Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

RETH

Reth groaned when her lips landed on his and she tasted him with her tongue. For a moment he lost himself in her warm softness, letting his hand drift up to cup her full breast, thumbing her nipple until it rose under his touch and stood so hard and proud it made his body scream for release.

Elia was already panting, her kisses becoming desperate and the instinct was there to simply take her—to give in to the ache and the drive he'd been fighting all these days. But then he remembered Aymora's rage about his selfishness, the risk to the baby.

"No, Elia. Stop!" He pulled away, panting, but she followed him, leaning over him, his face in her hand and her breasts pressed against his arm and chest. He tried to fight her, but didn't want to hurt her either and she had him pinned against the furs. Short of tossing her aside and sliding out of the bed completely, he needed to talk some sense into her.

"Elia," he said against her mouth, then sucking on her tongue when she licked his lip.

Down boy.

"Elia," he tried again, turning his head away so she could tempt him that way, but that just bared his neck to her, and the vixen opened her mouth over the tendon there, licking and sucking her way up in a way that made his skin prickle and his hands itch to pull her closer. "Elia, we have to stop. We can't risk Elreth."

"We won't, I'm certain of it," she whispered, then kissed her way along his jaw. "I don't know how to explain it, Reth, but I feel… solid inside. It's like… it's like everything is as it should be. I haven't felt that way in months. It's going to be fine. We need to be together—"

"But Aymora said—"

"Aymora has been amazing and I'm so grateful for her, but she's living in her own pain and fear right now. And I have been. I don't want to do that anymore, Reth. I want to live in love. Your love."

"You have my love already," he gasped as she scooted until her belly rested on his, and slid her hand down his belly again until she found him there, full and ready, hard as a rock and aching for her. "You'll always—oh, shit," he hissed when she palmed him, stroking and rubbing her breasts on him at the same time. "Elia—"

His voice was strangled even to his own ears. When had he put his hand in her hair and pulled her closer? When had she shifted so he could get that palm to her breast and thumb the peak again. Yet there she was, full and ready in his hands, her breath panting and heavy, her body trembling. And… he could smell her desire, pure and pungent. She ached for him as badly as he ached for her.

The mating call rolled out of his throat and she responded, though it was muffled because she'd just opened her mouth on his neck again.

"Elia," he whispered. She hummed into his mouth, sucking on his tongue, and he forgot what he'd been about to say as her grip on him slickened and became more determined. His body shook with desire, his breath coming in short gasps because she was pumping him slowly, exactly the way he liked. In fact, if she didn't stop he was going to—

With a growl, he rolled her onto her back, pushing onto his elbow so he could lean over her without leaning on her stomach, but he caught her hand and drew it up his stomach, to his chest. "Stop, or it won't even be an option anymore," he whispered, then nipped that little triangle of skin under her ear.

Goosebumps bloomed on her skin all the way down her side. With a hum of approval he drew his hand down her arm, down her side, to cup her ass and stroke her thigh, smiling smugly at her gooseflesh even there.

She lifted her knee and laid her leg over him, then arched so he found that crease between her stomach and thigh. His entire body shuddered as she writhed gently against him.

"Stop," he gasped. "You have to stop."

"Not unless you're going to love me, Reth," she said, nudging against him again. Her breast bobbed against her arm and he almost came when she smiled.

"Fuck, I love you, Elia," he rasped, then put his hand to her waist and held her there as firmly as he dared. "Which is exactly why I can't do this. I can't risk you, or Elreth or… or anything. Not for a few minutes of pleasure."

She tried to nudge against him again, but he held her down and raised an eyebrow in disapproval until she slumped back, her forehead crinkling into lines.

Then his heart sank, because silver lines appeared on her lashes. "Reth… please."

"Elia, this isn't no because I don't want you—"

"I know, that's not what I meant. Don't you see? We don't know what's going to happen. We don't know how hard the delivery is going to be, or what might happen…" She didn't want to say that she might die, and he didn't want her to say it either, didn't want her to even think it. But their eyes locked and it passed between them—the fear, the yearning, the sheer demand that they resist it.

Then she put both hands to his face, her eyes still shining and her lip trembling. "If something happens to me, Reth, if I'm injured or… or worse… I don't want to go without having you close. I don't want to walk into whatever is coming without being close to you again. Please. Please?"

He stared at her, blinking in shock. He'd never thought about… it had never occurred to him…

The last time? It couldn't be the last time. It couldn't be the last opportunity. That was… unacceptable.

He almost said as much, but he saw the shadows of fear and anger in her eyes—not at him, but at the position they found themselves in. He saw how she ached, and what she wanted…

"Please, Reth," she said, pulling him down slowly. And he went. Creator forsake him, he let her pull him closer and closer until their lips met.

Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and took his mouth, and Reth was lost.