Page 17 of Draevan

His hands roamed up and down her back as he drew her closer, eager to press his hardness against her stomach. But he was so much taller than her that they didn’t quite line up that way. Not while they were standing in one another’s arms—yes, she was holding him too—and kissing as though their lives depended upon it.

When he finally withdrew from the kiss, he was pleased to find Cora breathless, her eyes hooded with desire, a fresh splash of pink tinting her cheeks. Once again, he became mesmerized by her beauty. But he was also enchanted by her heart, by her very soul. Perhaps it was only wishful thinking, but he could almost swear he felt the goodness in her, her sweet nature, and the purity of her heart.

He stepped back and clasped one of her hands between both of his. He searched her eyes for any doubt, for any hint that she didn’t wish to proceed. But to his great relief, she appeared just as eager as he was. Her breathing only increased with each passing moment, and the scent of her arousal kept growing stronger in the air. She also kept glancing at the bed with a hopeful look that made him want to release a growl of victory.

He turned toward the bed and gave her hand a slight tug.

“Are you ready to consummate our union, sweet Cora?”

“Yes,” she replied in a shaky whisper. “Yes, Draevan. I am ready.”

Chapter 8

Breathless anticipation swept through Cora as Draevan guided her toward the bed. The heated pulses between her thighs wouldn’t abate, and she had a feeling only his touch could quench her fervent desires. A sense of freedom filled her as she considered what she was about to do. What they were about to do.

And… wow. What a kiss.

Until a moment ago, she hadn’t known what it was like to be kissed. Not a real kiss—a passionate one, the sort that had made her toes curl and had drawn whimpers from her throat that she hadn’t been able to stop. The few kisses she’d shared with the dates that had been forced upon her by her record label paled in comparison to the kiss Draevan had just given her.

The huge alien warrior guided her to a stop right beside the bed. Her pulse skittered, and heated quakes coursed through her, making her feel feverish in her excitement to be bedded by Draevan.

Her worries about his size and whether it might hurt were starting to fade, especially in the wake of the nanobot injection he’d just given her. He seemed very intent to keep her safe, and he’d explicitly promised never to hurt her.

She believed him. She sensed he was the honorable sort of male who always endeavored to keep his word, and her heart fluttered with the knowledge that they would spend the rest of their lives together.

Disclaimer: Vaxxlians mate for life.

The handsome alien male stepped back, tugged his shirt loose from his pants, then pulled the garment over his head, revealing his bare chest.

And oh, what a bare chest.

She couldn’t look away.

At first, she thought he had an eight pack, but then she realized it was more like a ten pack. Goodness, his muscles were well-defined and so very large. Not for the first time in his presence, her mouth went dry and she found herself struggling to swallow. Struggling to breathe, too.

He gave her an expectant look that she didn’t understand at first. But finally, her brain started working again, and she realized he was waiting for her to remove a piece of her own clothing. She also sensed that he was eager to get her naked and take her to bed, but he didn’t want to move too fast and scare her. Though their mating union was an arrangement, he still wanted to make sure this was entirely consensual.

How did she know these things?

She’d always been a little bit intuitive, but it almost felt like she was getting flashes of his thoughts and emotions now and then. She didn’t think she was imagining it either. Was it part of the mating bond? Was it starting to manifest even though he hadn’t physically claimed her yet?

She finally reached for the hem of her shirt, took a deep breath, and slowly pulled it off herself and tossed it to the side. She now stood before him wearing a lace-trimmed, push-up bra that Draevan seemed to appreciate. His eyes suddenly glowed brighter, his nostrils flared, and another growl rumbled from his chest.

“Star God, Cora, you are an exquisite female.”

She beamed inwardly at his compliment, then she gave him an expectant look of her own. It was his turn to remove something.

God, she really hoped he decided to take off his pants next.

Unfortunately, he proceeded to remove his boots instead.

She emitted a frustrated huff that made him chuckle before she kicked off her own shoes.

“Your turn,” she said, lifting an eyebrow at him, savoring this playful interaction they were sharing. It helped ease her nerves, and God, it also made her even more desperate to be claimed by him.

The corners of his lips quirked as he bent slightly to remove both his socks. Freaking socks. Of course.

Was he wearing any undergarments beneath his pants? She supposed she would find out soon, though it was now her turn to remove a clothing item.