Prideless

by Kasey Belle

  He leaned over her and placed his hands on either side of her head. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Anytime you want to stop, you just say the word. I don’t want to frighten you. If you don’t enjoy it, I won’t either. This is all about you, Doll.”

  “You could never scare me Max, I trust you.”

  ****

  Shelly meant that. She did trust him and knew he would stop if she wanted him to. She didn’t want to though. The thought of his rough callused hands on her naked body had her practically giddy with anticipation. She didn’t know what to expect, but she could wait to find out. She wanted to experience it all, with Max.

  He unbuttoned her jeans, lowered the zipper, then gripped the waist, eased them over her hips, pulling them down her legs, and over her feet. He tossed them on the chair in the corner. She probably should have felt silly laying there completely clothed from the waist up and only a thong now covering her lower half. The heated look in his eyes made her feel anything but silly.

  Max licked his lips as he gazed upon her lace-covered snatch. He reached out with a finger and ran his finger along the top of her underwear. “That is a very sexy color, Doll. You look very pretty in pink. This little scrap of nothing has me wondering about your other pink things.” He waggled his eyebrows making her giggle.

  He toyed with the thin bands at her hips. He flicked his eyes to hers. “I’ll buy you another pair.”

  “Wha-”

  Max grasped the bands in his big strong hands and pulled. The delicate fabric ripped easily from her body. He tossed her ruined thong on top of her pants.

  “I loved those.”

  “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”

  Shelly wanted to be mad really she did, those were her favorite pair. The thought that he wanted her so much that he couldn’t take time to properly remove her underwear was heady stuff. You can’t be mad at a man that wants you that much, besides he said he was going to buy her another pair.

  Max knelt on the floor, placed his hands between her knees, and opened her thighs. He sucked in audible breath and she fought the urge to cover herself.

  “Fuck, that’s sexy.” He met her gaze. “You’re bare, except for that very hot as fuck thin landing strip.” He toyed with the trimmed hair at the top of her slit. “You wax?”

  She shook her head. “It’s lasered. I won’t ever have hair there.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “I was a competitive swimmer in high school and college. I actually got a scholarship for it.” She could not believe she was having this conversation, now. “Anyway, you have ‘be neat’ if you are always in a swim suit. It was a pain in the ass to constantly shave and waxing hurts like a bitch, so Fiona suggested I laser.”

  He mumbled. “Thank you, Fiona.”

  His gaze focused intently on her cunt. Max stroked and teased her bare lips with his fingers. Then she felt him inserting a finger inside her. He groaned. “You are so tight and small.” He moved forward, buried his nose in her mound, and inhaled. “By the Fates, you smell like heaven. Let’s see how you taste.”

  Max took a long swipe from her opening to her clit and swirled her clit with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth. She cried out. He bit down lightly on her clit and brushed over a spot deep inside her and she detonated. Bright light flashed behind her lids as the tidal wave crashed over her. Max stoked her through her orgasm. The pulses of ecstasy receded; she opened her eyes, and down looked between her legs, at Max.

  ****

  Shelly tastes like heaven, sweet and spicy at the same time. Max could feast on her for days. She came hard when he sucked and nibbled her clit. His balls were heavy and the tingling at the base of his spine threatened to send him over the edge. She had him ready to come in his pants like a randy teenager. Max lapped at the cream that spilled from her onto his hand. He slowed his strokes and brought her down gently. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His mate was so fucking beautiful when she came. He didn’t look away as he pulled his finger from her and sucked it into his mouth. Her breath caught and lust filled her eyes as she watched him lick her come from his hand. It made him want to make her come again, just to witness that reaction again. He wouldn’t though. Max didn’t want her to be sore, and he knew she would be if they kept going. Shelly was so damn tight and her hymen was still intact, playing anymore would defeat his original purpose. He kissed his way up her body until his body blanketed hers.

  He kissed her sharing her essence. Max put every desperate feeling he had for her and all the love he felt for her in that one kiss. He clung to her lips tasting every corner of her mouth with his tongue. She groaned then met his tongue thrust for thrust, making him groan and shutter with need. He ground his hard cock against her exposed clit and she came again. Damn she was responsive. He stopped shy of coming in his pants once again. He was going to have a raging case of blue balls.

  “Damn, you pack a punch, Doll.”

  “What about you? Don’t you want to…you know?”

  “Oh believe me I do, but this was about you. I won’t until you are ready for me.”

  “That doesn’t seem fair. I want you to feel pleasure too.”

  “Oh, trust me I did. Watching you fall apart fulfilled a fantasy. Thank you for trusting me.”

  They laid there in each other’s arms, catching their breath. Shelly dozed off and on. “Max?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I hate to ask, but do you mind going home?”

  His body locked down. Was she rejecting him? No, he refused to believe that. No, she wouldn’t have let him do what he did if she was going to reject him.

  “Why?”

  “Because I need to talk to Fiona and explain to her why I am spending the night at your house tonight.”

  Never in a million years would he have guessed that. “Are you saying?”

  “I want to be your mate, but I need to make sure she’s okay. Is it okay if I stay with you tonight?”

  Okay? Seriously? He was barely containing the urge to break out in a very undignified happy dance. “No. I’m gonna need more than one night.”

  She gave him that cheeky grin he loved so much. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  A sharp bark of laughter escaped him. “Sassy wench.”

  “Will you show me your lion tonight?”

  “Oh, yeah, he’s dying to let you see the real him.” He kissed her again, long and slow this time, it was going to have to last him for a few hours.

  Chapter 15

  Shelly paced the confines of the living room as she nervously waited for Fiona to return. Her mind raced with questions that she could not answer. Would Fiona understand? Would she support Shelly in her decision or would Fiona try to talk her out of it?

  As much as she wanted Fiona’s approval, if she didn’t receive it then so be it. Shelly knew it didn’t matter in the end. She and Max were mates. They were a part of each other, not only on a physical level but a spiritual one as well. Yes, she desperately wanted Fiona to support her and give her blessing, because that’s what they did for each other. But, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it didn’t happen. Okay, yes it would, but she would deal.

  She glanced over at Sam sleeping under the bay window. He had gotten tired of watching her pace about an hour ago. Her biggest worry, other than Fiona’s disapproval, was Fiona herself. Shelly worried about leaving Fiona here alone. Fee was still fragile and reeling from losing David. Fiona grew stronger every day and her long bouts of tears fewer and further between. She had gotten out of bed every day for the past two weeks. Granted, some days it took her longer to shake off the sadness, but Fiona was making an effort to free herself from the debilitating sorrow. She was healing, but still had a ways to go, and Shelly worried.

  By the time Fee’s car pulled into the drive, Shelly’s nerves were stretched thin enough to snap. She wanted to rush out there and get this over with. No, damn it, she did not need anyone’s permission, not even Fiona�
��s. She was not a child asking for permission to attend a sleepover. She was a grown woman, confident in her decision to be with Max. Yipping around Fiona’s like a nervous Chihuahua was the exact opposite of confident. Shelly forced herself to stay put.

  Fiona didn’t spare a glance at Shelly when she entered the house with a sleeping Emma Grace and headed to the nursery. Shelly was still rooted to her spot in front of the window when Fiona walked into the den a few minutes later. Fiona stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed Shelly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Huh?”

  Fiona laid her hands on her hips, tilted her head, cocked an eyebrow, and stared at Shelly. Fiona flicked her gaze to Shelly hands before meeting her eyes, again.

  Shelly looked down and rolled her eyes. She was nervously wringing her hands. Way to play it cool and confident, Shell.

  “Well?”

  “Oh, um, nothing really. I just wanted to talk to you?”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  “Telling.”

  “You’re acting weird. What did you do? Did you ruin my lucky shirt?”

  “No.” Shelly snorted. She knew better than to touch Fiona’s lucky shirt. Fiona won a drinking contest at a local bar called The Barbershop on her twenty-first birthday, and she received the t-shirt to commemorate the event. For some unknown reason, Fiona deemed that t-shirt lucky. Fiona puked her guts out for three days after that contest. As far as Shelly was concerned there was nothing lucky about that. Then again, Fiona’s little French Quarter escapade lit a fire under David’s ass. Well not so much the contest, but Shelly’s embellishment of said events over email. Someone had to step in and move the two most hardheaded people Shelly knew along. He took leave a week later, surprised Fiona at the hospital, put a ring on Fee’s finger, and dragged her to the courthouse.

  “Break the washing machine? Burn dinner? Spill nail polish on the carpet?”

  “No, no, and no.”

  “Then what is it, gaienne? You are killing me.”

  Shelly sucked in a deep breath. Confidence. Confidence. Confidence. Fuck it, who was she kidding. Here goes nothing. “I’m in love with Max and I am going to spend the night with him, maybe several nights.”

  Fiona stared back at her with bug-eyed expression, and Shelly decided dropping a bomb like that in one long run-on sentence probably wasn’t the best way to go. But, damn it she got flustered when Fee badgered her like that.

  After a few moments, which seemed to take forever, Fiona finally got over her shock. She sat down on the couch, crossed her arms over her chest, and narrowed her eyes at Shelly. “If that’s how you feel then why are you so nervous? Why do you look so damn guilty?”

  “I’m not guilty.”

  “Looks like guilt.”

  Shelly threw her hands up, stalked over to the couch, and plopped down like a petulant child. “I want you to be okay with it. You know. I don’t want you to think I’m stupid or try to talk me out of it, because you don’t agree with me.”

  “Jesus, what are we twelve? What you do with Max is really none of my business.”

  That was total bullshit and Fiona knew it too. If that was truly how Fiona felt, she wouldn’t have wasted her breath giving Max the talk last night. Fiona thought everything Shelly did was her business, not in a bad way, it was in Fiona’s nature to protect those she cared about. She loved Shelly like a sister which meant it was her responsibility to look out for Shelly. Shelly also knew that her announcement might cause Fiona’s lingering abandonment issues to rear their ugly heads.

  “What you think matters to me. How you feel matters to me. I don’t want you to think I’m going to forget about you or anything.”

  Fiona gave her that head tilted to the side you’re being a moron look. “I’m sure Max is no slouch in bed, but I doubt he’s skilled enough to give you amnesia.”

  Shelly grabbed the couch pillow and smacked Fiona in the head with it. Shelly knew her bestie all too well. Fiona hid behind sarcasm and snarky humor when she was feeling vulnerable or particularly emotional about a situation. Shelly hated that her newfound relationship with Max caused Fiona pain.

  “I want you to be happy, Shell. I’ve told you that.” Fiona’s eyes took on a glossy sheen. “I’m gonna miss you around here.”

  “I’m not moving out, yet Fiona.”

  “Yet. Do you honestly think once Max has you in his house and in his bed, he is going to let you get away?” A sad wistful sigh left Fiona’s lips. “No, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He loves you.”

  Shelly reached over to hold Fiona’s hands in hers. “He won’t keep me from you and Emma Grace, Fee. He knows we are a package deal, like me and Sam.”

  “Like I’d let that happen.”

  Shelly laughed at Fiona’s cocky attitude. “You do realize he’s like three times bigger than you, right?”

  “Yeah, but I’m ten times meaner. I could totally take him.”

  “Of course you can. I have complete faith in you.”

  “Smart ass.”

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay without me here to tonight and maybe a couple of nights?”

  “I’ll be fine. This is probably what I needed. A swift kick in the butt to make me get on with things.”

  “Fee, it’s only been a month. You don’t have to rush it. I’ll stay with you as long as you need me to. You know that. I love you and Emma Grace.”

  A tear escaped from Fiona’s eye and she angrily brushed it away. “I hate this. You’d think these damn things were all dried up.”

  Shelly nudged Fee with her foot. “I don’t think it works that way, sorry.”

  Fiona poked her lip out and pouted like a petulant child. “Yeah, well it sucks. I’m the strong one.”

  “You’ll always be the strong one.”

  “Now you are just patronizing me.”

  Shelly giggled. “Maybe.”

  “You sure about this, Shell? About Max?”

  How did she explain mates, without actually explaining mates? She wasn’t used to keeping secrets from Fiona and she hated it. She understood why she couldn’t say anything. She would never go back on her word, but that didn’t make this any easier or her feel any less guilty.

  “Shell?”

  “Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.”

  “About Mr. Sexy Voice?”

  “Busted. To answer your question, yes I’m sure. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. It may sound hokey, but he’s my other half.”

  Fiona leaned in and hugged her. “Oh, gaienne, it doesn’t sound hokey at all. It sounds wonderful. It’s the way it supposed to be. I am happy for you. Not to sound like a broken record, but I’m gonna say it again. I want you to be happy. I want you to know the love of a good man. I want you to have the family you want, husband, kids, white picket fence, the whole nine. I think Max is that man. However, if he fucks you over, I will bury him.”

  “Oh, Fee, you are the bestest friend ever.”

  Fiona’s lighthearted laughter eased a bit of Shelly’s guilt.

  “You’re right, I am the bestest friend ever and don’t you forget it. Max better not forget it either.”

  “He won’t. I promise.” Shelly looked over at the tiny black ball of fur lounging under the bay window. “Is it okay if I leave Sam here tonight or do you want me to bring him with?”

  “You better leave him here. I don’t want Max complaining he was cock-blocked by the chupacabra.” Shelly growled at the now familiar joke. Fiona ignored her, as usual, and kept right on talking. “Besides, how the hell are you going to get your cherry popped with that attention whore around?”

  “Fiona!”

  Fiona blinked innocently. “What? You don’t like cherry popped?”

  Shelly wrinkled up her nose in distaste. “Not particularly.”

  “What about, um, serving cherry delight or taking the NasTea plunge?”

  “No.”

  “Presenting Mr. Happy the key to the furry city?”


  Shelly worked hard to keep her deadpan expression. “No and it’s not furry.”

  “Oh yeah, forgot, my bad. Getting the VIP Tour at Neverland?”

  “No.”

  “Taking fornication for $1000, Alex?”

  Shelly shook her head because she couldn’t respond while biting her lips together to keep from laughing.

  “Attending the Bush Inaugural Ball? No? Really?” She snapped her fingers. “I got it.” Fiona paused for effect. “Landing the Martian probe on Venus.”

  That did it. Neither Shelly nor Fiona could hold their laughter a moment longer and fell together in a fit of giggles like two adolescent girls.

  Long moments later, their bellies aching and cheeks stained with tears and mascara, they huddled together on the couch trying to catch their breath in between intermittent giggles. Fiona shoulder bumped her.

  “Don’t you need to get going?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Remember it’s up to him to make it good for you, not the other way around.”

  “That still doesn’t sound right.”

  “Shell, his pleasure should come from your pleasure. If you aren’t enjoying yourself, he shouldn’t either. He has the experience and ensuring you have multiple orgasms should be his priority. Feel free to tell him I said that.”

  “I’ll get right on that.”

  “Get going.”

  “You sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Swear to all that is holy bitch, I am gonna kick your ass.”

  Shelly smiled. Like she’d never heard that empty threat before. She kissed Fee’s cheek and hopped up from the sofa. “I love you, Fee. I’m gonna go kiss Emma Grace and get ready.”

  “Love you too.”

  ****

  Ten minutes later Shelly was back pulling a small suitcase behind her. Fiona looked from the small purple carry-on to Shelly. “I don’t really think you are going to need all that Shell.”

  “It’s just make-up, pj’s, and a couple of changes of clothes.”