Chapter 17

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

It had been seven days since Heather’s interview aired, and with every day that passed, she seemed to come out of her shell more and more. Tal had been worried the interview would make her regress. Would traumatize her. But instead, she seemed happier and lighter than ever.

It was the end of February, and even though a cold front was moving through the area, bringing a little bit of snow, Heather seemed like a ball of sunshine, spreading warmth in his life like Tal had never experienced.

The search and rescue team hadn’t been very busy, which suited Tal just fine. He had no doubt the Bigfoot hunters would be back in force once spring arrived, but for now he was content to work at the barbershop in the mornings, and chauffeur Heather around in the afternoons.

Before his shifts started, Tal dropped Heather off at Whitney’s B&B, where she spent the mornings learning about all the things she should’ve learned in school. Her reading was getting better at an astonishing speed. She was currently studying history, and learning about everything from the Civil War to what happened at Pompeii.

In the afternoons, Heather was busy with her new friends. One day she might spend with Finley at the bakery, and the next she’d hang out with Bristol while she was making another stained-glass piece. Lilly had gone back to work, and Heather assisted her when she’d gone to take pictures of the softball team at the Fallport High School.

She’d even gone with Caryn to one of the junior firefighter meetings, and that had led to Tal sitting next to her on the couch in the evening while she watched firefighting video after firefighting video.

Another afternoon, Heather had shadowed Elsie on one of her shifts at On the Rocks. She’d admitted that night that she hadn’t really enjoyed being on her feet all day, but that she did enjoy meeting so many people.

Yes, his Heather was like a flower blooming after being denied the sun for too long. Everything was fascinating and interesting to her, and almost everyone she met was respectful. Only a few people had tried to pry into what she’d been through, but they were always shut down by others standing nearby.

Tal was so proud of her. There were times, late at night when she lay in his arms, when she admitted she was scared. Worried about the future, if she’d be able to get a job since she didn’t have even a high school diploma. Where the memories of the things she’d been through occasionally overwhelmed her. All Tal could do was hold her. Tell her how proud he was. Remind her of the friends she’d made, and that she could do anything in the world she wanted. She was free.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms every night, and woke up with her having kicked the covers off and Tal still touching her in some way. His hand against her back. His leg wound around her own. His nose buried in her hair.

Today had been busy for them both. The team had been called out on a search for a missing twelve-year-old boy with Down syndrome. He’d wandered away from his house and it had been a half hour before anyone noticed. Raid and Duke took the lead in the search, and thankfully it had only taken an hour to find the boy. He was cold and scared, but otherwise fine. A neighbor’s dog had followed him when he’d left the house, and they were discovered inside a shed four doors down from his home, huddled together.

The missing child had brought back bad memories for Heather, and she’d been distraught until the boy was found. She’d hung out with Elsie and Khloe in the bar until news had reached them that the boy was alive and well…and reunited with his parents. Realizing that holing up in their apartment might not be the best thing for her, Tal had brought her to Art, Silas, and Otto afterward, who’d successfully distracted her with several games of chess.

After that, she’d helped Finley make a cake for a fiftieth wedding anniversary. Khloe had then come to the apartment to visit with Boots, and she’d ended up staying for dinner.

The more Tal was around the prickly woman, the more he realized she wasn’t so much standoffish…as she was likely hiding something. She was friendly enough, but whenever questions were asked about her past, where she came from, what she did before coming to Fallport, she’d clam up and change the subject.

She was a mystery, and Tal couldn’t help but be intrigued by and worried about her at the same time. But his hands were full with Heather and making sure she continued to thrive in her new world. He made a mental note to talk to Raiden though. He worked with her day in and day out, and Khloe seemed to have bonded with Duke. Raid was the best person to get to the bottom of any secrets Khloe might be hiding.

After Khloe left, he and Heather relaxed on the couch. Heather had a book open on her lap but she wasn’t reading. Her mind was somewhere else, and Tal couldn’t help but worry.

“You feeling okay after what happened today? About hearing the boy was missing?”

She turned to look at him, and Tal could see surprise in her gaze. “Yeah. I’m glad he’s all right.”

“Me too. So if that’s not on your mind…what’s worrying you?”

She closed her book and turned to face him. “I’m not worried…I’m nervous.”

“About what? You don’t have to be nervous with me, sweetheart. You know I’d never hurt you, and you can do or say anything around me.”

“Last night was…” She paused.

Tal’s cock immediately began to harden, and he clenched his teeth, trying to control his body’s reactions.

Last night, when they’d gone to bed, she’d begged him to let her touch him again. He couldn’t refuse her anything, and so he’d taken off his boxers and let her…play. He wasn’t sure what other word to use. She’d kissed him until his head spun, then wrapped her warm hand around him and jacked him off until he came all over his stomach and her fingers.

Most of the time, he managed to end things there…but last night, she’d been eager for him to touch her too. Tal had been nervous and excited. He’d longed to give her as much pleasure as she’d given him.

At first, things had been good. Great, actually. He’d caressed and licked her nipples, pleasing them both. But as soon as he began to ease a hand into her panties, she stiffened.

As much as Tal had wanted to show her how much he loved her, that he wasn’t like the assholes who’d abused her, he couldn’t risk anything that might hurt her recovery. That would turn her happy, cheerful disposition into something else.

They’d both been disappointed, but Tal had reassured her over and over that she was making great progress. That he’d wait as long as it took for her to feel comfortable with him.

Now, Heather licked her lips and met his gaze as she finished her sentence. “Frustrating.”

Tal wished he could do more for her. Take away the hurt she’d experienced. But the only thing he could do was reassure her over and over that he wasn’t like the men she’d known in her past.

Heather went on. “Lilac is married. I looked up some of the others too. Elizabeth Smart is married, with several kids. They’re in happy relationships. They’ve been able to move on. I want to as well.”

Tal had never felt as out of his comfort zone as he did right then. He was the toughest of the tough. Had faced the most deadly enemies. And yet he was practically shaking in his shoes at the moment. “You are moving on,” he said after a moment.

“I don’t feel like I am,” she told him. “I’m honestly not scared of you,” she went on. “You won’t hurt me. Last night, I was ready. The feel of your hand…there…it surprised me. But I wasn’t afraid of you. But then you stopped. I want to know what an orgasm feels like.”

“Sweetheart, I—”

She shook her head stubbornly. “I love you, Talon. I want to have sex with you. I’m not scared. You’ve let me have control, and I never knew sex could be as exciting as it is with you. But I know I’m still missing out. I talked to Lilly, and she told me how it feels when she has sex with Ethan. She says it’s amazing. That he makes her feel as if she’s flying. I want that too.”

With every word that passed her lips, Tal’s cock got harder, until he could almost feel it throbbing in his pants. “How many times have I told you that I won’t hurt you?” he asked.

She frowned. “I don’t know. Too many to count.”

“Right, but if I move too fast, I could hurt you. I wouldn’t mean to, but I still could. And if that happened, I’d never forgive myself.”

“And you think having sex with me will hurt me?” she asked with a furrow of her brow.

“It could bring back bad memories. And that’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Are you going to make me wear a dress, then shove it up over my hips and enter me without making sure it won’t hurt?”

“What? No!” Tal exclaimed.

“Are you going to make me get on my hands and knees and take me…back there?”

“Fuck no,” Tal said, low and hard.

“Then how in the world could being with you bring back bad memoires? Talon, you are nothing like those other men. Nothing. None of them ever let me touch them like you do. None of them let me be on top. None of them ever kissed me. The last thing I’m thinking about is all those other times when I’m with you. All I can smell is you. All I see is you. All I can feel are your hands on me. Your lips on mine.”

Tal stared at her for a beat…and realized that while he thought he was doing the right thing in going slow, letting her touch him without the pressure of being touched in return, that was clearly no longer what she needed.

He’d been selfish, and he was ashamed of his actions. He’d gotten pleasure, but hadn’t given her any in return. But the thought of touching her, and having her uncertain or uncomfortable in the slightest, still scared him to death, despite her reassurance.

“Are you absolutely sure?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“If I do anything that scares you or brings back bad memories, you have to promise to tell me.”

“Okay.”

“I mean it, Heather. Promise me. Right now.”

“I promise to tell you if anything feels wrong.”

Tal could feel himself breathing way too hard. His cock was throbbing in time with every beat of his heart. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside this woman, but he needed to go slow. Make sure she experienced pleasure. Make sure she was one hundred percent with him every step of the way. Despite being horribly abused, she might as well be a virgin, having never experienced how intimate and tender lovemaking could be—and he made a mental vow to make her first time romantic and memorable.

He stood and immediately reached for the woman who’d owned his heart from almost the first time he’d seen her. Without a word, he walked toward his bedroom.

No, their bedroom.

When he got to the side of the bed, he turned to Heather and saw a huge smile on her face. She looked eager. Excited. Definitely not worried or scared. He let himself relax a fraction.

“You need to use the loo?” he asked.

“The what?”

“Sorry, another English word. The bathroom?”

She shook her head.

Without hesitation, he stripped his shirt off over his head. Then he shoved his sweatpants over his hips, shucking his boxers at the same time.

He stood in front of her, naked as the day he was born. His cock bobbed slightly, and when her gaze roamed down his body to land on it, a bead of precome leaked out of the tip and lazily rolled down his shaft.

Knowing he was way too close to losing it, Tal swept the covers back and climbed onto the bed. He lay back, put his arms over his head and stared at Heather. “I’m all yours,” he said in a low, gruff tone.

She smiled and began to disrobe. Tal didn’t take his eyes off her. She’d seen him naked in the past, but he’d never pushed her to take off her own clothes. She hesitated a beat before taking off the oversize shirt she slept in, but he saw the determination in her eyes right before she grabbed the hem and pulled it upward.

Tal hadn’t forgotten to turn off the light. He’d left it shining bright on purpose. He was selfish enough to want to see her. All of her. To see her face when she came for the first time. To watch her eyes widen as he entered her. He was a greedy bastard, and he wanted it all.

His eyes drank her in as she stood next to the bed. The auburn curls between her legs made his mouth water. He wanted to taste her. Wanted to run his fingers through the soft hair until he found her clit. Her tits were a perfect handful, with pink nipples that, even as he watched, hardened under his gaze. She also had freckles. Not many, but he had a feeling when she was in the sun, they’d multiply like a field full of dandelions.

She’d gained some weight since leaving the forest, and her belly was rounded, her hips lush, her thighs touched as she stood there. A lock of hair curled around one of her breasts, as if beckoning him to suckle.

Every muscle in his body tensed, and it took every ounce of control he possessed not to leap out of bed, grab her, and have his wicked way with her.

“Talon?” she whispered, sounding unsure.

Which was unacceptable. She shouldn’t feel even an ounce of trepidation with him.

“Beautiful,” he said softly. “You’re so utterly perfect, I can’t even put into words how much I want you.” His cock jerked against his belly, and her eyes were drawn to the movement. Another spurt of precome leaked from the tip.

“See that? I think I could come just lying here looking at you.”

Her surprised eyes came back to his. “Can I…I want…”

“Yes,” he said, not needing her to finish her sentence. “Touch me. Make me yours, sweetheart.”

With that, she slowly moved toward him. She raised one knee and climbed up onto the mattress next to him. She sat next to him on her heels and stared at his body laid out before her.

“You’re in control,” he told her. “Anything you want, it’s yours.”

“Anything?” she asked.

Tal nodded.

“I want you to touch me,” she said without hesitation. “I want your hands on me. Showing me how this is supposed to be. I understand why you haven’t touched me before…and I appreciate it. I don’t think I was completely ready. But I am now. I want you to make me come. Then I want to feel you inside me.”

“Fuck,” Tal muttered. He slowly lowered his arms. “Straddle me,” he growled. For a second, he thought he’d sounded too bossy, that she wasn’t going to like the way he’d ordered her around. But then a small smile formed on her face and she lifted one leg until she was straddling his thighs.

“Come up here,” he said, gently holding onto her hips and pulling her forward. He felt her pubic hair brush over his cock as she moved, and it was all he could do not to spill right then and there. He placed a hand on her back and urged her to lean over him.

Her tits hung down, gently swaying with her movements. He smiled up at her and lifted his head, then he took one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked—hard.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. She went perfectly still for a moment before she arched her back, pressing herself into him.

Tal sighed in relief. He took turns feasting on her nipples. First the right, then the left. She moaned low in her throat, and he felt her squirming over him. She was holding herself above him with her palms flat on the mattress by his head.

He liked being in charge during sex. And while she might be on top, he was definitely leading this encounter. He smiled before continuing to suck on one of her nipples. Tal ran his other hand over an ass cheek. He had to admit, he liked her being on top. He had both his hands free and didn’t have to worry about crushing her beneath him.

Tal could smell her arousal as he ran his hands all over her body. Heather had begun to gently sway back and forth over him, and he could feel her wetness spreading on his belly. His mouth watered.

“Scoot up, sweetheart.”

“What?” she asked, opening her eyes and looking at him. She looked dazed. Lost in the pleasure of what he was doing.

Tal was still hard. Still way the fuck turned on. But pleasing Heather was much more exciting and erotic than he ever dreamed it would be. While he’d always made sure women he shared his bed with were satisfied, he’d definitely focused on the end game…namely, the fucking. With Heather, he was desperate to make sure she enjoyed herself. Tal wanted her to get off. Wanted to watch her orgasm. Honestly, he didn’t even care if he got inside her tonight. This, listening to the little sounds she made as she discovered her sexuality for the first time, was a dream come true.

Tal put his hands on her hips and urged her to scoot farther up. “Straddle my face,” he said.

“Talon, I don’t think—”

“Trust me, I’m not going to hurt you.” When he’d first started saying those words, it had been to calm her down. To reassure her. Now they felt like old friends. When he said them, he was really telling her how much he loved her. How he’d spend the rest of his life making sure she was content and happy.

Heather swallowed hard but slowly put a knee on either side of his head. Looking up her body, Tal groaned. She was so damn beautiful, he was the luckiest man in the world. He shifted under her, bunching his pillow under his head to give him the extra height he needed, then he used one finger to trace her soaking-wet folds directly in front of his face.

“Talon?”

“I’ve been dreaming of this for longer than I care to admit,” he said. “You smell fan-fucking-tastic. So wet. This is gonna feel so good, sweetheart.” Then he lifted his head and licked her slit.

She jerked above him and let out an adorable little squeak.

Tal put one hand on the small of her back, and the other gripped a thigh roughly. He closed his eyes and proceeded to show his woman the joys of oral sex.

At first she seemed shocked and uncertain, but slowly she began to relax, undulating over him, chasing his tongue. Tal smiled as he pleasured her. She was extremely sensual…and highly aroused. He could feel her juices all over his face, coating his beard. All he could smell was her musky scent, and the more he licked and sucked, the wetter she got.

Moving the hand that had been holding her thigh, Tal used his fingers to play with her opening as he concentrated on her clit.

“Talon, I…”

She didn’t finish her thought as he eased his index finger deep inside her body. The angle was bad and it was difficult to stimulate her the way he wanted, but he could feel her inner muscles tightening against his finger over and over again, and he figured for now, this was enough.

He lowered his head and looked up at her in awe. His cock was leaking nonstop now, and he could feel his precome all over his belly. He really could orgasm just like this, without any stimulation. The sight of her spread out over his face, his finger deep within her body, and her juices dripping down onto his hand…he was more than satisfied.

“You ready to come, sweetheart?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” she breathed. “This is…it’s overwhelming!”

“It is, but I promise your first orgasm is going to rock your world.”

Looking down, Heather met his gaze bravely. “I trust you.”

To keep himself from spurting there and then, Tal had to reach down and grip the base of his cock. Earning her trust had been the most rewarding experience of his life. He refused to let her down.

“Close your eyes and just feel,” he told her softly.

She immediately obeyed, and Tal lifted his head and licked her clit once more, before latching his lips around it and using his tongue to flick the small bundle of nerves hard and fast. He kept his finger deep inside her body, loving the feel of her muscles fluttering around him. All he could think of was how she’d feel squeezing his cock as she came.

His jaw and tongue tired, but he didn’t slow down his pace as he worked her clit. Her thighs began to shake and he used his free hand to hold her steady above him. He kept his eyes open as he stared up her body as she approached the pinnacle.

* * *

Heather had never felt like this before. It was overwhelming and scary, but she’d never experienced so much pleasure either. Her heart was beating out of her chest and every muscle in her body felt tight. She was on the verge of coming out of her skin.

She had no idea men actually did this to women. Lilly hadn’t said anything about this. But it was obvious Talon didn’t think it was weird or unusual, so she’d gone with it. His tongue between her legs felt totally foreign, but oh so pleasurable. And when he’d inserted his finger inside her, she’d tensed for a moment, remembering the pain of other times, but she hadn’t felt even an ounce of hurt when he’d entered her.

She was so wet. Again, she had no idea if that was normal or not, but since Talon greedily licked up the fluids she was leaking, she assumed he had no problem with it. And her wetness allowed him to put his finger inside her without pain.

New sensations and experiences were coming faster than she could process them. For a moment, she got scared of what she was feeling. It was too much. Too intense. But then she looked down and met Talon’s gaze. He was staring up at her even as his tongue flicked against a very sensitive place between her legs.

The reassurance and love she saw in his gaze made the fear morph into anticipation. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. As she stared down into his eyes, she felt pleasure swamp her and the most amazing feeling jolt through her body. Every muscle locked and she felt just like Lilly said—as if she were flying.

One hand gripped his hair as he continued to suckle at her, and she used the other to brace herself on the mattress. How long she trembled and shook in his arms, Heather had no idea. Talon’s touch between her legs gentled until he was merely nuzzling her. All the while, he kept his eyes on hers. It was intimate and overpowering…and she’d never felt closer to another human being in all her life.

Talon eased his finger out of her body—and shocked her by immediately sticking it in his mouth and licking off her juices. “Delicious,” he told her. Then he palmed her hips and slowly helped her scoot back down so she was lying on his chest. She could feel wetness on his belly and his penis was hard between them. But he didn’t insist she touch him. Didn’t roll her over and stick it inside her. All he did was stroke her hair down her back and lie still.

When her breathing had returned to almost normal, Heather lifted her head. “That was…” She didn’t know what that was, and she struggled to find the right words.

“Beautiful,” Talon finished for her. “Seeing you orgasm for the first time was an amazing gift. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in all my life.”

“Are you…you didn’t…” Talking about this was more difficult than she thought it would be.

“Shhhh,” he murmured. “There’s no rush.”

It occurred to Heather then that Talon was going to be noble. He wasn’t going to enter her because he didn’t want to hurt her. She’d seen him orgasm in the past, when she’d stroked him with her hand, and he obviously enjoyed it. But the memory of how his finger felt inside her was fresh. It had felt good. He’d felt good. She wanted more.

Sitting up, Heather went to slide off him and get on her back so he could enter her with his penis.

“Where are you going?” he asked, stopping her with a hand on her hip.

“I want you inside me,” she said, knowing she was blushing but trying to ignore it. “So I’m getting on my back so you can have pleasure too.”

He stared at her for a long moment, as if assessing where her head was at.

“I’m okay. I loved that…and it didn’t hurt. I want more,” she admitted.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

His constant need for assurance might’ve annoyed her if she didn’t know he was doing everything in his power to protect her. To take care of her. Another man wouldn’t have cared how she was feeling right about now. The men in The Community always said that males had needs and they couldn’t be denied. She’d already learned just about everything they’d ever said had been a self-serving lie. Still, the proof of Talon’s need was throbbing against her belly.

The need to please him was overriding the bad memories of what it meant to be intimate with a man. “I’m sure,” she said as firmly as she could.

“All right, but you don’t need to be on your back.”

Heather frowned. She didn’t?

“Sit up,” Talon said.

She did, and Heather couldn’t stop herself from looking down. Talon’s penis was long and hard. Much bigger than Arrow’s or Cypress’s. The head looked almost purple and was wet and shiny from his own excitement.

“Shit,” he said after a moment.

Surprised, Heather took her gaze from his penis and looked into his face. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have a condom. I…wasn’t expecting this.”

“A what?”

Talon sighed and pressed his lips together. She recognized the frustration and anger in his expression, but she wasn’t scared. He wasn’t upset with her, but with the reason behind her ignorance.

“A condom. Men wear them on their cocks to catch their ejaculate, to prevent getting a woman pregnant.”

Heather stared down at him with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Yes. But I don’t have one.”

She swallowed hard. “This isn’t the right time for me to get pregnant,” she told him.

“How do you know?”

This was embarrassing, but she figured not as embarrassing as sitting on his face while he licked between her legs. “I’ve always kept track…so I knew when to use the Queen Anne’s lace.”

Talon closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh. Then he opened them again and brought a hand up to her face. He gently brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “Condoms are also used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. But I don’t have any…haven’t been with a woman in years.”

Every day, Heather learned new things about the world, but she couldn’t say she was liking what she was learning now. She recalled a few of the women in The Community having rashes between their legs, and it being very painful. She wondered if that was one of the diseases Talon spoke of. Wanting to reassure him, she said, “I haven’t been with anyone in over a year either.”

He gave her a small, sad smile. “I know.”

Neither spoke for a moment, then she asked in a quiet voice, “So you don’t want to have sex with me then? Because you don’t have one of these condoms?”

“I want to make love with you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. I want to feel every inch of your warm, wet pussy on my bare cock. But there’s no guarantee I won’t get you pregnant.”

“It’s not my time,” she repeated. “I promise.”

Taking a deep breath, Talon nodded. “I’m way too weak to resist you,” he said. “I’ll buy some condoms tomorrow. Touch me, sweetheart. Get me ready for you.”

Looking down, Heather saw that his cock wasn’t as hard as it had been before. She felt bad that things had slowed down while they’d had their talk. But she was eager to feel him again.

Scooting back so she was hovering over his thighs, she reached down and gripped his penis the way she knew he liked. She literally felt him harden in her grasp. It was an odd feeling, but powerful too.

Using the wetness he’d leaked on himself earlier, she ran her hand up and down his shaft, marveling in the way she could feel his blood pumping through his skin.

“Okay, that’s enough. Any more and this will be over before it starts,” he said dryly. “Hold the base, good, just like that, now…scoot up and put me inside you.”

Heather blinked in surprise. She understood how this was supposed to work now. A heady excitement blossomed inside. She wouldn’t have to be under him. He wouldn’t squish her. Wouldn’t sweat on her. Moving slowly, she hovered over him. He lay still beneath her, not grabbing her hips and forcing her down.

The head of his penis brushed against that sensitive part of her when she was trying to figure out how to make this work, and she jerked.

“Oh, yeah,” he said on a long exhale. “Put me in, sweetheart. Slow and steady. Take your time. Oh, fuck…you feel so good.”

Feeling powerful and in charge, Heather was still tentative as she fed his length into her body. In the past, this had always hurt. But surprisingly, she didn’t feel any pain, even with how big Talon was. There was a small pinch of discomfort, but as she lowered herself onto him, mostly what she felt was awe.

Talon was clenching his teeth together so tightly she could see a muscle in his jaw flexing. “Damn, Heather…you are…perfect.”

Once he was all the way in, she sat on top of him with a small smile on her face. She’d done it! She was having sex with Talon and it didn’t hurt! Then her brows furrowed. It felt nice, but not as exciting as it had when she’d orgasmed earlier. Was she doing something wrong?

“You good?” Talon asked.

Heather nodded.

“Think you want to try moving?”

Moving? Oh! That’s what was different about this. But she wasn’t sure how to move since she was on top.

“Lift up, then lower yourself back down,” Talon said gently.

Sweat had beaded on his brow, but he still hadn’t grabbed her. He was in control of his emotions, and seeing that made her confidence rise. She lifted herself off his lap, and his penis almost slid out of her body before she quickly lowered herself again.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “That felt good!”

“For me too. Again,” Talon told her.

It didn’t take long for her to get into a rhythm. She lifted herself up and down on Talon’s penis, faster and faster. It felt good, but she was still disappointed that she didn’t feel that rush of excitement that she had earlier. And her thighs were beginning to get tired.

Just when she didn’t think this was going to work, Talon gripped her hips and took much of her weight as she moved up and down on him.

“This okay?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” she said.

When she’d gotten into a good rhythm again, one of his hands moved upward and he pinched her nipple. She jerked and moaned. She felt sparks fly from her nipple down between her legs as he did it again.

“You like that,” Talon said. It wasn’t a question.

She quickened her pace on him. The sound of their skin slapping together seemed loud in the room, but Heather ignored it.

Talon played with her nipples as she rode him, and she couldn’t help but feel disappointed when his hand moved downward once more. But instead of gripping her hip again, he began to touch her in that sensitive spot between her legs.

Her pace stuttered as she jerked at his first touch.

“Keep riding me,” Talon ordered. “As hard as you want. Do what feels good, sweetheart.”

So Heather closed her eyes and undulated on top of Talon as the exciting feeling she’d had earlier began to return. Trying not to think about how silly she must look, she simply enjoyed the pleasurable feelings coursing through her veins.

She didn’t realize when she’d stopped moving altogether and simply sat down hard on Talon, thrusting her pelvis forward into his hand as he continued to stroke that spot. The orgasm came quicker this time and wasn’t nearly as scary, now that she knew what to expect.

She quivered and shook as pleasure overcame her.

She vaguely heard Talon apologize before he took her hips in his hands once again. But instead of helping her move up and down, he simply held her above him as he moved. He lifted his ass over and over as he thrust his penis in and out of her. But again, it didn’t hurt; instead, the stimulation on her already sensitive lady parts felt incredible.

Then he groaned, jerked her down on him once more, and shook.

A red flush formed on his chest, and Heather realized that he’d taken his own pleasure deep inside her body. Satisfaction filled her to see him so overwhelmed.

Feeling boneless, she let herself fall on top of him, and his arms immediately came around her, holding her against him. His heart was beating hard and their bodies were slick with sweat. He was still inside her body, which was another new thing for her. She had to admit she liked it. No…loved it. Loved feeling this close with him.

“Bloody hell, woman,” Talon said after a long moment.

For some reason, Heather giggled.

“I didn’t hurt or scare you at the end when I took over, did I?” he asked.

Heather shook her head against him. Her eyes felt heavy and it was impossible to keep them open. “I liked it. Can we do it again?”

He chuckled under her, and she felt his penis slip out of her body. She frowned and said, “I like when your penis is inside me.”

He laughed again and shifted her so she was lying against his side, her head on his shoulder. His arm was still around her back and one of her legs was hitched over his thigh. “First lesson, it’s a cock or dick, not a penis.”

Heather lifted her head at that. “You don’t call it a penis?”

He smiled at her and brushed a lock of hair off her forehead. “Technically, it is a penis, but a sexier word is cock. Boys have penises, men have cocks.”

Heather nodded as she lay her head back on his shoulder. “Okay. And you’re right…cock sounds more manly. Talon?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I don’t want to upset you, and I know you don’t like it when I talk about this…but that was nothing like I experienced in the past. It was…I like orgasming. And you felt so good inside me.”

He didn’t tense under her, as she was afraid he would. “I’m glad. And you should know…that was nothing like I’ve ever experienced in the past either.”

His words bloomed and filled all the empty spaces she had in her soul, spaces she wasn’t even aware were there. Talon obviously had more experience than she did, but to hear him say that being with her was special…it meant a lot.

“I love you, Heather. But there’s no pressure. I know this is your first relationship after what you went through, and I’ll take things as slowly as you need me to. I probably should let you go, let you experience life to truly know what you want…but after tonight…I can’t. I can promise never to hold you back. Whatever you want to do, I’ll do my best to give it to you.”

“I love you too,” Heather said, snuggling deeper into him. “All I need you to do is be there for me. To explain things I don’t understand. To love me.”

“Done,” Talon said, the satisfaction and contentment easy to hear in his voice. “People will tell you that we moved too fast. That you need to experience more before you settle down with someone after all you’ve been through, but—”

“If they do, I’ll tell them to mind their own business,” Heather said, not letting him finish his thought. “I might be naïve, but I know a good man when I see him.”

Talon tightened his arm around her and sighed. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They fell asleep like that, molded to each other. And as usual, sometime later, Heather rolled over, kicked off the covers, and Talon reached out and rested a hand against her back…keeping the connection between them.