Chapter 32
A soft hand slid down my chest and I sucked in a breath. My mind waking slowly as I took in Jessa’s weight against my side, the fluttering of her breathing where her face was tucked into my neck and tickle of her hair over my face.
The tent was dark, the camp quiet outside. The celebration had continued long into the night and I must not have slept more than an hour because there was no sign of dawn. Jessa shifted beside me, one hand moving in sleepy circles over my belly, her skin hot everywhere we touched.
There was a scent in the air, heavy, rising, teasing at my senses in a way that was rapidly thickening my cock. Jessa moaned, the sound thin and soft in my ear and her fingers curled slightly, nails dragging over my skin and sending a bolt of lust down to my groin.
Was she dreaming? I turned to look at her, her hair pooling between us and filling my head with her scent. Her eyes were closed, just barely visible in the dark. Dark lashes fluttered on her cheeks, her lower lip falling just a bit, as she breathed out another moan.
The scent rose and I knew that was what had woken me. What male could sleep through such a glorious aroma? It teased at me, washing away the last bit of sleepiness and replacing it with a craving that had my fingers tightening around the plump backside I’d clutched as we slept.
Her body moved, a subtle roll in her hips, her thighs tightening around my leg, the unmistakable scent of arousal blooming stronger.
I sucked in a breath, my eyes rolling back at the invitation her sleeping body was giving. Was she dreaming of me?
I turned to my side, my thigh notched between her legs, one arm beneath her, cradling her ass in my hand, the other arm falling over her waist as I pressed a kiss to her nose. She rolled her hips, damp heat pressing against my leg as a tiny gasp escaped her.
“Jessa,” I murmured, my voice thick with sleep and desire. She moaned in reply, still lost in her dreams, the hand that had rested on my belly falling between us and brushing over my loincloth.
The light touch on my cock made my tail thrash, the muffled thump waking her with a start. Her eyes opened, body tensing as she registered the way we tangled together.
“You were dreaming,” I husked out, squeezing the soft flesh of her ass and rolling my hips against hers.
“I was,” she whispered, arching against the gentle grind. The scent of her deepened, the light perfume turning musky and sweet and my mouth watered. What was it the mated males crowed about? Nothing sweeter than a female’s arousal, both in scent and taste.
I couldn’t deny the truth of that, not when every inhale had my heart pounding harder and my cock aching.
“Of me?” I asked, brushing my nose against hers and stealing a gentle kiss.
Her mouth was soft, welcoming but lax, as if she was focused on something else entirely.
I flicked my tongue over that pouting lower lip, rolling my hips again, feeling the dampness between us turn into a wet slide that promised more.
“Mmm,” she moaned, spine arching under my hand as she loosely clutched my arm and let out a shaky breath that drew my eyes to her breasts, just out of reach behind the thin shirt she wore. The only thing she wore, I now realized, as delicate, soft folds slid along my bare thigh.
There was nothing between us but my loincloth.
A problem easily remedied if she continued to move like that. I watched, awestruck and hungry and she moved against me, using my thigh to pleasure herself, her eyes closed, mouth open, totally uninhibited.
“Maybe, I was,” she gasped, a shudder rolling through her that made my ears pin back as I struggled not to thrust against her and lose myself before I’d completed my tasks. No turoch would accept releasing before his female had been properly gentled.
I tightened my hold on her rear and hauled her closer, jolting another soft moan from her at the extra pressure.
“You were what?” I asked, distracted by the way her chest heaved beneath the black fabric hiding her body. The shirt was now an obstacle, and enemy in my path. I glared at it.
“I was dreaming of y-OU!” her low whisper transformed into a yelp as I ripped the front of the shirt off her and tossed the offending fabric over my shoulder.
“Tovis!” she laughed, the roll of her hips stilling and her breasts bounced as she giggled and dug her fingers into the muscle of my arm.
I grinned at her, hoping she could see the expression in the dark.
“It was hiding these pretty breasts from me,” I teased, eyeing her hardened nipples with barely exaggerated hunger. “It deserved to die.”
“Well, you killed it,” she laughed. “It won’t live to commit that crime again.”
“It was a crime,” I growled, pinching one nipple lightly and smiling at the way her hips jolted forward, like she couldn’t help but pleasure herself on me. Was there any sight more beautiful than my mate, breasts heaving, eyes heavy, legs clamped around my own?
I doubted it.
I bent down, licking up the underside of her full breast and circling the pebbled flesh of her nipple, grinning at the low whine that escaped her as I teased around the sensitive bud.
“The real question,” I said, letting my lips brush over the very tip of her nipple as I spoke. “The one I need you to answer honestly, before I take this further...”
She writhed against me, one hand tangling in my hair and trying to drag me to her breast and force my head down to where I nuzzled her.
“The gentling?” she asked shakily. “Forever?”
I laughed, breath skating over her skin and if possible, the desperate skin puckered tighter as if begging for my mouth.
“No,” I murmured, rolling my hips to meet her next thrust and forcing a moan from her open mouth.
“No?” she asked, her voice pitching up with confusion and need. “No? Then what?”
“I want to do this right,” I whispered, nipping at the top of her breast, and licking the sting away. “I want you to look back on our gentling and see it as proof that I will always put you first, always take care of you, always provide for your every need.”
Her fingers tightened in my hair, and she hauled my head up, eyes softening as she gazed down at me.
“I do believe that, I swear I do. Any question you have I’ll answer honestly. I want you to believe I feel the same way.”
Her words were so heartfelt and perfect, I almost felt bad for teasing her. Not bad enough to stop though.
“Then there is one thing I must ask, one answer I need before we complete our mating and live as one and build a life together.”
Her brows furrowed and she bit her lip.
“You’re making me nervous, just ask.”
I pressed my lips together and summoned every thread of control to keep back my smile. Looking into her eyes, I stroked a finger down her cheek and poured all the affection and devotion I felt for Jessa into my voice.
“Will you need me to sexually satisfy your feet, as well as the rest of you?”
She stared at me, her expression of concern and sincerity turning so blank, that for moment I’d worried I’d broken her mind with my absurdity.
Then she hauled back a hand and smacked my chest.
“Tovis!” her lips twitched and she smacked me again, harder. “You scared the crap out of me, you ridiculous goof!”
I laughed, hauling her to my chest and pressing my face into her tangled hair as she smacked me again and started giggling.
“It’s an important detail for our gentling,” I insisted as my body heaved. “You seemed defensive when I suggested it and I don’t want to deprive you of any possible pleasure. I will do anything you want to your tiny feet.”
“Oh,” she hid her face in my chest and moaned. Sadly, not in pleasure, but the giggles still shaking her body were almost as good. “You’re terrible. I told you to leave my feet out of your alien sex rituals. You’re going to give me a complex.”
“I like your feet,” I said. “I wouldn’t have thought to fuck them, but I’m willing to try.”
“You!” she pushed away from me, but I kept her trapped in my arms and grinned down at her wry smile. “No foot stuff,” she ordered firmly.
“No foot stuff,” I promised. “Unless you ask.”
“I won’t ask,” she said, casting an exasperated look at the darkness above us. “But it would serve you right if I insisted you suck my toes every day.”
“I’d do it,” I said, pressing my lips to her chin, her jaw, her mouth. “I’d do anything for you.”