Andrew
They sat on the edge of his bed, neither of them talking. He wanted to reach out, to put his arm around her and hold her tight, but the moment just didn’t feel right. Something was missing, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. There shouldn’t be anything more. Al was dead, he was still the ambassador, and he had Karri. What more could he ask for?
Karri’s job. You feel guilty that you’re getting everything you want, at the expense of what she’s wanted her entire life.
It was true. The guilt hung over him like a thundercloud, beating down upon him with hailstorm-like intensity. It was why he couldn’t bring himself to be closer to her at that moment. He wanted to reach over and wrap her up into his arms more than anything in the world. But if he did, he would be acknowledging that she had given up her life for him.
Andrew would provide her with whatever she needed to start a new life. He would fund any business venture she wanted. His wealth would be more than she likely would ever need in the lifetime they were going to share together. His lifetime. That was something else they needed to discuss as well. If she wished to partake in the official mating ritual or not. It wasn’t something he wanted her to do lightly. Living long enough to watch everyone you know die, young or old, was no easy thing to stomach. She might very well want to live a normal human lifespan, for which he could not fault her. All he would do is cherish every day that she was with him, making them all special.
“So,” she said at last, breaking the silence so abruptly he jumped a little before settling down sheepishly.
“So,” he echoed. “This is awkward.”
“You don’t say.”
“Actually I did just say,” he pointed out.
Karri snorted and leaned into him.
“Well, where do we start?” she asked, staying leaned over as he finally put his arm around her at last, enjoying the feeling of having her pressed in close to him.
“Let’s start with you and me. Tell me what you haven’t told me.”
He nodded. “Well, I think you’ve already picked up on it from somewhere. But the truth of it is, Karri Blaine, that you are more to me than just a woman I’ve fallen for. You’re my mate. The other half of my soul. It sounds like a stereotypical romantic line, but I swear to you, among shifters, it is a real thing. We bond with our mates unlike anyone else before or after. It’s an incredible experience that brings about a deeper connection than you can imagine unless you experience it.” He paused for breath. “And before you ask, the reason I didn’t tell you is because I knew it from day one. That’s normal among shifters, and we’re used to it. But you humans, even when a shifter finds their mate in you, you need time. A proper courtship and dating period, until you come to the conclusion on your own.”
“So you didn’t tell me, because you think it would have scared me off?”
“Essentially, yes. I know the concept of love at first sight exists in humans, but in shifters that’s a quite literal definition of how it goes with our mates. I have loved you since that first day we went jogging together,” he said, finally allowing himself to speak the truth. “Every day since then has been the best day of my life, and also the worst as I’ve seen what my courtship of you has put you through. I do not know what I did to get such a strong and intelligent woman, but I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to make up for losing your dream. I would even give you up if it got your dream back, but since I already got yelled at for that once, I’m not going to bring that up as a suggestion.”
Karri giggled, the first noise she’d made in a while. It was an encouraging sign, he thought. She wasn’t freaking out and trying to pull away from him.
“Good, I’m glad.” She shrugged. “Honestly, I think my father is going to come around. I went over to his place and we had a really good, long chat. Something I think I’ve been avoiding since Mom disappeared as much as he has. I don’t know if he’ll ever see me the same way he would if I were a male, but I think I can convince him to turn the company over to me in the end.”
“Really?” he asked, elated to hear that. “That’s fantastic! You let me know what you need. Whatever it is, even if it’s staying out of sight while he’s around, I’ll do it.”
She kissed his arm. “I know you will. That’s why you’re amazing. That’s why I care about you so much.”
He looked over at her, cupping her chin and lifting it so that two pairs of blue eyes met.
“I care about you a lot too,” he said slowly, never looking away. “A lot.” He paused. “I love you, Karri. I love you so much.”
There was no hesitation in her reply. “I love you too.”
She lifted herself up to him, then allowed herself to fall into the kiss as he pulled her on top of him, leaning back onto the bed so that they could be at equal levels without anyone breaking their neck. For the longest time they just kissed and repeated the three sweetest words he’d ever heard.
It didn’t take long for the proximity and constant contact to change that though, and her hands began to tug frantically at his shirt at almost the same instant his fingers wrapped around her hips to grab her rear, squeezing it.
No words were said as they frantically undressed each other, rolling around and sitting up as necessary to disrobe in the easiest, if not sexiest, manner. Finally free of clothing, he rolled on top of her, admiring her slim body. Andrew was well aware that Karri didn’t think of herself as feminine, but he didn’t see it that way. Her small perky breasts practically begged for his mouth on them, and as her hand clamped around the back of his neck she arched her back, pulling him in tight.
Andrew felt his cock stiffen to its fullest, aroused by the noises of pleasure from his mate as she spread her legs around him, inviting him inside of her.
“I want you so bad,” she breathed into his ear, flicking her tongue along the outside of it.
Andrew shivered and gripped the bed tightly as bolts of lightning raced down his spine from her touch. She stroked his sides with her nails and hot air washed over his skin from her breath, leaving a trail of fire wherever it went.
Lining himself up with her opening, he gripped his shaft tightly and teased her with the tip, rubbing it up and down until she begged for him inside her. Her eyes were frantic, scrunched up as they looked up at him, needing what he was about to give her. Andrew hadn’t thought he could get any harder, but that sight proved him wrong.
Without another delay he pushed himself inside of her, feeling the way her walls moved around him, their tightness squeezing hard against his side. He took it slow, not wanting to hurt her. Karri had other ideas though, and she quickly began thrusting her hips at him, trying to capture more of his length with every move. Sensing she didn’t need as much warming up today, he pushed the rest of the way inside of her in one smooth move.
“Oh shit,” Karri hissed. He watched as she slid a hand between her legs and began to move her finger in circles. No more than a handful of seconds later he felt her insides contract around him as she jerked and spasmed through a powerful climax. “Fuck me,” she ordered as she fell back onto the bed.
His hips rose and fell automatically, sliding his hard cock in and out of her with piston-like regularity, building her up once more. As she recovered from her climax he increased the tempo, his face close to hers as they kissed hard and frequently. The only sounds were her moans and his growls.
“Oh Andrew,” she gasped at one point. “I’m so close.”
“Me too,” he groaned. “I can’t last…”
“Don’t,” she hissed. “Go. Now. I’m going to—”
Her words transitioned into a wordless cry of ecstasy as he exploded inside of her, the flexing of her own climax drawing forth everything he had inside of her. They crashed into each other crazily, both overwhelmed by the power of the moment.
“Karri,” he whispered, slumping down over her body, spent.
“My Andrew,” she said, her nails scratching lightly over his back.
He kissed her neck softly while they lay there together, until she fell asleep under him. Smiling, he slid off of her, draping one arm across her chest until he too promptly passed out.