8. Chapter 8

T he times I had played with this body had left me satisfied for a while, but waking in Cory’s arms, smelling him, smelling me, it had my body aching anew all over again. I pushed myself against him, rutting my hard length into his side. The need to be close to him was as overwhelming as it was thrilling. I needed him. Needed . My life depended on it.

Cory stretched and squeezed me to him as a sleepy laugh sounded. “I guess you’re awake, then, huh?”

“Yes. Everything is awake. You make every cell in my body spark to life.”

He faced me and the most beautiful smile stretched on his lips. Seeing his scruffy blond hair on his face, my hand went to my own cheek, which had been rubbed raw by him before we slept. The scratching sensation was exhilarating. Nearly as much as his tongue in my mouth or his hand on my dick. Deciding I needed to feel it again, I pushed up on my elbows and leaned over him. His lips parted with anticipation, but instead of kissing them, I rubbed my cheek against his, loving the sound and feel of it.

He chuckled. “What are you doing?”

I did it again. “Your facial hair is exciting. I like it scratching my skin.”

“You know…it might feel good on other areas of your body, too.”

I wasn’t sure specifically what areas he meant, but I was very open to discovering them. Not this time, though. As much as I needed to get off— as Cory had called it — I wanted to know what he would look and sound like if I brought him to completion.

“Not right now. I’d like to explore you this time.” I kissed his nose as he did to me earlier. I’d found it a rather sweet action, less intense than kissing on the mouth, but it made me happy all the same.

“I don’t expect you to, Nemo. I don’t want you to feel obligated.”

I shook my head. “Oh, no, Cory. There is no obligation. I have been wanting to touch you since you first let me feel your hand on the beach. This is not something I feel I have to do, but have been hungry to do so.”

“Then who am I to stop you from satisfying your hunger?” Cory shrugged and folded his arms behind his head, giving me access to his entire body. A body that intrigued me. He had hair on his chest, and enticing bushels under his arms, revealed like little treasures hidden in the reef. I liked his hair, it was so different from my own body. It excited my senses, and I longed to feel it with my cirri. Would he like that? He’d been wonderful about everything so far, but would he really be accepting of that part of me?

I braced myself above him. “Can I…try something?”

“Sure, little one. Whatever you want.”

“I’d like to feel you with my tentacles.”

His eyes rounded for a moment and a splash of pink colored his tan skin. He cleared his throat and nodded once. “With your cirri, you mean?”

“Yes, my cirri. I thought tentacles might be a more familiar term for you in this situation.”

He snorted with amusement. “Nothing about this situation and tentacles are familiar, but I’d like to know you in whatever way you want to share with me, cirri and all.”

An excited thrum rushed through me, and I bent over him and kissed his lips. While the kiss deepened, I called to the part of me that was hidden away, releasing a few of my cirri, but holding back from letting them all out. I didn’t want to overwhelm him. My cirri did as they always do, flicking and switching around, sensing my environment, sending messages through the vibrations and surfaces that they encountered .

I didn’t have control over every movement from them, but with how intent I was to learn Cory’s body, they seemed to be on the same page. A few thin cirri slid over his chest, the hairs exciting the nerves. It was strange feeling him with my hands, and having a cirrus–drawn map in my mind of the geography of his body, like getting a tactile and visual description all at once.

Cory flinched when one first crossed his nipple. I stopped kissing to lean back and watch his face. “Is it okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Tickles a little. I want to see.”

I was elated it hadn’t frightened him, even more so that he wanted to see this part of me. I moved off him and he sat up, leaning against the wall. Sitting on my knees beside him, I touched his chest with my hand and waited to be sure he was ready. He inhaled deeply and indicated with his head for me to continue.

With my hand in place, I released a few of my cirri. He gasped at the sight of the thin tendrils that snaked out of my skin. Cory grabbed my hand and squeezed it, trying to keep from panicking as the cirri flicked over his skin.

“Holy shit! Those are real. This is really happening.”

“This is real, but I can stop if you don’t like it.” I didn’t want to, but I wanted him to have the same offer he’d given me, and for him to feel safe with me.

“I’m okay. Don’t stop. It’s just…shit, it’s real. ”

Despite his words, I saw his erect dick buck, making me smile. Clearly, it didn’t bother him, perhaps even excited him. My cirri were spurred on by the thought, and a couple of them played over his nipple. When he gasped and his hips lifted from the bed, they seemed to respond to that as well.

I could produce a type of secretion in several of my cirri which allowed me to grip things in the water. Loving how he reacted to his nipple being touched, I encouraged the production of the tacky substance, and when one of the cirri latched onto his nipple, holding tight to it, he moaned loudly.

“Oh, fuck!” He watched in fascination as it worked along the peaked point, sucking and gripping it. At the same time, I noticed a pearl of liquid at the tip of his cock head. My cirri were enjoying all the rumbling sensations, but I was itching to touch the rest of him with my human hands.

As another cirrus worked his other nipple, I reached down and gripped around his cock. My fingers were much smaller than his, the fingertips barely touching around his girth. The velvety skin was so different from his hairy body, but it felt incredible. I squeezed and stroked my hand up.

“Okay?” I asked before I got lost in the action.

“Yes, shit! Keep going!”

The pleasure my cirri wrung from his nipples hummed in my mind, making my own cock ache as if it were happening to me. I continued to stroke him, watching as he surrendered to my cirri and my hand. To both parts of me. It was vulnerable to be exposed in this way; however Cory not only enjoying it but accepting all of me made my heart bounce as much as my dick. I kept going, stroking him, teasing him, loving the way he grunted and groaned, and an occasional curse would sneak out of him.

When he had done it to me, it had been all kissing and slow, showing me every careful touch, treasuring me in a way that made me feel precious and beautiful. Seeing him like this was so astounding. I had a lot to learn about human intimacy, but right at that moment, I felt like I had something to share, too. I was desperate to kiss him, to swallow his sounds as he had mine, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. Watching my cirri on his skin and my hand slide along his cock were the most amazing things I’d ever beheld.

“Oh, God. I’m so close, Nemo.” Cory squeezed my knee and arched his back.

My cirri tightened their grip on his nipples and I pumped faster until I could feel the tension in him burst and warm streams shot out of him. It was a magnificent sight, one that made me feel stronger than I ever had, to cause such a reaction in a man twice my size.

The scent of him hit my nose, and practically had me salivating, wishing I could taste him. Instead, my cirri released from his nipples, which were red and swollen, and they slid through his release, giving me a subtle preview of what it would taste like on my tongue.

“Holy fuck!” Cory’s head fell back against the wall with a thud.

His exclamation made me even more proud. I leaned forward and kissed him. “Was that okay?”

Cory brushed his knuckles against my cheek. “That was more than okay. It was surprising and hot as hell, unlike anything I've experienced before. Your cirri…shit, Nemo, I didn't expect that. How…uh, how many of them do you have?”

His curious tone made me laugh. “I have ninety.”

“Dude! Seriously?”

A grin stretched across my face. “Yes. We have a lot more than any other cephalopod. They are thinner and have grooves and ridges instead of suckers like octopi or squid. Different cirri do different things. In my shelled form, some are for eating and some are for procreation, but most work together as feelers, sending messages to my brain when my vision is low underwater.”

“That's…a lot.” I dipped my head in confirmation. “So you can control what each one is doing?”

“Not entirely. They function based on instinct, but can be guided by my thoughts. I can call them out whenever I want, but what they do when they are out isn't always controlled.”

“Incredible,” he said with awe.

“So you liked them?”

“Yes, Nemo, I did.”

I leaned in close and echoed what he’d said earlier, “You know, they might feel good in other areas, too.”

“Fucking hell,” Cory hissed, and his hand went over his nipple. His blue eyes darkened, making me think the idea excited him. “We should probably clean up. As amazing as this was, I really hadn't intended to end up in bed right away. If we don't get up now, I'm not going to want to, and I don’t want it to seem like this is just about sex.”

“It’s about the build-up, too, right?” I supplied, remembering what he’d said earlier about it being more than relieving tension.

He chuckled. “I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”

Cory got out of bed and motioned for me to follow. He led me to a small room and explained the functions of the sink, toilet, and bathtub, which also doubled as a shower. When he turned the shower on, I watched the personal rainstorm with fascination. I’d heard about indoor water, but seeing it for the first time was remarkable. Humans were responsible for great destruction and pollution, but perhaps some of their technology wasn’t all bad.

I reached out, putting my hand under the water, but when I felt it, I yanked my hand back in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Cory asked.

“It’s hot. ”

He pursed his lips, and his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Yes. It can be hot or cold or anywhere in between. Is it too hot?”

Knowing what to expect this time, I slowly put my hand under the stream again. “I’m not sure. I’m used to cold water—the colder the better—but that’s usually in my hybrid or shelled forms, not like this.”

Cory stepped into the tub and the water flowed over his skin. “We can turn it down if you need to, but you’re welcome to join me and see if you like it.”

He looked beautiful wet, his blond hair slicked back, the hair on his chest matted down—lovely. I followed the rivulets of water as they slid down his body, looking delicious. My eyes lingered on his cock, which thickened under my attention.

“I thought we weren’t going to have sex again.”

“We’re not. Not yet, but I can’t help the reaction I have with you staring at me like that.”

“Hmm. I like knowing that I excite you, Cory.” With a simple look, I was able to get him hard again. It was a powerful feeling.

“You definitely do.” He met my gaze, and we shared a smile. Cory held out a hand to me and I took it, stepping carefully into the tub with him. I flinched when the water first hit my chest, prepared to hate it, but I didn’t. In my human form, with different senses, it felt rather nice, actually .

I stepped closer until I was chest-to-chest with Cory. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss before turning us, so I was more fully under the water. A sigh released from me when it covered my head, making me feel warm all over. It was strange but surprisingly relaxing.

Cory grabbed a bottle off a shelf and poured some of its contents into his hand. “Can I wash your hair?”

“Yes.” The answer was automatic, even though it wasn’t something I’d ever done. I didn’t know what to expect or what was needed, but I would let Cory do anything he wanted to me. Washing wasn’t something I’d had to worry about; I simply shifted into my nautilus form and the ocean took care of the rest.

Cory turned me again, so my back was to him, but he pulled me out of the water enough so it wasn’t splashing in my face. He took some of the liquid in his hands and began smoothing it through my hair. He worked his fingers in the strands and rubbed until the liquid turned to foam, massaging my scalp, and it felt… absolutely wonderful. I leaned back against his chest and closed my eyes, lost in his touch. It wasn’t erotic. It didn’t make me feel needy or like I was about to explode as his touching had earlier. Instead, it made me feel cared for. My mate took such sweet care of me. It was a feeling I’d been seeking my entire life. I sighed softly.

“Feel nice? ”

“Mmm.” It was all I could say as I felt my body melt against his.

“Can I wash the rest of you, too?” Cory whispered in my ear.

“That sounds nice,” I replied dreamily.

Before I knew it, Cory’s hands roamed over my entire body. Yes, my dick was hard, but it wasn’t my focus, surprisingly. It was the soapy touch, the way it made me feel valued. After he was done, Cory helped me rinse the shampoo out of my hair and I watched as the bubbles slid off my body and down the drain. When he was done, I leaned against his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist.

“I think I like showers.”

Cory huffed a light laugh and kissed the top of my wet head. “I do, too. Especially with you. You are so beautiful, Nemo.”

I smiled against his chest, feeling happier than I ever imagined. Knowing how good it felt, I wanted to do the same for Cory. “Can I wash you now?”

“Sure thing, little one. But first…” He tilted my chin up and caught my lips in a kiss. It wasn’t hungry or devouring as some of our kisses had been. It was light and sweet, just as the rest of this moment had been.

I tried to do everything he’d done, though Cory was much taller than me, so he had to lean down so I could wash his hair. I wasn’t as smooth at washing the rest of him, but he didn’t seem to mind, looking truly content and happy as my soapy hands roamed over him. When I got to his knee, I noticed several white ragged marks on it and traced them with my finger.

“Those are scars from my accident and the surgeries that followed.”

I stared up at him. “Oh? From when I found you?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

I stood before him and my lips turned down. “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you from getting hurt.”

Cory brushed his knuckles against my cheek. “Don’t be. Don’t ever be sorry for that. It’s my own fault I got hurt. I was being reckless. But if you hadn’t shown up when you did, I don’t think I’d be here today. You saved me, Nemo. You're a saint, an angel. I owe you so much.”

“You don’t owe me anything. Being here is gift enough. I’ve thought of you every day since then, and now we’re finally together.”

“Damn, I feel so lucky. I’ve thought of you since then, too. People tried to tell me you weren’t real, that I’d imagined the whole thing, but I knew you had to be.”

I stepped closer to him. “I’m real, Cory.”

His arms went around me, and he kissed me again, harder this time. I was loving all the different kisses. So many ways for our mouths to express feelings without words .

When he pulled away, my mind returned to the scars on his knee. I’d noticed his gait was sometimes stilted. “Does it hurt still?”

Cory nodded. He turned the water off and stepped out of the tub, careful with how he placed his foot, ensuring it would hold him. It was a small movement, one I recognized from my own unsteady feet. He grabbed a fluffy fabric and wrapped it around me, drying off the water.

“Yes. At times more than others. There are some things I simply can’t do anymore, like surfing, which is why I use the kayak now. I don’t think it will ever not bother me, but it’s a hundred times better than it used to be. For a while after the accident, I wasn’t sure I would be able to walk on it again. So the pain is a nuisance, but it’s also a reminder that I lived.”

“I’m very glad you did. Though, I am sorry to know that it bothers you. If there’s any way I can help, let me know.”

He brushed my hair away from my face and kissed me once more. “You’re doing it already.”