14. Hernan

Chapter 14

Hernan

I’ve been very good this year, and Merry was a gift from Santa himself. An early Christmas present.

As soon as the words fell from my lips, I knew them to be true. Merry hadn’t appeared in my studio by accident. No, he was here because he was my mate, and I was his. There wasn’t a speck of doubt. We were each other’s.

I held his hand as we drove home, not wanting to be even an inch away from him. My beast felt the same. He was ready—ready to mark our mate. I was too, but first, we needed to talk about all of this.

The snow had started to fall, and as I pulled into the driveway, the flakes grew even bigger, perfect for catching on your tongue. I got out of the car, tilted my head back, and stuck out my tongue.

Merry chuckled. “Oh, that’s my favorite!”

The two of us ran around the front yard like little kids in the snow, trying to catch every snowflake we could.

“How many did you get?” Merry asked, holding up his fingers to show how many he’d managed. Eight.

“I don’t know. I didn’t count.” Next time I would, though, because the competitive side of me wanted to have more than he did.

“Well, it needs to be a tie, then.” Merry shrugged, a smirk on his face. Then he grabbed my shirt, pulled me to him, and kissed me soundly. “There. Now we both have the same number.”

I loved this playful side of him. Well, all sides, really, but there was something so fun about being unserious like this. A car drove past—probably a neighbor going home—but it was a reminder that we weren’t alone out here. The two of us headed inside.

“What you said in there at the meeting... I mean...” Merry’s confidence seemed to falter.

“When I said you were the best Christmas present I could ever have?”

He nodded.

“Oh, I meant that. You’re mine, Merry. You’re mine completely. My beast feels it. I feel it. Don’t you?”

“Yeah...” There was a slight hesitation.

I wouldn’t mark him until he was sure-sure.

Holly came over and jumped between us, meowing.

“Are you hungry, little one?” I asked.

The vet had her on a regimen of dry food on demand but wet food twice a day in very small amounts. I got her dinner out, and she ran to it like she hadn’t eaten in forever.

“She likes her food,” Merry noted.

“Well, it’s a very fancy dish. Even says so on the can.” I tapped the can I was rinsing for the recycling bin.

“Not fancy enough for me.” He wrinkled his nose.

“Me neither. Do you want to have dinner? I could whip us up something pretty quick.” It would be boring. It wasn’t like I’d planned on anything. But at the very least I had some pasta and jarred sauce.

“Oh, I’m hungry,” Merry said. “But it’s not for food. Join me.”

He held his hand out for me, and I took it as he led me down the hall to my bedroom. As soon as we were inside, he turned and pulled me into a deep kiss, his lips soft and warm against mine. Talking was over, at least for now, and I was okay with that. Everything we needed to communicate could be said with our bodies. I wrapped my arms around his waist, loving the feel of his body pressing close.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Merry murmured. I wasn’t sure if he was speaking to me or himself.

“Me too.” I kissed the side of his mouth. “I want you so badly.”

Slowly, tantalizingly, Merry pulled his shirt up and over his head, letting it flutter to the floor before reaching over and doing the same to mine.

“You’re so gorgeous,” he whispered.

I cupped his face and brought our mouths together again, our kisses growing more heated, more passionate, more free. Soon we were both stripped down to our underwear, our hardened lengths straining against the fabric. Merry hooked his fingers in the waistband of my boxer briefs.

“Can I?” He blushed. A-freaking-dorable.

“Please.” He slid my underwear down my legs, and I stepped out of them. Then I did the same for him until we were both fully bared to each other.

I drank in the sight of Merry’s body. I reached out to touch him, skimming my hands over his shoulders, chest, and hips. He let out a little gasp.

“Your hands feel amazing on me.” He arched into my touch. I loved how responsive he was.

Unable to resist any longer, I pulled Merry flush against me, both of us moaning at the delicious friction as our cocks rubbed together. I walked us toward the bed, never breaking our fervent kisses.

We tumbled onto the bed together, our bodies tangling as our hands roamed each other’s bare skin. I couldn’t get enough of touching and tasting Merry. His scent was intoxicating, filling my senses. I buried my face against where I would some day mark him, licking, nipping, and sucking his flesh.

“Hernan… feels so… good.”

My mouth trailed lower, mapping the planes of his chest. I circled my tongue around one nipple, feeling it pebble beneath my lips. Merry let out a sweet little moan, spurring me on.

Slowly, I made my way down his body, loving how responsive he was. Finally, I settled between his parted thighs. Merry watched me with hooded eyes.

I spread him open and leaned in to run my tongue over his entrance. Merry cried out my name, and I began to lap at him in earnest.

As I worked him with my mouth, I reached up to circle a finger around his rim, teasing. Merry rocked his hips, trying to get my finger inside him.

“I need more.” He was begging, and it was hot as the sun.

I pressed one finger past the tight ring of muscle, and when he bucked his hips, seeking more, I gave it to him. In and out I went, adding another as he pleaded for more, and then eventually, a third.

“More, please... I’m so close... ”

I couldn’t hold back any longer, unable to deny him anything. I shifted to kneel between his spread thighs.

I lined myself up and began to push inside him. The tight, slick entrance nearly had me coming before we truly started.

“Oh, gods.” Merry gripped my shoulders. “So big… feels so good…”

Inch by inch I sank into him until I was fully sheathed. I held still, allowing him to adjust.

“Now please move. I need to feel you.”

Slowly, I began to rock my hips, pulling out a few inches before gliding back in. We both moaned. Merry clung to me as my rolling thrusts gradually picked up speed.

Merry met me move for move, encouraging me with his needy whimpers and gasps.

“There! Oh fuck, right there!” Merry made no mystery of what he liked. He was fucking perfect.

“Not gonna last.” I was surprised I made it this long.

“M-me neither… oh gods… knot me, fill me completely!”

I refused to come before he did, reaching between us and jerking him. He came almost instantly, and I followed behind him, filing him first with my cum and then with my knot.

“That was…” Merry’s eyes fluttered closed.

Still tied together by my knot, I rolled us onto our sides and pulled him snuggly against my chest.

“It really was.”