Wanted: Wild Thing

Chapter Sixteen

Doing this for me?” My voice rose a hysterical note. “How is he doing this for me? It looks like he’s being pulverized!”

“He has chosen you over us,” Artur said flatly. “He will not give you to the fae. It will negate the vow and leave the rest of us without mates, but you will be safe.”

I gasped and turned to Artur. “What?”

“It’s true.” He gave a quick nod, and only the bleakness in his eyes revealed his feelings. His ugly face was impassive. “He cannot bear to send you to your fate, so he will forsake us to keep you safe.”

I looked at the crowd of men, all furiously fighting one another. I saw the helpless rage of the men as they attacked Hugh. One turned and gave me a look of pure longing before leaping back into the fray.

A sob escaped my throat. I wept because I’d been selfish. I’d won, and now I’d destroyed the happiness of so many others. I should have felt good about it, but all I felt was more miserable. So I sobbed.

A cry of rage escaped the pile. It surged forward, heading toward me. Hugh emerged, a man clinging to his back and another to his leg. He shrugged them off with violent motions and came for me, eyes wild. “Ryder!”

The others fell back, sitting on their haunches in an animalistic way. They licked their wounds and wiped blood from nostrils and mouths. They glared at Hugh, but their gaze didn’t have the same anger toward me that they had toward him.

Hugh moved to me and gently cupped my face, scanning it with worry. “Are you hurt? Why do you cry?”

“I don’t understand,” I told him, shaking my head. I looked up into his face. One of his eyes was swelling shut, and his nostril leaked a thin trail of blood. He’d never looked more gorgeous to me. “You’re not going to give me to Finian? But . . . you’re ruining it for everyone. I thought that was what you wanted.”

“That was before I knew you,” he said. His thumb grazed the smooth scales of my cheek, oh-so-sweetly. “And now I cannot imagine doing anything that would cause you such misery.”

My breath caught in my throat at his words. I’d wanted to hear that for so long. And yet . . . it was almost too much to believe. It was such a high, brutal cost. “What made you change your mind?”

He glanced around at the others. Filled with sadness, I did, too, and noticed that they were staring at my naked body in a way that could only be described as . . . hungry. “This is not a conversation for any ears but yours, Ryder. Come. We will go to my cave.”

“Sounds lovely,” I said, dazed. A cave? We were going somewhere private to talk? He wasn’t giving me to Finian? I was trying to process all of this, and failing miserably. But when he extended his hand to me, I automatically took it, and he led me through the ominous crowd. I trusted him to keep me safe.

He led me to the rocky cliff, and I stared up at it as we approached. It was easily five or six stories tall, a sheer outcropping that ended abruptly, as if some divine hand had neatly sliced it in half. Up the sides of the cliff were holes riddled through the rock—caves. And each cave, I knew, was the home of one of the primordials. “Which one is yours?”

Hugh released my hand and began to climb, tugging on a few of the vines that had worked their way into the stone. “I am at the top.”

“Of course you are,” I said faintly. I stared as Hugh climbed the sheer surface as if it had been nothing, his toe-claws digging into the rock and his big hands using the vines to leverage himself up. I moved closer and touched one of the vines. It was stout, all right, but slippery from the clingy mist. I glanced up. I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be able to climb that. At all.

Hugh looked down after a moment. “Do you not come?”

I touched one of the leafy vines. “I don’t think I can climb this.” I displayed my blunted claws, which now looked more like long, smooth mother-of-pearl chips than deadly killing weapons. “These won’t dig into anything, and my wings still don’t work.”

He leapt down from the ledge, ignoring the fact that he’d just dropped two stories, and landed at my feet in a crouch. Then he straightened, apparently unhurt, and grinned at me, mouth full of sharp teeth. “All you had to do was say so.”

With that, he grabbed me and swung me over his arm, my stomach landing on his shoulder. Just like Tarzan. And just like Tarzan, he began to climb once more, moving swiftly up the cliff wall.

I swallowed the scream that erupted in my throat, dug my ineffective claws into his skin as much as I could, and closed my eyes. Hugh wouldn’t let me fall. He wouldn’t. I trusted him.

After a few moments, the rough swaying stopped, and I heard—and felt—Hugh’s body thump to the ground. I squeezed one eye open and glanced around as he set me gently down next to him.

We were inside Hugh’s cave. It was dark inside, and I could barely make out my surroundings. There didn’t seem to be much to see, though. My toes tickled a pile of furs nearby, but other than that, I could see nothing. “This is your home?”

“Aye.”

For some reason, it made me sad that Hugh lived with so little. It was so . . . crude. “You don’t have much.”

“I do not need much,” he admitted. “Most days, I spend my time in my other form. It makes things less . . . lonely. Your other self does not notice things that are lacking nearly as much.”

Oh, that was sad. I wondered if that was why the others seemed downright feral at times. Was it because they were all used to spending time in their animal form more than their human one? Because they were so lonely? I wanted to weep for them . . . and for Hugh. I turned toward him in the darkness, his gleaming eyes making him easy to find. My hand reached out to him and landed on smooth, warm skin. “Tell me what’s going on. I need to understand.”

His eyes closed, the green gleam disappearing for such a long moment that it made my breath catch in my throat. It returned a moment later, and I felt his big, warm hands on my shoulders.

Hugh pulled me against him, dragging me to him in a warm, comforting embrace.

I was startled at first. For me, it was always unusual to feel skin-to-skin contact, much less with a nearly seven-foot-tall man who was totally naked. But Hugh seemed to be a hugger. He seemed to need that comforting touch almost as much as I did, so when his big hand rested on the back of my head and began to stroke my hair, pressing my cheek to his chest, I couldn’t really protest. I was enjoying the sensations too much.

But I also wanted answers. So I hesitantly put my hand on his stomach and pushed away a bit, just enough to look up at him. “Tell me what’s going on, Hugh. Please.”

He sighed heavily, then cleared his throat. “When . . . when I saw you dancing with the small one, it angered me.”

“Small one?” I giggled at that. A saber-toothed tiger the size of a grizzly bear probably thought a were-cougar was small, but I doubted Austin Russell would enjoy the description. But then the rest of Hugh’s words sank in. “It made you angry?”

“It did.” His hands clenched tighter around me, and the hand that began to stroke my hair again was pressing so hard that I was pretty sure I’d be bald if it continued. “You were touching another man and laughing with him, and he was admiring your body. I . . . wanted to hurt him. And . . . I wanted to be him.”

“You did?”

“I did.” His hands tightened around me again. “I was envious of his freedom. He could touch you. He could dance with you and make you laugh. And I am not allowed. I envied him greatly in that moment.”

I hugged Hugh, feeling the need to comfort him. My arms wrapped around his waist, and I scratched my nails idly on his back, sensing that he’d enjoy that. “You’re jealous over nothing, Hugh. I only like Austin as a friend. And truthfully, you’re the only person I trust not to run away screaming at the sight of my real face.” I still flinched at the thought of showing Austin my true nature; I imagined his reaction and knew it wouldn’t be a good one.

“You are harsh to yourself, Ryder.” He shook his head. “I bring this up only because I am trying to make you understand. I was jealous of the small cat shifter yesterday, and it made me angry. That was why we fought. I deliberately chose to ruin your fun and provoke you. And after you ran off, I felt . . . guilty. Like I was destroying everything for you. And I realized I had to. That it was my job to do this. That feeling did not sit well with me.”

His hand paused on my head, then began to stroke my hair again. “When he stole you out from under my nose . . .” I felt his big body shudder against mine. “I cannot describe how it made me feel. How helpless and full of rage. I’d failed in my vow. And I should have thought of my brother primordials, waiting patiently for me to return home with their mates. Waiting for me to fix things. But I was not thinking of them. Instead, the only thing that kept going through my mind was you. That you were lost and scared somewhere. That I had failed you. I only thought of you. Not of the other women waiting for us. Just you.”

I pressed my cheek harder against his chest, burrowing against him. I didn’t want to interrupt.

“When I found you, my relief was so great that I wanted to scream it to the heavens.” He held me tightly again. “I realized that I had no right to feel this way for you. And I also realized I could not give you up. Not to Finian. Not to anyone.”

His arms clenched around me even harder, nearly squeezing the breath out of me. I didn’t mind. I didn’t mind at all. I could scarcely breathe myself, barely daring to hope that what I was hearing was the truth.

“And that is why I must remove your virginity, Ryder.”

I giggled at that. “Um, that’s a weird way of putting it.”

His chest-constricting hug loosened and he glanced down at my face, his hand moving to cup my chin and tilt me into looking in his direction. “How should it be said, then?”

I was glad that it was dark and I had scales, because I was pretty sure that the blush on my face could rival a fire hydrant for its color. “It’s not removed, I guess. It’s taken.”

“But . . . that implies that I am snatching it from you. I do not think I like this wording.” He sounded offended.

I couldn’t help but laugh again. “How about I give it to you instead?”

“I like the sound of that.” His fingers brushed against the scales of my jaw. “Would you . . . do you want to give it to me, Ryder?”

“I do,” I breathed. “More than anything. You know this.”

“I need to hear it again.” His voice was husky, and I wished I could see more than just the gleam of his eyes in the darkness.

“But what about Finian? What about the others? What will happen to all of them?”

“Finian”—he spat the word as if it were foul—“will not be pleased. I do not care what he thinks.”

“But you told him you did not want me for yourself. I remember that.”

“I did.” His expression was grim. “I thought it true at the time. But . . . it is not.”

My eyes widened. “Really? What about the others?”

“They will get over their disappointment in time,” he said softly. “But I do not think I will be able to stay here, my Ryder. With you at my side, their envy would be too great. The pain would be a daily one, and even I am not that cruel.”

“Is this your way of asking to move in with me, big guy? Because I vote yes.”

“I would like nothing more than to remain at your side for the rest of my life, Ryder. I care for you as I care for no other.”

My heart swelled with excitement and affection. Was Hugh admitting that he loved me? I wanted so desperately to believe this was true. My nails dug into his back, and I pressed myself against him. This was almost too good to be true. “You can come live with me, Hugh,” I told him. “But what about Finian? He’s coming to collect me.”

Hugh pulled me away from him. I immediately felt bereft of his warmth, his heat, his caresses. “Ryder, I must ask you to sacrifice something. If I am gifted with your virginity tonight, you will remain as you are for the rest of your days.”

My heart stopped in my chest. “I’m going to be like this forever? Not human?”

“You will be human,” he said. “Your glamour will never leave you. But your changeling form will be frozen at this point in time. Your wings will no longer blossom. Your horns will not spiral and sharpen. Your claws will remain dull, and your scales the color they are now. Once you are no longer a virgin, you will no longer grow more beautiful by the day. And if I take your virginity now, you will not go into heat on your twenty-fifth birthday.”

I wanted to laugh with relief. “Is that all? I don’t care about that.”

“Are you sure? A changeling in full bloom is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever seen. They make the throat ache with their sheer beauty.” His thumb grazed along my collarbones ever so gently. “And even though you already are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, I will be robbing you of your potential if I do not at least warn you of the consequences.”

“So I can be the most beautiful thing ever, or I can have the man I love?” My voice broke, my heart thrumming at the admission. “That’s kind of a no-brainer. All I want is you.”

He pulled me gently forward until his head rested against my belly. “I am filled with love for you, Ryder.”

I wanted to laugh again at his strange wording, but I didn’t. The feel of his head pressing against my belly was setting off every nerve ending in my body. His hair brushed against the curves of my breasts, teasing me. I ran my fingers through his thick, almost wiry hair and was rewarded with his mouth nuzzling against the soft flesh on my belly.

Flesh? Perplexed, I touched my stomach and discovered that my scales had smoothed out from there. Had I missed that transformation somehow? It seemed that I had scales still on my shoulders, back, and buttocks, but my front had gone soft, the skin velvety.

Like an armadillo, I had a soft underbelly. I giggled at the thought, strangely pleased.

My laughter died a moment later when Hugh’s mouth dipped and licked at the underside of one breast. A moan escaped my throat, and I dug my fingers into his hair, dragging his mouth toward my breast when he skimmed away. I wanted more of that.

Now that Hugh would touch me wherever? I wanted everything.

He seemed willing, too. His mouth turned and I felt it, hot against my skin, the graze of his teeth against my flesh. Then, he sought the tip of one breast and brushed his teeth against it.

Heat flooded my body, and I gasped. I was incredibly sensitive everywhere, but my nipples seemed to be the most sensitive of all. They ached, hard points of attention, and when his tongue rasped against one, I whimpered all over again. “Hugh. God, Hugh. Your mouth.”

“Do I frighten you?”

“Not at all,” I said, pressing my breast toward his mouth once more. “I need your mouth all over me.”

He groaned as well, digging his hands into my back, and I felt his claws against my scales. Didn’t hurt. His mouth sought my nipple, rolling it against his lips, then latching on and sucking hard.

I cried out. It felt so incredibly good that it made me dazed with need.

“Ryder,” he said, his voice ragged. He pressed his mouth to the curve of my breast, pushing rapid kisses against my skin. “Ryder, we must be quieter. The others will hear—”

I tore out of his arms, my eyes going wide. Any excitement I felt died in a heartbeat. “Oh, my God. They can hear us, can’t they?” I knew Hugh’s hearing was supersharp, but I hadn’t realized how keen. I glanced at the entrance to the cave, but it was wide open. It wasn’t as if anyone could peer in unless they were hiding in a nearby treetop. Which . . . yikes. I pulled away from Hugh.

“What is it?”

“I can’t do this here,” I told him. “Not with the others close and listening. I . . . it’s cruel. And weird. Can’t we go someplace where we’d have some privacy?”

“This is my home,” he said. “No one will disturb us here.”

“Well, that’s great and all, but I can’t do this with others listening to our every move, Hugh.” I reached out and caressed his cheek, feeling the bristly brush of his sideburns. “Don’t you have someplace . . . someplace special that we could go, just the two of us? Someplace we could be alone and not have to worry about being quiet? Or disturbing the others?”

He was silent for so long that I thought he’d disagree. Then he pressed another kiss to my flesh. “I know the place. Come.”

Hugh got to his feet so abruptly that I felt dizzy, unbalanced by the low light of the cave, where I could see nothing beyond the entrance. Hugh grasped my hand in his and led me out to the ledge again.

“Oh, no,” I said, peering over the edge. “Not this again.”

“I will have you,” he told me.

And before I could protest, he swung me over his shoulder once more.

This time, I knew the deal. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited as he climbed, anchoring my body to him as best I could. It didn’t take long before he landed again and that nauseating swaying stopped. I opened one eye tentatively and saw the ground mere feet below my gaze. I lifted my head and saw that the trees were in the distance. We were atop the cliff, and the thick greenery here was interspersed with jagged rock. This was why Hugh was still carrying me. He seemed to know instinctively where to step, bounding between boulders and over stone, dodging ferns and moving rapidly. I settled in for the ride.

Sometime later, I could hear the sound of rushing water. I lifted my head again, looking around. “Are we heading to a waterfall?”

“Yes, but it is not our destination,” he told me.

“No?” I wouldn’t have minded a nice shower. “But waterfalls are pretty.”

“This one also has fish with very big teeth swimming in the pool.”

Eeek. “On second thought, let’s avoid the waterfall.”

He chuckled. “I thought so.”

“So where are we going?”

“You will see,” he said.

I wanted to grumble at all the mystery, but I couldn’t complain. At least this way I wouldn’t have to worry about what the others were thinking as Hugh and I figured out how to get the round peg into the, ahem, round hole. It occurred to me that I wasn’t the only virgin here. Would Hugh instinctively know what to do? I’d read some romances and watched some movies, and Hugh had watched, well, porn. Our combined experience wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire. If it wasn’t very good this time, I decided, we could just chalk it up to our newness to things and we’d just have to work on improving. I steeled myself for the reality that I might not get an orgasm the first or second time. I’d be happy just to have sex with a man I loved, really. Demanding an orgasm to boot seemed a bit like luxury. I’d take what I could get and be happy about it, as long as Hugh’s skin was pressed against mine and we both enjoyed ourselves.

And it saved me from Finian.

I wanted to weep with joy. It seemed like everything was suddenly in my favor and the other primordials were the ones getting the short end of the stick. I felt incredibly guilty, but if it meant I got my happy ever after and Hugh to boot? I couldn’t feel too bad for them. It was either them or me, and I was going to be selfish and pick me.

A mist began to sprinkle my backside, interrupting my thoughts, and I noticed we’d gotten closer than ever to the waterfall. It was a heavy spray of water coming down from the rocky cliff above. No Niagara Falls, of course, but it was enough that the water at the bottom could fill a decent-sized lake. It was pretty, though. I tried not to think of the big-toothed fish at the bottom that Hugh had mentioned.

To my surprise, Hugh took to the rocks at the side of the falls and began to climb up.

“Where are we going?” I asked again.

“You’ll see,” he told me and continued to climb.

“Okay, well, I’m just going to close my eyes,” I told him as the ground began to drop away and my stomach dropped queasily. For a girl with wings, I wasn’t a big fan of heights. “Yell when we’re there.”

“You’ll know,” he said, a chuckle in his voice.

A few moments later, he paused in his rock climbing, and I felt him shuffle to the side. That was the only warning I got before I was drenched with icy-cold water. A startled yelp escaped me, and I sputtered, shivering. “What the heck! Hugh! A little warning, please?”

“I told you that you would know,” he said, and I could hear the laughter in his voice.

I pushed sopping wet hair off my face and peered out from under it. We’d gone through part of the waterfall and, judging from the liquid cascade just beyond my one shoulder, were now under it. It was dark behind here, the only light coming from the blue of the waterfall. I raised a hand in front of my face and could barely make out the outline. “Where are we?”

“It is a cave I come to when I need to be alone and think,” Hugh said. He gently shrugged, setting me down on the floor.

I wiggled my feet, the rocks wet underneath them. My hair was dripping on my back, so I pulled it into a ponytail and wrung it out as I glanced around in the darkness. I could see nothing, and that unnerved me. I raised a hand up, trying to feel for the ceiling of the cave, but nothing hit my fingers but air. “Please tell me that this isn’t the home of the local prehistoric bear?”

“The water keeps out most. Just not me. I have been known to be more curious than is sensible from time to time.”

I smiled into the darkness at that and crossed my arms over my damp skin. “As long as you say this place is safe.”

“It is,” he said, and I felt his hand brush against mine. “Come with me.”

I raised a hand in front of me and gave him my other, and we walked deeper into the cave. I nearly screamed when my foot encountered something furry a moment later.

Hugh must have heard my intake of breath. “It is a sleeping fur, I promise.”

“Boy, am I glad to hear you say that,” I told him and knelt down to pat my hand on it. Sure enough, a sleeping fur. “I hope it’s not covered in mutant bugs.”

“No mutant bugs. You forget I can see as well in the dark as I can in the daytime,” Hugh said, clearly amused at my antics.

“And you forget I’m totally blind,” I said cheerfully. “But I’m glad one of us can see.” I pushed wet, dripping hair off my face. “Though you might prefer not to see me if we’re going to do this.”

“I see you. I see all of you. And you are so beautiful that you make my body ache with want,” he said softly.

A thrill of delight shot through me at his words. I put a hand out. “I’d like to know where you are right about now, because I really want to kiss you, Hugh.”

He laughed. “The feeling is mutual, Ryder. Do you want to see, or do you prefer the dark?”

Oh. “I want to see.” I wanted to see everything. Hugh was gorgeously attractive, and I couldn’t wait to look my fill at him.

I heard a whistle of air, and light bloomed. I watched, entranced, as Hugh blew on a bit of moss hanging from the ceiling and it lit up like fire.

“Pretty,” I breathed. “What is that?”

“I do not know what it is called, only what it does.” He looked over at me, all grinning fangs, and blew on the moss a bit more until the cave was full of light.

“How long will that last?”

“Long enough,” he said and turned back toward me, easing down into the furs at my feet. The cave was no longer dark, the moss providing a glow for me to see him by. It was almost like having a romantic, candlelit evening.

He patted the furs. “Come and sit with me.”

I sat down across from him, feeling a little nervous about what we were going to do. I’d have to get over it fast, though, if we were going to get rid of my virginity. And then I paused. “I just thought about something. Do we need condoms?” It had never even occurred to me that I’d soon be having sex. I was totally unprepared.

“I do not understand this word.”

“Condoms are, um, sheaths that a man wears over his penis to catch his semen and prevent him from getting her pregnant.”

“Are you in heat, Ryder?”

“I don’t know?”

“I think you would know. Also, you will not go into heat as long as I take your virginity prior to your twenty-fifth birthday. If you are not in heat, I cannot get you pregnant.”

“That’s good, at least. We’ll go bareback, then.”

“Bare . . . back?”

“Never mind,” I told him and waved a hand in the air. “I’m just spouting things because I’m nervous. I’ve never had sex before and it’s making me anxious. I love you, and I want you, but it doesn’t mean I’m not freaking out a little about it. I have no idea what to do, after all.”

“Ryder . . . remember, I have never had sex, either.” He shifted on the furs, his face solemn. He looked rather unhappy about the fact. “I do not wish to disappoint you.”

“I know,” I breathed, gazing at him shyly. “You can’t disappoint me. Somehow, I kind of like that we’re both new to this. We’re not going to judge the other’s performance, because neither of us has had sex before. We can just figure things out as we go. Explore.”

“I like the thought of exploring you,” he said, his voice low and practically humming with tension. His eyes gleamed in the low light.

And oh, mercy, I liked that thought, too. “Well, then,” I said. “Can I start first?”

“I am yours, Ryder.” He sounded so breathless that it made me breathless, too. My pulse began to speed up as I scooted closer and reached for him.

My hands landed on warm chest. I peeked up at his face, even as my hands slid over his pectorals. His eyes were closed with ecstasy, and his fangs had grown so long that they distended from his upper lip. Oh. I glanced down, admiring his body where I touched him. His chest was lightly furred with hair, his skin slightly damp. I grazed nails over his skin, seeking his nipples. I heard his sharp intake of breath, and it excited me. I ran my blunted claws over the hard tips, feeling and enjoying his groan of reaction. “Tell me what you like.”

“I like everything so far.” His voice was full of tension and anticipation, his face tense.

“Good.” I wanted to do more to him, too. Licking my lips, I ran my fingers higher and felt along the lines of his neck muscles. I could feel the strain in them, the tension in his body. I smoothed my fingers down his arms, enjoying the light furring on his forearms. Hugh had a bit more body hair than most men, but I didn’t mind it. He had a bit more everything than most men.

Which led me to the next place I wanted to explore. Feeling daring, I moved my hands back to his chest and trailed them down his stomach.

He sucked in, his stomach flexing.

Mmm, fun. I scratched my pale little claws down the length of his stomach, enjoying the feel of his flat abdomen. It was all hard muscle, and I could trace the ridgelines with my fingers. I did, feeling each breath that he pulled in, noticing that his breathing was becoming rapid . . . as was mine.

He jerked as I touched his belly button, and his cock brushed against my hand, leaving a slightly damp trail against my scales.

I drew back hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

“I am sorry,” Hugh said immediately, leaning backward. His eyes were open, and they were entirely cat at this point, a transformation I found fascinating. “I . . . your fingers felt . . .”

“Ticklish?” I suggested.

“Perhaps that is the word.” He looked embarrassed.

“No, it’s okay,” I told him. “Don’t be shy. It’s just me.”

“What do you think makes me shy?” Hugh panted.

“Oh.” I giggled a little at that, feeling giddy with excitement and desire. “Do you mind if I keep touching you?” I wanted to explore him some more, especially in that particular area.

“I do not mind,” he said, voice strained. His face had shifted toward his saber-tooth form, the bones in his face more pronounced, more feral, more wild. “But I . . . I am . . .”

“You are . . . what?”

“When I get . . . aroused . . .” He exhaled sharply, and I could practically hear the struggle in his mind to say the words. “The tip of my cock . . .”

He trailed off again.

I decided to find out for myself. I reached for him, ignoring the sharp inhalation of his breath, and my fingers brushed against the head of his cock again. I glanced at his face, but his jaw was clenched, as if he’d been in agony—or feeling something intense. He wasn’t brushing me away, though, so I returned to exploring. The head of his cock was slightly damp with a slick, almost sticky liquid. Pre-cum, I told myself. I’d read about that. I brushed my fingers through it, then lifted one to my mouth to taste it.

Salty. It had a bite that wasn’t altogether pleasant, but not bad, either. Hugh’s reaction was even better. He gave a groan, as if in pain, his head tilting back.

Oooh. I licked my fingers again, the taste growing on me, especially since it got that type of response. Hugh’s panting became rapid, and he gave another low groan when I reached for him again. He looked for all the world as if he wanted to hiss at me.

“Do you mind if I put my hands on you here?” I asked permission even as I curved all of my fingers around his thick length.

Hugh was big. Thick. Girthy. I’d expected this, since he was a large man, but staring at it and feeling it between my fingers were two different things. This hot, long rod of flesh was going to go inside my body.

I was pretty sure that was going to be an awkwardly tight fit.

And for the first time since we’d come to the cave, I pulled back a little. I released Hugh.

“Is something wrong?”

There was concern in his voice, along with disappointment. His green eyes shone at me, pupils dilated, and I felt like a jerk. He was worried that his body was displeasing or that I’d drawn away because he’d done something wrong.

And that was selfish of me. Of course he was just as nervous as I was. Maybe more so.

So I put my hands back on his cock and stroked the fine, velvety skin. “Nothing’s wrong. You’re just bigger than I thought.”

“Is . . . that is bad, is it not? You are small, Ryder.”

“You’re fine,” I told him, keeping the sultry purr in my voice. When he tried to pull backward, I tightened my fingers around his length. “I’m still exploring, Hugh. Don’t go anywhere.”

His choked gasp and wide eyes told me that he liked my hands squeezing around him. Encouraged, I did it again, one hand atop the other, like holding a baseball bat. The analogy was an apt one, I thought wryly.

Hugh’s big hand suddenly covered mine. “Not too tight, Ryder.”

“Oh. Oops, I’m sorry.” I released him again, chagrined.

“No, it’s all right. I liked it. I just . . .” He let his words trail off.

Hugh was . . . shy about discussing sex? That was charmingly endearing and made me love him all the more. Maybe we were going about this all wrong. I moved my hands to a safer place—his broad, taut thighs—and rested them there, then looked up at him. “Hugh, baby, can I ask you a question?”

“You may ask me anything, of course.” He gazed down at me, his hand brushing my bony, scaled cheek in affection. “I am yours to command.”

“Do you ever touch yourself? Like when you get . . . too lonely?” My claws idly scratched at his thighs in what was hopefully a soothing, yet enticing, motion. “Or when you watched the movies I gave you?”

He was silent for so long that I wondered if he didn’t understand the question. Then he gave a ragged sigh. “It is . . . not something discussed.”

“Not even with me?”

He held his breath for a long moment, as if debating, then quietly admitted, “Yes, I have touched myself before.”

Now we were getting somewhere. I dug my claws in, loving the way his muscles clenched in reaction. “Ever thought about me while doing it?”

His ragged groan was the only answer I needed.

“What did you imagine me doing?”

Hugh’s breath was coming in swift, ragged pants, his eyes squeezed shut with concentration. I felt him shudder a little under my hands. Just seeing his reactions to my touch was driving me wild. I felt slick between my thighs, and my own pulse was pounding like I’d just had a hard workout.

And yet Hugh still wasn’t telling me about his fantasies. I needed to prod him a little. My hands slid to the interior of his thighs and I leaned in, gazing into his face. “Was I holding you in my hands?” I scratched his skin lightly. “Or were you thinking about my mouth on you?”

He growled, then bit out, “Mouth. I saw it in one of the moving stories.”

“That sounds like fun,” I told him, my voice sultry. “Do you mind if I practice and put my mouth on you, then?”

He gave me a grunt of approval, not opening an eye.

I shivered a little in anticipation. Part of me was excited to be doing this to Hugh, and part of me was wildly nervous. My teeth were long and fanged in my changeling form. What if I did something wrong? I knelt forward, then paused. “Um, Hugh? Did you dream about my human mouth or my changeling one?”

“Changeling,” he rasped.

I never got enough of hearing that. “Because I’m fiercer that way?”

His eyes opened and he reached out and brushed the back of one clawed finger down my cheek. “Because I know that when you are changeling, it’s because you want to be touched. It is . . . exciting to me.”

I’d never thought of it that way. Just hearing him say it made me ache between my legs, and I pressed my thighs together, hard. “Oh. But what if I scrape you with my teeth?”

“Then you do. It will not lessen my excitement. I do not think anything could at this point,” he said, and there was a bemused, wry note in his voice that made me want to smile and kiss him all at once.

“All right, then.” I smiled at him, so happy. My fingertips fluttered back to his cock, and I traced the outline of it with them, establishing his size and shape. Then I leaned in, preparing to put my mouth on him. This close to his skin, I could smell his musky scent and feel the warm heat radiating from him. It made the ache between my legs intensify, and I wrapped one hand around his length and leaned in, giving him a tentative lick with my tongue.

His entire body jerked in response.

I flinched backward, releasing him. “I’m sorry!”

“No,” he said quickly. “No, it’s okay, Ryder. I was just . . . surprised. It felt good.”

Oh. Duh. Of course it did. I was being way too skittish about this. Where was flirty, devil-may-care Ryder when I needed her? I needed to be more confident. My shyness was freaking Hugh out, too. “Just making sure,” I told him and slid back down until my face was between his thighs once more. “I’m going to put my mouth on you again.”

“Do it.”

His commanding tone made me grin, mostly because I knew he’d probably flinch again as soon as I came close. I put my hand on him once more, gave him a little squeeze to prepare him, and leaned in. I heard his sucked-in breath, but this time I didn’t pull back. The heat coming off his body and the scent of him were making me crazy with lust. I put my lips on the head of his cock, closed my mouth, and felt the slickness of his pre-cum wet my mouth. I licked my lips in response, my tongue flicking against his cock as I did so.

Hugh groaned. His hand covered the one I had resting on his thigh. He clenched against my hand, and I hesitated for a moment, then realized that he just wanted to touch me. He didn’t want to interrupt me, though. Pleased, I opened my mouth and tongued the head of his cock. His gasp was encouraging, so I continued, licking off the pre-cum and sliding my tongue against the divot at the center of his cock head. I wanted to take all of him into my mouth, so I opened wide and slid him along the length of my tongue.

He was bigger than I’d pictured, and the head of his cock rubbed along the top of my tongue, tickling my mouth. I made a small noise of frustration and ended up sucking him deeper. His groan of response was encouraging, and I closed my lips around him and sucked harder, mindful of my fangs.

Hugh groaned again, the sound so deep and delicious that I felt it vibrate in my mouth as I pulled on his cock. His hand clenched over mine rhythmically, and I wondered if he wanted me to follow that motion. My other hand was still wrapped around the girth of his cock, so I tugged at the shaft as I sucked him deeper, experimenting.

The breath hissed out of him, and I felt Hugh’s hand go to my shoulder, dragging me away. “No, Ryder.”

I pulled back, releasing his cock from my mouth, and sat back on my haunches, searching his face for emotion. “What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing. Mercy upon me, nothing at all.” His fangs bared again, and instead of scaring me, they turned me on. He reached forward and dragged me against him, pulling me into his lap. His hands slid underneath my crumpled wings, and he held me tight. “I just . . . you cannot continue to do that and expect me to have control.”

My body was pressed against his now, and I felt the heat of his cock against my lower hips. I gave a pleased little wiggle, wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning in toward him, studying his face. “So what I was doing felt good?”

“Incredible,” he assured me. His eyes were glowing like beacons. “But now I wish to kiss you for a time.”

“I can handle that,” I said and leaned forward. His hand knotted in my hair, and Hugh dragged my mouth to his. His teeth clashed with mine for a moment, then we adjusted. His lips nibbled at my own, and I decided to let him take the lead for a bit. My hands went to his neck and I played with the back of his hair, even as his mouth devoured mine. I loved kissing Hugh. It didn’t matter that they weren’t soft, gentle kisses. He kissed me like he wanted to consume me, like the world would end if he didn’t kiss me hard enough. And his kisses drugged my senses and made my knees weak. I could kiss him for hours and it wouldn’t be enough.

As we kissed, I rubbed my body against him. The tickle of his chest hair felt good against my nipples.

His mouth pulled away from mine and I mewed a protest, opening my eyes.

He chuckled. “If you’re going to move on top of me, Ryder, I want you to feel it as I do.” His hands on my waist settled me against him, and then I was sitting atop the long length of his cock, straddling him.

I gasped at the sensation of his thick, hot length between my legs. He wasn’t pressing into me—I was simply hovering over his length. And when I moved against Hugh again, it rubbed against my sex, an ever-present reminder. I moaned in response and rocked my hips against the length of him, loving the feeling. “More.”

The look on his face was intense as he watched me, like a predator, and it made me shiver even as it made my nipples hard. There was something so erotic about knowing Hugh was so dangerous and yet . . . he couldn’t hurt me. As a changeling, I was stronger, tougher. His claws couldn’t hurt my skin, nor could his fangs.

For the first time in my life, I was wildly, absurdly glad that I was a changeling and not just a human. I rolled my hips wickedly against him, rubbing up and down his length like the naughty tease I was.

Hugh groaned and shifted his hips. This time, it was him rubbing against me and not the opposite. “Do you like the feel of my body against yours, Ryder?”

I whimpered and nodded, moving my mouth toward his blindly. I wanted more kisses. More deep, tongue-stroking kisses to go with the constant rubbing of his cock against the slick heat of my sex.

I licked and lightly bit at the lines of Hugh’s jaw, even as I rolled my hips against his length. It was driving me crazy, that feel of him brushing between my legs. I wanted so much more; I wanted to keep going like this forever.

“Ryder,” he chanted, his voice a breathless singsong. “Ryder. My Ryder.” With each uttering of my name, his hands moved on me. They slid along my back, smoothed the place where my wings joined my shoulder blades. Slid further down and danced along the small of my back, where my tail met my behind. Slid to my ass and cupped it, hard.

Mmm. And that felt incredibly good. I rocked against his hands and bit at his earlobe, my movements becoming frantic. I needed him and I needed all of this. “Yes, Hugh. Oh, yes.”

He growled low in his throat again, the feral sound driving me wild. It was the sound of a man who was having trouble holding on to his control, and I loved that. He leaned in, lips brushing against my ear. “You’re so wet, Ryder. I can feel how wet you are along my cock. Are you excited?”

I moaned at his words. Had I thought Hugh’s growls were sexy? They were nothing compared to a little bit of dirty talk. “Do you like how wet I am?”

“I do,” he said thickly. I felt his claws dig into my buttocks, brushing my tail, and I was suddenly grateful again for my scales. “It reminds me that I haven’t had my turn to explore you yet.”

“Oh,” I breathed. “I want my turn.” Now that he’d mentioned it, I practically quivered with excitement at the thought.

“Then I want you to lie back so I can get my fill of your body.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I gave one last rock of my hips against his cock, then squirmed off his lap. Sliding backward onto the furs, I twisted my legs under me and waited. “How do you want me?”

To my surprise, Hugh grabbed my ankle and jerked me forward.

I yelped, flopping onto my back, my fall cushioned by furs and my wings. My tail was trapped under my hips, which was good, because it was thrashing with surprise. I hadn’t expected to be dumped unceremoniously backward.

All irritation disappeared when I realized Hugh’s plan. He’d dragged me forward until my spread thighs were wide open on his lap and I was flat on my back, my breasts pointing into the air. And he was grinning down at me wickedly.

“This is a beautiful sight,” Hugh said.

I sighed with pleasure at his words, closing my eyes and stretching languidly. The action pushed my breasts high, and in that moment, I felt as beautiful as any woman, despite my changeling form.

“I’m going to touch you now.” Hugh’s hand brushed over my waist.

“Only on my stomach?” That was disappointing.

He chuckled. “Impatient one. I am just getting started.” But his caresses remained where they were, and he had a look of intense concentration on his face.

I squirmed, wanting him to touch me in all the places where I ached. This was so unfair. “Didn’t you like it when I had my hands on your cock, Hugh?”

He growled in response, his hand stroking my side just a little bit more forcefully.

“How about when I put my mouth on you?” I cajoled. “Didn’t you like that? Or when I sucked you into my throat—”

One big hand pressed over my mound. “Is this what you want?”

I moaned, lifting my hips. “Oh, yes.”

The heel of his palm rested just above the lips of my sex. “Here?”

I nodded, biting my lip.

“But what about your breasts? What if I wanted to tease your nipples and watch them stand up?”

Ooh, bold words. My hands went to my own breasts and I cupped them, since he wasn’t doing it for me. His hiss of breath and the gleam of his catlike eyes told me that he liked that move. “Like this?” I asked him.

“Just like that,” Hugh growled. “Touch your breasts for me.” And his thumb slid down the wet seam of my sex.

I moaned, throwing my head back, as if that would somehow make his touch hit me in all the right places. My fingers went to my nipples, and I plucked at them obediently.

He groaned low in his throat and his thumb stroked deeper, moving between the lips of my sex.

I held my breath as his fingers brushed between my thighs, exploring me. He caressed my sensitive folds, tracing them with gentle claws. I shivered as he touched me, my body quivering with each tender stroke.

Then he discovered my clit.

A sharp spike of desire blasted through me. I stiffened, gasping, and forgot all about teasing him with my breasts. My entire being suddenly centered on that small spot of pleasure.

Hugh had noticed my reaction. “I remember seeing this on the moving stories you showed me,” he murmured. “The man would touch the woman here, on this tiny little bit of flesh, and she would go mad with need. I thought it fascinating, as I do not have such a thing on my own body.” Mindful of his claws, he carefully rubbed at my clit, green eyes gleaming as he watched me.

A sob escaped my throat. My hips arched and my hands tightened on my breasts, clenching at my own skin. My entire body felt tight, taut like a bow, vibrating with need. I rocked my hips against his fingers, needing more. “Please, Hugh,” I begged. “More.”

“Ryder, you are so very wet against my fingers. I touch you and my skin glides over yours.” His thumb circled my clit, careful of his claws, and driving me even wilder. “And your scent is driving me to distraction.”

His hand lifted away from my sex. I whimpered a protest, only to watch as he lifted his hand to his mouth and inhaled.

“I must taste you,” he breathed. And then he licked them and groaned with need. “Sweeter than nectar, love. You taste incredible.”

I dragged my blunted nails over my nipples, panting at his words. The thought of him licking the taste of me off his fingers was driving me crazy, almost as much as the fingers teasing my clit were.

“More,” he breathed. “I need more of this.”

He shifted, my spread legs moving into the air as he slid his legs out from under mine. Then he pushed me up the furs. Opening my eyes, I made a wordless sound of protest.

I opened them just in time to see him lean over me. His hands pushed between my thighs, spreading them wider, and he pushed his face between my legs. I moaned in surprise as I felt his breath on my sex. A moment later, he was spreading the lips of my sex with gentle fingers. His groan of pleasure made me even wetter. “Never have I smelled anything so good, Ryder. I am going to put my mouth on you now.”

I shuddered, loving that he was telegraphing his moves to me. My hands slid away from my breasts and down to his head, searching for his hair. I found it a moment later and dug my fingers in just as he put his mouth on my flesh.

His tongue was hesitant at first, as if he was making sure I wouldn’t protest the intimate caress. He didn’t have to worry about that part. As soon as his mouth touched my clit, I sucked in a breath, waiting for stars to rain from the heavens.

I didn’t get that, though. It felt odd at first and I shifted my hips, wondering if I was missing out on something. He lapped at my flesh, a groan of pleasure rising in his throat, and his pleasure escalated mine. Then his tongue stroked against my clit again, and I realized that his tongue was . . . rough, like a cat’s. It dragged against my skin, and all of a sudden, I felt like every inch of his tongue was pushing right on my nerves.

I gasped, shocked at how good it felt.

Hugh made a pleased noise in his throat, and he continued to lick and suck at my clit with his mouth. I moaned again, my hips lifting with every drag of his tongue across the nub of my flesh. “Oh, God, that feels amazing,” I blurted, then realized that I’d said it aloud. I didn’t have time to be embarrassed, because he was encouraged by that and began to lick me harder, and faster.

It didn’t matter that I was a changeling. Not to Hugh. He loved me and wanted me wildly, no matter what I looked like. That thought was as intoxicating as his tongue on my body. I moaned and writhed under him, my fingers tight in his hair, my heels digging into the furs as he pinned my thighs against his shoulders, holding me in place so he could continue to lick at me to his heart’s content.

He lifted his head between licks, pressing kisses to my mound. “Do you like my mouth on you, Ryder?”

“Yes,” I sobbed, twisting his thick hair between my fingers and pulling on it, trying to drag him back toward that aching, wet flesh that wanted more attention from his tongue.

“I want to keep touching you,” he murmured, then he raked his teeth against the inside of one thigh. That savage—yet delicate—gesture sent shivers up and down my spine. “Don’t be frightened.”

“I’m not,” I breathed. “Never frightened. Keep touching me, Hugh.”

“I will be careful,” he told me, and I wondered what he was talking about. A moment later, he distracted me by placing his mouth on my clit again and sucking hard. It almost distracted me from the finger he pressed into my core.

Almost.

I jerked, keening at the feeling of his finger invading me. I realized a moment later that it wasn’t his finger he’d pushed into me but a knuckle, ever mindful of his claws. It felt thick and urgent, and my flesh was tight around it. I whimpered against him again. It felt good, but I knew it wasn’t nearly the size of his cock, and it already seemed like too much.

“My Ryder,” he breathed against my wet flesh and tongued me hard all over again. “My love. Your body is wondrous. I could not ask for more in a mate.”

Mate? So we were going to be mates after all? He’d never said the words, even though he’d confessed love to me and I’d confessed it back. I wanted to ask him about it—

—But then he rapidly flicked his tongue against my clit and all of a sudden I was coming, the orgasm blasting through me like a shock wave. I dug my fingernails roughly into his scalp, pinning him against my sex as my entire body locked with the force of my release, my core clenching around his knuckle. It seemed to go on forever. Hugh continued to lick me, growling, that rough tongue working at my flesh, and I continued to come and come and come until my thighs were twitching with aftershocks and my cries turned to soft mews of exhausted release.

Panting hard, I released Hugh, and he gave another dragging rasp of his teeth against my thigh. When he pulled me upright, I wrapped my arms around his neck and tilted my head back, accepting the fierce kisses that he pressed against my mouth. His lips tasted wet and salty with my own flavor, and I languidly stroked my tongue against his. I felt incredible. Delicious.

Hugh’s teeth sank into my lip. He then grazed his tongue along my lower lip, licking away any pinch.

That gave me an odd thrill. His bites and nips—despite his enormous teeth—didn’t hurt me. I could thank my changeling hide for that. He continued to shower nipping kisses on my face, moving up my ridged cheekbones and even up to the horns on my forehead. When he licked the base of each one, I was surprised at the moan of pleasure that escaped me. Who knew that horns were such pleasure centers? There were so many things left to explore, and we didn’t have to worry about hurting each other. Hugh didn’t have to be gentle with me. I loved that.

His hand dragged at my ass, and he thrust against me. I felt his cock push at my stomach, felt the slick trail he left against my skin. “Ryder,” he groaned. “Can you take me?”

I quivered at that, opening my eyes and looking up into his tight, concerned face. My thighs ached from my recent release, and I felt drenched between my legs. I felt good, so good.

But Hugh looked worried. He was big, and we’d just proven that I was small. This would work, of course—everyone had sex—but it was going to hurt like the dickens.

Even as I hesitated, he continued to kiss and caress me, his mouth moving to my throat. He licked at my skin, then raked his long fangs against it, dragging new shivers of pleasure from my throat. His hand moved to cup and caress my breast. “I’ll be gentle,” he whispered.

I felt a bit selfish in that moment. “Of course you will,” I told him, breathless when his thumb rubbed against my nipple. If he was determined to get me all worked up again, he was doing a good job of it. His frantic, insistent touches were making my own desire rise again, his need a palpable thing in the air. I clung to him, loving his touch. “How do you want me?”

I could see the gleam of his eyes as he considered my words. “Turn around for me.”

Oooh. I felt a surge of excitement at that. He was going to take me from behind? I slid out of his arms—not without a little protest, a little kissing, and a lot of rubbing my body against his. Then I obediently presented my back to him, and he gave my shoulders a little nudge, urging me forward. I leaned forward until I was propped up on my elbows, my hips in the air behind me. It was a good thing I was facing forward, because I was blushing furiously. I felt exposed, open, and excited at the pose he had me in.

His hand brushed over my hip and I jerked, anticipation making me tense. I was aching and wet all over again, and the empty feeling had returned between my legs. Suddenly I didn’t care that Hugh was going to be too big. I just wanted that gnawing ache filled. I leaned forward a little more and spread my thighs, then rolled my hips encouragingly at him.

Hugh groaned behind me. “Ryder, you drive me wild.”

“Good,” I said breathlessly. “Now come drive into me.”

He growled low in his throat, pleased by my words. I felt him shift on the furs behind me, and then his big, warm body was pressing against the backs of my thighs. I felt his cock slide against my sex once more and I arched, trying to rub up against him.

His fingers sought my wetness, and he rubbed through my folds. I cried out in surprise at the touch, then moaned when he guided his cock against my sex and began to stroke through my wetness, back and forth. He was lubricating his cock with my own juices. Smart Hugh. Delicious Hugh. Teasing, maddening Hugh. The whimpers in my throat rising, I began to push against him, needing more.

Then one big hand went to my hip and pinned me in place. “Be still, Ryder, so I do not hurt you.” And I felt him shift his weight again.

I nodded. My hips were spread wide, and I felt his cock drag against my flesh one more time, then settle at my entrance. I moaned even more loudly at that sensation. God, he felt so good, and he wasn’t even inside me yet.

The head of his cock fit right at my core, and then he pushed in, just a little. I winced, feeling a tight pinch, even as Hugh’s growls increased. He was clearly enjoying this, so I just needed to be patient. Unfortunately, the pinch increased as Hugh continued to press forward, and I dug my nails into my palms, no longer enjoying this. It hurt. I’d known it would hurt, but knowing and experiencing were two different things. I tensed, bracing myself for more of the pain.

“Ryder,” he rasped after a long, painful moment. “How do you feel?”

“I’m . . . hanging in there,” I said, though the pinching had led to burning and my entire insides felt as if something way too large had been shoved into something way too small. Which, I supposed, it had. “Are you in all the way?”

His breath exploded from him and he pulled back. “I am not in hardly at all. This will not work.”

All that pain and he hadn’t made any progress? I felt a twinge of worry.This was what came of two virgins trying to de-virgin each other, I supposed. We were both really bad at this. “Did you push hard?”

“I know how to push, Ryder.” He sounded exasperated and frustrated.

“Do you think it’s because I’m a changeling?” I was suddenly worried that my parts wouldn’t mesh with his parts. “What if changelings are too small?”

“I think I am just too big.” He made an irritated growling noise in his throat. “I do not want to hurt you.”

“Hugh. I’m a virgin. It’s going to hurt anyhow.” I sat up and reached backward to caress him, and my hand brushed over his erect, straining cock. His breath hissed out at my touch, and I felt guilty. “You’re hurting, too.”

For a moment, I hated that we were both virgins, dammit. One of us should have known more about what we were doing. The hesitation on both sides was probably making things worse than they were.

“I do not want to hurt you, Ryder,” he said raggedly, and I felt his hand reach for me. He caressed my belly, then slid lower, brushing over my mound again.

I moaned, leaning back against him as he touched me. “It’s going to hurt me a lot more if we don’t get rid of my virginity, Hugh. Please. Let’s just go, all right? I promise I’ll be fine.”

He kissed me fiercely atop my head, just above my horns. Then he released me. “Go back down again, Ryder.”

I did obediently, trying not to tense as I got into position once more. Resting on elbows, hindquarters in the air. Ready to get this over with.

His hand stroked over my hips and thighs, and then I felt him seek between my legs. I sucked in a breath as his fingers brushed over my clit, teasing it.

“Hugh,” I cried out, rocking my hips. Instant desire raced through me, and I moaned, spreading my hips wider and rocking them as he continued to rub at my clitoris. Already sensitized, it was sending skitters of pleasure racing through me.

I felt him brace behind me, felt his cock press at my entrance again. I stiffened, but he continued to rub at my clit, and it distracted me. Now the press of Hugh’s cock against my entrance made me ache for more, and I rolled my hips, butting back against him.

He hissed out a breath. “Ryder . . .”

“Just go,” I moaned. “Sink deep. Get it over with. Please, Hugh.”

He surged forward, burying himself to the hilt.

I cried out in surprise at the sensation. That earlier flash of pain was quickly gone, followed by an indescribable feeling of being . . . filled. So gloriously filled.

“Ah,” he sighed, and I could hear a wealth of emotion in his tone.

I felt stunned. The feel of Hugh deep inside me was fascinating and deeply satisfying. I remained utterly still, trying to make sense of the feelings rushing through my body. How could it be so intensely pleasing to have another person stick a body part inside you? And yet . . . damn.

I’d been missing out.

Hugh’s fingers remained on my clit, continuing to coax my body, and my surprise just as quickly turned back to pleasure. The feeling of Hugh buried deep inside me added an entirely new layer to the sensations, and after a moment of his teasing fingers, I moaned again.

“Ryder?”

His words were a soft question. Was I okay? Was I in pain?

“Keep going, Hugh,” I breathed. “I’m fine.”

He drew backward, and I felt him push forward again. Again, my pelvis twinged with an ache, but it was less than before. When he stroked in the third time, I felt nothing but the curious sensation of being utterly filled.

“Okay?” he asked, his voice full of tension.

“Better than okay,” I agreed, lifting my hips when he stroked again, letting my actions speak more than my words.

He brushed his fingers over my clit again, and I cried out, feeling pleasure racing through me. My toes curled, and I was close to another orgasm. Oh, God, the feeling of Hugh buried inside me while he played with my body was driving me crazy. I sucked in a breath and it exploded out of me in the next moment, when the orgasm peaked once more. I felt my entire body tighten around him, the pleasure rippling through me again.

With my orgasm, Hugh became unleashed.

His fingers left my flesh, and suddenly both hands were on my hips. He rocked into me, his hands anchoring me in place. Then, as if he couldn’t stop himself, he continued to push into me faster with each stroke. My body was shaking with the recoil from each thrust. And I wanted to protest, but the slam of his body against mine was making an entirely different and new sort of pleasurable ache between my thighs. In moments, I was screaming his name, needing another orgasm—this one fierce and wild—as my primordial lover made wild love to me.

My orgasm exploded through me like a supernova, and I gasped for air, the scream lodging in my throat even as my forehead pressed to the furs. I felt Hugh shout and tremble as he gave another enormous thrust inside me, then he collapsed on top of me as he came. I felt the wash of his release inside my body and heard his long, extended exhalation.

And then he rolled onto the furs next to me.

Which was good, because I didn’t think I could move at the moment. To think that I’d been worried the sex wouldn’t be any good? If it had been any better, it would have killed me.

I laughed into the furs.

Hugh exhaled deeply and pulled me close to him, cuddling my smaller body against him. “Any regrets?”

I pressed my face against his hard pectorals, breathing in his wonderful scent and loving the feel of his skin pressed to mine. “None whatsoever. You?”

“That I did not take you for myself sooner.”

Sweet man. I snuggled closer and sighed with contentment.