I trailed my hand lower, gliding over her smooth belly. I spread her thighs, and I marveled at the sight before me. She was so small, so delicate. And she wantedme.

Moving lower, I shouldered her legs wider, settling between them. The scent of her arousal filled my nostrils, making my head spin.

“Can I lick you?” I asked, looking up at her.

Beth laughed, breathless. “Please do.”

I ran my palm up the length of her calf, marveling at the silk of her skin. I took my time, letting my fingers linger at the sensitive spot behind her knee, smiling as she shivered.

Her thighs were a revelation, soft and strong. I could feel the tension in them, the anticipation. I brushed my knuckles along her inner thigh, close to her core but not touching, not yet. Her breath hitched, her hips tilting upward, seeking, begging. But I wanted to draw this out, to make her writhe. I wanted her desperate for me and me alone.

I lowered my head, tasting her for the first time. She was sweet. I'd never get enough. I licked at her wetness, sinking my tongue inside her to suck more, and stroked her clit. Beth writhed, her soft cries filling the air.

She was everything to me. I lost myself in the slick heat of her, in the way she gasped and moaned as I explored her body. I traced patterns around her entrance, teasing, before plunging my tongue inside her again, mimicking what I longed to do with my body. She clenched around me, her hips shifting up to meet me. I listened and I learned what she liked, and I loved her with my mouth, my fingers, my soul.

Her pleasure was all that mattered. I wanted to make this good for her. Wanted to make her first timeperfect.

I didn't rush, building her up slowly. Each time she got close, I backed off, letting her come down before driving her close again.

“Ruugar,” she panted, her hips bucking against my mouth. “I need more.”

I licked her harder, faster, my fingers sliding into her wet heat. She clenched around me, her body tensing as I found a spot inside her that made her whimper.

Her breath hitched, her hips jerking. I sucked her clit into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue. This was more than just desire, more than just need. This was love. I was falling in love with Beth, and I never wanted to let her go.

I drove my fingers in and out of her, stroking that spot that made her go wild. Her body tightened, her back arching as she cried out, her release crashing over her like a wave. She pulsed around my fingers, her body shaking with the force of her pleasure.

Her climax felt like it was my own, and her joy in this moment echoed through me, resonating in my bones. Her body clamped down on my fingers, pulsing with her bliss. I kept my touch gentle, riding out the storm with her, my mouth on her clit, my fingers moving in lazy strokes inside her. I whispered her name like a prayer, over and over, as she came down from her high.

Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving. I pressed soft kisses to her inner thighs, her belly, her breasts, before making my way back up to her mouth.

She kissed me deeply, her tongue dancing with mine. I could taste her on my lips, and it drove me out of mymind. My cock ached, throbbing with need, but I ignored it. This was about her. Her pleasure. Her first time.

Her hands roamed my chest, her touch igniting fires under my skin. She stroked the lines of my muscles, her fingers gliding over my chest, my arms, my back. I was a tightly coiled spring, ready to snap, but I held back, letting her explore, letting her learn me like I just did her. When her hand brushed against my erection through my pants, I hissed, my body jerking.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with innocence and desire, a heady combination that threatened to unravel me.

“Show me,” she whispered. “I want to know how to touch you, Ruugar. I need to show you the same pleasure you gave me.”

Chapter 26

Beth

Every inch of me hummed with happiness. Ruugar's hands mapped my sides, and his breath mixed with my own. I could feel his heart pounding.

Ruugar started to explore my body again, his touch gentle. His fingers traced the curve of my waist, dipping lower, making me shiver. His mouth moved from my lips to my neck, trailing kisses along the column of my throat. Each press of his lips was a spark, igniting a fire that spread through my veins like wildfire. His tongue traced patterns on my skin, tasting me, savoring me. I could feel the graze of his tusks and it made me crave him even more. I tipped my back, and a moan escaped my lips, an invitation for him to take more, to taste more. His mouth moved lower, lingering on my collarbone, his breath hot against my skin. Each touch, each kiss, sent waves of heat through me.

His touch was like a whisper, as if I was somethingprecious and breakable. He was exploring me, and that made me crave him even more. I wanted to feel his hands, his mouth, his body all over mine. I arched into his touch, a silent plea for more, a demand for him to claim me, to leave his mark on my skin and my soul. I wanted to be consumed by him.

He kissed my neck, tracing patterns with his tongue, and nipped at my ear. Pure desire shot straight to my center, making my inner muscles clench with anticipation. His hot breath coasted across my ear, his voice was a low rumble.

“You taste like nectar,” he said, and shivers erupted across my skin. “I could lose myself in you forever, Beth.”

His words settled into me like seeds in rich soil, and I let them take root. I wanted to return them, to say something equally deep, but all I could do was pull him closer, press my lips to his skin, and hope he felt my love sinking in.

A warmth spread through my chest, like the first rays of sunlight touching the world at dawn, promising more than only heat. This new connection between us offered a sense of belonging.

His hands moved to my breasts, cupping them. His palms were rough, calloused, and a stark contrast to the softness of my skin. The friction was intoxicating, his touch sending electric pulses straight to my core. He took his time, molding and shaping, his fingers tracing the outline of my areolas before flicking the hardening nubs. My nipples ached for more, and when herolled them between his fingers, pleasure jolted through me so intense it was almost painful.