Page 31

Ruugar

W ith my forehead pressed against hers, I breathed her in.

Beth was here, accepting my grass. My kiss. The taste of her lingered on my mouth, and her fingers still clung to my shoulders, her body close but not retreating, not showing any sign of regret.

Fates help me, I was falling.

A war waged inside me. I needed to be careful with her, not just because she was tiny compared to me, but because she trusted me. Trusted this. But the need to pull her closer, to claim whatever this was between us, ached so fiercely I wasn’t sure I had the strength to resist.

She stroked my shoulder, sending fire through my skin. “Ruugar.”

The way she said my name—it wasn’t a question. It wasn’t uncertainty. It was something deeper, something pulling me under.

I swallowed hard, stroking her cheek, then gliding my fingers along the edge of her jaw, the corner of her mouth. She parted her lips.

An invitation.

A growl surged up my throat. I answered her without words, capturing her lips again. This time, I didn’t hold back.

She tasted sweet, a mix of warmth and something purely Beth.

I deepened the kiss, testing, learning the feel of her lips, savoring the soft moans she made as I slid my fingers along her arms then moved my hands to her breasts.

I cupped them. Her breath caught, her hands sliding up.

She eased her fingers through my hair, holding tight.

That undid me. Every beat of my heart belonged to this woman.

The softness of her lips and the warmth of her touch filled every crevice of my being.

I was falling deep, and there was no end in sight.

Heat tore through my veins, and I stroked my thumbs across the ripe buds forming on her chest.

Was this too much or not enough for her?

Moaning, she pressed against me, molded herself to me, her body soft where mine was hard. She clung to my hair as if she never wanted to let go. The softest sound escaped her throat, something between a sigh and a plea.

I pulled back enough to look at her face, enough to catch the dazed way she gazed up at me.

“Beth,” I rasped.

Her lashes fluttered. “Hmm?”

“If I stay—” I said, my voice rough.

She pressed a finger to my lips. “I want you to stay.” Her words cut through what little resistance remained inside me. But she hesitated, her eyes darting away before meeting mine again. “You need to know something, though.”

The vulnerability in her eyes ripped through my heart. I would do anything to protect her, to make her feel safe. She was the sun in my dark world, and I couldn't let her think otherwise. What did she need to tell me?

“I want this, but I don’t exactly know what I’m doing.” Her shrug came out rueful.

Oh. I hadn't thought she'd say that . Everything inside me froze. Beth was inexperienced.

Her teeth caught her lower lip. “I mean, I know things, obviously. I’ve just never?—”

A sharp ache twisted through me. She was untouched, and here she was, offering herself to me ? A sometimes-grumpy, stoic, lonely orc who had nothing eloquent to say, nothing pretty to offer a precious woman like her.

“It doesn’t scare me,” she said. “But if it scares you?—”

I cupped her cheek, tilting her face up, forcing her to see what burned inside me. “You should always be treasured. Not rushed. Not taken for granted.”

Trust shone in her gaze.

Every fiber of my being ached for her. The look in her eyes was more than I deserved, but it was everything I needed. I wanted to cherish her, to show her what it meant to be loved, truly and deeply .

She brought my hand to her chest and pressed it over her heart. Her pulse pounded.

“Feel that?” she said. “I’m not afraid of you, Ruugar. You should stop being afraid of yourself.”

The truth in those words wrecked me.

Arms locking around her, I crushed her to my chest, absorbing all that she was, all that she was giving me. She leaned into me, fitting her body against mine like she was always meant to be there.

The waterfall roared, the wind stirred the grass, and the stars whispered their quiet secrets.

But none of it mattered. Beth wanted me.

She ran her fingertips along the line of my jaw. My heart pounded so hard it shook me. I couldn't look away from her. Didn't want to.

“You're trembling,” she said.

“Because of you.” My voice came out hoarse, barely more than a growl. “You do this to me, Beth.”

A soft smile curved her lips. She reached for the hem of her shirt, pausing to meet my gaze before she lifted it. I swallowed hard, my mouth going dry as she revealed herself bit by bit. When she dropped the shirt and her undergarment followed, I couldn't breathe.

Her breasts were perfect, round and soft appearing, tipped with pink nipples that made my mouth water.

I'd never seen anything like them before.

Never imagined someone so beautiful could want me.

She must have seen the awe in my eyes because her cheeks went pink, and her hands rose to cover herself. I caught them, pulling them away .

“Don't hide,” I rasped. “Please.”

Beth bit her lip, then nodded. She took my hands, guiding them to her breasts. Her skin was warm. I cupped her gently, brushing my fingers over her nipples. A sharp gasp escaped her.

“Like this.” She rolled her nipples between her fingers. Pleasure rippled across her face, and I thought I might explode in my pants right there. My cock was on fire for this woman alone.

Seeing her touch herself, showing me how to give her pleasure was almost too much. And not enough. I needed more. Needed her.

I replaced her hands with my own, rolling them like she did while she tipped her head back and sighed.

Her eyes met mine. The desire there nearly undid me. “Your turn.” She tugged at my tunic.

I ripped it off, not caring if it tore. Her gaze roamed over my chest, my arms, and I flexed under her scrutiny. When her finger trailed down, tracing the fastenings of my pants, I groaned. My cock throbbed, straining toward her touch.

Beth stood, shimmying out of her pants and undergarment. She stood there, bathed in moonlight, naked and perfect. I drank her in, every curve, every line.

Her skin glistened like freshly fallen snow, and I ached to trace patterns across her flesh, to claim her in every way I could.

The curve of her waist begged for my touch, the flare of her hips cried out to be gripped.

I let my gaze wander, committing every detail to memory, the way the moonlight cast shadows on the dip of her collarbone, the gentle swell of her belly.

I wanted to worship her, to pay homage to each freckle, each scar, each perfect imperfection that made her Beth.

“You're beautiful,” I breathed. “Like the first sunrise after a long night. Like the stars reflecting on still water.”

She smiled, laying down on the grass. “Come here, Ruugar.” She held out her hand.

I took it, kneeling beside her. “Can I touch you?” I asked, my voice rough. “Everywhere?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “I want you to.”

My heart swelled with a love so profound, it hurt. I wanted to explore every bit of her, not just for my pleasure, but to show her how precious she was to me. Each touch was a promise, a vow that I would never let her down.

I started at her breasts, mimicking how she'd touched herself again. Each brush of my fingers over her nipples made her moan, made her arch into me. I leaned down, capturing one peak with my mouth, swirling my tongue around the bud. Beth whimpered, her hands sliding into my hair.

Every sound she made, every shudder of her body under my touch, was a gift. I wanted to savor each moment, to imprint her pleasure on my soul. This wasn’t just about desire; it was about love, about making her feel cherished.

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 wanted me .

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 time perfect.

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 my mind. 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.”