46. Unbeknownst to Me

Laura - The house in the suburbs
The kiss that awakens me is sweet. Hot lips slip cleanly over the skin of my nape, igniting a thrilling amount of pleasure. I’m in no mood for sex, but his touch offers another form of delight I’ll gladly take. A sense of peace washes over me, rinsing away everything bad; my bleak existence; the fear that takes hold every morning when I see that I'm alive.
Paul’s heavy arm lays over my waist. The muscles contract as it tightens the grip over me. His warm chest presses against the bare skin of my back. A low moan escapes my lips before I can contain it. I hope I’m not falling in love with him because my heart can’t take it.
I’ve never fallen asleep in someone’s arms before. This is all my fault. I’ve never slept with a man in the same bed after having sex. Leaving right after is for the best. This way, I can avoid emotional attachment. The memory of my past few lovers is a blur.
And then there's Paul. I want to stay in his arms forever. A hand slides up my side and over my breast. The fingers dig into my flesh, making me arch into the contact.
“Good morning,” he whispers into my ear, his hot breath spreading around the labyrinth of my ear shell.
My face softens into a faint grin. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the sound of his voice or my feeling of security when he holds me.
Something hard pokes my butt cheeks, and I smile. I’m in luck. Yes, Laura! Focus on carnal desires rather than feelings that can bring only pain.
“Good morning, Paul. And Little Paul.” I push back my hips to press against his erection. “Or maybe not so little. Have you been up for long?”
He softly whispers again in my ear. “To which of us have you addressed the question?”
“Let me show you.”
My hand settles on his throbbing member without turning around. Then I place it precisely so that he just has to push it in. And he does just that, ripping a gasp from my lungs.
His hand cups my breast, and he gently squeezes. It sends a shiver through me, and I can't help myself from leaning forward, pressing my breasts against his palm.
It just takes a few seconds to recognize that my strategy is flawed. His warmth and yearning penetrate my spirit and transcend physical reality. His every thrust, filled with an insatiable need, dashes my hope of ever being able to leave his side. I need to get away from this guy, this tsunami that threatens to tear down my walls.
Every second brings me skyward, toward the peak. Every slide, every deep entry, every delicious tug, every hot puff of his breath over my neck.
Paul grips my jaw in his large palm and forces me to glance over my shoulder at him. His stare is hungry and lustful. He withdraws. I moan in disappointment.
I turn around and stare at him as he lies on his back.
“I had enough.” I saddle over him. “You stay still.”
My body moves slowly. I glide up and down, taking my time. This time, I'm not going to resist it. Rather, I let go. Let go of everything, giving in to the ecstasy that would undoubtedly consume me.
As I ride my wave of emotions, battling between different forms of pleasure, Paul raises his torso and grabs me even as I try to push him away. His trembling palms feel burning hot as he grips my hips. My body responds instantly, molding itself to his.
A desperate shiver, a stuttering thrust, and, with panting breaths between my breasts, he empties himself inside me, hot and slick. My bliss comes at the same time.
As the final waves of ecstasy fade, I flex and unflex my toes. Slowly, I glide my hands over his chest, following the muscular ridges. With his head on the pillow, he gazes at me. As I look into his eyes, I realize it's already too late. Unbeknownst to me, slowly and stealthy, love crawled inside my heart.
“What is it?” he asks.
I grin and give in to my childlike foolishness. "I was curious whether wolves got to go on a honeymoon after mating."
He arches an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”
“Nothing much.” I lean over him to shift the weight from my trembling knees. “A trip to the mountains would be good for us. And if it happens to be in the Oltenia pack’s territory, then maybe we can see what we can do about Alin’s mate.”
“Why are you doing this?” His eyes narrow as he tries to guess my answer.
“Doing what?”
“I don’t know. You just keep surprising me. Are you trying to provoke me into something?”
I chuckle and shake my head. Should I say that the sadness in his gaze when he hurt his friend was more than I could bear? That I want to help him solve this feud that gnaws him on the inside. Should I blurt it all out and show how much I care?
"When you're a strigoi, it's difficult to be accepted as the alpha's mate." I rest my chin on his chest. "Alin is the most vociferous of the wolves opposing me. I could gain the hearts of your cherished pack members if I make him my minion via an unrepayable debt."
Paul’s chest rumbled with a heavy sigh. “You’re sly. Did you have the same plan when you saved my life?”
“No. That was a fluke. Or bad luck. It depends from which perspective you look at.”
“Let’s take a shower.”
His abrupt shift in subject astounds me. I move to let him get out of bed, but he lifts me up, his hands supporting my bottom. I have to hold his shoulders to keep from falling when he stands, that portion of him still within me.
“Paul, what are you doing?” My legs wrap around his waist.
“We’ll shower together,” he says on his route to the bathroom.
“Why would I shower with you?”
“You have to convince me to go on a honeymoon in the Oltenia pack’s territory. I’ll give you my answer according to how much effort you put out.”