Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Leah couldn’t remember actually chewing her food or how it disappeared from her plate. She could only assume she’d been so ravenous that she’d eaten every bite from muscle memory.

The entire time, she’d repeatedly visualized Elias feeding her like he’d threatened. Would he really do that? Feed her? She didn’t want to admit it, but a part of her wanted to hand him the fork and let him do as he’d suggested.

He kept insisting she would come around and find comfort in the ways of his people, and she kept thinking he was losing his marbles, but aspects of the life he was pressuring her to live were tempting her. It was unnerving. Why would she want him to feed her? It made no sense.

All she could think was that like he’d said, she felt drawn to submit to him. She wanted to please him. She wanted to see him smile. If it made him smile to feed her, then she would be all in because her body grew warm when he smiled his approval.

When they were finished, Elias left her buckled in the highchair while he cleaned the kitchen. As soon as the last dish was in the dishwasher and the last pot washed and put away, he returned to her with a wet cloth, which he used to wipe her lips and then clean her hands.

“Daddy…” she argued, turning the word into far more than two syllables. Now that she’d called him that several times, it was getting easier, sounding more authentic.

Elias removed the tray, and then his hands came to the buckle at her waist. “As pretty as this dress is, it’s time to get you out of it.”

She pursed her lips. She wouldn’t argue with him because even though she was scared out of her mind about what might happen next between them, she wanted this dress off, too.

Leah had worn dresses in this same style all her life, but suddenly, today, she felt like she was choking on the high neckline.

She giggled when he lifted her up and pressed her against his chest so they were face to face. Her legs dangled. He was so tall that her feet were nowhere near the floor.

He chuckled, too. “I would love for you to be able to wrap your legs around me, but this long dress and layers of material are in the way. I’m never putting something this constrictive on you again.”

She bit her lip. He’d mentioned his aversion to such modest clothing twice now. Apparently he meant it. The thought of her arms and legs bare was intriguing. She’d always hated the restrictive dresses that made it difficult to move around her canvases. She’d often splattered paint on her skirts or dipped her sleeves in it. What would it be like to work on her passion without all the cumbersome layers?

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her from the kitchen, but when she gave him a squeeze, they both froze.

Elias stopped moving. His breath hitched.

Leah’s eyes went wide as she stared into his. The sleeve on her right wrist had gotten shoved up a few inches, exposing her mark, which now pressed against her Daddy’s neck.

He started breathing heavier and held her tighter.

A fluttering sensation consumed her, making her heart race. Her breasts ached where they pressed against his chest. “Daddy…” Her voice was breathy.

Elias finally continued forward but at a faster clip. He didn’t stop until he reached his bed, where he lowered her onto her back and cupped her face. “I’m going to kiss you, Leah. It’s going to change everything.”

Her wrist was still touching his neck. She couldn’t seem to break the contact, or she didn’t want to. It scared the daylight out of her, all these feelings and emotions, but she was curious, and part of her wanted more.

She wanted to know…everything. “Kiss me.”

He dropped his lips to hers, starting slow, nibbling along her mouth and down to her neck and over behind her ear.

She was panting by the time he kissed a path back to her lips, and then he made good on what he’d said. Everything changed.

Elias angled his head to one side, licked the seam along her lips, and dipped his tongue into her mouth.

She hesitated only a moment before joining him in the exploration, letting her tongue dance with his as they tasted each other for the first time. Her body heated, and she moaned when he gently sucked her tongue, tugging on it just enough to make her eyes pop wide.

Suddenly he released her lips, leaving her panting and desperate. She whimpered. “Daddy…”

“Let go of Daddy’s neck, Baby girl,” he encouraged.

She didn’t want to, but she did as he told her.

In a flash, he flipped her over so she was on her stomach. It scared her, but at the same time, she was exhilarated. She only knew the basics about what to expect from the claiming. Her mother had never mentioned a word about being on her stomach.

Elias leaned over her and kissed her neck. “Relax, Little one. I’m just going to unbutton your dress.”

“Oh.” She took a deep breath as reason filtered in. Right. The buttons.

His fingers came to the buttons that started high on her neck, and he quickly worked his way downward. There were two dozen. She knew because she’d stood counting them this morning when her mother and sister had secured her into this ceremonial gown.

Urgency made her fidget. It was taking him too long to get the stupid dress off her. She wanted it gone. She wanted his clothes gone, too. She wanted to see his chest. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to press her mark against him again so she could experience that zing.

“Who thought these ridiculous buttons were a good idea?” Elias grumbled, chuckling.

“A sadist apparently,” she murmured.

He laughed again. “What do you know about sadism, Little firecracker?”

She shrugged. “I read books.”

Another chuckle rumbled through him as he got closer to her lower back. “There’s a disconnect between the mating habits of citizens in the valley and my people.” He bent and kissed her neck again before whispering, “I think it’s intentional. Your friends and family have no idea what kind of bond you and I will experience for the rest of our lives.”

She couldn’t breathe. His words and the way he breathed against her neck made the tingling pick up again.

He slid his hand under the open dress against the small of her back, but he wasn’t touching her skin because of the three layers of shifts. Suddenly she thought perhaps the most barbaric part of this entire show was actually this dress.

Elias slid off the end of the bed and then dragged her to the edge, lifted her, and set her on her feet in front of him. He held her gaze as he tugged the sleeves of her dress down so that the dress fell over her shoulders and eventually slid to the floor.

She stood before him in thin shifts. Her arms were bare now, exposing her mark.

Elias tipped her head back with one finger to look into her eyes. He was so much taller than her. His other hand rubbed her bicep. “Do you want me to hang the dress carefully in the closet so it doesn’t get stepped on?”

She shook her head. “I think you should kick it under the bed and maybe use it as a dust rag later.”

He chuckled. She loved it when he chuckled. His entire body shook. “I thought you were no longer bucking tradition.”

She shrugged playfully. “I’ll admit the fated connection is impossible to deny, but the ceremonial clothing is overkill. Take off your shirt.”

He chuckled harder as he stepped back and went to work on the buttons down the front of his shirt. He stared at her face the entire time. “Such a bossy Little firecracker.”

She ignored his teasing and watched as he finally unveiled his rock-hard chest. She licked her lips. Every bit of him appealed to her, which was probably just as fated as everything else she’d experienced today. Of course he appealed to her. He could have three eyeballs, no legs or arms, and a giant scar down his middle, and she would still think he was the sexiest man alive.

None of those things were true, though. He was perfection.

He kicked off his shoes next before kneeling before her and removing her sandals. “Such dainty, cute feet my mate has.”

She shivered as he helped her step out of the pool of her dress so he could toss it and her sandals to the side, and then his hands came to her ankles.

Leah grabbed his shoulders, holding on tight as she swayed. His touch… He looked up at her as he slid his hands up higher until he gripped the back of her knees.

“So soft…” he muttered. He stroked the edges of her knees with his thumbs.

Her legs nearly buckled, especially when he slowly rose, pushing her shifts up with his movements.

She was panting when his palms eased past her thighs to cup her bottom, and she held her breath as he rose to his full height, gathering the layers of thin material in his hands.

“I’m going to take this off you now, Baby girl.”

She gave a nod. She was nervous, but she could be brave. Of course he would see her naked eventually. She’d imagined it happening sooner than this if she was honest with herself.

If anyone had asked her what her expectations had been this morning before she’d left the house, she would have painted a very different picture. She’d envisioned a stern man who said very little and claimed her body with far less care and consideration than what she was experiencing.

She’d thought he would lift her skirts and take her virginity without much thought. Elias was nothing like that. And the bond between them was nothing like she’d expected.

Suddenly the layers of cotton that seemed to represent her past were whisked away, leaving her in nothing but white panties. She shuddered as he dropped the material on the floor. She would never again get up in the morning and cover herself from head to toe in the modest layers that would shield her body from everyone she encountered.

Elias swallowed as he stared at her before lifting both hands to stroke gently up her arms. “Heavens…”

Did he like what he was looking at? She couldn’t be sure her mother had been right when she’d told her she had a nice body. Maybe it didn’t matter because Elias was wired to find her attractive no matter what.

If the intensity in his gaze was anything to go by, he was beyond pleased. He licked his lips. “I want to touch you, Leah.” His voice was gravelly, intense. “I want to spread you out on the bed and taste every inch of you. Will you let me?”

She sucked in a breath. Did she have a choice? She didn’t. Not really. Neither of them did, but she liked that he was being considerate.

Taste her? What did that mean? He was going to kiss her again? Kiss other parts of her body? She wanted that, whatever it would look like. “Please,” she whispered.

Elias squatted in front of her again and tucked his fingers into her panties. “I need to see all of you, Little one.” He lowered them down her legs until they hit the floor. After a long heartbeat, he grabbed the backs of her thighs and tugged her forward so that his nose landed on her private parts.

She squealed at the sudden movement.

Elias inhaled slowly and deeply. “Leah…” He rose, lifted her up, and deposited her on the bed. His hands went to the button on his dress pants. “Bend your knees, Baby girl, and spread your legs open for me. I want to see all of you.”

She whimpered. She felt so exposed. She’d never even had an arm or ankle exposed to a man before. Now she was naked, and her mate looked like he was going to devour her. His nostrils even flared.

She stared as he lowered his pants to the floor and removed his socks, leaving him in only tight boxer briefs. His shaft pressed against the front, making itself known. It was huge and looked rigid. The thought of spreading her legs so he could thrust that into her scared the dickens out of her.

He set a knee on the bed and climbed up. His hands came to her shins. “I won’t take my cock out yet, Baby girl. Open your legs for me.”

She had bent her knees, but she was now squeezing her thighs tightly, pulling them up toward her chest. Their combined scents filled the room. Wetness leaked from her, embarrassing her. She could smell herself. She could also smell her mate’s growing need.

Elias inched closer on his knees. He eased his hands to her thighs. “You won’t hide your body from me, Little one. I know you’re confused and scared, but I will take care of you. I promise.”

“Are you going to enter me now?”

He smiled. “Only with my tongue.”

She gasped. “With your tongue?” Oh, did he mean her mouth? He was going to kiss her again?

“Yes, Little one. I’m going to lie between your legs, lick your slit, and eat your pretty pussy. You’re going to love it.”

She shook her head. His plan sounded ludicrous. “Maybe we could just get under the covers, and you could do your thing.”

He chuckled. “No covers. I’m going to see every bit of you while I make you writhe, Leah.”

She stared at him wide-eyed as he guided her knees apart.

Holy Heavens. This was happening.