But then his mouth covers mine in a hot, hard press, and I moan in surprise and delight. His tongue flicks against mine in invitation, and then we’re kissing wildly, the water streaming down on both of us. Lips locked, we kiss over and over again until I’m pressing up against him as much as he’s holding me to him. My nipples rub against his chest and it sends shivery bolts through my body…so I make it a point to rub against him repeatedly.
“Kira,” he groans, and then pulls away, which leaves me dazed. I nearly stumble without his big body to lean against. The look on his face is sober as he indicates I should turn around. “Let me wash you before we continue.”
I stiffen even as I turn, my back going ramrod straight. “Is it because I smell?”
“No, it is because I don’t have many berries left and I need to wash, too.”
Oh. I stand obedient as he rubs the berry juice over my back and shoulders and then into my hair. He rubs at my hair for a bit and then smooths his hand down my arm, washing my skin. It feels good, like being stroked. Almost like a massage.
Then, his hand comes forward and cups my breast and I forget all about massaging. The breath explodes from me and I gasp in shock and startled pleasure.
“You are so delicate.” His hand moves over my breast, then glides to the other. “Soft and delicate all over.”
I tilt my head back and I’m surprised when Aehako’s other arm goes around my waist, pulling me against him again. The feel of his cock against my back is like a stabbing spear, but he holds me against him and smooths his soapy hands all over my body and I’m helpless to do anything but stand there and let him. It feels way too good.
His mouth nuzzles at my neck and he licks and then playfully nips at my skin, even as both of his hands move to cup my breasts. I moan with pleasure. I’ve touched my own breasts but when he does it, the pleasure goes from simply ‘good’ to off-the-charts. I press back against him and my hands go to his arms. I’m desperate to show him that I want more of this lovely, exciting touching, but I don’t know how to show him. “Aehako, what do I do?” I scratch my nails over the plated ridges on his forearms.
His low growl of pleasure surprises me. “Anywhere you touch me is a pleasure. Just like it is for me when I touch you. And right now, I intend on taking my pleasure from my mate.”
Aehako’s passionate words are like a slap of cold water in the face.
His mate.
Oh no. I need to tell him. “Aehako,” I say softly, and turn around to face him.
“No, Kira.” He leans in and nips at my mouth to silence me. “I will hear no protests. You will be my mate. We need no khui to bind us. You are mine and I am yours. Our khuis will simply catch up later. It has happened in many a mating. You choose, and then eventually the khui chooses.”
I shake my head. “It won’t ever choose me, Aehako.”
“You do not know that—“
“I do,” I say, and before I can even think about keeping the words in, I spit them out. “I’m barren.”
PART FIVE
AEHAKO
It takes me a moment to digest the word ‘barren’。 The mental visual the translation gives me is that of scorched, fallow earth with no animals and no plants, no water, no anything.
Then I realize what she is telling me. “You cannot have kits?”
Tears pool in her sad eyes and she nods. “When I was very young, I got sick and nearly died. I was in the hospital for a long time and when I finally healed, they told me that my reproductive system had been compromised by the illness and I’d never have children.” The tears spill down her cheeks and she swipes at them with quick, angry motions. “That’s why we can’t be together. Because you want to have a family. And I have to tell you that if you choose me, you’ll never have one. I won’t ever resonate, because I can’t have children.”
I feel a sharp pang of regret, but it’s quickly banished. Is this why she’s so sad? Is this why she holds me at arm’s length when it’s clear she is desperate to be loved? That she craves affection the way I crave her smiles?
I touch her chin and force her to look up at me. There’s such misery and heartbreak in her eyes. She truly thinks I shall cast her aside now that I find she cannot create life in her belly? “Is there anything else?”
A half-sob turns into a laugh and she swipes at her tears again. “I think that’s plenty, don’t you?”
“What if I told you it did not matter to me if you could have kits or not?”