Her mouth dried as she drank him in. His chest was impressive, with a light dusting of black hair, and his abs were chiseled, leading to a V of muscle on his hips. It was pointing straight down to the almost intimidatingly large bulge straining his jeans, and she swallowed hard at the thought of what was hidden underneath the blue fabric.
Lifting her hands, she placed them on his shoulders, sucking in a breath at the heat of his skin. Then she slowly trailed them down on the same journey her eyes had taken, reveling in the fact that she was getting to touch him. His pecs were hard, the hair dusting them surprisingly soft to touch. Moving them lower, she took her time exploring the hills and valleys of his abs before tracing her fingers over the V of muscle.
Glancing back up, she froze, taking in his strained expression. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”
Lips quirking, he shook his head as he placed a kiss on her lips. “Not at all. I love feeling your hands on me. I’m just trying to control myself, is all.”
“I don’t want you to control yourself.”
“It’s your first time, sweetheart—”
Backing away, she reached down, grasped her tank top, and pulled it over her head. He gave a strangled curse as he took her in, and without hesitation, she reached behind her back and unsnapped her light blue lacy bra, pulling it off and letting it drop to the floor.
“Fuck, Arya,” he choked out, eyes zeroed in on her chest. “That was supposed to be my job.”
“Want me to put it back on so you can take it off?”
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
He cupped her breasts and she sucked in a breath at the feel of him touching her without a cloth barrier between their skin. Oh God, that was the most amazing feeling. Her skin pebbled with goosebumps and she closed her eyes to savor the feel of him caressing her.
She felt his hot breath on her nipple just moments before he sucked it into his mouth, and her eyes popped open, finding him kneeling in front of her. The sight of him suckling her was almost as erotic as how he was making her feel, and she tunneled her fingers into the longer hair at the top of his head to hold him in place. She never wanted him to stop.
Taking her nipple between his teeth, he flicked it with his tongue as his fingers mimicked the motion on her other nipple. Moaning, she squirmed, the ache in her middle building even more. He switched the attentions of his mouth to her other nipple as his hand traveled slowly up her thigh.
She wanted to feel him touch her between her thighs more than she ever wanted anything in her life. She knew to her bones it would be a million times better than when she touched herself, and she was aching to feel it.
But he didn’t, not just yet. Letting her nipple slip from his mouth, he rose from where he’d been kneeling, pulling her to him for a blistering kiss. Her soft chest pressed into his hard one, and another shiver wracked her body at the feel of him against her, skin to skin. He slowly pushed her back onto the bed, and once she was situated with her head on the pillows, he pulled back, running his eyes up and down her body.
“I love how you look in those leggings, but I think you’ll look even better out of them.”
Not giving her a chance to reply, he hooked his fingers in her waistband and tugged. Feeling suddenly shy for maybe the first time in her life, she kept her eyes locked on his face as she lifted her hips to help him. Peeling them off, and her panties with them, he tossed them over his shoulder and sat back and looked at her.
“Fucking hell, Arya, you’re so gorgeous, it almost hurts to look at you.”
A slow smile curved her lips as her uncharacteristic shyness receded, and she let her legs fall open, reveling in his strangled curse. Without warning, he dove between her legs and buried his face between her thighs.
She let out a startled squeak that turned into a moan as he licked a line up her center. Hips bucking involuntarily, she burrowed her hands in his hair, tightening her fingers when his tongue slipped between her folds and found her swollen clit. Holy cow, had anything ever felt like this? She hadn’t even known something could feel so good.
He flicked her over and over with the tip of his tongue, then flattened it out and gave her long, slow licks. Shifting his weight on the bed, he pulled back and blew on her softly as he teased her with his finger. Then he slowly, so slowly, eased it inside her, and her breath caught as her body lit up. It felt even better than she’d imagined it would.
“Fuck, you’re tight,” he gritted out. Glancing down, she watched him press his hips into the bed, like he needed some pressure of his own against him. He started easing another finger inside, and she tensed for a second. Looking up at her, he smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay. You’ll stretch. But if you want to go further than this, I need to do this. I’m bigger than my fingers, sweetheart.”
“Heck yeah, I want to go further. I want it all. I’m good. Carry on.”
Winking at her, he looked back down. Easing his fingers inside, he leaned down and tongued her clit again as he pumped in and out of her. Her middle was aching, pressure building that was already far more intense than anything she’d ever made herself feel.
And then he did something with his fingers that lit up her body at the same time he sucked her clit in his mouth, and that was it. She exploded, her hips undulating, back arching, mouth open as she cried out. Slamming her head back into the pillows, she shut her eyes as stars danced behind her closed lids. It felt like she was soaring in the heavens, and as soon as she’d start to fall back to Earth, he’d do something to make her soar right back up again.
Eventually she couldn’t handle anymore, her body far too sensitive, and she pushed weakly at his head. Understanding, he slid back and looked up at her, licking her wetness from his lips.
“Holy. Shit, Karis,” she said breathlessly.
His eyebrows shot up and he smiled slowly. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you curse, except with the spider. I guess I don’t need to ask if you liked it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up. You know I did.”
Giving her another wink—oh how he made her heart leap when he did that—he pushed off the bed. Turning her head, she felt her lips quirk as he cursed, hopping around while trying to get his boots off. Finally managing it, he unbuttoned his jeans, his back to her, and pushed them down. All laughter dying, she pushed herself up on an elbow. His shoulders were wide, his back was strong, narrowing to his waist, and his butt was a thing of glory.
Unbelievably, she felt desire wash over her again, her core aching already to feel him inside her. She’d thought surely, after the earth shattering orgasm he just gave her, that it would take her awhile to feel desire again. And yet here she was, yearning for him again.
He kicked his jeans off and turned, and she got her first look at him. Lungs seizing, she stared at his… his...—oh come on, Arya, if you can call someone a dickhead, you can call a dick what it is—dick, feeling a little nervous. She’d taken biology in school, and her mom talked her through the mechanics when she was sixteen. Hell, she even watched a porn once, so it wasn’t like she’d never seen one.
But it sure as heck hadn’t been as big as Karis’. She knew it would fit, knew her body would stretch. A woman could give birth to a baby, after all. But surely something that size would hurt a little.
Her body didn’t seem to care, her core clenching tightly with need. So she wasn’t going to care, either. A little pain was worth it to finally feel him inside her. Glancing up, she found him staring at her in question, and she smiled, hoping it came off as sultry as she felt.
“You still sure about this?” he asked huskily, his voice strained.
She opened her arms. “Absolutely.”
Returning her smile, he climbed on the bed and settled on top of her, his hips in the cradle of her thighs. Sucking in a breath as his length—dick—settled against her folds, she tilted her face up as he leaned down to kiss her. He tasted differently than he had earlier, and it took a moment for her to realize he t
asted like her.
Sweet magnolias, that was erotic, and it was the last thing she expected to feel while tasting herself on his tongue. He thrust his hips slowly, his hardness sliding through her folds, and when the head bumped her clit, she gasped as pleasure burst through her. She moved her hips in time with him as they kissed like they were trying to devour each other.
Pulling back, he stared into her eyes as he reached between them, positioning himself at her opening. He slowly eased in, and she hissed as she felt herself stretching to accommodate him. It stung a little, but so far so good. He eased out and back in again, this time not stopping until he came to the thin barrier of her virginity.
“I think it might be best if I do this hard and fast. Get it over with.”
Inhaling deeply, she nodded. Before she could say anything, he pulled out a little and slammed back in, not stopping until he was buried all the way inside her, and she couldn’t hold her whimper in.
Motherfluffin’ fugdebuckets, that hurt like hell. So much worse than she’d imagined it would. Karis was holding himself still inside her, his forearms planted on the mattress beside her head. Barely breathing from the sting, she pressed a kiss onto one of his biceps, surprised to feel a faint tremor skating over his muscle. Concerned, she looked up at him, and he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“I’m so fucking sorry,” he whispered shakily. “I can tell that hurt. So sorry, sweetheart.”
She shook her head. Already, the pain was fading. It wasn’t very comfortable, but it didn’t hurt much anymore.
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt much anymore, and I was expecting some pain, especially after I got a look at you. Wowzers.”
He chuckled and the movement shifted him inside her. Sensation exploded throughout her body, and she inhaled swiftly at the unexpected pleasure.
“Fuck, I just hurt you again. Maybe we should stop.”
“No! Don’t you dare, Karis. It didn’t hurt. It actually felt good. Move again, please.”
He searched her eyes, but she’d been telling the truth, and she knew he could hear the honest notes in her voice. Nodding, he leaned down and kissed her softly as he slowly eased almost all the way out, and then just as slowly eased back in. And her nerve endings lit up, fire racing through her veins. The stretch was still a little uncomfortable, but weirdly, she even enjoyed that.
“Are you doing okay?” he asked, voice guttural, eyes the palest of gray. He was trying to be gentle and go slow, and it was costing him, that much was clear.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, and her breathing hitched as it changed the angle. So good. “I’m more than okay. I’m not some delicate little miss, Kare. You don’t have to hold back with me. I don’t want you to.”
Leaning down, he nipped her bottom lip hard, and then pulled out and thrust back in with more force. Moaning, she dug her heels into his butt and her fingers into his shoulder, arching her back. With his next pass, he went a little harder, and so on like that, building until he was thrusting into her hard enough to rattle the headboard into the wall. And she thought his hips slapping into her was her new favorite sound in the world.
Rearing back suddenly, he angled her hips up, and the change caused him to hit a spot inside her that made her vision blacken around the edges, the pleasure was so intense. She fought to keep her eyes open, loving the look on his face, the pleasure, the way his jaw clenched against it.
And then he reached down and rubbed his finger in circles around her clit, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. Calling out his name, she exploded again, coming harder than she thought she could, feeling her core spasm around his dick, trying to suck him back inside.
Claim him. Claim him now, her tiger chanted inside her.
His tiger growled long and low, and hers responded. She was still pulsing around him in a never-ending orgasm when he dropped back over her. Opening her eyes, she found him staring intently into hers.
“I want to bite you. I want to fucking claim you this very second, Arya,” he gritted out in a voice that was barely human. “Tell me no, and I’ll stop myself. But I need the words.”
“I want to claim you, too,” she whispered. “Do it. Bite me.”
Without a second’s hesitation, he pulled out of her and slammed back in, holding himself there. She felt him begin pulsating inside her, his warmth coating her insides, at the same time he leaned down and sank his teeth deep inside her shoulder. Pain burst through her, but it seemed to trigger her orgasm again, and she was flying high as she sank her own teeth into his shoulder.
They both moaned, sensations intensifying even more, keeping their teeth in each other as they rode out their orgasms. Karis was the first to pull his teeth out, and she followed suit, gasping as she felt their bond click into place.
“You felt it, too?” he asked, pressing a kiss to her lips.
Swallowing hard, tasting the copper of his blood on her tongue, she nodded. “Yes. That was amazing.”
All of it had been. The sex, the claiming, everything about this night had been Heaven. He pulled gently out of her and collapsed beside her, pulling her into his arms. She snuggled in, content down to her bones, as her tiger purred in her chest.
Chapter Ten
Karis’ shoulder throbbed in the best possible way. Looking down at the slip of a woman half draped over his chest, he felt his heart swell as his tiger let out a pleased hum.
He couldn’t believe the turn the night had taken. He’d come over to ask Arya how she felt about mates, figuring they might talk a bit, and then he’d go home and think things over before he acted. Or didn’t act, depending on her answer to his question.
And now they’d claimed each other, after he took her virginity. Was this even his life?
Pressing a kiss to her silky midnight strands, he smiled to himself. He didn’t regret it. He’d never regret it. He just hoped she never did, either. This all seemed to happen so fucking fast. Yeah, they’d known each other forever, and at one point they’d been friends. But they hadn’t spoken much in the last year, not since he became attracted to her and started avoiding the hell out of her.
Really, they only started talking to each other again in the past few days. So damn fast. But he took comfort in the words she spoke earlier. She wanted a mate, wanted one before she knew he was hers. And she wanted him.
And she was right, about her dreams. He’d never stand in the way of her chasing whatever dream she might have. He’d be right there, supporting her, cheering her on. Whatever she needed from him, he’d give it. He wanted only her happiness.
She started stroking his chest, and his tiger purred contentedly. When was the last time his tiger purred? Maybe never.
“Are you okay?”
Pressing a kiss to his pec, she nodded. “Mmm, I’m great. Blissed the heck out right now.”
“No pain?”
“Nope. I’m all good. I mean, my shoulder’s sore, but it hurts in the best way.”
“Exactly what I was thinking. You’re not—I don’t know, freaked out? By how fast this was? By us already claiming each other?”
“Not at all. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy, actually. I feel like I’m getting everything I ever wished for, all in one week. Freedom, independence, becoming a warrior, a mate. That it’s you is just icing on the cake.”
Even knowing she felt that way, relief still washed over him. “I’m glad. I never want you to feel like you’ve had anything taken away from you. I’d give you the world if I could.”
Leaning up, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips that got his blood moving south, even though it was the barest touch and he was all but in a coma from their first time. Settling back down on his chest, she started twirling her fingers through his dusting of chest hair.
“I know. I want to do the same for you, too, Kare. I only want your happiness.” She went quiet for a moment, and he felt her cheek move as she smiled. “I can’t wait to tell Mom and Dad. They’re going to be so h
appy for us.”
He tried not to stiffen, but he knew he wasn’t completely successful when her fingers stilled and she raised her head to look at him.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Maybe we should keep this to ourselves for a little bit.”
“Why?” she asked with a baffled expression. “Are you… I don’t know, ashamed? Why should we hide what we are to each other?”
“No! No, I’m not ashamed. I’m proud as fuck to have you as my mate, Arya. It’s just so new, and we’re just starting to get to know each other again. It wouldn’t be forever. And we don’t even have to do it at all. I just thought some time alone before the rest of the world intruded would be nice.”
Brow twitching, she studied him closely, and he wondered if there was something in his voice that let on there was more to his request than what he said. He hoped not. Everything he said was the truth. But he also wanted to get used to the idea of telling Mikhail what he’d done, wanted to find some kind of reasoning to offer the man he’d looked up to for most of his life.
And maybe he wanted to put off seeing the disappointment and anger in his friend’s eyes for as long as he could.
“Okay,” she said softly, kissing his lips and giving him more than he deserved with her simple acceptance. “We’ll wait a little longer before we tell everyone. But I think they’ll see it. There’s no way we’ll be able to hide it for long, if we even can at all.”
Reaching up, he grabbed the back of her head and held her in place, returning her kiss, unable to keep from deepening it. His body stirred, but he shut it down. She had to be sore, so he wasn’t going there for a couple of days, at least. But he couldn’t wait until he could.
Thinking about it made him think of something else, though, and he couldn’t believe it slipped his mind. He’d never, ever taken chances with pregnancy, and as much as he wanted her to get pregnant one day, it was way too fucking soon for that.
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