Chapter 8
Bastet
Giddy nerves bounced around within me as we approached the cat sanctuary. I'd both expected it to end up feeling like this, and not at the same time. But there was a part of me that felt like a young mortal experiencing romance for the first time again.
In a way, it was intoxicating, and I wanted more of it.
"This is me," I said, waving unnecessarily towards the sanctuary building. Even with the door closed, I could hear the sounds of the cats inside. They'd missed me, but had been content to get up to mischief in my absence.
Perhaps shifting forms had made my hearing more acute. It had been a while since I'd done it, so that could be the case.
"It's been fun," he said. "Am I allowed to ask you on another date, or do I have to wait? What's the human custom? Three days. It seems arbitrary."
I let out a small laugh. "You can ask me when our date is over."
He raised an eyebrow. "Is it not?"
"Not if you don't want it to be. I could invite you in for coffee. I think that's something the humans say too."
"Why would they want coffee this late at night? Surely it would keep them awake."
Disbelief crashed through me. "Coffee?" I checked.
"What about it?" Genuine confusion marred his face.
"Oh, Ptah. I thought you'd be more aware of human euphemisms. You always used to enjoy them."
"That was a euphemism?"
"Yes, for do you want to come inside and maybe we'll end up in bed.
" A small smile lifted the corners of my lips even while I waited to see whether I'd read the situation right.
I'd been dropping signals our entire date that this was how I'd be interested in ending it, but every time I pushed forward, he'd started to reciprocate then pulled back.
"Oh." He paused as my words really sank in. "Ah, then I'd love some coffee."
I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to unlock the front door. Anticipation and nerves built within me. It had been a while since I'd been with anyone, and even longer since I had with Ptah. And I was excited. Far more than I thought I'd be.
I reached out and took his hand in mine, pulling him through the sanctuary door.
"Do you need to tend to the cats?"
I shook my head. "They've already had everything they need. I'll just be disturbing them."
"Good." He tugged on my hand and pulled me to him, turning us both so my back was against the wall.
Our lips were inches apart, and his body pressed against mine in the most delightful way.
"If you don't want this..." he started.
"I want this," I assured him, my voice barely above a whisper. "I want you."
It was all the permission he needed to lean in and catch my lips with his.
My eyes fluttered closed, and I lost myself in the way it felt to be kissing him after so long. Without thinking about it, my hands reached down and started tugging at his shirt, pulling it free so I could touch his bare skin.
One of his hands brushed against my waist, sending a bolt of desire through me, along with a hint of frustration that my dress was in the way.
Gently I pushed him back. I hated to end our kiss, but I knew that we'd be more comfortable with access to a bed.
"We should go upstairs." I was rather conscious of the dozens of eyes that could see us even in the dark.
"If you're sure."
"More than sure," I promised him. "Come on."
I led him through the back of the sanctuary and up the stairs to my bedroom. It wasn't much in terms of space, but it was enough for me.
I stepped inside and turned to face him, my nerves having fled completely. He'd always had a way that put me at ease. I wasn't sure what it was about him, but I liked it. I always had.
Slowly, I unclipped my belt and let it fall to the floor, not taking my eyes off him. I slipped my dress down my shoulders and slowly shimmied out of it, enjoying the way he looked at me with unadulterated lust in his gaze.
I stepped out of my dress and slowly removed my underwear. Ptah's eyes darkened as he watched me reveal my naked body.
"Your turn," I instructed as I made my way over to the bed and leaned back so I could watch.
He didn't need telling twice, and made quick work of his clothes, throwing them to the floor with mine. The years hadn't done anything to diminish his body, one of the many perks of being immortal.
"Like what you see?" he asked.
"Very much."
"Good." His knowing grin made my toes curl with the promise it held.
He came to join me on the bed and gently moved my left leg. He leaned down and kissed the inside of my ankle.
I bit my lip, the anticipation of what he was going to do next filling me. His gaze met mine as he proceeded to press a trail of kisses up the insides of my legs, each one a little higher than the last, but not high enough.
I squirmed a little as he drew his tongue over the soft skin of my thigh. But he held me steady.
The moment he reached my core, I realised just how quickly he was going to push me over the edge.
It shouldn't surprise me. Sex had never been our problem.
His tongue grazed across my core, causing me to let out a small moan. Ptah took it as the encouragement he needed and hooked one of his arms around my leg, opening me up to him more.
I leaned my head back against the pillows and tried to stop the release that was threatening to burst from me. I wanted a chance to enjoy this for longer before I let it.
His tongue flicked back and forth, pressing against my most sensitive spot. I cried out and bucked against him.
Ptah chuckled, the sound vibrating through me and only sending me spiralling closer to oblivion. Slowly, he pushed two fingers inside me.
I arched my back, unable to take the insurmountable pleasure he was bringing me. There was no chance of me lasting any longer. Not when he curled his fingers upwards and hit the spot inside me that he knew would send me over the edge.
None of this was luck. He remembered exactly what I liked, and he was making sure I knew it.
My release powered through me, sending tingles to every part of my body. I let out a loud moan and my body began to shake, but he didn't lapse even for a second, his actions sending me higher and higher. Just when I thought it would be over, another wave of pleasure crashed through me.
The whole world ceased to exist. Darkness reigned, but it was the comfortable kind that I couldn't get enough of, nor did I want to.
I came back down to Earth with laboured breathing and the desire for more. Ptah lay next to me on the bed, having moved at some point during my unawareness.
"You're even more beautiful than I remembered," he said.
A lazy smile spread over my face. "Let's hope the same is true of you," I said.
After taking a moment to compose myself, I reached out and pushed him so he was lying back on the bed. I took in every inch of his form, admiring everything from the toned muscles of his limbs to the hardness waiting for me between his legs.
Need grew inside me, not satisfied by the release he'd just given me.
I leaned in and pressed my mouth against his, tasting myself on his tongue. He cupped my cheek in his hand and pulled me closer, only serving to urge me on.
I smoothed my hand across his chest, moving down until I could wrap my fingers around him and start stroking him gently.
He moaned into my mouth, letting me know that I was doing it right. I let go and moved so I could straddle him before guiding him to my entrance.
"Bastet. Protection..."
"I'm already on it," I promised. One of the perks of being a fertility goddess was definitely the ability to block any unwanted pregnancy. Many women had come to me during my tenure in Bubastis to ask for just that.
I lowered myself onto him, filled in the most perfect way. I let out a small moan as his fingers dug into my hips, urging me to move.
I rocked forward, slowly at first, but then faster and faster until I was barely aware of what was happening.
He met each of my movements with a thrust of his hips, sending a jolt of pleasure through me.
My release started to build again, and I could tell it was going to be even more intense than my last one.
It only spurred me on more.
We lost ourselves in the rhythm of our bodies and the sounds of us coming together.
Ptah pulled me down so our bodies were close together and rolled us over so he was on top of me.
Our gazes met, and the intensity of the emotions in his eyes only spurred me higher. He wanted this for more than just the physical intimacy it brought for us both.
His thrusts became erratic, and his head dipped down to rest on my shoulder. He was close.
I was too.
I raked my fingers down his back and wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, making him move deeper within me.
My release came over me so quickly that I hadn't even realised it was about to happen. My body shook and my vision blurred as I exploded. I was dimly aware of Ptah joining me in a release of his own, but it barely registered above the intensity of the pleasure coursing through every part of me.
Stars danced across the insides of my eyes, and a sense of peace settled over me as I floated back to reality.
We collapsed onto the bed, completely spent. He reached out and pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head.
I nestled my head against his chest and wordlessly let sleep take me. It had been a long time since I'd felt this connected to someone, and I wanted to treasure the feeling for as long as I could.