AARYN

Elreth stood in front of him in that gorgeous dress that he couldn't wait to remove from her, her expression making her look younger than she'd seemed in years.

He cleared his throat and chose his words carefully, but he was fighting a smile. "El, I want to promise you—reassure you… emphatically… that I will enjoy every moment with you. Every one."

"You can't know that until we've done it and—"

"I assure you that I can. With complete confidence. Even touching your arm sends sparks to my bones. I know with certainty that when we are together it will be nothing but heaven for me. My concern is much greater for you."

"I love it when you touch me," she said breathlessly. "I know I'll like it."

"That I can't guarantee you," he said without the smile. "Firstly, your first time will likely hurt. They usually do. And… it's unfortunate, but these things tend to be far easier for males than females." He cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You have to promise you'll talk to me, El. Tell me what you like, and what you don't. Tell me what lights your skin on fire, and what makes your breath stop. I may not always be able to tell—you have to tell me."

"I can't talk about that stuff!" she squeaked. "I'm sure it will be fine. Every time you've touched me I've gone up in flames, Aaryn. I'm not worried about me, okay?"

"Well, just… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But promise me that if anything is unpleasant or… you just don't feel right about it, you'll tell me. I want to pleasure you, El, not possess you."

"I promise," she whispered, her cheeks beet red.

He lifted her chin again, forcing her to look him in the eye and he held her gaze for a moment, let her see his love and anticipation of being with her. "There's no rush," he whispered. "Did you want to take a bath first? We could go to the bathing pools and try later—"

"Aaryn, I'm scared, not a child. I want to do this. In fact, if you don't start kissing me again soon I'm going to get pissy. I just… I just want you to know that I want you to enjoy it. And if I'm doing something wrong… teach me. If you tell me, or show me, I'll do it right. I just need a chance."

He choked back a laugh. "El… I doubt you can do anything wrong tonight, but I promise you, if you do, I'll tell you, okay? Honestly, you're worrying about me for nothing."

She looked skeptical, but she was also relaxing under his hands, which made him breathe easier. He started stroking his fingers up and down her arms, raising the little pinhairs there as she shivered.

"Creator's Light that feels good," she whispered, closing her eyes. He let his hands drift to her back and began to trail them there. Elreth's breath got a little shallower and she bit her lip.

His leathers got tighter seeing that plump pillow pinched by her teeth. He wanted to tease it out, so he kissed her and she leaned into him, their tongues dancing.

He pulled back far enough to speak, leaning his forehead on hers. "You are the most beautiful female I've ever seen, El. I've always thought so. I can't believe you're mine, truly."

"That makes two of us," she said breathlessly. "I do want you, Aaryn, terribly. It's embarrassing."

"You don't ever have reason to be embarrassed with me," he murmured and kissed her mouth softly, then her jaw, then nuzzled her neck and laid his lips there gently, just under her ear.

She sighed and her head tipped back in a gesture of trust that hit him like a blow to the stomach. "I love you, El," he whispered against her neck, then kissed his way down to her throat as she let her head ease back, her hands exploring his chest and shoulders.

"I love you, Aaryn. So much."

She pulled him closer and he took her mouth again, his breath coming faster, praying that she wouldn't become frightened again.

But she was liquid in his arms, rippling against him, her fingers digging into his back as she pulled him closer.

He let his hands slide to her bare, lower back, pulling her in so she arched back over his hands, her breath coming faster too, the rhythm of it feeding the pound of his heart.

When she stroked his chest again, then began on his buttons he groaned, but at first, only kissed her, until her breath began to pant and she'd gotten most of his shirt unbuttoned and slid her hands inside to run her fingers up and down the ripples of his stomach so that his stomach clenched and his leathers became uncomfortably tight.

Then she dropped her forehead to his chest and went to work on the rest of his buttons, tugging his soft shirt out of his leathers until it was all free and she could slide her hands up to his shoulders and push the shirt off for him.

He let his hands drop for a moment so it would slide off behind him, then pulled her into his chest again.

"Undress me, Aaryn. Please. I want you," she whispered, then kissed him again. "I've never wanted to be with anyone like this before. Only you. Only you."

He groaned and deepened the kiss, finally letting himself find the tie at the back of her neck and pull the lace until it loosened enough that he could pull the ends apart until it sagged.

Then she went still and so did he.

Aaryn pulled back far enough to meet her eyes—her wide, staring eyes.

He swallowed hard and was about to reassure her when she reached up to the sagging fabric at her throat and pulled it down, tugging it so the laces slid free and the entire bodice fell between them.

Aaryn's eyes went wide, staring at her like that again. It never got old.

He lifted a single finger to trace her nipple and she closed her eyes, the nipple hardening under his touch in a way that made him have to stifle the mating call.

But then he realized… he didn't need to stifle it. Didn't need to soften it. Didn't need to hold back at all.

He was hers, and she was his, and tonight they were going to prove it.

*****

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