"Fuck," I breathe, drinking in the sight of her. "You're so goddamn beautiful."
"I'm not—"
"You are." I cup her breasts, feeling their weight, thumbing her nipples until they peak. "Perfect. Every fucking inch of you."
She moans, arching into my touch, and I know I can't wait anymore. I need to be inside her. Need to claim her. Need to make her mine in every way possible.
"Bed," I growl. "Now."
She goes willingly, and I follow, already knowing this is going to change everything.
And I can't fucking wait.
Chapter 11 - Autumn
I'm giving away my virginity to a man I met less than forty-eight hours ago.
A man who turns into a bear.
A man who just made me come so hard on his tongue that I have no words for it.
This isn't a dream. This isn't one of the romance novels I read on long hikes, tucked safely in my backpack. This is real, the rough texture of his homemade blankets against my back, the weight of his body as he follows me onto the bed, the hunger in his dark eyes as he looks down at me like I'm everything he's ever wanted.
And the craziest part? I want this badly.
Not just kind of want it, not just curious about it. I want him with an intensity that scares me a little. Want to feel him inside me, want to know what it's like to be claimed by him, want to give him this piece of myself that I've been holding onto for twenty-six years.
Because no one else ever felt right. No one else ever made me feel like this—desired, treasured, safe and dangerous all at once.
And knowing he's a virgin too? That somehow makes it even better. We're both handing over a part of ourselves to each other. Both choosing this moment, this connection, this impossible bond that's formed between us.
He's hovering over me now, his weight on his forearms, his cock hard and heavy against my thigh. His eyes search my face.
"Last chance," he says roughly. "We can stop right now. I'll take care of myself, you don't have to—"
"Rhett." I reach up and cup his bearded face. "I want this. I want you. Stop trying to give me an out."
"I just need to know you're sure."
"I'm sure." I spread my legs wider, cradling his hips between my thighs. "I've never been surer of anything."
He closes his eyes and takes a shuddering breath. When he opens them again, they're darker, more intense. The bear is there, just beneath the surface.
"It might hurt," he warns. "First time usually does, right? If it's too much—"
"I'll tell you. I promise. But Rhett?" I pull him down for a kiss. "Stop worrying and fuck me already."
He groans against my mouth. "Fuck, the way you talk—"
"What? You don't like it?"
"I love it. Love that you're not shy about what you want."
"I am shy," I admit. "But I want you more than I'm shy. So right now? The wanting wins."
He kisses me again, deeper this time, and I feel him shift, positioning himself. The head of his cock nudges against my entrance…
He's big. I knew that from seeing him, from touching him, but feeling him there, about to push inside, brings home just how big.
