“I could give two shits about Rick,” he told her in a dangerous voice, just above a whisper. “I could give two shits about anyone or anything else. You’re all that matters to me.”
“I’m sorry for bringing it up,” she murmured, genuine in her apology. Her eyes found his lips and without thinking twice – without thinking at all – she leaned forward, closer to those lips, so alluring, so inviting.
“I understand,” he said. His index finger traced her bottom lip for a second, maybe more, before he leaned back, disentangling her from his body. “Avery, I want you. I want you all. I’ll wait for as long as you’ll have me wait but I…” His eyes dropped to her neck, her shoulders before trailing under the water. “The things I could do to your body. I would have you crying tears of pleasure, coming with my name on your mouth, and seeing stars all at the same time.”
Avery gulped. “Let’s do it.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, but once they were out, she didn’t regret them. Not one bit. They were true, genuine, and she needed him to know that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Maybe even more so.
“Don’t tempt me, Av,” he warned her, his voice still low. “I won’t stop if I start.”
“Then don’t.” Avery had no idea where this boldness came from, but she was glad. She would never have had the courage to say these things beforehand.
Lucas clenched his jaw, and without saying a word, he stood up and got out of the tub, keeping his eyes on her the entire time.
19
Avery never expected to see something so beautiful in her entire life. The minute the thought hit her brain, she cringed at the cliché, but no other words could describe the sight of Lucas Cruz, completely naked in front of her, dripping wet. He looked like one of those Greek marble statues she learned about in her art history class and she could not keep her eyes off of him. Everything about him screamed machismo – male, Alpha, strong – from his rippling muscles to his broad shoulders. Everything about him looked hard and solid, like rock under her soft hand. His thighs were huge, probably from the running he did both as a human and a wolf. He had surprisingly little body hair. The perfect amount, in her opinion. Like a sprinkle of pepper on scrambled eggs. His olive skin was smooth and contrasted with her pale skin, and the sight of them together would be enticing to watch.
“You’re beautiful,” she told him when her eyes finally found his. She wasn’t embarrassed when he found her watching her stare at him so openly. She did not turn red. She did not look away from those dark eyes – had they gotten darker? To be honest, she had not expected to speak at all, but the words escaped from her mouth like a convict might escape from prison.
He looked down at her and she could tell he wanted her, could tell he wanted their bodies to finally connect. She could from his peripheral that he was getting hard but she was not afraid. She was not ashamed or embarrassed. In fact, she found she wanted him just as badly.
“No one has told me that before,” he said, his voice caught between a low murmur and a deep husk. Somehow, goosebumps sprung across her body even though the water was still warm. Even her nipples tensed but she could not tell if it was due to the goosebumps or due to his stare. She didn’t think it mattered, really.
“Then everyone else is a fool,” she said.
He clenched his jaw, and those eyes she could not look away from finally turned black.
“Let me see you,” he commanded in a gentle tone. His Alpha was coming out and she found she liked it.
As such, Avery stood in the bathtub, keeping her eyes in his. Her shoulders were rolled back, her chin was tilted up. She knew she had her share of flaws but she had never felt more confident in her entire life. And she had never been naked in front of anyone before.
His eyes consumed her like a wolf consumed prey, and her nipples reacted, getting even harder as he explored body with just sight. She couldn’t even imagine how her body would respond when he was finally inside of her.
“Bedroom,” he breathed out, his black eyes roaming over her body like a starving animal looking at a steak. “Before I fuck you over the sink and watch your face in the mirror as you come all over my cock.”
Avery let out a squeak before she could stop herself. Lucas reached for her, and before she knew, she was swooped up in his strong arms and tossed over his shoulders like he was a caveman and taking what he deemed was his. He led her out of the bathroom and to her California king bed, their bodies both glistening with bath water. Neither one of them had taken the time to dry off, but Avery didn’t particularly care.
He laid Avery down on the bed and wasted no time crawling on top of her. Avery sucked in a breath, her heart hammering against her chest. This was for real. This time, they would actually be having sex. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that but she wanted it. And that was what mattered.
“Avery,” he whispered, looking down at her with those penetrating eyes. He reached down and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes, curling it behind her ear. “I want you. Badly. But I understand this is your first time, so if you want to wait, if you want” –
“I want you,” she said, interrupting him. “I’m not going to lie. I’m nervous and a little bit scared. But I trust you. And I want this, I want you. I have no doubt about that.”
“We’ll go slow,” he promised her, his voice husky but gentle. A raw caress. His fingertips rubbed her cheekbone, his eyes transfixed by the freckles there. “Your first time will be everything you expect from it and more. And then, then I’ll show you the many different ways I can please you and I can teach you just what to do to please me.” He took her hand in his and kissed the inside of her wrist. “Are you ready?”
She swallowed, nodded. He smiled – a genuine smile that shone through the lust and desire – and slowly kissed her lips. He eased her mouth open with his gentle, probing tongue before tilting her head back further into the pillows to explore her mouth even more. She felt herself relax against him, even though she still felt her body tense due to the slight coldness her damp body experienced. Her nipples were marble against him.
He took his time. He loved kissing her, it seemed, because he was slow and sure about it. Her hands found his hair and she ran her fingers through it, loving the softness against her skin. When her nails found his scalp, he let out a pleased moan and his hardness pressed against her thigh, letting her know just how much he craved her touch.
His lips trailed kisses down her neck, sucking and biting. She was absolutely certain he would leave even more hickeys on her, since the ones from before had yet to disappear. She didn’t care. If it was making her feel this good, why would she ever complain?
When he reached her nipples, he took his time. She could feel her thighs moisten and had to spread them even more lest they become so wet, it caused chaffing. He took her free hand and slowly brought it down to her clit.
“Touch yourself,” he instructed. “Touch yourself for me.”
She didn’t hesitate. She was familiar with her body; she knew how to make herself come, but she had never had a partner before. Perhaps that was why her orgasm came unexpectedly, fast and hard. She cried out his name and her entire body froze for that one pivotal second before she fractured everywhere.
“Don’t stop,” he murmured is a husky voice. She wanted to; her body was too sensitive to even breathe on, but she forced herself to ride this out because she needed to know what it felt like, what it would feel like when he was finally inside of her.
When she finished, he placed soft kisses all over her brow. “Should we,” she managed to say. “Should we talk about…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish because she needed to catch her breath.
“I’m clean,” he said, “but I have some in my wallet if you feel more comfortable.”
“I trust you,” she told him with a tired smile.
He smiled, placing his hands on the insides of her thighs, pushing them even more apart and positioning himself so
he was just about to push through.
“I feel compelled to ask you one last time,” he said, “if this is okay for you. If this is what you want.”
She nodded and looked at him with imploring eyes, biting her bottom lip. “Please, Lucas,” she told him with a pout. “Give me all of you.”
That was all he needed. In fact, Avery noticed that it took a lot out of him to keep his control. He was gentle when he first thrust inside of her, and he groaned in her ear upon impact. She sucked in a tight breath, trying to get used to the sensation of being completely stretched out by another human being. Her nails dug into his flesh and his muscles tightened under his touch – she couldn’t tell if it was because it genuinely hurt or if he liked it that way.
When she finally felt her body adapt, she loosed a shaky breath and nodded to him. He gave her a warm smile, brushing tendrils of hair out of her eyes before slowly starting to move.
Her body sucked him in, and every time he went to pull out, she tightened her hold on him.
So this was what it felt like, she thought to herself. This is what the big fuss is about.
She understood. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and soon, Lucas couldn’t control himself any longer. What was supposed to be a slow, intimate first time for Avery was getting faster, and harder, and somehow, even with him being on top of her, his cock managed to hit her very core. Over and over and over again.
“Let me claim you as mine, Av,” he murmured against the flesh of her neck. “Be mine always.”
“Yes,” she agreed, her eyes closed. He nuzzled her neck and she craned her neck away from him, allowing full access to her bare flesh. “Yes, please. Take me. Take all of me. It’s yours. I’m yours.”
That was all it took, and suddenly Lucas leaned forward and sank his fangs – when had his teeth turned into fangs? – into her flesh. She felt her eyes slip closed once more, and before she knew it, she was shattering into a million tiny pieces all over Lucas. He continued to thrust, even as he met his own release. She had to hand it to him – there was something in the way he held onto her like she was his, like she always belonged to him even before they met, how he maintained his thrusting at a steady rhythm. She had to mask a sob by biting Lucas on the shoulder – it was a slow build, an explosive release, but each shock wave was steady because of the utter control he had over himself.
Control she couldn’t seem to take. Control she wanted to banish.
His mouth was kissing her neck, over her fresh bite. His tongue licked at it, almost as though he were attempting to seal it shut. That, or he was wiping the blood from her neck.
Which was a strangely erotic thought, if she was being honest.
Actually, she couldn’t think much right now. Not much of anything mattered to her. Her mind was in a haze, her thoughts dozing with a soft, comfortable hum. She was content; she was satisfied.
Then, Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him so her head hit his shoulder and their legs were entangled. At first, Avery resisted. She didn’t like sweaty body upon sweaty body. She thought she wanted her own space. But somehow, Lucas proved her wrong. His cheek rested on the top of her head and he held her silently, pulling her as close as he possibly could, getting a hold of his breath.
“There are no words,” he told her in his low, smooth voice. “You have left me speechless.”
Avery’s eyes were still closed and she could muster nothing more than a smile. But she still smiled and she squeezed the arm that held her. She hoped he would understand what she meant in her touch.
“Thank you.” His voice was low, a ghost against her ear. She got goosebumps all over as it wrapped around her naked body and blanketed it in velvet.
“For what?” She managed to open her eyes to look at him, at his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.
“For trusting me with you,” he told her.
She smiled and blushed and burrowed her face into his neck. She could have sworn she felt him smile, but before she could say for sure, she was already fast asleep.
20
Avery woke up to Lucas’s mouth on her mound. She felt her eyes roll to the back of her head and her lips curve into a grin as she spread her legs wider for him. She could most definitely get used to this.
“God, I love the taste of you,” he murmured, his lips vibrating against her clit.
“I’m glad,” she said, her voice still thick with slumber.
Just as he brought her to that peak, he withdrew and flipped her on her stomach in a matter of a second – if that. She couldn’t even grunt in protest because he was filling her up with his member so quickly that she couldn’t adjust to his size. She wasn’t going to lie – it hurt just a bit – but somehow, that pain just emphasized the pleasure. He took his hand and gripped her hair, pushing her face in the pillow as his body took hold of hers and did whatever he wanted to with it. He was submitting her, she knew. It was a wolf ritual.
To be honest, Avery never would have let anyone else demean her in such a way, but it didn’t really count as demeaning if she enjoyed it, right? She found she liked being hurt, just a little bit, and she trusted Lucas not to take it too far.
Avery wasn’t sure just how long it took before she was on the brink of orgasm once more, but she was suddenly there and yearned for it more than she thought possible – probably because Lucas had nearly given it to her before and then took it away. Without warning, he took his hand and spanked her butt, just hard enough for her to feel the quick, sharp pain.
And then, she lost it.
She twitched and tingled all over him, coming with a force she couldn’t control and didn’t want to. She gave herself over to him like a sinner gave themselves to God and her moaning and breathing somehow coincided so sharply together that it set off Lucas. He growled, his grip on her tightening, and he lost himself inside of her, never stopping with his thrusts for one minute. She loved the way it felt, loved the way they came together, like lovers dancing.
When he finished, he rolled off of her, but kept his arm around her waist and made sure to pull her to his chest. Sex was primal for him, she knew, for the most part. Once they finished, he was back to being gentle and sweet and warm. Avery found she didn’t mind the contradictory nature of their relationship. In fact, she thrived. She liked knowing she could be anything to him at any moment and he would accept her for exactly the way she was.
She wanted this, with Lucas, for the rest of her life.
And with that thought, she drifted off to sleep.
---
The day consisted of sex and sleep. It was one of the best days of Avery’s life. Avery never knew how many different ways she could orgasm nor did she know how many ways she could bring Lucas to orgasm. She was a quick learner and silently observant, picking up things about her lover that he, himself, might not be aware of. Like the way he loved when she scratched his scalp. Like the way he lost it when she breathed his name when she came. Like the way she looked when he was about to take her from behind, with her ass in the air and her body forward, telling him, “Take it from me, papi, take it.”
She noted all of those things and more, so as the day went on, she furthered her education by taking things into her own hands. The first time she rode him while playing with her clit as he fondled her breasts, she experienced the most powerful orgasm yet. And while she could not have reached it without his cock inside of her, stretching her to her limit, she realized she had been in control of that. Completely, one hundred percent in control.
Avery learned she liked being in control. But she also liked being vulnerable. Like when he took her on her table in her office, pumping in and out of her like a jackhammer. It wasn’t necessarily the sensation that caused her orgasm, but of the feeling of being used for nothing more than pleasure.
Lucas showed her the million ways to have sex, to make love, to fuck, and no matter what happened in the bedroom, afterward, he would always pull her close and murmur sweet things in her ear, remind
ing her that he cared about her.
They hadn’t said love just yet, which was okay. Avery wasn’t sure if they were there yet, but she was absolutely sure they would get there at some point. There was no need to rush it.
When hunger hit late in the evening, Lucas called a Chinese place and paid them a hundred dollars to deliver even though they most certainly did not deliver. It was one of the most romantic things anyone had ever done for Avery, especially considering Chinese food was her favorite.
“So,” he said, his mouth full of Orange Chicken. Avery smirked and leaned over so she could wipe the sauce from the corner of his mouth with her thumb and stick it in her mouth. “Stop doing that. You’re distracting me.” She continued to smirk and he perked his brow – a challenge. “Don’t make me take you on this table.”
“That’s not much of a threat,” she said before putting a whole bite of noodles in her mouth.
Lucas gave her a wolfish grin. “Careful,” he said. “With your appetite, you’re more wolf than human.”
“Is that what” – Avery gestured at the mark on her neck, where Lucas bit her during their first time together – “this is about?”
She didn’t think she’d ever see the day, but Lucas Cruz was blushing. “No,” he said. “If I were an Alpha, it would be different, but that mark just lets other people – other wolves, really – know you’re mine and not to be messed with. You’re under my protection, so to speak.”
“But if you were an Alpha, you’d be able to sense me, right?” Avery asked. She read about the odd coupling of Marcus Sterling, Alpha to the Sterling pack, and Bridgette Barker and how upon meeting her for the first time, Marcus was compelled to bite her neck. She learned from her studies that when an Alpha meets his mate, instinct took over and biology reacted – meaning biting someone he barely knew. She didn’t know what that bite did, but Avery did know it forged some kind of connection between the two.
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