Page 42 of The Monster at the End of This Courtship

He grinned. "I took it as another sign you're my perfect mate. The first time we played Strip Twenty Questions, you seemed to know I wanted to open up to you but didn't know how."

"I'm glad the questions helped." I hadn't intended anything more than getting to know my mate, but I was glad I gave him an extra level of comfort.

As we continued through the cards, I was surprised by how similarly we viewed the world. I had considered myself and mysmall-town conservative, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized my parents had been raising me to be their liberal gay son. I laughed out loud at the realization.

Tuft glanced up from peeling off his sock. "What's so funny?"

"I have been fucking clueless my entire life. My poor parents must have been so confused." Some of their comments made a lot more sense now, like all the times they'd told me to be myself no matter what, and to let them know if anyone bullied me. If anyone had harassed me, I was too oblivious to know it.

"There's nothing wrong with being clueless," Tuft said. "I kinda like celebrating your firsts with you."

"I liked that, too." Talk of first times reminded me of our goal. I was still wearing my underwear, which was too many clothes.

"Answer your final question," Tuft said. "I'll read it to you. 'What personal quality do people appreciate about you?'"

I wasn't used to thinking about how others saw me, so I didn't know how to answer. "That's a hard question." Especially with my cock once again stealing all my blood. "I think they like my dependability. When I say I'm going to do something, I do it."

"I certainly like that about you," Tuft said. "My turn. I'm going to answer the same question."

"On the way to the bedroom?" I rose from the table and pulled his chair out for him, and he followed me while he talked.

"On Earth, people liked how gullible I am. I was an easy sell for anything my friends wanted to do, especially if they wanted to fool around. I guess I was pretty easy here, too, with Weld."

"Don't." I took both his hands in mine and pulled him close enough to kiss. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to believe in someone. Those who take advantage of it are the ones who suck. And no, I don't think Weld is one of those guys. You bothtried to make the best of a bad situation, and it didn't work out, which is good because it gave me a chance."

"I'm no catch," he said.

"You're mine." I kissed a wet trail over the scales at his neck, the ones I would soon be marking to show the rest of kobold society we were mates.

"You're approachable," I said, answering the question for him. "That's what other kobolds like most about you. All that therapy paid off."

"Being with you has helped, too." He pulled back so he could grin at me. "I was brave as a child because I knew I had a family who loved me. Here, I was lost until I met you. You give me the same feeling, like I can do anything because you're here with me."

I couldn't wait another moment. I fell on top of him on the bed, kissing and nipping at his lips until he opened for me. I didn't deserve his praise, but I couldn't stop worshiping his gorgeous body with my mouth and hands. I wanted him to know I felt the same way. He was my family and my home here on Ignitas.

Was I already in love with him?

Instead of overwhelming dread, my body filled with heat as I lost myself in his kiss. If this was love, I wanted all of this and more. I wanted to fill him with my cum, my knot, and our eggs. I wanted everything with him, including the family he so desperately desired.

I nudged his legs apart with mine and ran my hands up his thighs, scooping up a thick coating of slick. I didn't want to tease him, so I started with two fingers, working him open for me and inserting a third.

"Need you now." His pupils almost covered his golden irises in the low light.

I covered his cock with the leftover slick and gave it a couple of tugs.

"Gods, are you trying to murder me? Get in me already!"

I chuckled as I lowered myself on top of him, letting our cocks slide against each other until he hiked up his knees and tried to impale himself on my cock.

He missed, and we both laughed. I guided my cock to his entrance and inside in one smooth motion.

"Mate," he sighed in my ear. "Now I know why everyone says it's better. You fit inside me perfectly. No one else could compare."

I wiggled my hips to show him I felt the same way. The sexy grunts he made only encouraged me more until we moved together as one.

I wasn't going to last. I reached between us and tugged on his still-slick cock, now drooling precome. I'd all but given up on making my other partners come before I did, but with Tuft already shaking beneath me, so close, it only took a few pulls before he cried out and latched onto my neck with his teeth.

We'd talked about it, but I still wasn't prepared for the pain and pleasure of his bite. Paired with the way he pulsated around my cock, I came so hard I almost forgot I was supposed to reciprocate.

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