Chapter 14: Corbin - Purrfect Valentine

I’d like to say I played it cool. That when Ally guided my hand between her thighs and I felt how wet she was, I responded with smooth confidence and expert technique. But that would be bullshit. The truth was my brain short-circuited the second my fingers slid through slick heat. She gasped, though, which was a good sign. I’d been with women before. I knew what I was doing.

I slid my fingers lower, parting her. She sucked in air, holding it as I circled her clit, slow at first, testing what made her hips twitch. God, she was beautiful like this: flushed cheeks, lips parted, eyes half-lidded and locked on mine. Every inch of her body was a fucking revelation—soft curves, freckles dusting her shoulders, the way her stomach dipped when she breathed in sharp. I wanted to map it all, worship it, make her forget every doubt she’d ever had.

But holding back? That was the real fight. My cock throbbed against my jeans, aching to be inside her, but I shoved that down. This wasn’t about me. I wanted Ally to feel good—really good—before she decided if she still wanted me.

I hooked my fingers into the waistband of her jeans, tugging them down her hips inch by inch. She lifted to help, kicking them off with a breathless laugh when they tangled at her ankles. Her underwear followed—black cotton, soaked through—and I tossed them aside, exposing her fully. Pink, glistening, perfect. I settled between her thighs, shoulders nudging her legs wider, and leaned in.

“Corbin, I haven’t⁠—”

“Don’t care,” I muttered against her inner thigh. “Fuck, you smell amazing.”

The first taste of her drew a groan from deep in my throat. I licked a slow stripe up her center, savoring the way she bucked against my mouth. “Oh, shit, Corbin—” My name on her lips like that? It sent a jolt straight to my dick. I focused on her clit, circling it with my tongue—firm, then soft, flicking just enough to make her thighs tremble. One hand splayed across her hip, holding her steady; the other slid two fingers inside her, curling up to hit that spot that made her arch off the bed.

She was tight, clenching around me as I pumped slow and deep, matching the rhythm of my tongue. Her fingers threaded into my hair, tugging—not hard, but enough to guide me, to tell me what she liked. Faster now, sucking lightly on her clit while my fingers thrust harder. Her breaths came in short gasps, hips grinding against my face, coating my chin with her wetness. I didn’t let up—couldn’t, not when she was unraveling like this, squirming and moaning underneath me.

When she came, she was gorgeous—her whole body tensing, then shuddering, short bursts of swears ripping from her throat before a long, low satisfied moan as she pulsed around my fingers. I worked her through it, gentling my tongue until she went limp, chest heaving.

She pulled me up then until I was kneeling, and she knelt facing me, hands framing my face, kissing me deep and messy—tasting herself on my lips without a hint of hesitation. “That was... incredible,” she murmured against my mouth, eyes shining. “God, you’re incredible.”

Incredible. Me? Huh. Heat bloomed in my chest, spreading out, making it hard to breathe for a second. Andi never said shit like that. It was always “Cool, thanks” or “Could you do this next time.”

But Ally had said I was incredible.

Fuck, I wanted to hear it again. And again. And again.

Her hands were already at my jeans, shoving them down with eager tugs. I shifted to help, but... What if this was too fast? What if I fucked it up? What if I ruined whatever I did to make her think I was incredible?

Andi’s voice echoed in my head. “Don’t be so eager, Corbin. It’s kind of pathetic.” She’d say it with a laugh, like a joke, but it stuck, making me second-guess every move. Ally was so willing, so into it—kissing my neck, nipping my earlobe—and I wasn’t used to that. When she rubbed the heel of her hand against my dick, I froze. Shit. I didn’t want to mess up.

“Hey?” Ally paused, fingers at the waistband of my boxers, searching my face. “You okay? If you’re worried about protection—I have an IUD, and I’m clean. Last check was clear.”

I blinked. Damn. I was too eager. The thought about protection hadn’t even crossed my mind yet, but now that she said it... “Yeah, me too. Clean. Tested and... everything.” My voice came out rough. “That’s not⁠—”

She smiled, then tugged my boxers down fully. My cock sprang free, already hard and leaking at the tip, and she wrapped her hand around me without missing a beat. Slow strokes at first, base to head, thumb swiping over the slit to spread the precum. I groaned, head falling back. “I—fuck.”

“You’re so hard,” she whispered, kissing along my jaw. “So perfect. I want you so much, Corbin. All of you.”

Perfect. The word joined the first compliment, and together, they eased some of the tension I carried. Her grip tightened, stroking faster now, twisting just right at the crown. She leaned down, kissing my chest, my abs, murmuring more— “You made me feel so good,” “I love how you touched me,” “You’re amazing at this”—each one building heat until I was thrusting into her hand. Close. Shit, fuck, too close.

“Ally—wait, I—” I grabbed her wrist gently, stalling her. Didn’t want to finish like this. Not yet.

She eased her hand off me, but didn’t pull away. Just looked at me with those patient, warm, non-judgmental eyes. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat. I swallowed, trying to find words that didn’t sound like I was second-guessing everything.

“Do you—do you want to be on top?” I asked, quieter than I had meant to. It came out automatically. Andi had always preferred it—said it was easier for her to control the pace, easier for her to get what she needed.

Ally tilted her head, studying me for half a second. Then she leaned in, pressed a slow kiss to the hinge of my jaw, right under my ear. Her breath was warm when she whispered, “It’s your choice, Corbin. Whatever you want. However, you want me.”

The knot that’d been coiling in my chest loosened, allowing the confidence it’d been choking out. It wasn’t that I suddenly turned into some commanding guy—I didn’t growl orders or flip her over like I’d seen in movies. I just felt... steadier. Like I could breathe and actually be here, in my body, with her.

“Okay,” I breathed, removing my jeans the rest of the way, along with the boxers, and tossing them onto the floor beside hers. “Thank you.”

I kissed her—slow, deep—then eased her back onto the mattress. She went willingly, legs parting as I settled between them again. I reached for one of the pillows at the head of the bed, slid it under her hips so her lower back arched just enough. The angle lifted her perfectly, making everything line up.

She watched me the whole time, lips curved in a small, trusting smile. No rush. No critique waiting on the tip of her tongue. God, she was a breath of fresh air.

I lined myself up, the head of my cock nudging against her entrance. She was still wet, and heat radiated off her. I pushed in inch by inch, letting her adjust. She was tight, gripping me like she was made for this. When I bottomed out, hips flush against hers, we both let out a shaky breath.

“Jesus,” I muttered, forehead dropping to hers. “You feel—fuck, Ally.”

She wrapped her legs around my waist, heels digging into my lower back, pulling me deeper even though there wasn’t any deeper to go. “Move,” she whispered. “Please.”

I did. Slow at first—long, deliberate strokes, pulling almost all the way out before sliding back in. Every time I bottomed out, she made this little hitch of sound, nails scraping lightly down my back. I kept the rhythm steady, watching her face—watching the way her eyes fluttered when I hit just right, the way her lips parted on a soft “yes” every few thrusts.

Her hands roamed—over my shoulders, down my arms, back up to cup my face. “You feel so good. Fuck, I love the feeling of you inside me,” she breathed. “So good. So good. Don’t stop.”

I sped up a little, hips rolling deeper, grinding against her clit with every thrust. She arched up to meet me, matching the pace, thighs trembling around my waist.

Sweat slicked our skin. The bed creaked under us. Her breaths turned ragged, little moans slipping out every time I drove in hard. When I felt my own climax building, I slipped one hand between us, determined to make her finish again. My thumb slid against her clit—circling while I fucked into her.

“Yes, baby—r-right there—” Her voice cracked. Her walls fluttered around me, tightening in waves.

I leaned down, kissed her messily and open-mouthed, swallowing her gasps. “Come for me,” I murmured against her lips. “All the way.”

She did—hard. Her whole body locked up, back bowing off the pillow, a broken “Oh god—” tearing out of her as she pulsed around my cock, milking me in rhythmic squeezes. I kept moving through it—slower now, drawing it out—until she went boneless under me, chest heaving, eyes glassy and soft.

Fuck, I wasn’t far behind.

“Wh-where do you want me to—” I stuttered, choking on words as my vision went blurry.

“Inside.”

Fuck, that was hot. The sight of her like that—flushed, wrecked, looking at me like I was everything—pushed me over. I thrust deep one last time, burying myself as the blinding release hit, spilling inside her with a low groan that felt like it came from my toes.

We stayed locked together for a long minute, breathing hard, foreheads pressed together. Her fingers traced lazy circles on my back. I kissed her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. All soft kisses with no urgency left.

When I finally eased out and rolled to the side, pulling her against my chest, she curled into me like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her head tucked under my chin, one leg thrown over mine.

“I know you’re looking for a job,” she said, a smirk on her lips.

“Yeah?” I raised an eyebrow, my mouth quirking up. “Why is that the first thing you think about now?”

“Well, it may be inappropriate,” she said, bringing my hand to her mouth and kissing each of my finger pads individually. “But you could definitely put fucking on your resume. Because that, Corbin, is something you quite excel at. Cream of the crop. Top of the line. Gold star and A plus plus plus⁠—”

I laughed as she went on and on, feeling lighter than I had in a very, very, long time.

Ally had wrapped herself around me like a cobra when I woke up the next morning—one arm across my chest, one leg hooked over my thigh, her face pressed into the curve of my neck. Her breath fanned warm and steady against my skin. Her hair was a disaster, pink-tipped strands tangled across my shoulder and fanned out on the pillow behind her.

Last night was real.

The math hit me somewhere between noticing the drool spot on my shoulder and trying to remember where my boxers had landed. Andi and I had been together for two years. Before that, a handful of forgettable one-night stands in my mid-twenties. Which meant the woman currently using me as a body pillow was the first person I’d slept with in three years who wasn’t my ex-girlfriend.

Huh.

I waited for the freak-out. The oh-shit-what-did-I-do spiral. The urgent need to find my pants and manufacture an excuse to leave.

Nothing.

I lay there like an idiot, watching dust motes float through the morning light, and felt... fine. Better than fine. My shoulder was going numb where Ally’s head pressed into it, my back ached from a mattress that was definitely too soft, and I was pretty sure I’d pulled something in my groin last night.

Didn’t care. Didn’t want to move.

That was new.

Ally mumbled something against my neck—sounded like “five more minutes” or possibly “hide the body”—and burrowed closer. I tightened my arm around her without thinking. She settled immediately, one hand curling into a loose fist against my chest.

Okay. So I was doing this now. Watching a woman sleep. Like a creep. In my defense, she was worth looking at. Not in a weird way. In a... noticing way. The freckles across her nose I’d missed last night. The small scar on her collarbone—old, faded, and I wanted to know the story. The way her face had gone slack and soft, none of the sharp wit or armor she wore during the day.

This was the version of Ally nobody else got to see. Well, nobody except Bernie and the other foster animals.

But I was seeing it.

Her nose wrinkled. Her breathing shifted. Then her eyes opened—blurry, confused—and focused on my face.

We stared at each other.

She smiled. Not her usual grin—smaller, softer, like she wasn’t fully awake yet and had forgotten to put her guard up.

I smiled back. Couldn’t help it.

“Hi,” she said, voice rough with sleep, and god, the morning breath was bad. I figured mine was too, as I responded.

“Hi.”

She stretched against me like Muffy did each morning. Every inch of her pressed closer for a second before she relaxed again. Her thigh slid higher on mine, and fuck, the casual friction of skin on skin woke my dick up faster than coffee ever could. She noticed. Of course she did. The corner of her mouth curved.

“Well, good morning to you too,” she murmured, voice still gravelly.

I huffed a laugh, cheeks heating. “Sorry.”

“That’s twice now you’ve woken up hard against me. First time in the inn, and now…” She propped herself on one elbow, hair falling in a wild curtain around her face. She looked adorable. “Is this going to be a thing?”

“Maybe.”

“Good,” She leaned down and kissed me. “You taste like last night.”

Heat shot straight to my groin. I was fully hard now, tenting the sheet between us. Her hand drifted down my stomach, fingers tracing the line of hair below my navel, stopping just short of where I wanted them most.

“Ally—”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she dipped under the covers. Her lips brush my chest, then to the side—open-mouthed kisses over my pecs, tongue flicking one nipple, then the other. My breath hitched. She kept going, mapping my ribs, the dip of my stomach. I inhaled sharply when her hair dragged across my skin.

I lifted the sheet instinctively, peering down. Her mischievous gaze met mine from between my legs, her hair a static blonde and pink halo. My cock lay thick against my stomach now, flushed and leaking at the tip. She wrapped her fingers around the base, giving one slow, experimental stroke.

“Al,” I said, voice rougher than I meant. “You don’t have to⁠—”

She tilted her head. “I wanted to taste you last night,” she said simply. “You got to taste me. Tit for tat. But we got straight to the main event a little too quickly.” Her thumb circled the head, spreading precum, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from thrusting up into her hand. “Now’s my chance. Unless…” Her face dropped for half a second—something uncertain flickering in her eyes. “Unless you don’t want me to.”

Fuck. No. The last thing I wanted was for her to think I didn’t want this.

“I do,” I blurted. Too quickly. “God, Ally, I do. I just... don’t want you to feel like you have to. Or like it’s expected.”

She studied me for a beat. Then she grinned and leaned forward to press a kiss to the inside of my thigh. “I really want to. I really really want to. I promise.”

To prove it, she stroked me again—firmer this time, twisting at the crown just right. My hips jerked. She hummed approval, then lowered her head.

The first touch of her mouth was wet and perfect. She licked a slow stripe from base to tip, tongue flat and broad, then swirled around the head like she was savoring an ice cream cone. I groaned, clenching the sheet in my hand as I watched. She took me deeper, lips stretching around me, cheeks hollowing as she sucked.

She wasn’t gentle about it. Thank fuck.

She bobbed slow at first, getting used to the thickness, then faster, taking more each time until I hit the back of her throat. She gagged a little, and the soft, wet sound she made had my balls tightening. Ally pulled off just enough to breathe, then went back down. Deeper. Her throat worked around me, swallowing, and holy shit.

“Al—oh fuck—shit fuck⁠—”

She moaned around me, the vibration shooting up my spine. One hand cupped my balls, rolling them gently while the other stroked what her mouth couldn’t reach. She choked again—twice more—eyes watering, but she didn’t stop. If anything, she got sloppier, messier, spit slicking down my shaft, dripping onto my thigh. She looked wrecked and determined and so fucking hot I couldn’t think straight.

With my free hand, I threaded my fingers into her hair—not pushing, just holding—feeling the strands slip through my knuckles. “So good,” I rasped. “You’re so fucking good at this. Holy shit!”

She hummed again—pleased—and took me all the way, nose brushing my pelvis. Her throat fluttered, and with a muffled gag and swallow, I tensed. This was it. Fuck, she was efficient. I’d never… no one had ever brought me so close so fast… oh fuck.

“Fuck—I’m gonna come. Fuck, I’m gonna⁠—”

She didn’t pull off. She sucked harder, tongue pressing flat against the underside, and I came hard—white-hot, pulsing down her throat. She swallowed, choking once more, but didn’t stop until every drop came out. She worked me through it until I was twitching, oversensitive, and gasping.

When she finally pulled off—lips swollen, chin shiny—she crawled back up my body, grinning like she’d won an award. Fuck, I’d give her an award. I’d go to that hardware shop I’d ridden past and make her a damn award. I grabbed her face and kissed her to taste myself on her tongue. She kissed back for a second, then pulled away just enough to murmur against my lips.

“Isn’t payback fun?” she asked between kisses. Kiss. “So.” Kiss. “Fucking.” Kiss. “Fun.” Kiss.

“Yes, but now it’s my turn to⁠—”

She kissed me again, stopping my hand before I could reach between her legs. “I wish, but no.” She guided my hand up to rest on my own chest. “I need to shower and get ready for work.” A bark came from the other side of the door. “And I need to feed the zoo before they stage a coup. Hey, that rhymes. I like that.”

“Ally—let me⁠—”

“Nope.” She rolled off me in one fluid motion, sheets tangling around her legs for a second before she kicked free. Naked, glorious, hair everywhere, she padded toward the bathroom. “You can owe me later.”

The door clicked shut behind her.

I lay there—chest heaving, brain scrambled, wetness still drying on my stomach—staring at the ceiling.

She’d given. Just given. No strings, no scorekeeping, no “now you do me.” She’d swallowed, kissed me like it was nothing, and walked away to deal with her actual life.

I couldn’t remember the last time that happened. Maybe never.

Several minutes later, the bathroom door opened again. Steam drifted out. She poked her head around the frame, a towel wrapped around her, hair dripping.

“You gonna lie there all day looking stunned, or help me wrangle Bernie before he eats the couch?”

I laughed and sat up. “Coming.”

“Yeah you are,” she said with a wink, then crossed to the bedroom door.

I shook my head, still half-hard just from the memory of her mouth. This woman was going to ruin me. And I was starting to think I wouldn’t mind.

When she opened the door, a wall of fur and chaos descended. Bernie barreled past Ally before she could stop him, launching himself onto the bed with zero regard for my personal space or the fact that I was still naked. Two hundred pounds of Saint Bernard landed on my chest, tongue lolling, tail wagging hard enough to create a breeze.

“Bernie! Off!” Ally grabbed for his collar and missed. “Bernie, down!”

“It’s fine.” I shoved the dog off and sat up, scratching behind his ears. His tail wagged harder. “He’s congratulating me for last night.”

“Hell yeah he is,” she said with smirk. “I wasn’t quiet.”

“He probably thought I was hurting you.”

“Hurt so good,” she said over her shoulder as she disappeared back into the bathroom.

The other dogs crowded the doorway. They watched Bernie’s successful invasion with naked jealousy. I didn’t know what else to do, so I waved. Then I felt stupid and dropped my hand back onto Bernie’s back.

I pulled on my boxers and jeans and herded the animals out of the room. It was like wading through a sea of wagging tails and cold noses. In the kitchen, the cats had already assembled on the counter. They watched the canine circus with the superior disdain of creatures who knew exactly how undignified dogs were. For a second, I imagined Muffy there too.

Shit, I needed to feed my cat.

Nutter Butter the rabbit thumped from his pen in the corner, demanding attention and probably breakfast.

“Okay.” Ally came out of the bedroom a minute later, fully dressed, and pulled out a bag of kibble. She started measuring portions into a row of bowls. “Bernie gets the blue bowl, Luna gets the green, Harold and Steve share the double-dish, Lady Gaga gets hers in the laundry room because she eats too fast and throws up otherwise. Cats eat on the counter because Bernie will steal their food if they’re on the floor.”

I blinked. “Got it. I think.”

“Water bowls are under the sink. The big one is Bernie’s, the medium ones are for everyone else, and the cats have a fountain in the corner that needs refilling.”

“Okay.”

“And Nutter Butter gets his pellets in his dish, but only half a cup because he’s on a diet.”

I was already moving. I grabbed the water bowls, filled them at the sink, and distributed them to the appropriate stations. Ally shot me a surprised look but didn’t comment, focused on doling out kibble while the dogs circled her legs like furry sharks.

When all the animals were occupied with their breakfast, she started the coffee maker and turned to face me.

“Thanks for helping. I know they’re a lot.”

“No problem. They’re a fun mix.”

“They’re the ones no one wanted.” She leaned against the counter, arms crossed, studying me. “Most people freak out when they see this.”

“See what?”

“This.” She gestured at the chaos. “The animals. The mess. The fact that I live like a crazy cat lady who also happens to collect dogs too.”

“Don’t forget the rabbit.”

“He won’t let me.” She bit her lip, her gaze dipping to my still naked torso. “Most men I’ve brought back here run off after the deed is done.”

“Has that happened often?”

“No.” Her cheeks flushed. “That’s kind of the point. Most guys take one look at this and decide I’m too much. Too busy. Too⁠—”

“Stop.” I stepped in front of her, close enough to see the gold flecks in her eyes. “Whoever told you that was an idiot.”

“Multiple idiots, actually.”

“Then they were all idiots.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, let my fingers linger at the curve of her jaw. “This isn’t too much. It’s your life. And I like your life.”

She stared at me for a long moment. Then she rose on her toes and kissed me.

“Thank you,” she said against my mouth.

“For what?”

“For staying. For helping. For the orgasms. And… And for not running away when Bernie tried to murder you with his tongue.”

I huffed a laugh. “I like Bernie. And I like you.”

Ally’s smile could have powered the entire town.

“That being said, I should go.”

Her smile disappeared, and I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. To try to fix it, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. “Sorry,” I breathed against her lips. “But I have a Ragamuffin to feed.”

The smile reappeared, and she kissed me back. “Right. I forgot.”

“You forgot about my cat?”

“Your cat, huh?” She smirked and licked her lips. “I like the sound of that. Go take care of your cat, and I’ll see you at the clinic soon enough.” Ally patted my hands, still framing her face. “Get out of here, Superman.”

The nickname didn’t sound like an insult. In fact, I think it was starting to grow on me.

“Whatever you say, Lois.”