The Secret Beneath the Veil

He stilled, shuddering. The sting subsided a little.

“Viveka.” His voice was ragged. “That’s just the tip—” He hung his head against her shoulder, forehead damp with perspiration, big body shaking.

“Don’t stop.” She caught her foot behind his thigh and tried to press him forward.

“Glykia mou, I don’t want to hurt you.” He lifted his face and wore a tortured expression.

“That’s why it’s okay if you do.” Her mouth quivered, barely able to form words. It still hurt, but she didn’t care. “I trust you. Please don’t make me do this with someone else.”

He bit out a string of confounded curses, looking into the shadows for a moment. Then he met her gaze and carefully pressed again.

She couldn’t help flinching. Tensing. The stretch hurt a lot. He paused again, looked at her with as much frustration as she felt.

“Don’t try to be gentle. Just do it,” she told him.

He wavered, then made a tight noise of angst, covered her mouth, gathered himself and thrust deep.

She arched at the flash of pain, crying out into his mouth.

They both stayed motionless for a few hissing breaths.

Slowly the pain eased to a tolerable sting. She moved her lips against his and he kissed her gently. Sweetly.

“Do you hate me?” His voice was thick, his brow tense as he set it against hers. His expression was strained.

He didn’t move, letting her get used to the feel of a man inside her for the first time. And he held her in such protective arms, her eyes grew wet from the complete opposite of pain: happiness.

She returned his healing kiss with one that was a little more inciting.

“No,” she answered, smiling shakily, feeling intensely close to him. She let her arms settle across his back and traced the indent of his spine, enjoying the way he reacted with a shiver.

“Want to stop?” he asked.

“No.” Her voice was barely there. Tentatively she moved a little, settling herself more comfortably beneath him. “I’m not sure I want you to move at all,” she admitted wryly. “Ever.”

His breath released on a jagged chuckle. “You are going to be the death of me.”

Very carefully, he shifted so he was angled on his elbow, then he made a gentling noise and touched where they were joined.

“You feel so good,” he crooned in Greek, gently soothing and stimulating as he murmured compliments. “I thought nothing could be better than the way you took me apart with your mouth, but this feels incredible. You’re so perfect, Viveka. So lovely.”

The noise that escaped her then was pure pleasure. He was leading her down the road of stirred desire to real excitement. It felt strange to have him lodged inside her while her arousal intensified. Part of her wanted him to move, but she was still wary of the pain and this felt so good. The way he stretched her accentuated the sensations. She grew taut and deeply aroused. Restless and—

“Oh, Mikolas. Please. Oh—” A powerful climax rocked her. Her sheath clenched and shivered around his hard shape with such power she could hardly breath. Stars imploded behind her eyes and she clung to him, crying out with ecstasy. It was beautiful and selfish and heavenly.

As the spasms faded, he began to pull away. The friction felt good, except sharp. She wasn’t sure she could take that in a prolonged way, but then he was gone from her body and she was bereft.

“You didn’t, did you?” She reached to find his thick shaft, so hard and hot, obviously unsatisfied.

He folded his hand over hers and pumped into her fist. Two, three times, then he pressed a harsh groan into her shoulder, mouth opening so his teeth sat against her skin, not quite biting while he shuddered and pulsed against her palm.

Shocked, but pleased, she continued to pleasure him until he relaxed and released her. He removed the condom with a practiced twist, then rolled away and sat up to discard it. Before he came back, he dragged the covers down and pulled her with him as he slid under them.

“Why did you do that?” she asked as he molded her to his front, stomach to stomach.

“So we won’t be cold while we sleep.” He adjusted the edge of the sheet away from her face.

“You know what I mean.” She pinched his chest, unable to lie still when it felt so good to rub her naked legs against his and nuzzle his collarbone with her lips.