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ANNI STARED AT EACION from the bed. His rapt gaze never left her. Anticipation sang through her veins like the most sensual of songs. Underneath it, though, nervousness bubbled up. Was this the right choice? Maybe she should... No, she wanted this. No more excuses or overthinking the situation right now. Who knew what would happen tomorrow or the day after? She had to grab joy where she could.
He climbed onto the mattress and drew her against him. His lips soon found hers in a tender kiss. He didn’t take it any further than that, both to her disappointment and slight relief.
With a sigh, he lifted his head and propped himself up on one elbow to gaze at her. “Though I hardly think you’re unduly feeling the effects of the alcohol, I wouldn’t want any outside factors influencing your decision.” With gentle hands, he cupped her face. A glow emitted from his palms, making her startle just the slightest. That she didn’t react more strongly spoke of the general tone of the whole evening.
His brows pulled together. “There, every trace removed.”
Her head cleared just a smidgeon, but no change of heart overcame her. Still, she was grateful that he’d wanted to start their night off on equal footing. “I feel no different.”
His expression lightened, and a smile of quiet satisfaction graced his lips. “Good.”
“And you’re wearing entirely too many clothes,” she said, suddenly wanting to know exactly what awaited her under his fancy robes.
“I could say the same of you, but that all can be remedied.”
Their lips met in heated desire, and his hands roved to places that made her blood sing at his touch. His mouth left hers and trailed down over her jaw to her neck. After nibbling and sucking there for a bit, he traversed down her chest to the low-cut neckline of her gown. She gasped at the sensations flooding her body, her hands drifting over his strong back.
With a gentle finger, he teased along the neckline before hooking a finger into it and drawing it down. She noted hazily that at some point, he must’ve loosened the ties at the back because the gown slid easily from her shoulders. Her breasts weren’t bound, as Janaa had insisted that neither she or the gown had needed it. So now they lay naked.
Cool air hit her breasts, and her nipples grew hard and achy. Eacion stared down at her chest as if he’d never seen anything more delightful. So he was a breast man. Janaa had told her about those and how—
The tug of his warm mouth on her nipple killed any coherent thought. Oh, God. He laved the tip with his tongue. When she thought she could stand no more, he turned his attention to the other breast. He made little growling sounds that only shot her arousal higher. She clutched onto the back of his head, her breath coming in gasps. Some part of her feared she’d break apart into a thousand pieces if she let go.
Apparently finally done with his exploration of her breasts, he nudged the gown lower until it rested right above her womanhood. A bit of apprehension drifted in through the desire. Janaa had convinced her that the gown deserved no underwear. Not only would her most intimate place be on display but so would her leg. But every virgin was likely nervous, and he knew about her affliction. There was no cause for worry.
She lifted her hips so he could push the material down. He groaned as he stared at her body. “Beautiful.”
That word struck her as odd. Maybe her breasts, waist, and arms were, but her legs? The urge to hide her withered limb under something—her dress, the covers—was nearly overpowering. She hated showing the gnarled leg to anybody, even her own parents. Now, with a lover, the feeling was a thousand times worse.
“My legs are ugly. Maybe my upper half is fine, but from the hip down, I’m a nightmare.”
He pushed himself back onto his haunches and pinned her with a severe look. “You are no such thing. Every bit of you is unique and therefore beautiful.”
His words were so corny, they were sweet. Even more, he seemed to genuinely believe them. That ripped a reluctant smile from her. “I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say.”
“Indeed, it is.”
She released a deep breath, feeling something painful in her unravel a bit. “You’re still wearing too many clothes.”
“Well, then, strip me.”
To hear him so baldly say that sent a jolt of surrealism through her. Just this morning, she would’ve never thought this night possible, especially with him of all people. He wasn’t even human, but this wasn’t the time to suddenly start fretting over that fact.
She sat up slowly, aware of her nakedness and how he drank it in. Her hands trembled as she unfastened the clasp that held his robe together at the chest. She pushed it off his shoulders, and soon, the open inner robe followed. His tunic and breeches still remained, and she stared at them with consternation.
So many clothes. Did he always dress thus? Though it was certainly elegant, it didn’t seem functional. She shoved those thoughts aside as unimportant at the moment and returned to the task at hand: undressing him.
He helped her draw the richly embroidered shirt over his head. She gulped at the sight of his sculpted chest. For an older male with a son, he was really in shape. Being a dragon fae apparently had many benefits.
An insatiable curiosity guided her hands to his chest, where she ran gentle fingers over him. He groaned at her caress, and she froze.
“Don’t stop,” he said, his voice pleading. “It feels so good.”
Ooh, those had been good sounds. Janaa had mentioned them, too. Still, hearing about the phenomenon secondhand was completely different than experiencing it firsthand. Emboldened, she traced around his nipples, watching as they stiffened. What would they taste like? With a tentative swipe of her tongue, she found out—an earthy yet clean taste.
His hands threaded through her hair, mussing up the portion that had been so carefully piled on top of her head. She impatiently reached up and yanked out the restraining pins that were now barely holding back her tresses. Eacion gave a hum of approval.
After a few more seconds, she left his chest and worked her hands down his lean abdomen. Muscle tensed under her fingers. A little thrill coursed through her that she had such an effect on him. As she came to the waistband of his breeches, she hesitated. Once his pants were off, things would surely progress quickly. Even now, a warmth and fullness had settled in-between her legs, an ache that clamored to be answered.
With surprisingly steady hands, she unlaced the ties holding them closed and slipped them past his hips. They slid down easily, and his erection sprang up to stand tall and proud. She eyed it dubiously and swallowed back a knot forming in her throat. How was that to fit in her?
A soft chuckle ripped her focus from it and to Eacion’s face instead. He reached out to caress her cheek. “You stare at it as if it could bite you.”
She squashed the temptation to stick her tongue out at him. “For all I know, maybe it can.”
“I promise it has no teeth.”
“That’s something at least.” She paused. “However will it fit?”
“With some patience and preparation.”
“Huh?”
“Lie back.”
She did as he’d asked, and Eacion all but fell on her with his mouth and hands. She moaned as he worked his magic on her. He left no part of her body untouched, even the leg that had so disgusted other people. But the most erotic zone, besides her breasts, was the one between her legs. First one finger, then two, slid over her slit before dipping inside. When he curled his fingers, she gasped, arching her back. Tension built up in her core, and her hips began to move faster against him. The sensations coalesced into a ball that shattered and sent waves of pleasure outward. She slumped against him. So that was what a male-given orgasm felt like.
He stroked her hair back from her face. “You’re now prepared.”
Her heart thudded against her chest. This was it, her last moment of so-called innocence. He crawled over her, and she opened her legs so he could settle between them. The firm head of his erection poked at her entrance. He rubbed himself against her until she gritted her teeth against the desire again rising in her.
Right when she was about to demand he take action, he slipped into her the slightest bit. She stilled and waited with bated breath as he slowly rocked in completely. Pain and a sense of being filled hit her, but they were minor to the pleasure surrounding it all.
Once he seemed he was in as far as he could go, he paused and leaned down to kiss her. Their tongues dueled, and he pulled himself nearly all the way out, only to thrust back in. She squeaked at the feeling. It...it was so unlike anything she’d felt before!
As he picked up his pace, her hips moved to meet his. Again, that tension coiled in her sex until that was all she could concentrate on. She bit her lip. Close, getting so close. After one deeper thrust, she shattered and cried out. Bliss and so many other sensations flowed outward through her body.
Above her, Eacion threw his head back, the cords in his neck flexing. His hips slammed against hers. A gasp ripped from his throat, and his body spasmed. His head fell, his face cradled against her throat. His hips were still moving feverishly.
Suddenly, a sharp sensation pricked at the side of her neck. Eacion groaned lowly, a sound that was half-whine and half-growl. After untold seconds, he stilled and collapsed on her.
Anni was so spent that she could only blearily wonder why the skin of her throat smarted in one area. Her hands weakly glided over his back. His breath puffed heavily against her shoulder. He seemed as tired as she did.
“That was wonderful,” he murmured, the sound muffled by her skin.
She nodded slowly and then remembered he couldn’t see the action. “It was greater than I ever imagined.”
“I find myself...exhausted, or I’d show you again how great it could be.”
“I don’t think I have the energy right now. Maybe later.” Even now, she fought to keep her eyes open. Still, another round of lovemaking sounded lovely after she’d had a nap or two.
“Then sleep it is.”
He shifted off her and drew the blankets over them. Then he gathered her close. She nestled her head against his chest, enjoying the steady beat of his heart. The sound lured her ever nearer to the grip of sleep. She smothered a yawn. Every night could pass in this fashion and she’d be happy.