He raises his eyes to mine again. “They are a pleasure center, are they not? You enjoyed when I touched you before. Would not having these ‘big boobs’ bring you more pleasure than a female who possesses smaller ones?”

“It doesn’t really work that way.” I’m fighting hard not to smile. “Some breasts are more sensitive than others, whether they’re large or small. Mine just happen to be on the more sensitive side.”

Jodah studies me quietly. His gaze flicks upward and then back down. “May I touch you again?”

“Yes.” Why do I find it so sexy that he asks? “Since we are mates, you are free to touch me any time. If I’d rather you didn’t, I’ll let you know.”

He nods and palms my breast again, this time, though he uses both hands. A shiver runs through me and my clit throbs. The heat in my chest gets hotter, but it doesn’t burn. It just sends a warm sensation everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Jodah gently kneads both breasts and while it feels good, I know it can feel better.

“Wait.”

As though burned by the steam from a food replicator, his hands jerk away from my body. Not wanting him to think I meant stop, I reach behind and unfasten the hooks. The cotton sags—along with my boobs, although those only slightly thank god—and I pull it the rest of the way off leaving me in only my jeans and shoes. Jodah’s gaze zeroes in on my now naked chest while I drop the lingerie to the ground.

When he doesn’t move, I prompt him. “You can still touch me. If you want, I mean.” Shit, what if seeing me without the bra has turned him off? Maybe I’m too different from the Tavikhi females.

Just as I’m starting to feel self-conscious and my muscles tense to prepare to snatch the thing up and quickly put it back on, Jodah moves. His calloused hands cover my breasts, and he groans.

“I do not know what I imagined you to look like without your chest coverings, but the perfection of your chest mounds surpasses everything I could have thought up.”He rolls a nipple between his fingers. “These are yet another color humans possess.”

My back arches and I push myself deeper into Jodah’s touch. He pinches the swollen nub. Not hard, but just enough to cause a ripple of pleasure through me and a whimper of pleasure to tumble out. My eyes close in ecstasy. I don’t orgasm, but good lord, I’m close. “Oh my god.”

“Did my mate like that?” His voice is a low rumble that vibrates through me.

Still feeling weak in the knees, I can only mumble something unintelligible and nod. Feeling bold, I let my hand drift downward, skimming across the front of Jodah’s thigh until I reach my destination. He jerks beneath my palm and sucks in a sharp breath.

“Is this okay?” Am I moving too fast? From things the girls have said, the Tavikhi males don’t tend to have sex with anyone but theirkeeshla. “I want you to feel as good as I do.”

“It is more than okay.” His hips rock and I gently stroke him through his hide pants. Wetness seeps through them to dampen my hand. He didn’t come already did he?

He caresses my breast again and I completely forget the question. Together we explore and pleasure each other. Jodah adds to the overwhelming sensation when he claims my mouth with his. I’m overloaded with desire. Want. Need. He actually grows harder, lengthening even further, and I clench down imagining him filling me. I want that. More than anything. I slowly break the kiss. He staresdown at me with blown pupils and his chest heaves along with mine.

“Will you take me to your furs?”

Jodah freezes. “This is what you want?”

I reach up and caress the side of his handsome face. Whatever light I keep seeing, illuminates his features and reflects off his feline eyes. I don’t think that’s a hallucination.An impossible thought enters my mind. I shake my head in denial. It can’t be. I feel him take a step back as though taking that as my answer, and I blink away the ridiculous idea that took shape to focus on him.

“Yes.” I clutch his hands. “Yes, it’s what I want. Please.”

“You are sure?”

I hate the uncertainty I hear in his tone and that I caused it. I squeeze his hand and stare earnestly at him. “Jodah, there is nothing more in this world that I want than to become your mate in truth. And for you to become mine.”

He studies me a moment longer and my heart races while I wait for him to seal our fate. I see the moment he makes his decision and nearly sigh in relief. He walks me to his furs and we stop beside them.

“You will have to guide me. I do not know what will bring you pleasure.” He sweeps my hair off my face.

“We can show each other.” Reaching down, I unbutton my jeans and slide them—and my panties—off my hips and push them until they puddle around my feet.

I toe off my shoes and step out of my clothes. Jodah’s eyes don’t leave mine as I reach for his pants next. They are held up with a rope made of sinew. I loosen the knot until the waistband gaps and I draw them down his long and muscular legs. His cock bobs with its weight and I get my first look at it. He’s long and thick and oval bumps run down its entire length on both sides. The head flares out like an upside-down umbrella.

To my shock, the center of the bumps part and wetness glistens within them. I jerk my gaze up to meet Jodah’s. He must sense my question, because he palms the hard bar. “These are mating nodes. They secrete fluid that is meant to increase our mate’s pleasure.”

My gaze bounces between him and his cock. “May I touch you?”

He drops his hand and stands proudly without any hint of embarrassment about his nakedness. Not that he has anything to be embarrassed about. My man was certainly blessed by Deeka in the equipment department. I don’t have any complaints yet. I reach down and run my finger along the bumps on one side. My fingertip is coated with the fluid. A warm tingling sensation tickles the end of it. I rub my finger and thumb together testing the slick texture and the warmth transfers to my other digit. I understand what Jodah meant by it increasing his mate’s pleasure.

I take his hand and gently tug him with me as I lower myself to his pallet of furs. The trust he’s showing me makes my heart thump wildly and my belly flip flop, but in a good way. Still holding his hand, I place it on my breast.