"No." His touch scalded her skin and seared away her inhibitions. Her strength drained away, rendering her feeble. Another few seconds, and she would beg him to take her like this—bound and helpless. She used her final iota of willpower to defy him one last time. "No, I won't."
"Before I'm through with you, you'll beg. I promise." He worked his fingers into the waistband of her skirt and yanked the garment down her legs. The action left her clad only in a red thong, a bunched-up halter-top, and four-inch heels. Then he stepped back to admire his handiwork. He hummed in throaty approval and circled around, appraising every inch of her. She dangled from the restraints, totally helpless, her muscles drawn tight.
"Mmm, I love how this position lifts your luscious breasts. Your nipples jut out, just begging to be sucked." With a raspy purr, he lowered his face to her chest. Where his gaze had roamed, his hands touched and his mouth tasted—lips, teeth, and tongue.
Vulnerable before the sensual assault, she was unable to do anything other than whimper and writhe and want. No, not want. Tormenting, throbbing need. His sadistic streak proved to be a mile wide. He caressed her everywhere except where she required it most.
She broke and begged, just as he'd predicted. "Please!"
The smug jerk laughed. "Please what?"
Self-consciousness twisted her tongue into knots. "Please, touch me."
"Where?"
"Everywhere. Down there!" A fresh surge of annoyance renewed her strength. She rocked her hips toward him. Her pussy was so blasted empty. A flush, like wildfire, spread across her skin.
The jerked laughed and turned her so she faced away from him again. He rewarded her submission by depriving her of his attention—the drug she now craved like an addict. Weak with desire, she stayed still.
She both felt and heard movement behind her as he unfastened the buttons of his shirt. Then she heard the distinctive zip of his fly being lowered. When the solid crown of his cock nudged her backside, a guttural moan wrung from her throat. She lunged back against him, thighs spread wide in an open invitation.
"Not so fast, sweetie," he said, chuckling. "You're going to beg for it first."
"But I've already begged!"
"You're going to beg more." He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and yanked her panties down her legs. The very tip of his thick fingers traced the lips of her sex. She trembled on the verge of climax while he played with her. He snickered. "Damn, woman, you're drenched."
"Please, I'm begging you," she said in a ragged voice, barely able to put together a coherent sentence. She wanted the feel the fullness of his erection against her rear, but he denied her even that satisfaction.
"Please what?" That taunting finger traced a circle about her clit and returned to make another teasing pass over her slickness.
Tammy's frustration mounted with each passing second she went without. "Please, touch me."
He chuckled. "Good girl, but be specific."
"Please fuck me with your fingers." Tammy arched her pelvis in an attempt to lure his hand closer. "Pretty please with sugar on top."
"That's my girl. That's what I wanted to hear." He thrust his finger into her tight channel. Her eager flesh immediately clamped down on him, igniting a daisy chain of tiny contractions. He added his middle finger, probing her wet heat. She sighed and thrashed within the restraints, thrusting against his digits, his willing victim.
His and his alone.
The promise of fulfillment shone like the North Star—so bright, guiding her home. Just a little further. She uttered a hoarse groan, hoping to encourage him. She needed another nudge—his thumb on her bud. Or better yet, his tongue.
"Fuck, you're so hot. I can't wait." He withdrew from her body and she sobbed at the loss. It crossed her mind to glance back to see what he was doing. But then he seized her hips with his hard hands, dragging her into position.
Finally! She strained toward him, raising her derriere, and spread her legs. A sexual offering—no, sacrifice—meant only for him. An inferno burned at the juncture of her thighs. She held the begging pose, a tigress eager to be mounted. She had never been so hot and wet, ready to be taken.
What wicked, wonderful debauchery!
He surged against her, knocking his jutting cock between her ass cheeks. The pearls of his pre-cum along her juices left a sticky coating on her skin.
She shivered and moaned in delight when the length of his erection skated across her pussy. His thickness brushed along the insides of her parted thighs; his length seemed impossible. He kept advancing until the crown of his cock rubbed against her clit. Craving more, she clenched her thighs tightly about his dick and pumped his swollen shaft, lubricating him with her juices.
"Do you want me?" His breath rasped over her skin. His muscular physique thrummed with restrained power. He maintained an unbreakable grasp on her hips, controlling the bump and grind of their bodies.
She shrieked in frustration when he prevented her from snatching the rhythm from him. "Yes!"
"Beg for it. Be crude. Explicit. I want to hear you talk dirty."
She tilted back her head, gazing at the heavens. The heavy golden moon filled her vision. Her blood surged in her veins, and her heartbeat pounded within her chest. In desperation, she sought a wishbone of pride or a lingering remnant of willpower, but nothing remained to her but raw desperation. Right then and there, she'd have called him "master" if he'd demanded it of her. Talking dirty struck her as a small sacrifice.
"Please take me from behind, officer. Please sink your cock into my pussy. Fuck me so hard I scream."
"That's it, baby. That's what I wanted to hear." He yanked her toward him. The broad head of his rod butted against her entrance and wedged there. Slowly, forcefully, he pressed into her, parting her flesh.
Inch-by-glorious-inch.
His girth stretched her pussy to the limit. She released a silky, shattered sigh into the night, as sweet as birdsong. He set a plodding rhythm, easing out of her, only to return with a steady stroke.
Too slow. Is he determined to torture me? She gasped and begged, "Harder, please. Ram that big dick of yours into me."
A burst of surprised laughter tore from him. "Tsk. Listen to the mouth on you, lover."
She tried to reply, but a switch had flipped. Her stalking panther finally sprang. They broke into a full gallop. He rode her hard and fast and furious. The thrusts propelled her away, but his hold pulled her back. Her breasts bounced. In fact, the whole jeep rocked. The squeaking suspension only registered at the periphery of her awareness. The tugging of the handcuffs bruised her wrists, but she did not feel the pain. She had never felt so full in her entire life.
Nothing mattered beyond the joining of their bodies. When he plowed into her, their flesh clapped and his scrotum slapped against her mound. To her ears, their bodies seemed to be applauding... or making music.
"So damn good." He nudged aside her damp hair to graze her throat with his teeth, a light bite that did not break skin. He groaned and lunged against her. The head of his cock crashed against her sweet spot.
A cry wrung from her. She trembled in the throes of rapture. So close! But then he stilled. She snarled, thinking he meant to deny her again.
"Much more of this and I'm going to come." He stroked a soothing hand over her hair and kissed her nape. "I'm not wearing a condom. Are you sure about this?"
Oh! She huffed in sudden understanding. Not denial—my guy is making sure I'm all right. They'd never had unprotected sex before. Also, she sensed an unspoken question, a residual wariness. Was he wondering if she'd use that safe word now? After all this?
Silly man.
"I'm sure. This is what I want. You're what I need." She crashed against him, driving his dick deeper, full penetration. He sank to the balls.
Groaning, he dug his fingers into her haunches hard enough to leave marks. He lurched into action again. With every plunge, ecstasy built at her center, carrying her higher toward an all-consuming oblivion.
>
A climax ripped through her in a blaze of pleasure. She lost herself in the firestorm. Died a happy death only to be reborn. "Oh, fuck! Fuck! Aaron, I love you!"
"I love you, too!" Aaron pounded into her one final time. Rigidity seized his entire body. His swollen sac spasmed, his penis pulsed, pumping his essence. He roared in triumph, spilling his hot seed into her body.
Passion fading, Tammy leaned against him for support and he clung to the jeep. The rasp of their labored breathing filled the tranquility. Swiftly, she became aware of every tiny discomfort—the aching of her wrists, the strain in her limbs. She started shivering and her teeth clattered.
Aaron straightened behind her. "Want down?"
"Yes! I hope you didn't lose the keys!"
He chuckled. "Don’t worry, I have them right here."
As soon as the cuffs came off, she dropped into the front seat, too sated to muster the strength necessary to remain upright. Aaron retrieved her skirt and assisted her back into her clothing. Afterward, he braced her and kissed her cheek. "That was amazing. You're amazing."
She nodded. Overcome with sudden shyness, she averted her gaze. A lump lodged in her chest, but she forced herself to address her concerns. "I didn't mean to say that aloud."
He grew still. "That you love me?"
She nodded.
Aaron grasped her jaw and turned her face toward him. Their gazes met. "Did you mean it?"
She slurped saliva and air. She no longer felt the chill, but she couldn't stop trembling. "Yes. I love you."
"I love you, too, with all my heart. Now stop looking like that makes you want to cry, woman. You're messing with my head."
"I'm sorry, I can't help myself. I always cry when I'm happy." Joy welled up in her until she felt ready to float away. She burst into tears then. Blubbering bliss. She just couldn't help herself. This amazing man—her Leo lover—made her feel so incredible, so special, and so cherished. She was the luckiest woman in the whole damn world.
He groaned and claimed her mouth in a possessive kiss. "Are you up to driving home? I'll follow you."
"Yeah, I can drive." Ducking her head, she nipped his throat. "For our next date, maybe you could wear the handcuffs. What do you say?"
He jerked his face up. Surprise flickered in his eyes, but then he grinned. "Anything you want, baby. Anything for you."
The Lovers
Madame Claire drew the final card. She laid it down with a grand flourish. "The Lovers. You and your Leo are meant to be, a beautiful and intense union to last a lifetime. The Lovers is all about choices. Bonds forged from free will are the strongest and will endure longest."
* * *
The drive home took ten minutes. This time, Tammy stayed under the speed limit, especially with a patrol car tailing her the whole way. To her alarm, the lights were on inside her house. She thought they'd interrupted a robbery until she spotted a familiar truck beneath the old oak tree in the front yard.
Tammy parked alongside the truck, and Aaron pulled in next to her jeep. They met at the rear of the vehicles. "It looks like we have company," Tammy said. "That’s Mary's truck. I wonder if something has happened."
"Let’s find out." Aaron offered his arm. They linked elbows and headed up the front walkway. The whole way, speculation ran rampant through her head.
Tammy hefted her keyring, but hesitated. Why did unlocking the front door seem weird? It’s my house... She shook the feeling off and took a stab at the lock. Before she managed, the front door jerked open.
Mary and Tammy gaped at each other. Demetri, Mary's husband, lurked in the hallway. He carried their infant son, Timothy, in his strong arms.
Mary smiled and said, "Hi, I suppose you're wondering what we're doing here—"
Simultaneously, Tammy asked, "What are you doing here?"
They stopped and stared. Then, Mary grinned. "We were just leaving. C'mon, Demetri, let's go home."
"But, wait! What?" Tammy blurted. Her head spun in confusion.
"I'll explain tomorrow. Have fun! And I expect to hear everything!" Then, like a redheaded tornado, Mary swept up her husband and child, and the entire Larsen family departed.
The door closed behind them, leaving a bewildered Tammy alone with Aaron in the foyer. He crossed his arms over his powerful chest and smirked. She took one look at the smug look on his face and it clicked.
Mystery solved.
"Were you behind this?" Tammy asked, even though she already knew the answer. The real secret yet to be explained—why? What's he up to?
"Yes. Come with me." Aaron took her hands and drew her into the next room. She followed him, worrying over her unquestioning obedience. Oh boy, she hoped total submission was just a lingering effect of their bondage tryst. It'd better wear off or they were both in a heap of trouble.
Her concerns vanished from her head in a torrent of total astonishment. Her jaw dropped. Candlelight, long-stemmed red roses, and sultry music filled her living room. She turned to Aaron and found him down on one knee.
A gasp gusted past her lips.
Before her stunned gaze, he presented an open ring box. A brilliant diamond solitaire sparkled on the blue velvet like a star in the sky. "We've talked about your fantasy, baby. This is mine. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to watch you grow round with my children. I want to raise a family and grow old with you. Will you be my wife, my partner, my lifemate? Tammy Payne, will you marry me?"
She gushed with joy. "Oh, my God! Yes! I'll marry you, my sexy panther!"
The world whirled. Tammy wound up in Aaron’s arms. She had no idea how she got there, but she was pretty sure she flew. He held her fast and kept her free. They shared love and laughter. She waved her hand about, admiring her ring.
No matter what anyone says, diamonds sure are pretty.
And the cards had been right, after all.
The End.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this Zodiac Shifters short story. If you’d like to read more books set this world then check out the Aries Cursed series. Please read on for a bonus chapter from Ram Rugged.
Bonus Chapter ~ Ram Rugged
A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Aries
Book Description
Once burned, twice shy...
After her heart is broken, curvy Mary Andre is determined to never risk it again. Besides, she has too much work and too many bills for her SoCal sheep ranch to bother with romance. Born under the Virgo sign, she has a can-do attitude. Everything is under control until her coyote-shifter ex-husband slaughters one of her flock. Mary goes looking for a hero-for-hire, but fate deals her a Greek god. Handsome Demetri Larsen puts the tempt into temptation. It takes every ounce of her willpower to resist her desire for him.
Cursed to wander the earth until he finds his soulmate...
For three hundred years, the immortal ram-shifter lived life on the road, chasing pleasure when not called upon to act as an Aries Guardian. For Demetri, desire and duty are about to collide head-on when a feisty redhead upends his entire world. In his determination to neither hurt nor be hurt, Demetri refuses to take a chance on the love that could set him free.
* * *
Chapter One
Murdering Coyote
* * *
"The coyote that killed Elle left her body right there on the front porch for me to find." Mary Andre raised her voice to be heard over the country and western music coming from the speakers above the bar. It pained her to speak so casually of her deceased ewe, as though Elle had been just an animal.
"Like a cat leaving his owner a gift?" Tammy Payne, Mary's best friend, polished off the last sip of her rum and coke. The amber-hued ice clinked as she smashed the tumbler back on the bar top and gestured for the barkeep to pour a refill.
"Or an obsessed stalker who's trying to impress me, but I really don't want to go there." Mary stared woefully into her own half-finished glass of chardonnay. Her friend's humorous attempt to lighten the mood came far c
loser to the likely truth than Mary cared to admit.
"Maybe you've got a big ol' lovesick coyote on your hands," Tammy said, obviously struggling to make sense of the incident.
"Yeah, maybe." Mary desperately wished her friend would let it drop. It made her twitchy. Trying to look casual, she glanced about the bar. No one seemed to be eavesdropping, but with the paranormal one could never be sure.
Both Tammy and Mary were mere humans in a clandestine world full of magic and monsters. Mary knew about the vampires and shape shifters. Tammy, however, didn't even suspect the supernatural was real beyond the pop-culture fiction of books and movies. As much as she wanted to tell her friend, Mary dared not say anything. Doing so would endanger both their lives.
"Is there a federal program that will reimburse you for it?" Tammy's smile faded. Real concern shone in her eyes, which were the same shade as the ocean's gray waves.
"Not for a coyote kill. It'd have to be a bigger predator like a wolf or a bear to be eligible." Mary shook her head so vigorously that her auburn bangs flopped into her eyes. The ends were scraggly. She was long overdue for a haircut, but it was another luxury she couldn't afford.
Feed and veterinarian expenses for her organic sheep ranch had already stretched her budget thin. She sacrificed for the good of her livestock. Since her mother had passed away a couple years ago, the flock was the only family she had left.
"We could always fake the evidence." Tammy offered a supportive smile and a conspiratorial wink. She sounded like she was only kidding, but Mary knew her friend. If she actually agreed, Tammy would dive straight into researching how to go about faking a wolf attack.
For a few seconds, Mary battled temptation. A part of her wanted to give the go ahead. In the end, though, her conscience won. "No. Thank you, but that wouldn't be right."
Crimson Kisses: Valentine’s Day Edition: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance Anthology Page 6
