Mourn attempted to rein in his desire to take Dana hard and fast. She turned him on so much that it was difficult to find restraint. She made it more difficult when her fingernails raked down his back to his ass, and she grabbed hold of him to squeeze each cheek in her hands. Not even the condom could mute the pleasure of being sheathed inside her tight, warm, wet pussy. Her muscles squeezed around his dick.

She broke the kiss by turning her head. “Mourn,” she moaned. “Yes! Faster.”

He reached down and grabbed her hip, using his arm to pin her thigh against him as he drove into her more rapidly and a little more forcefully. She arched her back under him and he loved the sight of her taut nipples and bouncing breasts. He snarled, no longer holding back as he drove in and out of her. She felt too good. He clenched his teeth as he started to come. A white haze of rapture tore through his body and left him unable to think. She cried out his name loudly and her pussy milked his cock as she found her own release.

He collapsed on top of her but quickly remembered she was much smaller than he was. He feared his weight would make it difficult for her to breathe so he lifted up a little, released her hip and braced his arms on the bed. They both panted.

He couldn’t look away from her face. She was beautiful while in the throes of passion, but even more so in the aftermath of what they’d shared. It made his chest hurt when she smiled at him and opened her eyes to stare back at him.

She’s mine. Why can’t she see that? We belong together. He cleared his throat, so many words wanting to spill out, but he hesitated, trying to think of the least alarming thing to say. She wasn’t ready to mate him, or hear how he never wanted to live another day without her. He didn’t want to frighten her off. “Stay the night with me.”

She laughed. “You really aren’t playing fair, Mourn. How can I say no after that?”

He felt relief. It would be so much better if she had agreed to be his mate, but he’d take it one day at a time. She was his until morning. Tomorrow he’d have to think of another way to get her to stay with him.

“Good.”

She ran her hands over his body, exploring. He enjoyed the softness of them against his flesh more than anything he’d ever experienced. It soothed him and gave him a peaceful feeling. She didn’t even seem to mind that he stayed on top of her, his dick snugly nestled into her body to keep them intimately linked. He could happily remain that way forever. There was nowhere else he wanted to be, nothing else he wanted to do. Dana gave him purpose and happiness.

It made him think of 139. He tried to push those thoughts away, but they haunted him. She had never smiled at him after they’d shared sex. She’d never been content to allow him to hold her the way Dana did. 139 would have pushed him away by now to separate them. She’d never stroked her hands over his body as if she enjoyed touching him.

Dana’s smile faltered, and she stopped stroking him. “What’s wrong?”

He broke eye contact and leaned down, burying his face in her neck. He inhaled, loving her scent. “You matter so much to me, Dana.”

She resumed caressing him. She even turned her head, pressing her cheek against his. She shifted her legs, wrapping them tighter around his hips, as if she hugged him with them to keep him close.

“You matter to me too. What made you look so sad?”

He shifted his arms closer to her sides and pinned her under him more firmly. He just wanted to hold her. “I don’t want to tell you.”

She twisted under him and put space between their faces. She gripped his cheeks and turned his head. He allowed it, meeting her gaze.

“You can talk to me about anything, Mourn. Remember?”

He nodded. “I need to remove this condom. Jinx said it’s important to throw it away right after we share sex. Let me go and I’ll be right back.”

She released him and he withdrew his cock from her body. Thinking of 139 had softened him. He walked into the bathroom to dispose of the condom in the trash, and washed his hands. He found Dana sitting up on the bed when he returned. He took a seat next to her. Both of them remained naked. He couldn’t look at her though, instead he studied his hands.

“What is it?” She inched closer and surprised him by curling her bent knees around his hip, leaning in and putting her face in front of his. He lifted his gaze.

“I don’t want you to replace 139. I want with you what I never had with her.” He hoped she didn’t become upset or angry at his words.

Dana looked confused.

He rushed on before she could speak. “There were things that weren’t right between 139 and me. I am sorry I thought about that just now. I hope you aren’t angry. I realized that what we share is better than what I had with her.”

Dana pulled away, and his shoulders sagged. He’d upset her. She’d leave and go home. Possibly refuse to see him anymore. It tore him up inside. She surprised him when she straddled his lap. He straightened and wrapped his arms around her as she settled her ass on his thighs. Her hands rested on his shoulders and she leaned in closer.

“I’m not angry.”

“Have I hurt you because I spoke of 139?”

“No. Tommy and 139 were important to us. I’m just trying to understand what you mean. You can talk to me about her, Mourn. She was your mate. You’re still grieving. So am I. We’re going to think about them, and I’d rather we be open about it. Wouldn’t you?”

He nodded, holding her a little tighter.

“Tell me what you were thinking. We’ll start there.”

“I tried to be a good mate to her, but I failed. She didn’t like me holding her. I like it that you do.”

Dana lifted one hand and brushed her fingers through his hair. “I like you holding me. I don’t think you failed, Mourn. Maybe she wasn’t into cuddling. Some people aren’t. That’s nothing bad on you.”

“She asked Destiny to hold her near the end.”

Dana looked confused again. “Who is that?”

“He’s a primate male nurse. He helped teach me how to care for her, and would come almost every day to check on her. She talked to him more than she ever did to me, and she asked him to hold her as she died. It hurt me deeply, but it was what she wanted so I allowed him to lift her onto his lap and cradle her against his chest as she took her last breaths.”

Dana paled, appearing shocked and horrified. “Mourn, I’m so sorry.”