When I didn’t say anything, he crossed the room and stood in front of me. He was a bit taller than me and his horns, though short, made him seem even taller. He pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead.
“Look, I’m not going to do anything to you that you don’t want me to. So, yeah. Safeword. If this is too much just say so. It’s not fun, if you’re not into it.”
“What’s your plan once you have me on the table?” I swallowed hard.
Standing this close to Wess sent a wave of anticipation down my body. My knees shook a little bit. I put my hands on his shoulders to hide it and to his credit he didn’t glance down or call me out. His scent plunged into my lungs with each and every breath. It was a shame that the massage table wasn’t strong enough to hold two people. The sofa was. The chair was. The kitchen table and--- My train of thought didn’t merely derail, it crashed and burnt to cinders when his lips brushed against mine. I slid my hands from his shoulders to behind his neck as my lips opened under his. His tongue snaked into my mouth exploring the space and rubbing over mine. His hands slid up and down my sides and hips before sliding around to hold onto my ass. Using the leverage, he pulled me into him against his well-muscled body. My knees shook as everything inside me called out to give into him – to let him take over and claim me. Whatever changed – changed. Nothing stayed the same forever. Now Baby Andy would have a healthy alpha role model around the house and maybe fighting a polar bear who could freeze herinto an ice statue would deter Sharon Claudis from showing her smug, baby-sacrificing face around here.
Wess leaned back out of the kiss, flashing me a knowing look. How was he doing that? He wasn’t inside my head yet. We hadn’t exchanged our claiming vows.
“You’re not relaxing. No, thinking about Sharon Claudis. In fact, I think she should be the safe word. You utter Sharon or go all rigid, ready to fight like you did just now and that’s the safe word.”
“Uh… Thinking it is the safe word?” I teased, trying to cut the tension.
“For me, yeah. You can’t relax while thinking about her. Now, strip.”
“Take off your cotton fur!”my bear growled into my thoughts.
This time I did take off my clothes but I took my time because I didn’t want to seem too eager to follow his instructions. I had to put up some resistance, right? I just met the guy.
“Nope. We met him like forever ago in the Other World. It’s not my fault you two don’t remember that,”my bear grumbled as I took my sweet time folding up my t-shirt and then undoing my belt.
Wess added it to the pile as soon as I laid it down on the sofa. He was really going to strap me to the massage table. Anyone else I’d have sent walking while I laughed my ass off. Sure, it was one thing for guy to hold me down during fun but that was all a perception. I’d bite a face off if I wanted things to stop and theydidn’t. This was different. Sure, I could shift and break the table and the belts but it was a nice table. Still, off came my pants and I was happy I wore my blue jingle bell boxer shorts. They were new and cute.
“As cute as they are,” he pointed to the floor and I blushed.
Still, I took my time folding up my jeans and laying them on the sofa with my shirt. If I was testing Wess’s patience, he didn’t show it. He watched patiently, his icy eyes raking up and down my body. I ran my hands over my stomach out of habit. I’d mostly bounced back since Baby Andy was born but I could tell where all the tiny differences in my body were. Could he? He didn’t look like he cared if he did.
“If anyone has a problem with post-birth bodies, they shouldn’t sire babies or date omegas. They should stick to taking it from alphas,”my bear said and I bit back a chuckle.
“That’s better,” Wess said. “I seen that grin.”
“My bear’s funny,” I shrugged and, caught up in the moment, found the courage to finish undressing.
Wess closed the space between us again and I expected another kiss. Instead of my lips that kiss landed on my forehead and he lifted me up and sat me down on the massage table. A squeak escaped me. Not many people carried bear shifters around – not even omega bear shifters.
Once I was seated naked and comfy on the massage table, Wess kissed me. Our tongues met between our hungry mouths, and he trailed his soft fingers over my belly and chest, playing with the light, curly hair that grew there.
“Do I need to turn the heat up for you?” he whispered when the kiss broke.
“No,” I shook my head. “I might not be as tolerant of the cold as you, but I do have some cold tolerance.”
“Let me know if you get too cold or too hot,” he said and waited for me to nod my understanding before kissing me again. We kissed for a long time, exploring each other’s mouths while the tension snuck out of my shoulders. He caressed my arms and thighs, touching me everywhere but the center of my body.
“Stretch out and get comfy for me,” he said. “Face in the face place.”
“Face cradle,” I said. “That’s what it’s actually called.”
“Then cradle your face for me, love,” he grinned.
I stretched out on my belly and my back cracked as if some of the tension that glued my joints into place had actually ran away from my new mate. I slid my face into the cradle, thinking about how many times I wished I could’ve laid on my belly while pregnant. Carrying a cub kept you more or less trapped on your side any time you laid down once you started to bump out.
I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands because having my arms strapped to my sides read more straight jacket than sexy. Though, Wess didn’t go straight for the belts. He ran his big, surprisingly warm hands up and down my back before rubbing in circles as if he was attempting to coax the blood to the surface of my skin. His hands sunk lower. His fingertips brushed against the top of my ass. I relaxed into the table, staring down at the clean carpet with fresh vacuum lines that I didn’t have to put there.
“Stay here,” he said and disappeared again.
It was strange laying naked and alone while face down on a massage table. I wiggled my toes and stretched my legs, wondering what he was up to now. He was rummaging around in the kitchen and was either coming back with a wooden spoon or a snack. I hoped it was a snack for everyone’s sake. A moment later, he came back with a bowl of chips that he sat just in arm’s reach. Maybe food was his kink.
“In case you need a snack,” Wess said and went back to rubbing my back.
