Page 20 of Into Orbit
‘What are you?’ I breathed.
She grinned. ‘I’m your bonded, Maeve McCarthy, even if it’s only for a little while. Even if it’s fake.’
My heart skipped a beat.
‘I see you,’ I told her. ‘I see you, Elswyth. And you’re so fucking beautiful it hurts.’ I took her waist and flipped our places, listening to her gasp as I spread her out on the bed. I kissed her again, softly and thoroughly, as my hand found her breast. ‘Tell me to stop.’
‘Green gods, why would I dothat?’ she said breathlessly.
I bit my lip. ‘If there’s anything you don’t like, or you don’t want, or something that makes you uncomfortable, you need to tell me. I’ll stop immediately. Okay?’
‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘But Maeve … If you don’t kiss me again, I think I might scream.’
I laughed softly, but I kissed her, because I felt the same. Her mouth moved against mine in a tentative exploration, like she was trying to find every slide of lips or touch of tongues I liked, and my core was meltingas her hands stroked up and down my back. I cupped her, stroking the soft flesh of her breast before rolling her hard nipple between my thumb and finger. She squeaked, arching into my hand, so I did it again, then dipped my head down to take her in my mouth instead.
‘Oh, gods,’ she panted. ‘Oh,gods. Maeve.’
I chuckled. ‘I guess we’re not so different in this way, at least,’ I murmured against her, moving to the other breast. She cried out as my tongue flicked over her peaked nipple. ‘Should I see if we’re the same elsewhere?’
I slid my hand down, across the soft roundness of her stomach, until my fingers found her short-like underwear. I mapped the curves and dips of her, feeling wetness on my fingertips when I touched between her legs. She felt … pretty much like a human woman would.
‘Can I touch you?’ I said, my voice thick. ‘Can I touch your skin?’
‘Please,’ she answered. ‘Yes. Please, Maeve.’
I slipped my hand beneath her shorts. Her skin was smooth, and I cupped her gently, feeling her wetness on my palm. My fingers slid up, searching, and encountered something that felt pretty similar to a clit. I rubbed it gently, biting my lip as her hips pressed up and she cried out.
Human-Tirian similarity number two. ‘If I keep doing that, will you come?’
‘Come?’
‘Climax. Orgasm.’
‘Oh. We call itblooming,’ she panted. ‘And yes. That’s one way.’
‘One way, huh?’ I worked her in small circles until she was moaning, then slid my fingers back down, searching for something else. She huffed in disappointment – I bit back a laugh – then she arched as my finger found her entrance and slid inside with no resistance.
‘Human-Tirian similarity three,’ I murmured. She wasn’t as soft as a human woman, nor as hot, but she was just as wet. I added a second finger as she gave a desperate pant that sent heat through my body, then bucked her hips, trying to take my fingers deeper inside.
I went still. ‘That’s … fucking hell, Elswyth. You’reribbed.’
‘Mating grooves,’ she gasped. ‘And –’
I pushed further, seeking something else, and she wailed, her hands clutching at my hips.
‘And?’ I said breathlessly. ‘I’m assuming that’s a good sound.’
‘Good,’ she managed. ‘Very –very– good.’
I caressed the small divot inside her. I’d been searching for a g-spot, and I’d found something new instead. ‘Are you going to explain? Or am I going to find out what this does for myself?’
‘Maeve – green gods,Maeve– oh,’ she moaned, as my fingers worked. ‘It’s – a notch. Males have – aburl– a kind of – knot – and it –’
‘You fit together,’ I said thickly. ‘I get it. Tessa loves those knotting books. Is this what makes you feel the best?’
‘That – and my – bud.’
I grinned. ‘Well, you’re in luck,’ I drawled. ‘My single talent is breathing through my fucking ears.’
