Defending Zara (Mountain Mercenaries #6)(78)

It didn’t take long, only fifteen seconds or so of the direct stimulation, before stars danced behind Zara’s eyes and she began to shake. It was as if her body belonged to someone else; she couldn’t control her thoughts or actions. Her fingers dug into the sheets under her, her ass lifted off the mattress, and she cried out as an orgasm consumed her.

She vaguely realized that Meat had moved, but with pleasure still coursing through her veins, she couldn’t concentrate on anything other than how she felt.

When she could finally open her eyes, she looked up to find Meat hovering over her. One hand was propping himself up, and the other held his condom-covered cock as he used the tip to continue to stimulate her clit. He wasn’t touching her anywhere but between her legs, and Zara couldn’t tear her eyes away from the erotic sight. He slid his hard-as-nails cock through her folds, caressing her clit with each pass.

She shuddered and opened her legs wider.

She wasn’t scared. Not of him. Ever. “Do it,” she whispered. “I want you inside me.”

His nostrils flared at her words. “It’s not too late to say no,” he countered, his voice throaty and deep. “Just say the word and I’ll back off.”

The thought of him leaving her now was repugnant. She reached around and dug her nails into his buttocks. “Fuck me, Meat,” she said.

He groaned and notched the head of his cock between her legs. He was big—there was no doubt about that—but he’d stretched her with his fingers seconds ago, so she felt pressure but no sting when he slowly pushed inside her body.

It felt amazing. So foreign, but not in a bad way.

He pushed in a little farther, and Zara did her best to hide her wince. The farther he got, the more her body seemed to protest.

He stopped, and she looked down to see he wasn’t even halfway inside her yet.

For the first time, she had doubts that this would work. After all, she was only a little over five feet, and he was a full foot taller. Maybe they wouldn’t fit. Maybe—

Her thoughts were cut off abruptly when Meat suddenly slid all the way inside her.

She stiffened abruptly and tried to pull away, but Meat wouldn’t let her budge. He also stayed stock-still. “I’m sorry,” he said into her ear as he lay over her. He’d fallen onto his elbows, and she felt surrounded by him. He was over her, in her, and she was completely overwhelmed by her thoughts, the feelings rushing through her.

On one hand, her body was still humming in contentment because of the monster orgasm he’d given her, but on the other, there was pain.

“Give it a second,” Meat said. “Don’t move, we’ll just lie here until it doesn’t hurt as much. I’m sorry, Zara. So sorry.”

She inhaled deeply, and Meat’s scent filled her entire being. For a tense second, she felt as if she were being ripped apart . . . and then the pain slowly faded. Her fingers had dug into his butt cheeks so hard, she knew he’d probably have marks. She consciously relaxed her fingers and brought her hands up to hold on to his biceps.

She tentatively moved her hips . . . and her eyes widened at how full she felt.

“I’m okay,” she whispered.

“Give it another minute or two,” Meat said, not lifting his head.

He sounded weird, and Zara had no idea what was going through his brain. She tugged on his hair. “Look at me.”

When he lifted his head, she was stunned by what she saw.

Tears. He wasn’t actually crying, but his eyes were red, and he swallowed hard. “Yeah?”

“What’s wrong?”

“That was both the most beautiful moment in my life and the fucking worst,” he told her. “Beautiful because knowing you trusted me enough to let me be the first inside your body is humbling and amazing at the same time.”

“And the worst?” Zara asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

“Because I knew I’d have to hurt you in the process of getting inside you. I don’t like to see you flinch away from me, and I really don’t like to see you stiffen in pain because of something I’ve done,” Meat said. “I swear it won’t hurt like that again. I can’t promise it won’t be uncomfortable for a while, since you’re so tiny, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re completely ready for me before I come inside you again.”

Her heart stuttered. If she hadn’t loved Meat before, she certainly did now. “I’m okay. Is that it?”

He smiled, and some of the angst cleared from his eyes. “No, Zar. That isn’t it. I’m going to move now. If it hurts, let me know. I can read a lot of what you’re feeling on your face, but I also know you’re good at hiding your feelings. So tell me if it hurts. I’ll pull out right now and go run you a bath if you want me to.”

She shook her head. “No. I mean, I wouldn’t mind a bath . . . after . . . but I want to finish.”

“Brave as fuck,” Meat whispered, then slowly pulled out of her body, and just as slowly pushed back in.

He felt foreign inside her, but it didn’t hurt . . . at least not like it had the first time he’d thrust inside. She felt full and her inner thighs strained, using muscles she hadn’t used before as she kept her legs open wide for him. He gently glided in and out of her a few more times before Zara let out the breath she’d been holding.