“Baralt,” she whispered, reluctantly dragging her mouth away from his. “I want you.”
“You are sure? You do not owe me anything.”
“I know that. Do you think I’m the kind of woman who—”
“Of course not,” he said hastily. “But I wish to be with you because you choose to be with me, not because you are grateful.”
Her quick flare of annoyance vanished at the earnest look on his face. “I choose you, Baralt.”
His fierce grin lit his face, and then he was kissing her again, even more hungrily. He yanked her gown away, groaning approvingly as his cock slid through the slick heat coating her folds.
“So wet. I love knowing how much you want me.”
He adjusted his hold, then plunged up inside her in one hard thrust. Oh. My. God. Yes, she was wet, and yes, she wanted him, but he stretched her to her limit. Her breath came in rapid little pants as her body tried to adjust. He was already withdrawing, sending a shock wave of pleasurable pain through her system as her channel clung to him. When only his head remained inside, she took a deep breath, but before she could speak, he drove into her again, and the overpowering fullness made her come in a sudden, explosive climax.
She shuddered, her body tightening around him, and he growled appreciatively, but he didn’t stop. All she could do was cling to him as he thrust harder, faster, each stroke sending another tremor through her already overwhelmed body until he roared and buried himself completely in her tight channel. His cock pulsed, bathing her womb with hot jets of seed, and she felt him swell, growing impossibly larger as the ring at the base of his cock expanded, locking them together, and her vision sheeted to white as he sent her into another long, shuddering climax.
Too weak to stand, Baralt slid down the wall, his female still impaled on his cock, locked in place by his ring. Despite his weakness, satisfaction filled him. He had wanted this since he’d first caught Isabel’s sweet scent in the tunnels below the arena, since he’d seen her lush curves and touched the silky skin of her cheek. But he did not begrudge the delay. The additional time had allowed him to get to know the intelligent mind behind the luscious body and appreciate her passionate, fiery nature. And she had chosen him.
He tightened his arms, holding her more closely against him, and realized she was trembling. He gently lifted her chin to study her face, and despair filled him. Her face was red, her eyes bright with tears.
“My aria. What is wrong? Did I hurt you?”
“N-no. No,” she repeated more firmly. “It was just rather overwhelming.”
“You are sure you’re not hurt?” He separated their bodies as far as his ring permitted and winced when he saw her small entrance stretched around his cock. “I’m sorry, but I can’t ease you until my ring subsides.”
He ran a gentle finger over the taut skin, and she groaned. He winced again. “I cannot bear the knowledge that my touch causes you pain.”
“It-it’s not pain.” She slid her hand between their bodies as well and stroked the small nub at the top of her slit, exposed by the forced stretch. She shivered again, and he felt her impossibly tight channel flutter around him.
“This pleases you?” A Hothian female would never climax again after a male filled her with his seed and his ring locked them together. But his little human…
He placed his finger over hers, just as he had done their first night together, but he knew what she liked now, and he needed no direction to circle the swollen flesh, letting her soft cries guide his touch until she cried out and her channel milked him in hot little pulses, sending sparks of pleasure through his trapped kotra. Twice more he teased her to climax before she finally drew his hand away.
“No more, Baralt,” she said weakly. “I can’t take any more.”
He immediately lifted his hand and hugged her gently to his chest. His female was wise to insist they stop. His ring would never diminish with her sweet cunt continuously pulsating around his lucky kotra.
As his passion finally began to subside, he realized that he was crouched uncomfortably in a corner of their small cabin.
“Next time we will do this in a bed,” he said firmly.
“Next time?” Isabel looked up at him, her expression impossible to read, and his heart literally skipped a beat. She had chosen him—surely she didn’t mean to deny him now?
“If you are willing,” he added quickly. Please be willing.
After an agonizing pause, she smiled up at him. “Yes, Baralt. I’m willing.” Then she buried her fingers in his mane and pulled his head down to press one of those impossible, delightful kisses to his mouth.
Thank the gods. Tgesh Tai was behind them, and although the thought of Hothrest ahead gave him pause, right now all he cared about was the willing female in his arms.
Chapter Sixteen
The vibrating purr of the spaceship penetrated Izzie's dreams and she woke in a fit of panic, sure that she would see Asgii looming over her. But instead of harsh blue scales and gleaming red eyes, she saw white fur and Baralt's familiar features. Relief flooded over her, as well as an unexpected happiness. She liked waking up with him.
Don’t get used to it, she reminded herself. He was taking her to his planet but he had said nothing of the future—and she wasn’t sure she would have believed him if he had.
"What is the matter, my aria?" he asked, bending over her.
"It's nothing." Nothing she wanted to discuss at any rate.
He gently stroked the sweat dampened curls away from her face. She suspected he didn't believe her, but to her relief, he didn't pursue the subject.
"I thought
