Chapter 18

18

MARIAH

I lead Thorak down the hall to my quarters, anticipation coiling hot and tight in my belly with each step. It makes me feel alive in a way I haven't in years.

This morning, fear held me back from embracing this potential with Thorak. But now, in the glow of Ecco's magical performance and with the warmth of Thorak's touch still lingering on my skin, I'm done fighting what my body so desperately wants.

When we reach my door, I pause, looking up at Thorak through my lashes. His amber eyes smolder with barely restrained hunger as his gaze roams over my body, setting my skin on fire. I fumble with the key, my hands shaking, before finally getting the door open.

The moment we step inside, Thorak spins me to face him, claiming my mouth in a searing kiss. I moan into it, melting against his massive, hard body as he kicks the door shut behind us. His large hands skim over my curves possessively, igniting sparks of pleasure in their wake.

I arch into his touch, aching for more contact. The rough pads of his fingers catch on the delicate fabric of my dress as he maps my body, learning every slope and valley.

Thorak tears his mouth from mine, his breathing ragged.

"Mariah," he rumbles, his deep voice sending shivers through me. "Tell me to stop and I will. We don't have to do this."

I shake my head vehemently, my fingers digging into his muscular shoulders.

"Don't you dare stop," I pant. "I want this. I want you."

A low, approving growl vibrates through his chest and then his mouth is on my neck, his tusks pressing into me as he licks and nips a fiery path to my collarbone. I gasp and tilt my head back, giving him better access as I tangle my fingers in his thick black hair.

Thorak's hands find the zipper of my dress and he pauses, pulling back to look at me with a question in his eyes. I nod breathlessly and he slowly draws the zipper down, his knuckles brushing against my spine and making me shiver. The dress slips from my shoulders and pools at my feet, leaving me in just my simple white bra and cotton panties.

Thorak's heated gaze rakes over my body appreciatively, his eyes taking on a feral edge. "You're so beautiful, Mariah," he rasps, his voice rough with desire.

Emboldened, I reach out and start unbuttoning his shirt with trembling fingers, revealing more and more of his chiseled green chest.

Thorak shrugs out of his shirt impatiently and pulls me flush against him, his bare skin scorching against mine. I run my hands over the hard planes of his chest, marveling at the bunched muscles beneath my palms.

For a brewer, he's built like a warrior—all strength and power barely leashed. And right now, all that intensity is focused solely on me.

Thorak's large hands skim down my back and over the curve of my ass. He grips me firmly and lifts me up, urging my legs to wrap around his waist. I comply eagerly, locking my ankles at his lower back.

The hard, thick ridge of his erection presses against my core through his pants, making me gasp.

He carries me over to my bed and lays me down gently, his body blanketing mine. The solid weight of him on top of me, surrounding me, makes me feel safe and cherished, even as the heat between us ratchets higher.

Thorak's mouth finds my breast, his teeth scraping over my nipple through the thin fabric of my bra. I cry out, my back arching off the bed as the exquisite sensation shoots straight to my center. He lavishes attention on my breasts, nipping and sucking until I'm writhing beneath him, desperate for more.

"Thorak, please," I moan, not even sure what I'm begging for. I just know I need him, all of him.

With a low growl, he reaches behind me and deftly unhooks my bra, tossing it aside. Then his large, calloused hands are on my bare breasts, kneading and plucking at my aching nipples. I mewl in pleasure, my nails digging into his broad shoulders as the sensations overwhelm me.

Thorak's rough palms are exquisite against my sensitive skin, each touch sending jolts of electricity to my most intimate places.

He dips his head, drawing one tight nipple into the wet heat of his mouth, his tusks framing my breast. I gasp and arch into him as his tongue swirls around the hardened peak. He grazes it with his teeth before sucking hard, making me cry out.

"So responsive," Thorak rumbles appreciatively against my breast. "I could do this for hours, just to hear all the pretty noises you make."

I squirm impatiently beneath him, desperate for more. "Thorak, I need you," I pant. "Please..."

He releases my nipple and kisses his way down my quivering stomach. When he reaches the waistband of my panties, he hooks his fingers in the fabric and looks up at me, his amber eyes blazing with need.

"May I?" he rumbles, his deep voice sending shivers through me.

"Yes," I breathe. "Take them off."

Thorak slowly drags my panties down my legs and tosses them aside. Then he gently parts my thighs, exposing my most intimate place to his heated gaze.

Even though we've been in this position previously, I flush, suddenly vulnerable and shy. Something about being in my bedroom makes this ten times more personal.

But the raw hunger in Thorak's eyes chases away any insecurity.

"Mariah," he groans, his voice reverent. "You're exquisite. You are the best thing I've ever tasted and I've been dying for more."

His words send heat rushing through my veins, pooling between my thighs. Thorak settles between my legs, tossing them over his broad shoulders. He kisses his way up my inner thigh, his tusks dragging teasingly over my sensitive skin.

I whimper and try to press closer, aching for his touch where I need it most.

"Please," I beg shamelessly, too far gone to care how desperate I sound.

Thorak chuckles darkly, the vibrations against my thigh making me shiver. "Patience, little human. I'll give you what you need."

Finally, blessedly, he puts his mouth on me, his tongue delving between my slick folds. I cry out at the first firm stroke, my hands fisting in the comforter as pleasure crashes through me. He licks a long, slow path up my slit before swirling around my aching clit.

I'm already so worked up from our foreplay that the intensity makes me see stars.

"Oh gods, yes," I moan, my hips lifting off the mattress, seeking more of his talented mouth. "Just like that!"

Thorak growls approvingly against my sensitive flesh, the vibrations making me gasp. He seals his lips around my clit and sucks gently while flicking the swollen bud with the tip of his tongue.

I thrash my head on the pillow, overwhelmed by the onslaught of sensation. Thorak's tusks press into my inner thighs, the dull points a delicious contrast to the silky swipes of his tongue. I tangle my fingers in his thick hair, holding him to me as he feasts on my aching flesh. His large hands grip my hips, pinning me in place as he devours me.

"Thorak!" I gasp, my thighs trembling around his head. "Don't stop..."

He growls, the vibrations against my sensitive core making me writhe and moan. Thorak plunges his huge tongue inside me, thrusting in and out, mimicking what I'm dying to feel. Then he focuses on my clit again, lashing the swollen pearl relentlessly while slipping one thick finger into my tight channel.

My inner walls clench greedily around the welcome intrusion. Even just the one finger is so large that it stretches me. I moan thinking about what two will be like…or what Thorak's cock might do to me.

Thorak pumps his finger slowly, letting me adjust to the size before adding a second. He curls them forward, stroking a spot inside me that has my toes curling and my back bowing off the bed again.

"Yes, right there!" I keen, my voice high and breathy. "Ah, Thorak, it feels so good..."

He groans against my flesh, the sound one of male satisfaction. His tongue swirls faster around my clit as his fingers thrust deeper, hitting that perfect spot again and again. The dual stimulation is almost too much to bear. My orgasm builds fast, my inner walls starting to flutter around his thick fingers.

"That's it, Mariah," Thorak rumbles, his deep voice vibrating through me. "Come undone on my tongue."

His filthy words are my undoing. With a sharp cry, I shatter, my body convulsing with the force of my climax. Wave after wave of ecstasy crashes over me as Thorak works me through it with his talented mouth and fingers, prolonging my pleasure until I'm limp and boneless beneath him.

When the aftershocks finally subside, he places a tender kiss on my inner thigh before crawling up my body and gathering me in his strong arms. I melt into his embrace, my skin still tingling and over-sensitized.

"That was incredible," I murmur, nuzzling into his neck. "You're very good at that."

Thorak chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest. "I aim to please."

He tilts my chin up and captures my mouth in a deep, languid kiss, the taste of my own sweetness still on his lips. I run my hands down Thorak's broad back, his bunched muscles beneath my palms. He groans into my mouth as I scratch my nails lightly over his green skin.

Breaking the kiss, I push on his shoulders until he rolls onto his back, allowing me to straddle his hips. The large bulge straining against his pants presses deliciously against my sensitive core and we both moan at the contact.

I grind down instinctively, seeking more friction.

"Mariah," Thorak grits out, his hands flying to my hips. "If you keep doing that, this is going to be over embarrassingly fast."

I grin down at him, emboldened by the raw need in his eyes. "Well, we can't have that, can we? I want to feel you inside me, Thorak."

His eyes flash with desire at my bold words. In a blur of movement, he sits up and wraps his arms around me, crushing my chest to his.

"Are you sure?" he rumbles, nuzzling my neck. "We can take this slow..."

"I'm sure," I whisper, threading my fingers through his thick hair. "I need you, Thorak. All of you."