ELRETH

The deep, resonant call of the mating rumbled in his chest, and she dropped her head back, calling back to him, pulling him in as he leaned down, took the peak of her breast in his mouth and sucked.

She whimpered with pleasure and her hips rocked forward instinctively.

"Fuck, El," he rasped against the plump of her breast.

She was already panting, already trilling inside—despite her fear and self-consciousness. Standing there with him she wanted nothing more than to be laying with him.

While he worked first one breast, then the other, sending jangling jolts through her belly to her core, she reached between them to find the buckle of his belt.

He growled in approval when she gripped it, pulled the thick leather through the holders until it slapped against her bare belly, then tugged it free and started on his buttons.

She could feel the hardness of him pressing against her, and the delicious coil of desire beginning between her thighs. But something else was happening as well, even deeper inside her. Something tingling and fizzing, delicious and spiraling, something that wasn't about desire, but about… connection.

It started in her chest and spiraled out from there, winding into her veins and feeding out to her limbs, then her skin, until she trembled with it.

Then she popped the last of Aaryn's buttons and his leathers fell open and he sprang into her hand. It was instinctive to stroke him the way he'd shown her—easier to do from this angle and he groaned, then pulled away, catching her wrist.

Her eyes flew open. Had she gotten it wrong already?

But he was panting, his eyes gleaming, and he stared at her like he wanted to eat her. "That's… gorgeous, El. But if you keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to do this right. So, just for now… leave the touching to me, okay?"

She nodded, embarrassed that she was already panting, but so was he. So she supposed they were even.

"I love you, El, you know that right?"

She nodded. "I love you, too."

He swallowed. "Then, I'm going to kiss you, then we're going to go to the bedchamber, and I'm going to show you how much I love you there, where it's comfortable and free and… you have nothing to worry about. Because you're so beautiful, El. So damn beautiful to me. Please, baby… don't ever feel like you need to cover yourself with me, okay?"

"Okay," she said, a lot more confidently than she felt.

Then he kissed her and started walking her backwards, towards the bedroom, whispering with each step about how beautiful she was, how much he loved her, how he'd dreamed about this day for years.

And with every step, that fizzing in her veins built up, the pressure rising within her, seeking release from under her skin, fueling her desire, fueling the urge to be closer, always closer to him, until, by the time they walked into the bedroom, the kiss was frantic and deep.

Aaryn kicked the door closed behind them, then stepped back, holding her eyes, while he shucked his leathers off and leaned down to tug them off his feet. Then, naked and glorious, he stood before her, letting her look at him.

She'd seen him before, but she'd always been embarrassed to just stare. But he stepped back and opened his arms, turning himself slowly to display himself to her.

The sight of his strong back, that dip running down his spine to his firm buttocks and thighs… and then he turned to face her again and his chest, the ripples of his abdomen and sides, the way his muscles cut in over his hips in a V that pointed straight down to his… himself.

She swallowed hard and stared at the strange ways his body was so different to hers. She was tempted to make a joke about a handle by which she could tug him around, but she didn't want to ruin the mood.

When she scanned back up his body to his face, he was smiling. "I'm yours, El. Holding nothing back. Just yours."

She took a deep breath and bit her lip, then pushed the dress down, off her hips, until it pooled around her feet and she could step out of it to stand before him.

She resisted the urge to cover herself and forced herself to do as he'd done, opening her arms and turning slowly so he could see her from all sides.

"And I'm yours—" she whispered, but as she turned to face him again, he grabbed her up, one hand in her hair, the other at her back and he kissed her desperately.

Elreth clutched at him, and that spiraling in her veins tightened until she could barely breathe.

Aaryn lifted her so she sat on the furs atop the sleeping platform and followed her up as she scooted back. He crawled over her, his eyes bright and wide, gleaming with love and desire for her as she lay down and covered her, dropping his hips to rest between her thighs, groaning and dropping his head for a moment when he slid against her.

"Already ready for me," he croaked.

"I've wanted you for weeks, Aaryn," she whispered, putting a hand to the back of his neck and pulling him down. Then she held his face just an inch from her own and stared into his eyes. "You're mine," she whispered, blinking back tears. "You're the only one I've ever wanted. And I want you so badly."

She trembled, but so did he, so she didn't let herself think about it. Just stretched up to kiss him, letting her tongue tease his for a moment before she relaxed and lay back down. Then, as he dropped his head to kiss the soft skin between her breasts she clawed her fingers into his hair and arched as he slid against her once, then twice, then a third time, gasping each time he slid over that bundle of nerves that he'd so masterfully played before.

She shivered with the anticipation as Aaryn began to rock against her in a rhythm that made promises.

She could feel her soul reaching for his and sent a silent prayer up that she wouldn't screw this up as he murmured her name against her skin.

"I'm ready, Aaryn," she whispered. "Please. It's time."