Chapter 77: A little harder

Caroline’s eyes fell shut the second his palm settled between her legs.

At the same time his mouth closed over the side of her neck, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

A moment later the last thin barrier was gone, he dragged her panties down and off, then pushed two fingers into her without resistance.

Her eyes snapped open. Her back arched off the mattress.

A broken moan slipped out.

Andrew nipped her chin, then dragged open-mouthed kisses along her jaw. The air between them was thick with his the scent of his pheromones; it flooded her head until thinking became difficult. Every slow stroke of his fingers made her wetter, the heat low in her belly sharpening into something restless and demanding.

"More! I need more," she begged. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears burned.

"Then take me, mate." The words were rough against her mouth. He lined himself up and thrust in hard.

"Ahh—!"

Her back arched higher. Hands that had been twisted in the sheets flew to his shoulders, then his back. Nails dug in and dragged down, leaving raw red lines.

The stretch burned at first, he was thick, and her body had to work to take him, but the burn slid into deep, spreading pleasure within seconds. She clung tighter while her breath coming in short gasps against his neck.

"If it’s too much, I can—"

"No." Caroline locked her arms around him and held tight. "I want you. Please... don’t stop."

He looked down at her, one hand sliding to the back of her head as he eased her fully onto the mattress. Tears clung to the outer corners of her eyes.

"You’re in pain."

"But it feels good too," she said in a rough voice. "Keep going. Besides, you won’t knot me. That’s why you put the protection on."

"Hmm. I don’t want kids yet. Neither do you."

"Yes, not now."

A muffled moan slipped out when his mouth covered hers. Their tongues met at once. Andrew pulled almost all the way out and drove back in harder, the pace picking up until the heat low in her belly spiked again.

"Fuck—"

He flipped them in one sharp motion. Caroline barely had time to catch her breath before she was straddling him, both of them upright. The new angle forced him deeper, past the place she thought was the limit, hitting spots she hadn’t known existed.

"Ngh..."

His hands clamped on her ass and guided her into a steady ride. Every downward slide dragged another moan out of her throat.

Andrew watched every expression that crossed her face—flushed cheeks, parted lips, the way her eyes kept slipping half-shut. His one hand closed over her breast, while his thumb dragging across the nipple while his mouth worked along her shoulders, leaving a trail of red marks wherever his teeth and lips touched.

"Andrew... nh—" She clung tighter. His arms locked around her back, holding her flush against him as the rhythm turned short and hard.

The tension snapped at the same moment for both of them. Caroline’s body locked, a broken cry muffled against his neck as the climax tore through her. Andrew followed a second later, hips jerking up into her, a low growl vibrating in his chest.

He stayed buried deep for several long breaths, both of them shaking. Then he carefully lifted her off him and laid her back on the sheets. He pulled out slowly and dropped the condom into the small bin beside the bed.

Caroline lay there with her chest rising and falling hard, and skin left with marks.

"You okay?" he asked, voice rough. His thumb brushed a tear track from the corner of her eye that she hadn’t noticed.

"Yeah. That was... incredible." The words came out soft. She realized she’d never felt anything like this before pleasure that actually belonged to her instead of being taken.

Andrew pressed a warm kiss to her cheek, then slid his arms under her and lifted her against his chest. "Time to wash up." He carried her into the large bathroom, set her on the edge of the tub while he filled it, then climbed in with her. They settled facing each other in the hot water, legs tangled.

Caroline kept her eyes on him. "I thought you were going to knot me. You didn’t go into rut this time."

"Isn’t that better?" His voice stayed even. "If I’d knotted you, the chance of pregnancy would’ve been almost certain. We just started. I’m not ready for a pup yet, and neither your body is." He reached out and brushed a damp strand of hair from her face. "When we’re both ready, and when your body’s ready, we’ll have as many as you want."

She lowered her gaze, a small smile carving on her lips.

Andrew’s hands closed around hers and drew her closer through the warm water, though he left a careful space between their bodies. His mouth found her earlobe and bit down gently. He watched the way her eyes shut and a small frown pulled at her forehead.

"How are you so good at kissing?" Caroline asked suddenly, opening her eyes to look at him. "You said you’d never been in a relationship."

"Hmm. You could say I was always skilled." His breath stayed hot against the side of her neck. "You liked the way I kiss?"

"Yes." The admission came quiet. "I get butterflies in my stomach every time you start." Her lower lip slipped between her teeth on its own.

"Then we should kiss again."

Andrew’s hand cradled the back of her neck and pulled her in. The moment their lips met he deepened the kiss.

Caroline’s hands settled on his shoulders, then slid down to grip the hard muscle of his biceps. When they finally broke apart both of them were flushed, breathing a little harder.

"At this rate I’ll go for a second round, then a third, maybe a fourth. The night will be gone before we notice and another day will start."

She watched him without blinking, the weight of his desire and the steady care underneath it landing squarely in her chest.

When he leaned back against the far side of the large tub she rose onto her knees in the water. His arms opened; one settled low around her waist and drew her forward as she kissed him again.