She nodded and drank while I found a perfectly ripe alnup and used my thumb claw to split the hard shell. My clawless pinky caught my attention and satisfaction filled my chest as I remembered the tight warmth of my mate’s channel and the way she clasped me as she rode out her pleasure. I pried out a piece of the fruit’s flesh and pressed it against my mate’s lips as I envisioned all the ways our bodies would join very soon.
As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, my Emily’s breath hitched as she parted her lips and allowed me to deposit the morsel on her tongue. She stayed frozen a moment after my hand dropped, her eyes heavy with emotion, before she seemedto come back to herself and close her mouth. I saw the moment she bit down, and the juice of the alnup burst over her tongue. Her eyes widened and she let out a sound that went straight to my already attentive cock.
“Ohmygoshthatssogood, Kex,” she said, and picked up one of the unopened alnup to examine it closer.
“Yes?” I asked her.
“Yes,” she said. “Good.”
“Good,” I repeated, and fed her another bite.
“So good,” she said between bites.
Once the first alnup was gone, I split another and showed her how to carefully pry the meat out of the surrounding membrane. She set to work, separating each piece on a leaf while I worked on weaving a simple net to carry our harvest. I pointed at the fruit she’d prepared, then pointed at her. “Emilyeatalnup,” I said, pretty sure I’d said her word right, but she shook her head.
“No, Kexeatalll—uhwhateveryousaid,” she said, then handed me another fruit to split the shell. I smiled and took a piece of her offering, enjoying the rich fruit, and sending thanks to Monai that alnup ripened so early in the season so I could easily provide for my mate.
Once we were sufficiently fed, I filled my net with the remaining fruit and affixed it to my belt before rising and offering my hand to my Emily. She took it with a sweet smile and I pulled her up, hard enough she stumbled into my chest and I had to hold her tight against me for a moment so she did not fall. Her small, warm hand ran down my chest as her heated gaze traveled to my lips.
I ran my knuckle across her jaw and down her neck. “Soon, my mate. But we have farther yet to go before we can stop for the night. Then we can explore each other until our other hungers are satisfied.”
I let my hand drop and turned back to the forest, guiding my Emily down a game trail. Behind me, she huffed and grumbled something under her breath before following. As we walked, I pointed out flowers I thought she might appreciate, and the occasional bird that stayed long enough nearby to be observed. I spoke their names, and my Emily tried to repeat them, but her pronunciation was atrocious, and she frowned adorably when I laughed. When a large ninx crossed our path, my spear flew true, and my Emily gasped as our dinner collapsed in the leaves. Grinning, I showed her the catch and attached it to my belt. At the next stream, I took the time to clean my kill while my Emily made cute, disgruntled noises nearby, trying not to look. I didn’t mind if she was squeamish, my hands had enough blood on them and I could do all the dirty work for the rest of our lives. After we were settled, I’d bring her every meal cooked and ready for her consumption. Regardless of the decision I made and the path my future took, I would ensure my Emily would be content by my side.
Once my kill was cleaned, I reattached it to my belt, and after scrubbing my claws in the stream with my diminished soap, reached my hand down to help my Emily to her feet. She grumbled as she rose, hiding a small wince. I knew she was likely in pain from her trials before she reached me, but I didn’t want to delay if it wasn’t necessary. I knelt before my mate and prodded the healing paste I’d packed into her ranook bite. The skin was pink and a little puffy, but didn’t look infected. It was yet another reason to press on. I could get her real healing when we reached the village. Decided, I rose and gestured onward. “Yes?” I asked.
My mate sighed, her shoulders drooping. “Yes,” she said, and we continued onward.
She grumbled a short time later, and I glanced around. This wasn’t the best place for a camp, but I could carry her untilwe reached a more suitable spot. I quite enjoyed having her legs wrapped around me the day before. When I turned back to suggest the arrangement, a strange expression sat on her face. I approached her and placed my hands on her shoulders.
“My mate, I wish you could tell me your thoughts,” I said.
In reply, my Emily reached up and laced her hands around the back of my neck. Did she wish to be carried on my front? I could happily make that work.
“Kex, doyouknowhowtokiss?” she said and applied pressure to my neck.
I let myself be pulled until I was bent before her, our faces level. One of her hands slid from behind my neck and cupped my face as she leaned closer, as if to whisper something to me, but then her soft lips pressed against mine and my mind went blank. Her pillowlike lips gently caressed mine as she placed small pecks across my mouth. Then she licked me. I gasped and her little hot tongue licked between my lips, and all at once, my brain started up again.
This was not what I’d expected. She was tired and sore. I should carry her the rest of the way so she could rest. Yes, that was it. I would pull away and help her onto my back.
The scent of her arousal bloomed in the air, and my rational thought faded. My hand dug into her hair as the other cupped her luscious ass and pulled her tighter against me. Her tongue licked me again, and I sucked it into my mouth, letting my tongue dance against hers as we moaned in unison. Going on the offensive, I probed her mouth, licking her blunt little teeth, the top of her mouth, every inch of her I could reach as I savored her flavor and the feel of her body against mine. I pressed my cock against her, desperate for her heat. Eventually I slowed, caressing her tongue with mine as our ragged breaths mingled. Emily slowly withdrew, a small laugh escaping.
“Wow.Thatwasgood,” she breathed.
“Good?” I asked, recognizing her word, and she nodded.
Grinning, I straightened and took a small step back. A ripping sound came from below, and I glanced down as my cock burst free from my loincloth, feeling left out of the excitement. My Emily gasped and stepped back from my swinging cock, her hand flew up to cover her mouth as her wide eyes followed the motion.
I took another step back, not wanting to frighten her. My cock was my own problem, and I didn’t want her to feel pressured to go further than she wished. Sighing, I pointed down at my cock. “No,” I said firmly, and glanced up at my Emily.
Her hand slowly dropped as she met my eyes, hers dancing with mirth. She looked back down at my cock and pointed at it. “Yes,” she said in a similarly firm voice.
My heart stopped. That word meant what I thought it did, didn’t it? “My mate?” I asked, not sure how to proceed.
My Emily took a step toward me. “Yes,” she said again, and her hand closed firmly around my cock. I closed my eyes and held my breath, willing myself not to immediately climax. This was more than I could have hoped for, but this was not the place. The path here was rocky and filled with vines hiding small thorns. When I took my mate for the first time, she wouldn’t have brambles marring her lovely skin.
I stepped away from her, my cock sliding out of her grip and she whined. I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers again, needing another taste of her, but stepped back before I was tempted to grab her. I wouldn’t fuck her against a tree. My mate deserved better than that. I pulled off the remainder of my loincloth and quickly rearranged my equipment. Crouching before my mate, I presented her with my back. “Come, my mate. Let me carry you.” I reached back for her, and understanding, she climbed on. I stood, adjusting her position so that I had a good grip on her thighs, and took off.
nine
