Page 38 of Changelings
It was Imogen’s turn to shiver and shake, and she nearly lost her hold on the basket.
His mouth nearly seared her cold skin, and his whiskers tickled. She gasped when he dared flick her with the tip of his tongue; it was textured, far more than a human’s, rough like a cat’s.
I’m not a cat,she could just hear him saying, which made her smile.
Balar saw it, grinning as he kissed her hand once more before straightening.
She didn’t know what possessed her—the shock of his touch, the terror at how much she liked it, or every defensive instinct she had to protect herself and her heart—but Imogen found herself blurting, “I haven’t done this before. Courting, kissing, any of it.”
Her words hung heavily between them with the sodden low-hanging limbs.
Balar blinked. “I admit, I too have little experience kissing. It’s more of a human custom.” His lips spread in a grin. “I have even less experience kissing my ownkigara, but that can be solved.”
Blushing, Imogen stared at his throat. That proved less than safe, as she admired the thick column of it, how the grain of dense fur laid to point down to the enticing divot between his pectorals. A peek of that glorious chest beneath his shirt was—
I’m thinking about his chest again.
I should say something.
Clearing her throat, Imogen managed to say, “I haven’t doneanyof it.” Glancing at him through her lashes, she waited to see if he’d understand, dreading having to explain further.
She almost regretted bringing it up at all. Blurting something like that out, admitting to her absolute lack of experience whenit came to romance and men, was anathema to her usual sense of self-preservation.
It wasn’t like she missed it or keenly felt the lack. Not usually, at least. It was harder to miss something she’d never had, and Imogen had never had a man in her life worth swooning over. There’d been a few days, when she was about eighteen, when she thought it might happen—only to find the boy had been put up to it by Collin and his followers.
The humiliation had lasted far longer than her hopes. By the time her wounds had closed over, everyone her age was getting married or moving away. That was the thing with small towns and villages—it was often the same people, day in and day out. Even if people grew up and changed, as Neomi claimed Collin had, Imogen couldn’t forget what they’d said and done to her.
Imogen only really felt her lack of experience in the longest, loneliest winter nights—when there was little to do and no one but herself to warm the bed. Stuck inside, there was plenty of opportunity to pleasure herself. But she could hardly imagine the touch of another, and she’d gone on this way so long now, she sometimes worried it was too late for her. That she’d never be able to enjoy someone else’s touch because she was so used to her own.
This big, loud lion-man had proven her wrong on so many counts, though.
He kept her hand in his, the pad of his thumb absently skating over her knuckles. The longer he did it, the more she wanted him to keep going. What would it feel like for him to touch her more? What could a proper kiss from him be like?
It was the first time Imogen had wondered these things since she was a youth, still hoping someone mightseeher.
Perhaps she said it to test him, trying to find what would finally make him turn away. It was better to do it sooner rather than later. Imogen had no hopes to get up anymore, her heartalready covered in thick calluses. Still, if he turned away, she knew it’d hurt. But more so later.Best get it over with.
However, what happened instead was Balar pulled her closer with the hand he held. Gently, he wrapped an arm around her, holding her loosely to his chest. “That’s no matter to me, love. All I want is for you to be happy.” Dipping his head, he nuzzled her hair, whiskers tickling her forehead. “I will make it good for you,urisá. So good, you’ll never want to leave my arms. That you can be sure of.”
Imogen’s whole body flushed. Somehow, she believed him.
Balar rumbled happily, a purr rattling in his chest. She heard him take a long, deep breath against her skin. “You smell especially sweet,ul-lu. Does the thought of me please you?”
Sucking in a trembling breath, Imogen dared to lift her face to his. His gold-green eyes took up her vision. Fates, she hadn’t realized he wasso close.
Those inhuman eyes searched hers a moment before Balar bent the last distance between them. Imogen held her ground, telling herself not to panic. People did this all the time. Kissing was normal. Not a great matter.
Balar’s kissfeltlike a great matter, though.
His strange lips skimmed hers at first in a few gentle swipes before coming in to press more firmly. His scent and feel flooded her senses, surrounding her in what she could only describe as golden. A big paw spanned her back, holding her securely to his chest as he moved his head, changing the angle.
It was weird and new and terrifying—Imogen’s mind raced faster than Shadow through the forest; she couldn’t seem to quiet it and just feel.
What do I do? Don’t just stand there! But what should I do?
Frustrated tears stung her eyes. She didn’t know what to do with her mouth or hands.
Shouldn’t I close my eyes?
