GAHRYE

Kalle's beautiful lips pulled up in a smile. Gahrye was overwhelmed—so full of feeling just at the sight of her. He huffed the mating call, long and low. Her eyes widened and she pulled him into a kiss, her lips hot and seeking, her hands clawing into his back.

Unable to resist, he took her mouth like he wanted her body, his tongue invading the sweetness of her, lips dragging on hers.

There were far too many clothes in this room. Far too many layers between them. They needed to do something about that.

Gahrye kissed her eagerly, his hands trailing towards her buttons—but then he hesitated, remembering the story he'd heard about Elia and Reth and their aborted attempt at mating, interrupted by the guards coming in to call Reth to deal with a massive Silent One roaming the WildWood.

When he pulled back, Kalle froze, her face painted in fear.

"What's wrong?

"

It was a spear to his heart that he'd caused her to think anytime they were close that he would pull away.

"Nothing at all,

" he said, stroking her cheek.

"I'm just going to make sure we aren't interrupted.

"

She smiled with relief and her eyes twinkled.

"Good idea.

"

He pushed away from the bed and trotted to the door, checking that it was locked. His chest was heaving, but he didn't care.

Unwilling to lose any time to insignificant details like buttons, as he walked back to the bed, he took hold of his shirt at the nap of his neck and pulled it forward and off, tossing it to the floor.

Kalle was doing something with that phone, but when he got the shirt off, she stared at him, her jaw slack, and the already pulsing scent of desire spiked on her.

Taking the cue from him, she grabbed the hem of her sweater and, wiggling to get her weight off the back of it, pulled it up and over her head to reveal some kind of strange harness around her breasts. Wide rounded triangles hid each breast from his view, while straps circled her ribs and over her shoulders to keep them up.

What kind of human madness was this?

Gahrye had just reached the bed and was crawling towards her, but he stopped, tipping his head.

"Why do you hide them even under your clothes? Do you fear someone will remove it and you'll be left bare?

" He was well versed in Elia's easy embarrassment around nudity and sex, and had to keep reminding himself that Kalle would likely share some of those concerns.

Kalle looked down at herself, then grinned.

"You've never seen a bra before?

"

"What is a… bra?

"

"It holds them up and keeps them… perky,

" she giggled, palming herself and picking up the weight of each breast in one hand, jiggling them as if to test the strength of this 'bra.'

Curious, Gahrye crawled over her legs on all fours. This close he could see her nipples through it and his already alert body tightened in response. He looked at her, raising one hand towards her in a question. Kalle smiled and, still sitting up, leaned back on her hands, pressing her breasts forward, watching him. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips and he almost groaned.

Holy ** he was a blessed male.

Carefully watching her, scenting her, to measure what she liked and what she didn't, he drew one finger across the lace, the fabric had the strange tang of that thing she'd called plastic, but it was remarkably soft to the touch, the textures making his fingers tingle as he stroked and explored, so lightly.

His breath was loud in the room, but so was hers. He stroked again, all his fingers dragging down the textured lace, catching her nipple that was rising to meet his touch.

Kalle bit her lip and closed her eyes as he dragged his fingertips up to follow the strap that ran over her shoulder, then caught it and pulled it slowly down her arm.

Her skin pebbled and he swallowed hard.

The straps weren't long and pulled against her upper arms, pressing into her skin there in a way that worried him.

"How do you—

" he croaked, but Kalle straightened and took his face in her hands, kissing him long and deep. When she pulled away, she smiled.

"You're adorable,

" she whispered.

"Hold that thought.

" Then she twisted her arms behind her back for a bare second and suddenly the entire thing sagged.

Her face got serious as she brought her arms forward again, covering herself, holding it to her with one arm as she drew her arm out of the other, then used that one to hold it, while she freed the second.

There was a moment then, where she covered herself and stared at him.

"You do not need to fear me, Kalle,

" he rasped, keeping his eyes on hers.

"You are beautiful to me. Everything about you…

" Especially her legs, which his body was desperately aware remained extended under him.

He hadn't wanted to press her to that intimacy too quickly, so had focused on her chest and face. But perhaps for her it was different?

"I know,

" she whispered.

"I'm just… I've been waiting for this, Gahrye. And I'm so glad. I just want to savor the moment, that's all.

" Then she leaned in and kissed him, her mouth open but lips so soft they barely dragged on his. His breath shuddered and he cupped her face with one hand, tilting his head to deepen the kiss.

She sighed into it, then dropped her arm, tossing the bra away, onto the floor and taking his face in both hands. When he pulled her in tight and her breasts brushed his chest, they both groaned.

She began to lay down then, pulling him with her until he covered her, both of them bare from the waist up.

He got lost in her. Time ceased to matter. All he was aware of was her lips, her tongue, her soft, soft skin, the beautiful blush of her nipples—the fierce peaks of them against his chest, and under his hands—and the warmth of her gentle strength as she pulled him down.

Gahrye trembled with the fight to restrain himself, to keep himself gentle and slow, to let her warm to him. But as the kiss deepened and her breath came faster, he struggled. Fisting his fingers in her hair, he tugged her head back and laid his mouth on her throat, groaning when she gave it willingly, her hands dancing all over his back and shoulders as she panted.

She tasted like honey and lavender and he shuddered again with repressed desire.

When she whimpered and clung to him, his entire skin lit up.

Panting, he pushed himself up just far enough to meet her eyes and raised one eyebrow, stunned and smiling at the way her lips were pink and swollen already.

"Have you ever mated an equine before, Kalle?

" he asked before he laid the flat of his tongue on her neck and sucked that spot just under her ear. Her skin pebbled all the way down her arm and she arched.

"N-no, I—

"

"Then my advice,

" he rasped pushing himself back up, bracing on his hands, either side of her head,

"is to just let go… and enjoy the ride.

"