His brows rose but she caught the quick flicker of pleasure that chased across his face. “I could.”
“You’re talented at making jewelry. Maybe you should start selling the pieces you make.”
Kersen nodded, his attention caught by the gentle sway of her breasts when she rolled out from under him. “Maybe one day.”
She squatted by her discarded clothes and pulled something from the depths of the small bag she had attached to her longyi. “You don’t need to worry about the bride price because I have these.”
Kersen gaped, staring at the blood-red stones she held out in her hand. About a dozen. Despite the scant light they sparkled. He knew the stones were high quality. In good light and set into a necklace they would surpass any he’d seen. “I picked them up in the cave before we attacked the men.”
“I can’t take them. It is tradition for the male to provide the stones.”
“You know you can’t return to the temple cave because the clan has claimed it. All stones recovered go into village funds for advancement and modernization. It could take ages to find another source as tradition demands.” Jarita set the stones aside, placing them on the small teak table. She glared at him, tossing her head to send a ripple of silken hair cascading over one shoulder. “You will accept them because we are meant to be. I won’t go away. I refuse to let another feline get her claws into you. You belong to me. I belong to you.”
Kersen’s heart thundered against his ribs, in awe of her strength, her determination, her sheer stubbornness in going after what she wanted. Him. Hell, she’d even risked going into the forbidden territory to make an offering at the temple. She had made an offering when her blood spilled onto the dusty ground outside the cave. “I’m going to need to do something about your tendency to disobey orders and your stubborn streak.”
“Maybe if we knock heads together often enough the stubborn gene will shake free.” She smiled and it built until her lips curved in a full-out grin.
“Somehow, I doubt that. If we fight, the making up will be sweet.”
Jarita cocked her head, reminding him of an inquisitive parrot. “Will you spank me?”
“You seemed to enjoy that too much, so maybe not.”
“Oh shame,” she said.
Kersen chuckled. “You are a handful.” He stood and tugged her into a tight embrace, pressing a kiss to her temple. She turned in his arms and stood on tiptoes to kiss him, her bare breasts pushing against his chest. Immediately his hunger grew, the blood rushing to his cock. The minx knew it, reading his reactions as easily as he interpreted the signs of nature. She hummed under her breath, rubbing against his body with erotic intent. Kersen scooped her off her feet and tossed her onto the middle of the bed, following her down. He knew her lips were soft and wanted to taste them again. He pressed his mouth to hers. Cupped the back of her head and let his tongue stroke lazily over her lips, pushing into her mouth the second she opened for him. Her exotic taste and scent surrounded him while her hot, wet mouth went from sweet to demanding. He groaned, feeling the velvety head of his shaft brush across her hip. A surge of intense feeling shot through his body to settle in his heart. He pulled away, breathing hard.
“What?” Her golden eyes glittered in the dim light.
“I love you.”
“About time you admitted it.”
He sighed. “Don’t you have anything to say in return?”
“My favorite color is blue?”
“Minx.”
Jarita ran her tongue across his collarbone toward the fleshy part of his neck. He felt the sting of her teeth and it seared a path of fire directly to his balls. She lifted her head to grin. “I love you.”
“Glad we got that cleared up.”
“Yeah, now make love to me.”
He didn’t answer but used his hands, his mouth and tongue to worship her. A nibble at her neck. A quick kiss on her lips. The slow drag of his tongue down her cleavage. She touched him everywhere. Body and mind. The loving was unhurried, a claiming and an exchange of promises. Kersen tugged at her nipple, twisting it to give her a bite of pain before soothing it with the damp heat of his mouth. He kissed across her rib cage, learning every part of her body, ran his tongue down her honeyed slit, gathering the juices her body wept for him. She shivered at the rasp of his tongue, groaned when he filled her with a single finger.
“Kersen, I need your cock rather than a finger.”
Yes, that was what he wanted too. He removed his finger without haste, giving a slow drag against her needy flesh. He’d intended to move leisurely when he thrust but she gripped him hard, her cunt squeezing tight, demanding a fevered response. He pushed into her damp flesh, shafting her deep. Delectable agony. Heat blossomed, curling through him with each thrust. Her breath caressed his face and the hungry little noises coming from her made him smile. So good. He couldn’t imagine anything better. She cried out, her pussy compressing hard on his cock in a series of rhythmic contractions. In a succession of rapid-fire thrusts, he plunged into her, the tension ramping. His head fell back as tingles shot from the base of his spine and down his cock, the tightening of her sheath milking him, tossing him into more pleasure than he’d ever experienced.
Gradually they stilled, both breathing hard.
“I love you, Jarita.”
“I love you too.”
A curse from the doorway jerked them both into attack positions. “What the fuck are you doing with my sister?”
Chapter Four
“It’s none of your business, Garack. Father approves of Kersen. And what do you mean by entering Kersen’s house uninvited? It’s rude.”
“Put on some clothes! Father won’t approve when I tell him how Kersen placed you in danger, how you were injured. As soon as he returns from his trip to the city, he’ll back my decision. Kersen doesn’t even have the bride price. He asked me for a time extension.”
Kersen shared a glance with Jarita, melting at the pleading in her eyes. “I have the bride price.”
Jarita grabbed the nearest longyi, which happened to belong to him. It gave him a warm feeling seeing her wrapped in his clothes.
“How?” Garack demanded. “You haven’t left the village since our return this afternoon. Prove it.”
Kersen lit a lamp and allowed the light to shine over the surface of the table. It picked up the fiery glint of the rubies.
“You’re just pissed because you thought you’d have to postpone your courtship,” Jarita said. “You have no artistic talent and are relying on Kersen to provide your bride price. I know Father asked him for two necklaces, which is higher than any other bride price.”
“I would gladly pay more for you, Jarita.” Nothing less than the truth. To have this woman stand at his side he would have paid double the price. She was a jewel beyond price.
“My god. You have the bride price.” Garack stared at the rubies in awe. “I want that one.”
“I will have first choice,” Jarita said.
Kersen nodded, trying not to smile while she bossed her older brother around. “You will.”
“All right,” Garack said in a grudging tone.
“Did you talk to Simi?” Jarita returned to Kersen’s side and cuddled up next to him. He placed his arm around her shoulders, savoring the warm heat of her pressed into his side.
“Yes. It was as you said. She thought he loved her because he’d asked her to marry him. Luckily she hadn’t told him much about our shifter status, but she’d mentioned the ruby mines during a discussion about the village’s obvious wealth. Someone must have gossiped about the mine you found.” Garack shook his head, looking discomfited. “She cried. Hell, I hate it when a female cries. Never know what to do.”
“I’d guess the info came from Aran. He can’t keep his mouth shut. What action are you going to take? From what the man said before he died, I thought he suspected something,” Kersen said. The security council was within their rights to either kill or banish Simi but took account of each cas
e and any special circumstances. Since she was a leopard shifter, the leopards took chief responsibility for punishment.
“We’ll push for leniency. There will be a punishment but it won’t be death or banishment.”
“Good,” Jarita said. “Now go away and leave us alone. We have things to do.”
“I’m not meant to hear things like that,” Garack muttered.
“Then go away before you have to witness them again,” his younger sister said. “You weren’t invited in the first place. I mean to keep Kersen busy for the rest of the night.”
“Don’t tire him out. He needs to work on my bride price.”
“Garack, show yourself out,” Kersen said without taking his gaze off Jarita. The minx winked at him and he felt the warmth in his heart expand to fill his entire chest. “And don’t ever barge in here again without an invitation.” His hard voice held a threat.
“On the bed,” Jarita said, ignoring her brother.
“I heard that,” Garack muttered striding out of sight.
“Move faster because we’re going to get down and dirty,” Jarita shouted after him.
Garack’s footsteps hastened, and Kersen heard his front door open and shut. “Alone at last,” he murmured. “How exactly are we going to get down and dirty?”
“On the bed.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jarita left the lamp burning, unfastened the longyi and let the cotton fabric drop to the wooden floor. He watched her closely, his heart full as she scooped up the raw rubies and glided toward him, a picture of feminine grace. Her eyes glittered full of mischief. For a few seconds he tensed before realizing that no matter what she intended they’d have fun.
She jumped onto the bed and straddled his body. “We went through a big adventure to get these rubies. I figured we should give them some memories so whenever we see them in the future we’ll smile.”
“Um, will Garack like these memories?”
“He’ll need to make his own because I don’t kiss and tell.” She pressed a kiss to his lips, the caress deepening when he wound his hands around her neck and held her prisoner. She laughed against his mouth. “Let me go. I want to explore your body for a change.”
Kersen released her but took the time to smooth his hand over her dark, glossy hair. She growled, the playful sound rumbling inside her throat.
“Hold onto the headboard,” she instructed. “Don’t move and don’t touch me until I tell you to.”
“My punishment if I don’t obey?” He held back his smirk, enjoying the play between them. She was small compared to him. He could overpower her in a moment.
“You don’t want to find out,” she said, her tone dark.
He nodded, once again restraining his amusement to follow her orders.
She bent her head to lick across one flat nipple. The rough rasp of her tongue sent pleasure through him. Jarita placed a ruby over the damp flesh, tracing a tight circle around it with her tongue. “Don’t move.”
He sucked back a groan. Hell, she intended to torture him.
Jarita repeated the same move, licking and teasing his nipple until it rose in a peak before covering it with a ruby. She placed several rubies on his stomach, in the dips of his abs. When she finished she had the largest ruby still in her hand.
“Very pretty,” she said, straightening to study her handiwork.
“I’m going to get hard whenever I work with rubies,” Kersen muttered.
“You’re hard now. I can feel your cock prodding my back.”
Kersen gave a strangled laugh. “I’m hoping you’ll do something about that.”
“One finishing touch first.” She bent down, tracing her tongue around the indentation of his bellybutton.
Kersen bit back a curse. She was gonna kill him. All the petting and licking—the sensations crept down to his groin until his balls ached. Sensual torture.
Jarita placed the largest stone in his bellybutton. “Beautiful.”
“You’re the beautiful one.”
She smiled, the blush of pleasure in her cheeks making him desperate to hold her, but he also wanted to give her the illusion of control, for her to know she could trust him. He thought she trusted him now, but letting her call the shots made it special between them.
Jarita lifted up and guided him to her entrance. Slowly she impaled herself on his cock.
“Jarita.” He reached for her, but she stilled him with a frown.
“Don’t move. The rubies will fall. Let me do the work.”
“You’re going to kill me.”
“Good. You can return the favor another time.” She accompanied the words with a clench of her pussy and a slow rise and equally unhurried fall.
“Count on it, sweetheart.” Kersen’s hands gripped the headboard a fraction tighter and inhaled deep, trying to control the rapid rush into loss of restraint.
“You feel so good inside me.” The dreamy look on her face fueled his pleasure. He silently willed her to hurry.
As if she could read his mind, she hastened her speed while he concentrated on keeping the rubies in place. The tension escalated, the air thick with the liquid sounds of sex and their heavy breathing. He watched Jarita’s face, loving the delight she openly showed.
“Touch yourself.”
“Not too good at waiting, tiger?”
“No.”
Jarita laughed and slid a hand down between her legs, rubbing her finger over her slippery clit. Seconds later she came. A soft sigh followed the languorous waves of pleasure. Unable to stand the tension, he moved, displacing several rubies. He turned their bodies so she was beneath him and drove into her wet heat. The orgasm thundered through him, sparks of pure molten pleasure fraying his nerve endings.
“Mine,” he ground out hoarsely.
“Yours,” she agreed in a sleepy voice. “Ow, we need to collect the rubies.”
“Good idea,” Kersen said. “Somehow I don’t think Garack would want his bride price displayed in your butt cheek.”
Jarita laughed, and Kersen had a vision of how it would be in the future. The two of them surrounded by their children, laughter with the odd power struggle and lots of sweet loving. He plucked the rubies from the bed before returning to Jarita’s side.
Jarita—a jewel beyond price and she belonged to him, just as he belonged to her. The best bride price a man could find.
About the Author
Shelley lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband and a small, bossy dog named Scotty.
Typical New Zealanders, Shelley and her husband left home for their big OE soon after they married (translation of New Zealand-speak: big overseas experience). A year-long adventure lengthened to six years of roaming the world. Enduring memories include being almost sat on by a mountain gorilla in Rwanda, lazing on white sandy beaches in India, whale watching in Alaska, searching for leprechauns in Ireland, and dealing with ghosts in an English pub.
While travel is still a big attraction, these days Shelley is most likely found in front of her computer following another love—that of writing stories of romance and adventure. Other interests include watching rugby and rugby league (strictly for research purposes *grin*), being walked by the dog, and curling up with a good book.
Shelley welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Shelley Munro
Best Man
Curse of Brandon Lupinus
Ellora’s Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis III anthology
Fallen Idol
Fancy Free
Issy’s Infatuation
Last Wish
Lovers At Last
Men To Die For anthology
Peeping Tom
Scarlet Woman
Sex Idol
Sex, Spies and Sapphires
Stray Cat Strut
Summer in the City of Sails
Talking Dog: Never Send a Dog To Do a Woman’s Job
Talking Dog: Romantic Interlude
Talking Dog: Talking Dogs, Aliens, and Purple People Eaters
Unforgettable
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
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