Page 36 of Thor

Her chest constricted. “What... what do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I just... I don’t want to leave because when I do, I can’t get you out of my head. I want to protect you and kiss you and take care of you. You’re like a sweet bird who is so fragile yet so strong at the same time. I can’t put my finger on it. I just... want to make sure no one ever hurts you again.”

Elle couldn’t help the tears that welled in her eyes. No one had ever spoken so kindly to her before. No one had ever said anything remotely close to telling her they wanted to take care of her. Val, though her best friend, wasn’t the tender type. Her way of showing Elle she loved her was to teach her to fight and making sure Elle was as strong mentally as she was capable of. Hugs and laughs weren’t something they’d ever shared.

Thor brushed a tear from her eye with the pad of his thumb and her body flushed. He leaned in and kissed the trail the tear had taken up her cheek. Then he softly kissed across her forehead and down her nose to her lips.

The taste of his mouth made her moan. Embarrassed, she began to pull away, but he tangled his hands in the hair at the base of her neck and kept her from moving. Desire pooled in her belly. Heat and need blossomed inside her and when his lips parted this time, she let his tongue entwine with hers.

Sensations rushed through her and kissing him wasn’t enough. She wanted his hands on her skin. Wanted to see him naked and run her hands down the planes of his body.

His palms traced her back to her rear, she stiffened slightly as he rested his palms on her backside. She sucked in a breath as tingles raced over her skin. All the stories she’d read about in her father’s library burst into her mind, and she wanted to feel what it was like to make love to someone. But not someone, Thor, God of Thunder.

* * *

Thor cradledElle in his arms. Tasting her sweet lips and feeling her body warm him from the inside out was almost more than he could take. He wanted her, but he wanted more than to make love to her. He wanted her like he’d never wanted another.

Sweet and tender, innocent and kind, she was more than a one-night stand, she was someone he could spend the rest of his immortal days with. Someone he would never tire of. Someone who would bring peace into his chaotic world. Someone to share himself with, someone... to grow old with.

He kissed her harder. How was it possible he’d found her, and she’d woven her way into his heart so quickly? In his thousands and thousands of years of life, he’d never let anyone in so fast.

She pressed her soft willowy body into his and met his kisses with equal fervor. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed in the corner. She stared at him, her eyes hooded with desire as he lay her on the bed and stripped off his jacket and threw it to the floor.

He lay atop her and relished her soft curves pressing against his chest and hipbones.

She pulled his mouth back to hers and kissed him fiercely making his desire for her spike further. So timid and yet so strong.

He ran his fingers under the hem of her t-shirt, and she made a mewling sound that almost undid him. He needed to keep control. He couldn’t rush her.

He trailed his palm over her soft belly and down between her thighs. He parted her legs, so he could settle between them. His erection pushed against his jeans and rested against her core.

She sucked in a sharp breath and arched toward him. Thor ran his hand up over her shirt and cupped her small breasts over the fabric. She moaned and ran her hands under the back of his shirt. Her soft fingers traced his skin making parts of him wake up for the first time in a long time and take notice.

Thor broke their kiss and kissed down her throat to her collarbone. He kissed across it and then down to her other breast. He nipped at it through the fabric and continued lower and kissed down her side. She gripped his shirt and the further he slid the higher it rose until she had lifted it off him. He tossed it to the ground and then lifted the edge of her t-shirt and kissed across her flat stomach. She dug her nails into his shoulders, hitting one of his various scars and making a jolt of pain shoot up his neck.

He kissed his way up her torso to her breasts. He slid her shirt up, and she pulled it off as he unclasped her pink lacy bra and slid it off her shoulders. He gazed upon her in the moonlight, and she flushed with a peachy glow and looked away.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

Her gaze traveled back to his.

“Don’t you know how utterly gorgeous you are? You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s... it’s not that...”

“What is it?” He searched her face and realization dawned on him. “You’ve never done this before.”

She shook her head.

Shit.That wasn’t something he was expecting.

“Elle, is this something you want to do?”

“Yes. Gods yes. But... I... I need to tell you something.”

He kissed her. “You don’t need to tell me anything. I’ve pried. I’ve tried to force you to tell me about your past, but honestly, I don’t care.”

“You don’t?”

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