He fought to regain his composure but it took a minute. He opened his eyes and realized he still had her wrists captured in his hands. He held her gaze, worried that she would be upset. She smiled at him instead, as if losing his composure and coming all over his thighs, stomach, her hands and on part of the shirt she wore was okay.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

He glanced down his body. He wasn’t surprised to see his semen everywhere. He’d felt it hit his skin. He looked up into her eyes. “I was really excited.”

“I don’t understand why you’re apologizing.”

“I should have said something before that happened, and covered the head of my dick with my hand so it didn’t go everywhere. I also swell a bit if you noticed the lump that formed near the base of my shaft after I came. It’s normal for a canine.”

She twisted her hands and he released her wrists. She reached down, shocking him by running her fingertips through his semen, spreading it on his stomach. “This is a part of you.” She looked up. “Never apologize for that.”

He placed his hand on top of hers, trapping it on his lower belly. He sat up, holding her gaze. “You’re not unsettled by what happened?”

“No. I want to do it again and again. I love touching you and watching your body react to my touch. Your muscles tighten and you move in ways that makes me ache. I like to see that expression on your face. It’s almost like pain, but not. You’re sexy, my pup.”

He released her hand and twisted toward her. “You ache?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Show me where.”

“You don’t like it when I take off my shirt, but you make me feel that way all over.”

“Take it off.” He didn’t bother trying to soften his tone. Candi had heard him growl many times. She ached and he picked up the scent of arousal coming from her. He couldn’t mount her, but he wanted to make her feel good. His dick hardened again just thinking about how it would be to make her come. “Show me.”

She eagerly wiggled out of the shirt. She moved to toss it away, but he snagged it as she released it and used it to wipe off her hands first, and then his belly, thighs and dick. He dropped it then and slid off the couch. Predatory instincts awakened inside him as he watched her lean back the way he’d been, and spread her legs open in front of him. He wanted to pounce on her, eat her alive, in all the good ways.

Hero rose to his knees and grabbed her hips, putting her where he wanted her. He tugged her toward him and she complied. She scooted down until her ass was on the edge of the couch. It put her pussy close to his dick. She placed her toes against the coffee table, her calves at the sides of his hips. He let go of her and clutched one of the cushions from the couch. He slid his hand under her back and lifted, shoving the thick padding under her. It arched her back and she was spread out in front of him like some beautiful, sexy feast.

He still saw no fear in her. Candi held his gaze and looked at him with anticipation. It sank in then. She’d accept anything he wanted to do to her because she trusted him. His hands trembled as he opened them and lightly placed them on the top of her thighs. She didn’t jerk away or tense. He pushed upward, gliding them over her skin and up to her stomach. He paused.

“Are the pads on my skin too rough? You have such soft ones.”

“I love your hands. They feel good. It almost tickles, but don’t stop.”

Her nipples beaded when he slid his hands upward and massaged them. They were perfect, so soft, and he loved playing with them. Candi’s breathing increased and so did the scent of her arousal. He had to shove his ass back a bit since he glanced down at her spread pussy and realized his dick was in danger of coming into contact with it. He was hard as a rock again, as if she hadn’t just gotten him off.

“That feels so good.” She arched her back and pushed her breasts against his hands. He gently squeezed, pinching her taut nipples between his forefingers and thumbs. Candi moaned and her legs parted farther. Her toes slipped off the coffee table and she hooked the back of his thighs with her heels.

He wouldn’t enter her. He couldn’t risk hurting her by taking her too roughly in his excitement, or risk getting her pregnant. She looked too frail, and it enraged him that humans had made her so skinny. Mercile had killed plenty of Species, but not by starvation. He released her breasts and skimmed his hands lower. Her stomach muscles clenched under his palms and he looked up at her face. She watched him, her features flushed.

He needed to go slowly so he resisted the urge to do what he wanted. It might shock her if he grabbed her ass, sat back on his heels and put his mouth against her pussy. He massaged her inner thighs instead, inching closer to her sex. He continued to look for any indication that he was frightening her. He’d stop if he was, but he saw nothing to discourage him.

Hero grew bolder and brushed his thumb over her pussy. Her breathing increased, but she didn’t protest in any way. He was glad his nose hadn’t been wrong when he dragged his thumb over the proof of her arousal and eased that wetness up to her clit. He paused for a split second when her body tensed, but she didn’t try to jerk away. He tested how she withstood his touch by circling the little nub with the softest part of the tip of his thumb, which was just above the thicker layer of tough skin.

Candi sucked in a sharp breath and her hands dug into the couch, getting a good grip on it. He cleared his throat so he was able to speak around the lump that had formed there. She liked it when he talked to her, so he did.

“You’ll like this, Candi. It almost feels like pain, but don’t be afraid. Just try to relax and let me do this. It will be wonderful.”

She nodded.

He started to rub her clit again, circling it with his fingertip. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip. A soft moan came from her and the scent of her arousal grew stronger. He turned his hand a little so the length of his thumb rested against the crease of her pussy. She grew wetter as he played with her.

Blood rushed to his already-stiff dick but he ignored his discomfort. It was about his Candi, not his desire to be inside her. He slid his thumb off her clit and ran it through the honey silkiness of her arousal. He loved how wet she was. He coated his thumb and returned to her clit, bending it to slide up and down instead of in circles. Candi moaned louder and her fingers clawed at the couch.

“I hurt,” she whimpered. Her calves squeezed against his hips as she tried to close her legs. He sat on his ass and leaned forward so his chest kept them spread. He used his upper arms to pin them open too.