Barbarian's Bride (Ice Planet Barbarians)

Her smile grows wider. "It was amazing." She presses a kiss to my thumb. "It felt so good. Just what I needed. Did you enjoy yourself?"

I think for a moment. "I did. I liked chasing you."

She chuckles. "I liked being chased."

I continue to play with my mate's soft skin, musing over our mating. Things were a little fierce and I was less cautious with her than before, but it was not…bad. Not bad at all. I thought she needed me to hit her, to make her feel pain, but this was nothing like that. I think about what she said earlier, when she told me she needed me to take pleasure from her, not give it.

I think I understand now. No-rah enjoys the loss of control. She enjoys the game of being preyed upon. It is not about harming her. It is about her bending under me.

That idea…I like.

We lie in the snow, content. I play with my mate's mane, unwilling to lose this moment. I love the feel of her in my arms and I can sense her happiness. Mating with her like that was…different. Normally I must watch for her gasps and her breathing slowing to indicate that she received her pleasure. This day, there was no hiding it. Her cunt seized my cock and milked it as if her walls were a fist holding me tight.

And the way it felt…there are no words. I only know that I will settle for no less from now on. I am filled with a rush of affection and possessiveness for my mate. I may not have had it right before, but now I know the difference. Now I know how I can please No-rah and give her what she needs.

My mate shivers against me, and I realize her layers of clothing are wet and cold. My bare behind is pressed into the cold snow but it does not bother me. No-rah is human and fragile, though, and she needs warmth. I get to my feet, retrieving my loincloth from a short distance away and tying it back in place over my leggings. No-rah stands, brushing snow off her leathers and tying her leggings at her waist. She looks so tousled, her cheeks so pink, that I cannot resist kissing her again. I move back to her side and cup her face in my hand, bending down to kiss her sweet mouth.

She sighs happily and presses up against me. "I love you."

I kiss her again and then heft my pack onto my shoulder. Next, I scoop her up into my arms, ignoring her sounds of protest. "You are cold, and as a good mate, I should take care of you. We are going back to the cave we passed a short time ago. We will warm up there and spend the night. In the morning, we will head on to another, better cave."

"You're the boss." She slides her arms around my neck and nibbles on my jaw.

So affectionate. I need this more often, I decide. Daily. I will chase her around the home cave if it means she will be like this in my arms every night instead of distant.

I feel as if I have finally figured my No-rah out, and I could not be happier.

17

NORA

Boy, did I need that.

I curl up in Dagesh's arms as he carries me through the snow, and I feel…wonderful. Like I've been given what's been missing. I've been so worried that he can't bring himself to touch me the way I need to be touched. Today has proved that we can meet in the middle, though. I don't need a whipping to get off, and I know Dagesh would never want to do that. He's made it quite clear that it hurts him to think of hurting me.

But finding out the things we can do and mutually enjoy? I feel so full of hope all over again. I don't feel like a monster for what I need. I feel like a girl who's got a kink button that's wired just a little differently than others, and Dagesh has finally opened up the instruction manual.

We backtrack to the small cave we passed a short time ago, and Dagesh has me stand a short distance away with our pack as he pulls out one of his knives and checks the interior. "One must always be careful," says my mate, and I smile. He's never been one to rock the boat or come up with wild ideas, my Dagesh. He likes predictable things, so our “chase” game means even more to me. Once Dagesh is sure that it's safe, he gestures for me to join him, and I move inside the dark little cave. Immediately, I bump my head on a stalactite and cuss.

"No-rah?" Dagesh is there right away, his hands in my hair. "Where did you hurt yourself?"