Catherine woke first. The room was still dark, but a quick glance at her terrace door showed the sky filling with the first hint of sunrise. A sunrise she would share with Vincent.
Their first!
Vincent lay with his head cuddled into the curve of her shoulder. His breath felt warm against her skin and the fur on his nose brushed against her neck enticingly. Taking a deep breath, Catherine managed to quench her mounting desires, reminding herself that there was time enough for that later. Right now there was something else special she wanted to share with him.
She felt a surge of happiness as the reality of waking in her apartment
just before dawn, holding Vincent's gloriously naked body in her arms set in. Actually there would be all the time in the world later on for
the sweet intoxicating passion they had shared. Vincent was stuck here
in her
apartment at least until dark. He was all hers!
Shifting her weight, Catherine nudged her sleeping lover gently. Vincent mumbled her name drowsily and snuggled closer. Obviously he wasn't ready to awaken just yet. Catherine, however, was determined to share with him the sunrise on this first morning of their brand new life together.
"Vincent, wake up." She kissed the top of his head and jostled him again. "Come on, Vincent. I have something I want to show you." Her hands caressed his broad shoulders as she gave him one more shake. "Vincent, it's morning."
His long, silky hair brushed against her shoulders and breasts as Vincent slowly shook his head. Catherine felt her blood stir as his furry body moved sensually against hers when he stretched. Leaning up on his elbow he stared down at her, a torrid look of desire filling his eyes.
"You mentioned something you wanted to show me. What did you have in mind, Catherine?"
His nose teased her chin ever so lightly before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. His hands moved over her body with a confidence that both surprised and thrilled her. Catherine steeled herself, as best she could, against the fire that nipped at every nerve in her body, and managed, albeit reluctantly, to push him away.
"Not what you're thinking." She kissed him softly. "Keep that thought in mind, though, for later. We have all day!" She turned his face toward the terrace. "That's what I want to share with you right now."
Vincent's attention was at once riveted to the sight that greeted him and he immediately understood. The balcony was aglow with the orange and yellow hues that signaled the start of a new day. Dawn was breaking over the city and Catherine wanted to share with him one more thing of which they had only dared dream. Vincent started to get out of bed, and suddenly remembered his nudity. He glanced at her with a shy endearing smile as he reached for his pants.
"Wait, Vincent. I have something for you." She ran to her closet and brought back a long dark gray robe. She held it out for Vincent to slip his arms into. Turning him around, she pulled the belt around his waist and tied it snugly. It was a perfect fit.
"It even has a hood." She pulled the hood up and over his tousled hair. The royal blue piping on the sleeves, collar and hood matched his eyes perfectly and she smiled at the look of curiosity that filled them.
"I bought this right after our first night together. Just in case
you . . ." Her face turned a brilliant shade of pink as Vincent smiled
in understanding.
"Well, a girl can hope, can't she?" She quickly slipped into her
own robe.
"Come on, Vincent. I don't want to miss this." She grabbed his hand and headed for the terrace. Wrapped in each other's arms, they watched as the sun came up to warm and brighten the small part of Catherine's world that belonged to them alone; their vantage point.
They stood silently, Catherine's back pressed against Vincent's chest, his arm wrapped around her shoulders in a gesture that was both possessive and protective -- Kristopher's portrait come to life. Catherine finally broke the silence.
"Vincent, I almost forgot. What happened between you and Father after he found us together the other night?" She turned in his arms to face him. "Was it rough?"
"No. Actually, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but then
he didn't realize that anything had actually happened. Father truly thought
we had simply fallen asleep while I was reading. Your pretending to be
asleep was really . . ." He seemed to be searching for the right word.
Catherine
decided to help him.
"Devious? Cowardly?" Vincent chuckled softly. "I really am sorry, Vincent. I shouldn't have left you to face him alone like that."
"Apology accepted." He kissed the end of her nose. "Father did suggest that our being together might look improper had someone come in and found us." He lowered his eyes shyly. "I made a suggestion of my own, Catherine. One that rather surprised him I think."
"What did you suggest?" A small part of her hoped that his suggestion had to do with Father minding his own business, but she knew Vincent would never be so blunt with his guardian.
"I suggested he get used to seeing us together more and more, and I also suggested that a door be added to my chambers to afford us the privacy we will require in the future."
"Vincent! You didn't?" He nodded, grinning somewhat sheepishly. "And what did he say to your suggestion?"
The grin gave way to a broad smile. "Cullen is probably working on it even as we talk."
Catherine laughed in pure delight and cuddled into his embrace. Vincent held her quietly for several moments. The sound of the city coming alive to begin a new morning jogged Catherine's memory.
"Oh, I almost forgot."
Vincent followed behind her as she ran into her living room to check for messages on her answering machine. She'd left it on just in case of an emergency. Finding none, she once again made sure the phone's ring was set to mute. Taking his hand, Catherine led him back into the bedroom where she doubled checked to make sure the phone there was unplugged. There would be no interruptions for them this time.
She turned to see Vincent staring down at her bed; their bed now. He glanced up at her slowly, a look of shy disbelief crossing his unique features.
"We seem to have made something of a mess, Catherine."
"Yes we did, didn't we." Catherine's voice filled with pride as she graced him with a very satisfied smile. She saw him glance around and instantly knew what he needed.
"Why don't you take the bathroom first, Vincent. You'll find plenty of towels and wash cloths and I put out a new toothbrush for you. If you need anything else, just yell."
"Thank you, Catherine." He watched as she began stripping the bedclothes. "Can I help you with that?"
"No, thank you. I can mange. You go ahead and take care of . . ." she smiled seductively and blew him a kiss, ". . . other matters."
Vincent glanced around the large bathroom. The room wasn't nearly large enough, however, to keep his attention from the one place he was trying very hard not to look -- the big mirror that took up one whole wall. He had never been really comfortable with his appearance even though the people around him seemed very much at ease with it. Then again, they just had to look at his uniqueness, they didn't have to live with it.
He inspected the shower and found himself wondering if it might be big enough to hold him and Catherine. He was at once shocked at his bold thoughts and thrilled at the possibilities that lay ahead. It would be a tight fit, but somehow he didn't think Catherine would consider that a problem.
With a deep sigh of resignation, he gave in to the inevitable; facing his image. The mirror was crystal clear, the lighting perfect for showing every tiny flaw a person might have and Vincent found himself more than a little surprised. Even in this harsh setting, his looks didn't seem quite so wild and frightening as he expected. In fact, if he were truthful about it, he didn't look all that bad really. Placing his hands on the vanity, Vincent leaned forward for a closer inspection. His thick hair was tousled from sleep, not to mention Catherine's wonderfully creative hands. He shivered as he remembered the things she'd found to do with her long slender fingers.
His mirror image smiled back at him and seemed to glow from within. His eyes were clear and bright and sparkled with a life of their own. Nodding his head, Vincent decided that all in all he wasn't that hard to look at and in his wisdom he realized it was because of Catherine that he felt this way. She thought him beautiful and with her love she made him feel beautiful. Anxious to return to Catherine, he quickly washed up and hurried to rejoin her.
Catherine sat on the edge of the bed waiting her turn in the bathroom. It was silly and she knew it, but she wanted to see Vincent as he walked out of her bathroom for the very first time. These past few hours with him had been filled with firsts and this was just one more. Vincent smiled at her as he felt her joy and happiness reach out to touch him. Catherine jumped up to hug him before he could see the tears in her eyes.
"My turn." She motioned over her shoulder toward the bed. "I put clean sheets on the bed, Vincent. Why don't you lie down for a while. I'm afraid I had you up rather early. We could get a little more sleep if you like."
Vincent pulled her into his embrace before she could get away.
"Catherine, we were up practically all night long." He kissed her. "You didn't hear me complaining about it, however, and I have no complaints about being up so early this morning. I'm very grateful that we could share the sunrise." He kissed her again. Catherine shivered as his seductive voice whispered, "I'm grateful for everything we were able to share and I'm not the least bit sleepy. I will wait for you in bed, though, so hurry."
Catherine closed the bathroom door and leaned against it, laughing softly. His confidence was growing by leaps and bounds and she gloried in the knowledge that she was in no small way responsible for it. She ran some water in the sink and washed. A lecherous smile crossed her pretty features as Catherine spotted the shower door in the mirror. Her already overly-stimulated hormones screamed in uncontrollable passion as one very erotic vision filled her mind. Vincent and her taking a shower together! A long, hot, steamy shower. Catherine glanced in the mirror. Her hair was totally unkempt, her face flushed, her lips swollen and tender, and her eyes glowed with unrestrained passion. She leaned over the sink for a better look.
"Yes, I'd say that's the face of woman who's definitely been loved and loved well."
Catherine made sure that anything Vincent might need later was readily available. Extra towels -- he would need plenty -- and shampoo. Her hands tingled as she thought of the fun she was going to have with that. And a brand new toothbrush bought specially for him, extra hard and extra large of course. She glanced around the room with satisfaction and hurried back to Vincent .
The object of her desire lay on his side propped up on one elbow, clutching the pillow she had used to his chest. Vincent's eyes devoured her every curve as she walked toward him. When she reached the edge of the bed he looked up at her, pinning her with an icy-blue stare that made her body tremble. Catherine's heart skipped several beats at the sight of Vincent lying, naked and beautiful, in her bed!
"Is everything all right, Catherine? I felt something a moment ago . . ."
His innocent smile may have worked had it not been for the wicked gleam she could see in the shadowy depth of his eyes. He knew exactly what she'd felt and was taking great pride in knowing that he was the source of those feelings.
Tearing her eyes away from him, Catherine walked around to the other side of the bed and removed her robe. The idea of a shower together still lingered at the back of her mind, but she wanted to wait before bringing up the subject to Vincent. She was afraid he would be a bit hesitant about trying to fit into her shower alone, forget trying to get into it with her.
Catherine smiled to herself. It would definitely be a tight fit, but one she was more than willing to suffer through. In fact, the thought of squeezing into her shower with his naked golden body at her command, to do with as she wished was becoming more and more interesting. Then there was the matter of a bottle of shampoo.
Catherine's imaginative mind painted a very vivid image of her shampooing Vincent's long golden hair and any other areas he might have in mind. She shivered with anticipation and slipped into bed next to him, trying to decide how to approach the subject. The sight that greeted her, however, drove all thoughts of a shower away for the moment.
Vincent lay with his back to her, propped up on his elbow. His long hair was draped over his shoulders, thus affording her eyes a sight to behold. The muscles across his shoulders and down his sides rippled like tiny little waves with every movement. Catherine's hands were drawn to him like a moth to a flame and she reached out eagerly to run her fingers through the feathery soft fur that covered his shoulders in a thick layer.
From his shoulders, the fur thickened and narrowed into a long V-shaped wedge that traveled the length of his spine and disappeared between the twin mounds of his well-rounded bottom. Her fingers scraped gently down the length of his spine and she felt him arch his back as his body trembled with pleasure.
"Catherine!" When he moved as though to turn over, Catherine pushed him back down, face first on the pillow and straddled his back.
Vincent gasped both in surprise and delight when she squeezed his waist between her legs and leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"Hold still. I want to look at you." She pushed him again when he
rose slightly, trying to glance over his shoulder at her. "Lie still, Vincent.
I want to look at your back." Once more she scraped her fingernails in a gentle
scratching motion and was rewarded with a loud groan of pleasure from
her captive audience.
Catherine moved lower to straddle his thighs, thus allowing her hands to caress his firm buttocks and trim hips. The fur there was much thinner and shorter, but wonderfully soft and sensual. He quivered slightly beneath her touch as she tenderly kneaded the firm, supple skin.
"Does this feel good?" Her fingertips found their way to the twin dimples that resided on both sides of his lower back. Her finger burrowed gently into them, and once more Vincent arched sharply and moaned. Catherine leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"You like this don't you, Vincent?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing her perusal. She already knew the answer.
Vincent wriggled slightly. Her playful attack was driving him into
a frenzy of desire, making the position she had him in somewhat uncomfortable. As though becoming suddenly aware of his slight problem, Catherine
stretched out on top of him. This was a little helpful in that it took
some
pressure off his growing arousal, but the feel of her naked flesh
pressed the full length of his body only served to arouse him even more,
so his relief was short lived.
Catherine giggled softly when she felt him squirm helplessly beneath
her. She knew she should take pity on him, but she wasn't through yet.
She had waited a long time to touch him and she had no intention of
rushing it. Her hands had fondled and probed every glorious inch they could
reach the night before, but Catherine was going to make sure that
not a single spot was neglected.
When her hands were finished, Catherine buried her face in the soft fur and let it tickle her cheeks and nose, before showering his broad back with tiny moist kisses. She had told him she thought him beautiful, but she knew Vincent hadn't really believed her. He would believe her before she was through, though. She had all day to convince him.
Her arms stretched out to cover his as Catherine stretched her petite frame to cover as much of him as possible. She fit her stomach tightly against his buttocks, one leg between his, while her other leg rubbed sensually up and down the length of his muscular thigh and calf.
Her wriggling was driving him crazy, but Vincent did not want to disturb her yet. He was enjoying it far too much to do that. He grasped her hand in his and brought her arm down and under his so that he could shift just enough to one side, thus allowing himself some relief from the pressure her weight caused and let her continue.
Catherine sighed deeply and buried her face in his hair, whispering,
"I love you" over and over. He could feel her desire reaching out to him, calling him to her. He had never felt such peace and happiness in
her before, and Vincent felt great pride in the knowledge that he could
evoke
such intense feelings in her.
He rolled over slowly and this time did not meet with any resistance as Catherine cuddled against his chest. His eyes gazed at her tenderly as she stared up at him with a look of pure love and devotion.
His strong hands caressed her body possessively with no reservations as Vincent finally accepted the fact that he could love Catherine the way any other man could love a woman.
And even more important, he could allow Catherine to love him the way she truly wanted -- the way fate has always intended.
His calm blue eyes grew dark with unrestrained passion as Vincent leaned down to capture her mouth in a deep lingering kiss that left them both breathless. Nuzzling the small scar beneath her left ear, his voice was soft, seductive as he whispered, "I love you, Catherine. You have made me the happiest man alive."
Catherine snuggled closer into his embrace, a deep feeling of contentment filling her soul. For the first time since she had met him, Vincent had called himself a man and Catherine knew he had at last found peace with himself. He was no longer afraid to want her love. He was no longer afraid to deserve her love.
Catherine saw the new acceptance in his eyes and felt the last barrier in their relationship slip away. Her hand slipped between them to stroke the proof of his desire that once again poked playfully against her belly.
"So, you love me, do you?" His tawny head nodded slowly. "Then why don't you prove it, Vincent."
Catherine gasped with pleasure as Vincent wriggled his powerful body against hers suggestively, his eyes dancing with mischief. He lowered his head as though to kiss her again, but hesitated just achingly out of reach. His warm breath filled her nostrils and she felt herself growing giddy with desire.
"How, Catherine?"
"What?" His question took her surprise. His exotic mouth brushed teasingly against hers.
"How shall I love thee, Catherine?"
Catherine's eyes opened wide in surprise at his obvious play on words. She wiggled against him playfully.
"Vincent, you can make love to me anyway and anytime you wish, but I do think you get a bit more out of the usual way." She raked his back carefully with her nails, eliciting another soft growl of pleasure.
"Just don't forget your own unique way of making love, though. It could come in very handy at times. We'll have to discuss its advantages . . ." Her small hand squeezed his swollen shaft gently. "One of these days."
Catherine shivered as Vincent slowly slipped a furry thigh between her legs. His sharp claws scraped gently against her tender skin as he began once more to explore his new-found treasures. He felt her body press against his expectantly as she pulled him tightly against her.
"Please, Vincent."
Vincent chuckled softly as he felt his lady's impatience. He nuzzled her face and neck, refusing to hurry their time together. He was enjoying it far too much to rush things. Besides, she hadn't really answered his question. His blue eyes penetrated her foggy gaze, locking onto her very soul.
"You have not yet answered my question with regards to this moment. How shall I love thee now, Catherine?"
Sighing deeply, Catherine wrapped both arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly before answering in a husky whisper.
"Surprise me, Vincent."
And he did!
THE FAIRY TALE CONTINUES