Months later…
The late summer sun held a reddish tint as it made its slow descent. I tapped the envelope against the steering wheel, imagining Cherise’s face when she read the contents. I hoped the information would please her. Another glance at my watch had me pressing down on the gas pedal, eager to reach my destination.
I’d been gone for over a week. For about the thousandth time, my thoughts strayed to the night before I’d left. Cherise had come to my bedroom and knocked on the door…
“I’m ready,” she said when I opened it.
Despite my constant state of horniness, I hadn’t immediately pounced. Our relationship was still too fragile for me to jump on her like a horny brute. Though she tried to hide it, Cherise radiated so many nerves I feared any sudden move on my part would scare her off.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Just last week I had asked her to share my bedroom. Departing into our separate beds at night was slowly driving me insane. Even if she wasn’t ready for sex, I wanted to hold her in my arms while we both slept. I’d expressed all of this to her, and her response had been, “No.”
No explanations. No qualifications. Just a terse no that had hurt my feelings, not that I’d ever tell her.
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s time,” Cherise said, her expression solemn.
I shifted aside and allowed her entry. She took three steps into the room and stopped. Because I knew it would add to her sense of security, I closed and locked the door before joining her.
When I reached her side, Cherise said, “I know the mechanics. I’ve read up on the subject so I’m not totally ignorant. However, I’m learning that reading about sex and initiating it are two different things.”
I studied her. Cherise’s fists were clenched by her sides, and she appeared a hairsbreadth from bolting. She hadn’t dressed to entice. The black leggings and white tank top she wore as nightclothes skimmed her body. Even though she’d been safe for months, Cherise still retained the habit of going to bed fully dressed in case she had to flee in the middle of the night. After my years in the military, it was a habit I understood.
“Do you trust me?” If the answer was no, I’d kiss her on her forehead and escort Cherise to her bedroom. Obtaining her trust was more important to me than any intimacy we might share.
“Yes. I have for some time now.” Her answer seemed to relax her, and some of the tension left her body.
I stared at her, confused. I knew that she’d been more open, less wary, and seemed to enjoy—even to seek out—my company. The winter months had been long, and there had only been the two of us sharing this big, rambling house. “If that’s the case, why did say no when I asked you to share my room? I wasn’t pushing for sex. Damn it, I love you and want you with me at all times.”
Cherise sighed tremulously and came close enough that our bodies touched. She laid both hands on my chest and rested her forehead on my shoulder. “I love you, too. I said no because I was scared to take that final step. I kept waiting for the fear to lessen but have accepted that if I want to be a real mate to you, I’ll have to do it afraid.”
I hugged her closer and rested my head on hers. “Am I so scary?”
She lifted her chin to stare me in the eyes. “Crossing this line means lowering my last barrier. It’s a huge leap of faith. One I can’t undo once it’s been done.”
“You know I’m willing to wait for however long you need,” I said, though my cock was rigid and my muscles tense with the need to have her under me.
Cherise cupped my cheek. “When I close my eyes at night, I imagine you with me. My dreams are full of erotic images of the two of us entwined. Indecision and anxiety still beat at me but not having you in me hurts.”
I blew out a long breath. We were really doing this. It wasn’t a dream.
Taking her by the hands, I backed slowly to the bed, drawing her with me. “We’ll take it slow. If I do anything you don’t like, tell me and I’ll stop. A few things might make you uncomfortable because it’s new but give it a chance before you say no. Okay?”
Cherise nodded. There was so much trust in hers eyes it brought a lump to my throat. We’d come a long way in the last few months, but in many ways, she was still a mystery to me.
I began with long, drugging kisses. Kisses that employed plenty of tongue action. The type I knew she enjoyed. The chemistry between us was so strong, it wasn’t long before we were both shoving clothes out of the way, trying to reach skin.
Once we were naked, I picked her up and laid her on the bed. There, I took my time exploring her body. I learned what made her gasp, what made her groan, and the ticklish areas that made her squirm away from my touch. Cherise was no passive lover. A fast learner, she followed my cues and explored me, too. Feeling my control began to wane, I flipped her onto her back, wiggled down her body, and used my mouth between her legs to drive her crazy.
At the first touch of my lips on her sex, she froze. “Noah, I’m not sure about this.”
“Give it a chance,” I murmured, continuing my ministrations and savoring her taste. Gradually, she relaxed. I knew she’d relaxed and learned to enjoy it when her fingers tightened in my hair, holding me to her.
I brought her to climax and had her well on the way toward a second when I rose over her and thrust inside to breach her maidenhead. She gasped in pain and her nails dug into my shoulders. I held still, waiting for her to adjust. “You okay?”
“Give me a second,” she said, sounding strained. “You’re rather large.”
Startled, I laughed, accidentally flexing my hips.
Cherise moaned.
“Was that a pained moan?” I asked, immediately halting all movement.
“I don’t think so. Do it again,” she said.
I slowly withdrew half of my length and glided back in.
“Definitely not pain,” she said, lifting her hips to meet mine.
I took my time, thrusting at different angles until I found the one that got the biggest reaction. Then I rode that spot until she fell apart in my arms. I wanted to make it last, drive her to another climax, but it had been too long. I lost control, driving deep and hard until my world exploded.
Managing to collapse to the side instead of on top of her, I drew her into my arms. Now that she’d given herself to me, I wouldn’t tolerate even a hint of separation. We drifted quietly in the dark silence, basking in the afterglow.
Cherise’s head rested on my chest and she drew invisible circles on my stomach, playing with the coarse hair. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
I tensed. “I don’t want to leave. Maybe Evan can take this assignment.”
The fingers stroking me stilled. “I think you should take it.”
I reached out an arm and turned on a lamp. “Why? Evan can speak for me. The arrangements have already been made.”
Cherise propped up on an elbow, her expression wary. “We promised Sabina. She’s expecting you, not your second. I don’t think they’ll like it if we send Evan instead.”
I sat up in bed and pulled Cherise up to face me. She lifted the sheet to cover her breasts and tossed the corner over my lap. “If you really think I should go, come with me. After we make the drop off, we can take our time driving back. Turn it into a honeymoon.”
Mentally, I planned our itinerary. I had a mate, and I wanted to show her off.
She laid her hand on my thigh. “Thank you for the offer, but I need time to process.”
“Process?” I repeated, like I’d never heard the word before.
Cherise bit her lower lip. “Yes, process. We took a huge step tonight. I need time to adjust.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at her grimly. A sneaking suspicion settled in my gut. “Did you come to me tonight because I’m leaving tomorrow?”
She lowered her gaze. “That factored into my decision. If you had rejected me, I’d have time to lick my wounds before having to face you again.”
“But since I didn’t, my leaving gives you time to process?” I asked wryly.
Hearing the grim amusement in my tone, Cherise lifted her steady gaze to meet mine. “Yes.”
We stared at each other. Could I really be mad at her because she’d made a contingency plan? No, damn it, I couldn’t. But neither could I let her think she’d gained the upper hand.
“I’ll go and give you time to process, if you promise to be moved into my bedroom when I return,” I said.
Cherise smiled. “Deal.”
“Are you sore?” I asked.
She grimaced. “A little. Not as much as I anticipated.”
Reaching for her again, I said, “So, you won’t mind if I do—”
A deer darted into the road, yanking my attention back to the road. Just as well. Concentrating on the drive would give my erection time to settle and keep me from pouncing on Cherise as soon as I saw her.
After a brief detour through town to check in, I found Cherise at the house.
“I thought you’d be at the community center with the rest of the clan?” I said.
She was in the kitchen baking cookies. There was a smear of flour on her nose and ear I found endearing. She’d been displaying her domesticated side more and more.
“I went, stayed for an hour, and came home.” Cherise pulled a pan out of the oven, set it on the cooling rack, and placed another one inside.
For Cherise, staying an hour at a clan event without me at her side was marvelous. We were making progress. I reached for one of the cookies and got my hand popped.
“Those are for the kids. The clan is having a back-to-school party tomorrow, and I promised to bring a dessert,” she said.
“If you won’t let me have a cookie, I’ll take you instead.” Before she could protest, I dragged her into my arms for a lingering kiss. Thankfully, she responded.
“You finished processing?” I asked when we broke apart.
“Yes. Thank you for giving me the time I needed. How’d the run go?” she asked, changing the subject.
“The girl was picked up and delivered to her new clan. I stayed long enough to make sure she was comfortable before leaving,” I said.
We’d partnered with The Freedom Society to relocate newly infected individuals who didn’t have a clan, whose family had rejected them because of their new status, or who needed to escape their clan for their personal safety reasons. The Society didn’t have enough contacts inside of healthy clans to be able to mitigate the need. I did.
“Did you move your belongings into my bedroom?” I asked. We’d spoken a few times while I was on the road. I didn’t want to rehash information she already knew. I had more important things on my mind.
“Yes.”
I gave her a wicked grin. “Wonderful. I brought something for you.”
Cherise stared at the envelope I held out before slowly taking it. “What’s this?”
“Open it and see,” I said.
She pulled out the sheet of paper and read the contents. Cherise stared at the printed data so long, I wondered if I’d made a mistake.
Finally, she lifted her gaze. “This says we have a ninety-eight-point-nine percent compatibility rating.”
“You said you wanted me to run your real information back through Mate Match’s system. I did, and these are the results. I guess you got your computer match after all,” I said, grinning hugely.
In a rare moment of effusiveness, Cherise threw her arms around me and kissed me. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I knew you were the man for me but it’s nice to have confirmation.”