Cougar's Victory: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance)

by Moxie North

She had so many questions, but there was one that she needed answered before she even decided whether to stay and hear the rest.

  “Why me?” she whispered.

  “Oh, baby, that’s an easy one. You’re my One. My kind believes that the fates match us with our one true mate, just like they matched us with our animals. Our cats are the perfect soul mates for us. And being two souls in one body you can imagine you can’t leave finding the perfect mate for those two souls up to chance. They sent me you. My partner, my mate, my lover, my best friend. I already think of you as all of those things. My soul recognized you the second we met.”

  “It did?” she asked. She really wanted to believe that. Because what girl wouldn’t want that to be true?

  “Seeing you the first time, was like coming home. My brain knew you were my mate, my heart knew you were my partner, and my dick totally knew you were my woman,” he said with a sly smile.

  “Yes, well, our first meeting was quite the expression of interest on your part,” she sniffed, but couldn’t help a little smile at the memory of the conference room table.

  “Can you handle a little more honesty?” he asked her.

  Effie nodded, in for a penny, in for a pound she figured.

  “I could totally use the “L” word right now, but I don’t want to freak you out. But I will say this, you are my world, Effie Parks. I will happily spend today and every day after, convincing you that I want to spend every minute I can with you. I want to protect you and spoil you. I want to keep you in bed and make love to you until neither of us can walk.

  I want to plan a future with you, build a life here with you. Have a family. Everything, and although it sounds like it’s just words to you, there really is no other option for me. My entire life’s happiness is going to depend on me fulfilling all of those things with you.”

  Chapter 22

  Effie’s mouth had dropped open a bit at his speech. It was a good one, like, a really good one. She couldn’t think of one time she’d ever heard a man say those things so clearly and with such conviction. Especially one sitting on the floor naked.

  “Do you love me?” she asked, she figured after what he said, this was not an anti-penis spray type question. You know those questions that girls ask that totally make the erections run and hide.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “How do you know?”

  “Easy, it’s like breathing. You are beautiful, funny, smart, and totally unpredictable. I like you, my cat likes you, which by the way his desire to rub his fur on you is bordering on obsessive. But it’s like knowing the sky is blue. Think of something in your life that you have zero doubt about. It’s like that for me,” he said simply

  Effie thought about it for a moment. There were a number of things that she was totally certain about. Like her mom despising her. That Cassie would jump in front of a bus for her. That fishnet stockings should only be worn by those with a fashion permit. Dax was everything she thought she could ever want. Her heart was oddly calm and clear when she focused her attention on it.

  She liked Dax a lot. She really could see a future with him. So what if there were a few snags? Every couple has things they have to compromise on. So her guy turned into a large predatory animal. Better than an asshat ex-boyfriend who tried to choke her out.

  “I’m not sure what you want me to say, Dax,” she responded.

  “Say you’ll stay here and keep talking with me. Say you will give me the chance to answer all of your questions. Just give me a chance,” he pleaded.

  Effie figured that wasn’t too much to ask. Plus he’d put his claws away. “Will you hold me for a bit?” She decided to keep things simple and ask for what she needed right at that moment. Yes, her new man was a cougar, but she knew that he didn’t just spontaneously sprout into a cat. So she felt safe getting close to him. Besides she needed a hug damnit.

  Dax was up and slipping on a pair of boxers before crawling into the bed. He wrapped her into his arms without hesitation. He pulled her tight to his chest and hooked a leg around hers, wrapping her in his warmth. Dax felt her curl into his chest and rub her face against his skin. His cat liked that.

  Placing a kiss on her head, he whispered, “I’d never hurt you Effie, neither would my cat. We’d die for you and it would be impossible for us to ever do anything to physically harm you.”

  Effie heard the words and somehow knew he was telling the truth. After the initial shock of seeing that cougar sitting in the bedroom, she never got any feeling of aggression from him. He was almost like an overgrown housecat.

  They laid on the bed for a while, Dax kept up a steady rubbing over her back and arms. Occasionally he would place a kiss on her head, tell her it was going to be fine. That he’d make everything all right.

  Effie had been lulled into an almost drugged state, when she felt something grow in between them. Pulling her head back she raised her eyebrow at Dax.

  “What? I’m still a man. I’m cuddled up to a very sexy, mostly undressed, and delicious smelling woman. What did you expect?”

  “A little decorum, if you please,” she said snottily. But honestly, she was well aware of how amazing his body felt against hers. She was quickly becoming wound up again, as her mind drifted back to the pool before they’d been cut short by ‘the talk’.

  “With you, I’ll never be able to hold back how I feel. I want you Effie, I need you. Clearly I’m ready for anything you may be up for. But there is more I need to tell you.”

  Effie sighed and pushed back so she was lying on her back on the bed but Dax’s arms were still around her.

  “Lay it on me,” she said with a dramatic sigh.

  Dax laughed and kissed her on the nose. “Complete honesty?”

  “Why stop now?” she snorted.

  “Being my fated mate means you are my one and only for eternity. I’ll never even look at another woman. Well I’ll look, but I won’t ever desire anyone but you,” he amended.

  Effie gave him a keep it rolling gesture with her hand. She could still feel his erection pressing against her thigh and it was distracting, in a good way.

  “When a mate is found and is human, you have to choose to bond with me. We can have sex, but it’s going to be difficult for me to not want to complete our bond. To do that, I have to mark you.”

  “Mark me how?” she asked, she was all cool with ink, but not anything surgical.

  “Well, when two shifters mate, they bite each other, right here,” he said pointing to her shoulder where it met her neck.

  “When it’s a human and a shifter, the shifter bites their mate while they are having sex. This introduces shifter DNA into the human. It would change you on a fundamental level. You wouldn’t turn into an animal, but it would enable you to carry a child that will most definitely be a shifter. This will also slow your aging process, which is a good thing, because shifters live a little longer than humans.”

  “How much longer?” she asked.

  “A while…” he said, his eyes darting away from her.

  “Dax Hayes, how old are you?” she asked, she was becoming very suspicious of this conversation.

  “Technically, I’m fifty-one years old,” he admitted.

  Effie was silent for a moment, then threw out, “Dude, I’m dating an older man. Hot!”

  Dax threw his head back and laughed. God, she was amazing. He had expected her to be crying or running for the hills. Not laughing with him that he was half a century old. The fates had truly found him the perfect woman.

  “I know this is a lot to take in Effie, and I want to give you time to figure out what you want. But I have to let you know, I need you now like I need oxygen. I want your body, I’ll want to worship every inch of you every chance I get. I want to see you round with our cubs, I’d like a few, maybe five or six. But we can talk. I want you to live with me, help build our new house, the business. I’ll never let anyone touch you again. I’m not just saying I’m a jealous man, but if you commit to me and we bond, th
ere is no turning back. Ever. Your mind, body, and soul will belong to me, just as mine will belong to you.”

  Effie was totally overwhelmed. Twenty four hours of good, now the world was spinning in the wrong direction, polar ice caps were melting, and they’d run out of cream filling at the Twinkie factory. Mass chaos and she was supposed to make a decision? She could barely choose a pack of gum lest she regret her flavor choice.

  “Dax, what if I’m not ready for the all-in commitment? What does that mean for us?” she said after she finished watching him laugh.

  “It means, we keep doing what we’re doing. Dating, getting to know each other. But I won’t be able to resist trying to convince you to keep me,” he said, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her mouth.

  Kissing him back, Effie wasn’t sure what the future would hold. But she was sure that she wanted more of Dax Hayes.

  “I’m not ready after a few days, to commit to someone, even if they are as awesome as you,” she said wryly. “I’ve had a lot of people let me down over the years and I’m honestly a little gun shy. I do like you, Dax. I do want you too, in my bed and in my life. Eternity? I’m not even sure what that means.”

  Dax reached a hand up and cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone. “I’ll teach you about forever, Effie,” he said low, looking into her eyes and letting his cougar shine through.

  He heard Effie suck in a breath when she saw the glow ringing his iris. “Wow, that is wicked cool,” she said in a hush.

  Laughing, Dax said, “I’ll have to remember that to distract you when necessary.”

  “Yeah that totally works,” she whispered.

  Chapter 23

  Dax let his hand at her cheek slip around to the back of her neck and he pulled her up to meet his mouth. He arched her neck and Effie let her mouth open under his. He swept into her mouth, tasting her as she teased him back.

  “Will you stay tonight with me? Please, sweetness?” he asked between kisses.

  Effie had no intention of moving away from the sexy man on top of her. No way, no how.

  “I’ll stay, but there better be pancakes in the morning. I get very cranky without my morning carbs,” she warned.

  “Duly noted,” he growled and kissed her hard again. Sliding his hands down he reached for both of her hands and drew them above her head. He wrapped her fingers around the slats in the headboard.

  “Can you keep these here? I need to keep my focus and having you touch me might be too much this time,” he warned.

  “Yes, I can keep them here, this time,” she warned back.

  Dax let out a laugh and then ran his hands down her arms stopping at her neck to release the tie of her swim suit. He moved down her body, pulling the top down was like unwrapping a present on Christmas. He delayed his own gratification of exposing her large breasts.

  Effie knew her nipples were peaked, not just from the cold of the pool, but from the delicious friction of rubbing up against hot man chest. Just the thought of his mouth wrapped around one had her legs squeezing, giving her clit a taste of friction.

  Effie heard a low purring come out of Dax and looked at him startled. The purr sounded like it was coming from the middle of his chest. He just smiled wickedly at her and swirled his tongue around one stiff peak. He kept his eyes on her as he tormented her tight bud. He moved to the other and sucked it deep into his mouth.

  He tugged it hard, hoping to leave a mark on her breast. “These are mine now, Effie.” Dax pinched the nipple he wasn’t working with his mouth between his fingers. Giving it a squeeze, he watched as the sweet pressure had Effie arching her back off the bed.

  Dax gave another suck and pinch causing Effie to mewl and buck under him. “My girl likes a little pain doesn’t she? Just enough to wake up those nerves and send her soaring.”

  The strength of the suction Dax was using on her nipple shot straight down to her clit. She was already wet, but now she was drenched with the sweet pleasure from Dax’s mouth.

  “I can smell your sweet pussy, Effie. It’s soaked for me isn’t it? I’m going to make you see heaven once I get inside you,” he growled.

  “Dax,” she whispered, pushing her breast higher towards him.

  “I’ve got you, minx. Greedy little thing aren’t you? Make sure those hands don’t move. I’d hate to have to tie you to the bed,” he warned.

  Effie snorted, “I’m sure you would. And for the record,” she paused waiting for his eyes. When she had them she finished, “You can tie me to the bed anytime you want, handsome.”

  The idea of having her spread out on the bed, tied and unable to move had Dax’s cock throbbing. He’d spend hours making her come over and over, he’d lick her clean each time.

  Dax’s growl echoed through the room. “Mine.”

  Effie couldn’t deny it. She felt like his, if that was possible, like she was marked somehow already.

  Then the light bulb popped over her head.

  “My tattoo!” she laughed.

  Dax smiled down at her. “Told you, you are mine.”

  “What must you have been thinking?” she asked, amazed that she’d picked a big cat paw print on her shoulder and on top of her was a man that could change into a giant cat.

  “I was thinking that the fates were seriously throwing signs at me, as if I needed any more encouragement.”

  “Hmph, maybe these fates know more than we do,” she agreed. There were only so many chances you could chalk up to coincidence before giving the universe a big ‘I get it!’

  Dax offered her a look of such love and devotion that Effie felt a knot form in her throat. She could feel her eyes welling up and she gave herself the “suck it up, Effie” command.

  “Baby,” he said when he saw the tears.

  Kissing her again, Dax was determined to erase those tears the only way he knew how. He went back to loving his mate. He kissed and touched every inch he revealed as he removed her now damp swimsuit. Giving her nips and sucking hard to mark her skin. It wasn’t enough but it kept his cat back.

  Effie kept her part of the bargain and kept her hands up around the slats.

  Dax kissed, nipped, and licked her breasts, the undersides, down her ribcage, and across her belly. He playfully bit just below her belly button and just above her swimsuit.

  Effie was watching his head as it moved over her torso. Her arms tensed over her head, she was anticipating what he was going to do next. She wiggled her hips to give him the go ahead and she got a stunning smile in response.

  Dax took his cue and slowly started pulling her swimsuit down and swiped it off her legs in one movement. With her pussy exposed, Dax let her essence wash over him. His cat was thrilled. Beyond thrilled even. He had everything he ever wanted right in front of him. Dax knew exactly how he felt. Opening his eyes he let his cat and his own desire shine forward hopefully communicating to Effie just how on board he was with everything about her.

  Dax looked down at the curved hips, thick thighs and sweetly shaved pussy and a loud purr rolled out of him.

  “Bad kitty,” Effie whispered. She wasn’t sure how he’d take that, but she was never one to hold back what was on her mind. Sometimes what she said didn’t even originate in her brain. At least that’s what Cassie always said.

  “Only you, my love, get to call me that. And only in here,” he warned. She could call him whatever the hell she wanted. But Dax’s dominant alpha side was rearing up. He hadn’t needed it for so many months in Washington, he was a little surprised when the ferocity of his need to claim washed over him.

  Dax bent down and used his rough tongue to swipe through Effie’s wet pussy, letting his tongue dip into her opening for the briefest second. “You are mine, Effie.”

  He tongued her again, this time using his tongue to flick over her clit. “I’m yours.”

  Dax sucked her clit into his mouth. “No one, will ever have you again but me.”

  Pulling her legs wider, Dax lay down on his stomach between her legs,
hooking her knees over his shoulders.

  She wanted to reprimand him for his bossy attitude, but the idea of belonging to him was not giving her any cause to worry. Effie wanted him to claim her, possess her.

  “Remember what I said in the conference room. Your orgasms are mine now. I’ll be very, very generous with them. But don’t be surprised if I have an urge to make you come and track you down, wherever you are. Work, clubs, anytime, anywhere, you’re mine to enjoy.”

  Effie really wanted to give him the my body, my rules speech. But having a guy say he’s going to ninja jump you to get you off? Really didn’t warrant a complaint.

  “Okay,” she said drunkenly, letting her mind float away with the amazing sensations of Dax between her legs.

  “Good girl,” he purred into her core.

  Chapter 24

  Effie was on the brink of coming, she was close due to all the excess adrenaline left over from the cougar in the room experience.

  “Dax,” she mewed.

  “You need something, sweetness?”

  “You, please,” she whispered. “I need you inside me.”

  “Anytime, anywhere, my love,” Dax said, crawling up over her splayed body.

  “Look at you keeping your arms up this whole time, you’ve been very good. How about we move them down, but still no touching, hmm?”

  Dax reached for her hands and slowly lowered them down to her thighs.

  “Grab each leg and pull them wide for me. Show me how beautiful you are,” he directed.

  Effie wrapped her hands around her thighs and pulled her legs back. She should be embarrassed about being laid out like a centerfold, but the fire in Dax’s eyes when she moved didn’t feel embarrassing. It felt amazing, and she could feel her pussy get wetter just from his look.

  Dax growled as his nostrils flared. Damn she smelled like heaven, he thought. “Your sweet pussy is my favorite kind of cream. I’m going to have to keep you close so I can snack on you whenever I want.”

  Pulling off the boxers, his erection sprang free. Giving it a long pull, back and forth, he let Effie look her fill.