It's utterly silent in the room. Agakor says nothing and I inwardly wince, wondering if he's finding me unappealing. I mentally go over the dark tuft of curls between my thighs, my long legs, my knees, my big feet, and I compare my form to that of my dainty sisters. But he saw me yesterday, didn't he? He said I was pleasing—
The bed creaks and then the mattress shifts, a heavy weight pressing down to the side. The big hand touches my face again. "Breathe, Iolanthe. Breathe."
I open my eyes and look up into his concerned face. His fingers lightly trace my jaw, sending shivers through me.
"It's just us," he reminds me again, voice soft as he continues to touch my face. "There's no need to be nervous."
A tight laugh bubbles out of me. "You're not the one being tasted."
His eyes darken. "I can be, but not tonight." Before I can ask about that intriguing statement, he rubs his thumb across my chin and shakes his head. "Tonight is about pleasing the bride, so she knows her groom is the right one for her."
I manage a nod even as I gulp down air. "Very well."
"Can I loosen your corset for you? If you pass out, I'm afraid this will look badly on me." He gives me a wry grin.
I sit up on my elbows, reaching for the ties. Right. Loosening my corset sounds like a good idea.
Agakor puts a hand over mine, stopping me. "I want to do it. Tonight is about me pleasuring you."
Oh. I lie back again, my hand falling back to the skirts I have bunched up at my waist. I don't know what else to do with my hands so I just kind of clutch the fabric close as he leans over me. He's so big, I realize. Even with my height, Agakor is massive. His shoulders are broad and he's easily half a head taller than me. It shouldn't please me so much but it really, really does.
His hand drifts over my mouth, brushing my lips. "I know I'm not the most appealing to look at. Would you prefer I not kiss you?"
I open my mouth to respond, and my tongue brushes his fingertip. I immediately gasp, and he draws back a little, startled. It's like we're both on edge. But his skin was warm, and pleasant, and I suddenly want him to put his hand back again. So I lick my lips and gaze up at him. "Please kiss me."
Agakor grins, the smile lighting up his craggy face, and for a moment, he's the handsomest thing I've ever seen. He settles down on the bed next to me, shoulder to shoulder, and I don't move. I just lie there and clutch my skirts to my waist like a madwoman and watch him. He reaches over and touches my cheek again, stroking it, and then leans in, brushing his lips over mine.
It's the first kiss I've had.
I've dreamed of having one, but never in my dreams did I imagine I'd be kissing a half-orc. That I'd be lying in bed with my skirts rucked up to my waist as tusks grazed my lips. But he smells good, and he's warm, and his mouth is so, so gentle on mine that some of my nervousness fades, and I press my lips back to his in the tiniest of return kisses. He kisses me again, clearly in no hurry to move away from my mouth, and his fingers stroke my cheek. He rubs his face against mine and then takes my lower lip and gently tugs on it with his teeth, sending a shiver through my body.
"Part your lips for me," he murmurs.
I do, and his tongue brushes into my mouth. I expected this, but knowing that it happens and feeling it happen are two different things. I've known that kisses involve tongue sometimes, but I didn't imagine it'd feel so…intense. That there's no intimacy quite like his tongue rubbing against mine, or that it'd make heat pool deep inside my belly.
He continues to kiss me, his tongue licking at me, our lips playing together, and his hand skims over my bared flesh below my skirts. I immediately freeze, all pleasure disappearing in a flash, replaced by uncertainty.
Agakor's big fingers stroke down my belly and part the folds between my thighs. He rubs lightly, and then his mouth flexes against mine as he grunts. "You're bone dry, love."
"Should I not be?" I whisper. Am I already doing something wrong?
He huffs in a quiet laugh. "It's not you. It's just me having far more confidence in my skills than I should." He kisses me on the mouth again. "Will you look at me?" I open my eyes and gaze up at him. His eyes are so very dark, his face so close to mine. "Are you frightened of me?"