Oh, yes. His mate. His partner.

He groaned, and her body sagged against him. He gripped her thighs, supporting her weight, but she went to her knees and wrapped her arms around him. "I can't... can't stand anymore," she said, panting.

"Yes," was all he said. All he could say, with his body aching for her, aching to complete the mating his mind had finally acknowledged.

The bed seemed too distant -- at least five steps away. He needed her now. With trembling hands, he urged her onto her back, right here on the floor.

She reached up to him, as welcoming as ever, and he settled into her warm embrace.

Words came to him then. The words that began the partnering ceremony he'd witnessed countless times. "I take you," he said urgently, in Prendarian. I take you as my partner. As my life's companion...

Hot, slender hands slid around his back and pulled him closer. "Yes," she answered in the same language. "Take me."

He pressed slowly into her soft, welcoming warmth, the warmth he'd sought for ages. They moaned together -- as if she felt the same craving he did. She must.

He rode her with steady, deep thrusts, driving himself higher... taking her with him. If only this first mating could last forever.

She was his. His. He bit her neck, marking her... and she cried out. Ah, he'd hurt her. He licked her neck, soothing her, never ceasing his relentless rhythm.

She clutched at his shoulders as he moved, her hips lifting to meet his, her breath hot and moist in his ear. Nothing, no one, moved him the way this woman did. Moved him to mindless, frantic desire, desire wrought with aching tenderness and fierce possession. He could barely breathe, panting and gasping, striving to satisfy her... to satisfy them both.

"Your legs," he urged. "Put your legs over..."

Those smooth limbs wrapped around his, holding him tight.

"Yes," he said, groaning.

"Harder," she answered.

He thrust harder, gave her the firm stroke of his cock against her tender bud, tilting his pelvis to give her still more pleasure. She whimpered and moaned, soft little feminine noises that nearly unmanned him. He tried to focus on something... anything... anything but the soft welcome of her body under his, the wet heat of her cunt gripping his cock. Pointless. With every thrust, she lifted against him, trying to drive him deeper... harder. As if she needed his release as desperately as he needed hers.

Gods, he'd climax in a moment. But not before her. Sanwar, not before her.

He bent his head and bit her earlobe. "Now, Daria. Come now."

"Oh..."

He nipped her earlobe again. "Now."

The fierce bite of her fingernails stung his shoulders. She seemed to freeze, seemed to hold her breath for just an instant, and then little gasping cries left her throat as she shuddered beneath him. The contractions of her body gripped him with tight, insistent pulses, milking him with feminine muscles.

He let go, let go of his control, driving into her in a frenzy, over and over again, plunging deep and fast, until he climaxed at last, pouring all of his yearning desire into the heat of her soft, giving body.

Then he collapsed, panting, resting atop her. He managed to keep most of his weight on his forearms, trying not to crush her. Never -- not even in his most private dreams -- had he imagined such pleasure existed. The pleasure of mating with his partner.

He didn't want to pull away, didn't want to admit that this first mating was over. But they would have more matings. Many more.

And another first mating, after they officially partnered.

He smiled. She'd think him insane, to speak of partnering so soon. He must restrain himself a while longer.

Her fingers idly stroked his hair. "You need to get ready to leave."

"As do you."

"I do?"

Speaking quietly with his mate, their bodies still joined -- even small things like this seemed wondrous. Without lifting his head, he spoke. "Do you not wish to accompany me?"

"I thought... I assumed you wouldn't want me to come with you."

He chuckled and nuzzled the tender skin where her neck sloped into her shoulder. "I always want you to come with me."

Her laugh sounded tired -- a brief exhalation of breath. "I must be an excellent tutor. You're already making silly puns."

"Puns?"

"Jokes. Jokes based on the different meanings of similar words."

He lifted his head and looked down into her face. Her lush mouth was definitely too wide for that narrow chin, and her nose was merely uniform. His rational mind could see this. But somehow all of her un-beautiful features coalesced into the most beautiful face he'd ever seen. And her eyes, such a deep brown, were truly lovely.

He framed her face in one hand. "You're beautiful."

Her cheeks flooded with color. "Don't say that."

Did she doubt him? "Withholding these words will not change their truth."

She frowned and stirred a little. "We need to shower."

He kissed her frowning mouth lightly. "We have an hour left. Sixty whole minutes."

"Gray, please." She sounded quite annoyed.

"Sixty minutes is not enough time?" He kissed her nose. "In truth, we could sleep together once more before we need to leave. Even though I'm no longer as volshano as I was."

Her brows furrowed. She didn't look volshano at all. "I don't want to go to dinner reeking of sex. It's bad enough that Hento and Reema know we just got laid."

"Got laid?"

"Had sex."

At least that expression made a bit of sense. One did lie down for pleasure -- usually.

She pushed a little at his shoulders. He must be getting heavy. He rolled off and watched her stand up, then stretch. His gaze moved up her legs. Mmm. She'd have him volshano again in a minute. Was there no end to his desire for this woman?

He stood and took her hand. "Lie down with me for a moment. Please?"

She nodded, and they stretched out next to each other on the bed pallet, on top of the thermo blanket. Her face still looked closed. He put a gentle hand on her waist. "Daria, what troubles you?"

"Nothing."

"Hento and Reema will understand. No doubt they are still sleeping together themselves."

"No doubt. Do all Prendarians jump anyone that moves?"

Gods, her expressions amused him. He smiled, even though she was frowning. "Hento and Reema are partners, Daria."

Her eyes rolled, an exasperated, endearing gesture. "I figured that out. Doesn't it bother you?"

A strange question. "Why should it bother me? I am happy for them."

She shrugged. "I guess things are different on Prendara. On Earth, we tend to get jealous when our... partners sleep with other people."

Why would she think... "Hento and Reema are partners."

"You said that already."

Ah, he'd heard Earth customs were different in this matter, that partners often proved faithless. "On Prendara, partners do not sleep with others. Never."

Her mouth fell open. "You're kidding."

He nearly laughed at the shock on her face. "No, I'm not. When a couple decides to become partners, the arrangement is a formal one. With a partnering ceremony. And they are... monogamous from that date onwards." As you and I will be, dahsh'kara. From this date onwards.

She looked flustered. "Oh. Well, then... I guess it doesn't bother you. I mean, I guess you're over her."

Over who? Over Reema? That made no sense. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter."

Her face looked set, resolute. He knew that stubborn tilt to her chin. She would say no more.

He ran one finger over that obstinate jaw. "You are teaching me well. I now know many words for the sex act."

She smiled. "Let's see... sleeping together... getting laid... What others?"

"Fucking," he supplied, hoping to see her blush.

She did. "You can't use that word in public, you know. Only with very close friends."

"Like you, dahsh'kara."

Her smile wavered for an instant. "Or Hento. It's usually okay to say crude words around men."

Perhaps she'd tell him more. More to make her skin redden. "Are there other words?"

"Screwing."

"Screwing?" Another one that made no sense.

"Yes, screwing. But that's crude, too. Oh, and making lo--" She stopped abruptly.

Interesting. "Making what?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

"You will tell me."

"No, I won't."

A quick roll, and he pinned her to the bed with his leg. He reached out and tickled her side; she shrieked with laughter.

"Stop!"

He stopped, but held his hand over her stomach threateningly. "Tell me."

She was still gasping. "I'll tell you if... if you tell me what dahsh'kara means."

He teased his fingers through her hair, drawing a long section forward to lie across her lovely breasts. "As you will. But I still intend to see you climax five times in one bedding."

Her fiery blush made him laugh.

"Quit trying to distract me," she said. "dahsh'kara?"

"Dahsh'kara," he repeated, correcting her pronunciation. "It means..." What did it mean in English? He took a moment to translate. "It means candy... the candy my heart craves."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh."

"Is there an English phrase for this?"

Those eyes looked moist now. She nodded. "Sweetheart."

Oh, yes. The perfect endearment for his mate. "Sweetheart." He kissed her lightly.

She shook her head. "You don't have to call me that."

"I know." He kissed her again. "Sweetheart."

"Please, don't." She sounded very close to tears.

Too soon. Too soon for this.

No doubt her shyness made her cautious. She needed more time. This he could grant her. They would spend the rest of their lives as partners.

"As you will, Daria." He drew away and settled beside her. "Now tell me the other phrase. Making..."

She bit her lower lip. Was it such a terrible thing to say?

"Making love."