively lean forward to investigate more.
“Done staring?” he asks, amusement in his voice.
“I’m not staring. I am observing. I am a nurse after all,” I add shakily.
“And what are you observing?”
“The lump is back.” I point to his white briefs. “Are you certain you’re not hurt?”
He blinks and stares at me quietly for a few moments.
“The…lump?”
I nod. “You had it when you got injured, too. But it seemed to go away on its own. Now it’s back.”
His gaze dips down to where I’m pointing. The material of his briefs is now tightly wrapped around his flesh. Still damp, the white cotton molds to the outline of his swollen intimate parts. But I am still confused as to how his flesh could change size so suddenly if he’s not ill. That is the only logical explanation.
“Minnie,” he groans my name as he tilts his head back and scrubs a hand over his face.
“Are you in pain?” I whip my gaze up.
His eyes are closed and he’s breathing hard. That makes the swollen lump become bigger, pushing against the material as if it had a life of its own.
Releasing a long sigh, he takes a step toward me. Getting to his knees in front of me, he rests his hands on my thighs as he looks into my eyes.
“Minnie, do you know how sex, uhm, mating works?”
I blink in shock.
“O-o-of c-course,” I stammer.
“How?”
“W-what? That’s improper. I can’t answer that.”
“We’re far past improper. Indulge me,” he murmurs.
“But—”
“Please?”
I clear my throat against the sudden discomfort. It’s not just the fact that we’re discussing such a forbidden topic but also the way he’s holding on to me, so close…
“I’m not entirely sure of the mechanics of it, but I do know that it happens when a mated couple is intimate with each other and the male spills his seed inside the female.”
“And how does he, erm, spill his seed?”
My face flames.
“I… uhm…”
“You don’t know?” He raises a teasing brow.
“Mine! Of course I…” I squeeze my eyes shut. “I grew up sheltered, all right? I was not allowed to read any material regarding mating, and in the army, no one would speak about such improper subjects in my presence. I only know what I’ve gathered from the movies I saw in Anthropa. But they were not too informative.”
“How so?” he asks. This time, he’s not mocking me. It’s a genuine question.
“Well, the people in movies were in a bed, naked under the sheets.” I shrug. “But I’ve also seen humans kiss and touch around the base.”
“So when you thought I wanted to steal your virtue, what did you think was going to happen?”
“Can we change the subject? This is mortifying,” I add under my breath.
“Tell me, Minnie.”
“What I saw in movies. Naked bodies tangled together, I suppose,” I finally admit, averting my gaze. I can barely stand to look him in the eye after this mortifying conversation. It’s not just the impropriety of it all, though I suppose the subject was bound to be tackled seeing as how I’ve allowed him to court me. No, it’s also because I’m embarrassed about my own lack of knowledge. I am over four thousand years old, for goodness’ sake. I should know more than some incomplete observations.
Yet the sad reality is that I am not the only Aperite deity this ignorant about what goes on between mated couples. Every respectable unmarried lady is forbidden from exploring such matters. Even for someone as myself, who’s had more freedom than others by being allowed to join the military, my knowledge is still painfully lacking. And that’s because it’s not just the parents who try to shield females from this information but also the other people in the military.
They don’t talk about it, and we don’t ask. That is the policy. Just mentioning something related to the act of mating would not only be highly scandalous, but it would also ruin one’s reputation.
Fear perpetuates fear and in the end until the entire society is shaped by that which we strive to avoid.
“Look at me,” he suddenly says, pushing my chin up. “It’s all right not to know.”
“Is it? Aren’t you silently laughing at me?”
“I would never laugh at you, Minnie.”
“In my defense, highborn ladies marry soon after their three thousandth birthday. I am a bit of an exception because I went into the military. That’s the only reason why I don’t have as much knowledge as other ladies my age.”
He smiles at me.
“That swollen part of me, erm… it’s swollen because it’s full of seed.”
I stare at him. This time it’s him who’s red from head to toe.
“Oh,” I whisper. “So it…”
He nods. “It goes inside of you. And after it’s, erm, emptied, it goes back to its normal state.”
It’s not hard to imagine where it would go inside of me, and instead of getting more embarrassed, I find myself growing hot. Right in that region. But then I suddenly frown.
“What about that time, though? It went back to its normal state and you didn’t… Or did you…”
“Of course not,” he hurries to assure me. “I can take care of it on my own. It can also go away on its own after a time if I force my thoughts away from you.”
“And you forced your thoughts away from me?”
“I did my best.” He flashes me a guilty smile.
“How often does this happen to you?”
He’s taken aback by my question.
“Often enough,” he says in a tight voice.
“Because you want to… mate with me?”
“It’s not a conscious thing, Minnie. You just have to be near me and I…” He gulps down uncomfortably. “My body just reacts to you, all right? Only you.”
Warmth spreads through me at his words. I don’t like that he has to suffer from this condition, of course, but I do like that his body reacts only to me. And to think that he’s been such a gentleman while suffering… It’s giving me a new appreciation for him.
“But don’t think that I’m pressuring you in any way,” he hurries to add. “It’s just a biological response. It doesn’t mean anything.”
I stare at him.
“I’ll never pressure you about this. So what if you give me a hard-on every time you look at me with those beautiful eyes of yours, or if you give me blue balls every time you brush your hand against mine? I’ll just have to find novel ways to get rid of it.” His shoulders angle in a lazy shrug.
Blue balls? That sounds rather…painful.
“Novel ways…” I watch him through narrowed eyes. “That means thinking about something else?”
“Something gross.” He nods.
“I don’t like that,” I suddenly announce. “I don’t like you not thinking of me. You’re courting me . You’re supposed to always think of me.”
His eyes widen.
“That’s… erm…” He looks away.
“What’s the other way? How do you take care of it?”
“Minnie…”
“How?” I insist.
“With my hand,” he awkwardly admits. “While thinking it’s you.”
I gulp down.
“Do you… need to take care of it now?”
“I’ll be fine. Just give me a few moments.”
He gets up and walks away, turning his back to me. His chest rises and falls as he takes deep breaths. But he doesn’t attempt to touch himself.
“Do you need help?”
A groan slips past his lips.
“Please be quiet, Minnie. This isn’t helping.”
“Why?”
“I’m trying to picture that gross demon from before.”
I frown.
“But you said you’d think of me.”
“Minnie…” Another groan.
“You said you’d take care of it. With your hand.”
“If I do, I would have to…” he trails off. “I don’t think you’d consider it very proper.” He lets out a dry laugh.
I lick my lips. None of this is proper, yet here I am.
“I think…” I pause and wet my lips. “As long as I’m a distance away, my virtue is not in danger.”
He glances back at me, his eyes boring into me.
“I can watch. And you can… think of me.” I take a deep breath. “I want you to think of me.”
“Are you sure?” He still hesitates.
He wants my approval.
The mere fact that he’s asking whether I am certain about it warms my heart. It certainly proves to me I made a good choice in allowing him to court me.
He is a worthy male.
“Show me,” I whisper, doing my best to temper the excitement that brews inside of me.
He slowly turns. His fingers go to the band of his briefs and he pushes them down his legs.
My hand flies to my mouth as a gasp slips past my lips.
“That…” My eyes widen in shock. I suppose nothing could have prepared me for the sight of his swollen flesh.
Swollen for me.
Oh my, that is much larger than I thought it would be.
His member juts forward, long and thick. Angry veins protrude on each side. There is a black drop of moisture at the tip that he swipes with his finger as he gives his length a quick stroke.
That movement alone awakens something within me, and I find myself squeezing my thighs together to alleviate the discomfort growing between my legs.
Almost instinctively, my body yearns for him. It is a foreign sensation. One I’ve never experienced before.
But as I continue staring at his naked body, all I can think of is how it would feel to touch him—have him on top of me, inside of me.
I turn a hundred shades of red as I realize the direction of my thoughts. We’ve yet to have a proper kiss and now all I can imagine is how it would be to mate with him— fully mate with him.
His length grows even thicker under my eyes, and he grabs onto the base of it, giving it a light squeeze. His flesh is big and strong like him, and to my surprise, I find that it’s just as beautiful.
A soft moan escapes me.
“I can put my briefs back on if you want.” His eyes are on my face, looking for any trace of uncertainty.
“No. Continue.” I don’t know how the words came out without a stammer—not when I can barely think of anything else but the image in front of me.
Thick, towering evergreen trees envelop us in a lush, fragrant embrace. The grass beneath our feet is a patchwork of earthy browns and vibrant greens, swaying gently in the breeze. And there he stands, completely exposed to the elements, his tanned skin gleaming in the sunlight. The rawness of his nudity is striking against the backdrop of nature’s own nakedness.
I can’t help but sigh dreamily as I take in his form. Every inch of him is captivating, from the defined muscles rippling beneath his skin to the faint scars that add character to his body. They tell a story of battles fought and challenges overcome, making him even more alluring in my eyes.
He might be human, but no god could measure up to him.
His right hand is on his length, slowly moving up and down. It’s a tentative movement as if he’s still wary about doing this in front of me.
“Show me,” I whisper. “Show me everything.”
My voice bolsters his confidence, and his movements gain speed.
He encases his length in his fist as he pulls roughly on it.
His head falls back, his mouth ajar. But his eyes never close. He’s looking at me. They might be hooded and droopy, but I can feel his intense gaze. It never once leaves my face.
But then something shifts within me, and in a moment of madness, I lean back, baring my semi-naked body to him.
He hisses, his movements becoming brisker.
“Fuck, Minnie,” he rasps. The combination of his deep, husky voice and his ecstasy-filled expression makes me erupt in goose bumps. “So beautiful. So fucking beautiful.”
As his hand moves faster and faster along his shaft, beads of sweat gather on his brow and drip down the side of his face. His muscles tense and flex with each thrust, and as he jerks once more, a low moan escapes from his lips.
I can see the arousal in his eyes as he shouts my name, his release finally coming to a climax. A torrent of liquid shoots out, some splattering onto the ground while a few droplets coat his hand and stomach.
His seed.
He’s spilling it for me. His body is wracked with pleasure and desire, and I watch in fascination as he lets go completely, giving himself over to this primal act.
Despite being four thousand years old, I have never felt such a rush of emotions. It’s overwhelming, this raw display of carnality.
As the tremors subside, he continues to gaze at me intently, studying my every reaction. As a satisfied smile tugs at his lips, I realize he must be pleased by what he sees.
Standing up, I reach for the dirty shirt in our makeshift bag and make my way over to him. He looks surprised but doesn’t move as I approach.
“Scandalized yet?” he drawls.
My cheeks are flaming hot, yet I find that rather than being scandalized, I am…left wanting.
“Not yet,” I whisper, dabbing the material of his shirt over his abdominals to clean the remaining residue.
“You’re not…disgusted?” he asks uncertainly.
“Why should I be? This is a normal bodily response. Perhaps it is something new to me, but I found it rather…exciting,” I admit.
Yet in spite of my bravado, I don’t dare look down. His flesh is still hard and so close to me… I gulp down.
“I’m glad to hear that,” he murmurs.
The thick, dark substance coats his knuckles, giving them a menacing appearance. As I reach out to clean his hand, he suddenly grabs my wrist and throws the dirty shirt to the ground.
I raise my gaze to his, my confusion evident in my furrowed brows. But before I can ask him anything, his hand is on my face. His thumb traces my lips before sliding inside and pushing his finger past the barrier of my teeth.
I still, unsure of how to react. Part of me wants to pull away, but his intense stare keeps me rooted in place. Slowly, I allow my tongue to touch his finger, tasting the surprisingly sweet seed that he pushed into my mouth. It’s even sweeter than the glazed donuts he brings me every day.
Feeling bolder, I grasp his wrist and turn his hand so I can run my tongue over every inch of his knuckles. I feel him gulp hard as I clean the remaining seed from his skin.
But then he abruptly pulls away from me, leaving me startled and unsure if I did something wrong.
Instead of answering my unspoken question, he takes hold of my cheeks in his strong palms and leans down toward me.
“My brave, brave girl,” he whispers, his warm breath caressing my face. He presses gentle kisses first to my forehead, then my nose before hovering over my parted lips.
“One kiss. Just one kiss and I can die a happy man.”
I wet my lips, still tasting the sweetness of his seed.
“How can you be satisfied with just one kiss when I promised you all my kisses?”
That’s all the encouragement he needs, and on my next breath, we’re breathing together.
His lips are soft yet firm as they mold perfectly to mine. At first, he lays light, almost chaste kisses on my mouth before he nibbles at my lower lip. A gasp escapes me, but he swallows it as he seeks entrance in my mouth.
His lips meet mine in a delicate, almost hesitant touch. But as I mimic his movements, he releases any restraint and pulls me closer to him, his mouth devouring mine. Our tongues dance together in a passionate yet chaotic battle for dominance.
He lunges, I counter. He withdraws, I chase after him.
It’s a never-ending cycle of give and take, push and pull. We’re both equal adversaries in this intoxicating game of desire.
Despite the forbidden nature of our encounter, I can’t find it within me to care about the potential consequences.
His touch is worth every risk.
With my fingers digging into his muscular shoulders, I stand on my tiptoes to get even closer to him. The heat between us is palpable, igniting a fire within that threatens to consume us both.
“Sweet Minnie,” he murmurs in between kisses. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you.”
He’s breathing hard. I am breathing hard. But as I look into his eyes, I note a light sheen of unspilled tears. My lashes flutter in confusion.
But as he covers my mouth again with his own, I don’t get to dwell on his odd words and even odder expression.
I simply give myself over to the kiss.
It might be my first, but it might also be my last.
I must make the best of it.