Ride: Felicity and Niall: Episodes 1-4 (Puca Mates Collection)

by A. C. James

  Chapter 11

  Felicity basked in the warmth of Niall’s touch as he rubbed a towel over every inch of her body. He’d been the perfect gentleman. Niall had run a hot bath for her, but instead of joining her like she’d secretly wanted him to, he’d grabbed a stool and pulled it over to the tub. When he’d offered to bathe her, she’d been too tired to argue that he should be in the tub with her. He’d washed every part of her body with precision and a soft touch. Though he hadn’t used the opportunity to fully take advantage of her while she was naked, it didn’t stop him from teasing her.

  And bloody hell did he tease her!

  Niall hadn’t been blatant enough to toy with her most delicate areas, but he’d taken his time brushing the washcloth ever so slowly across her flesh. She knew full well that he intended to do more than wash away the dirt and soothe her bruised skin tonight. He lingered far longer than he needed to when rinsing the slope of her breasts or the suds from her inner thighs, trailing his fingers dangerously close to her sex. Niall had hit the right spot when he washed her back, inching down its length vertebra by vertebra until he stopped just above her tailbone. Her breath had hitched, and she’d had to bite back a moan. His nibbling on her earlobe had almost been her undoing. Felicity had wanted to reach through the suds and touch herself. She needed him to take her, consummate their mating, and brand her as his. After everything they’d been through, this was what she wanted, and what they both needed.

  Now they were in the bedroom, and he’d never put his clothes back on. Why would he, when he’d only have to take them off again?

  “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Niall said, as he brushed his fingertips down her back, making her shiver.

  “Mmmm… I bet you say that to all the girls,” Felicity teased.

  “No, my love, only you. I’ve never been one for keeping a woman around, and I wouldn’t waste a compliment when it wouldn’t have been sincere.”

  She knew that much was true. Niall had always struck her as a ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’ kind of guy, even if he hadn’t opened up to her right away about being a púca.

  “I suppose you kicked them out in the morning, and they were all right with that.”

  Again, she was only teasing him, but part of her had to wonder how anyone would put up with that. She never would. Even this had been on her terms. Felicity knew in her heart that even if she hadn’t needed help from their healer, she would have crossed the veil to be with him. He’d made her feel something she never thought she’d be able to have again—love, plain and simple. It was something that had been off-limits to her, because she wasn’t willing to trust.

  “Nay, I cooked them breakfast before I shipped them off,” Niall said, with a twinkle in his eyes. Then they darkened, all focus shifting to her. He snaked his arm around her lower back, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re it for me. You’ve always been it, since the day I first saw you. My stallion knew it even when I didn’t.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Aye, love.”

  She shuddered at the sound of his voice, nearly a caress. Niall kissed her forehead, her cheekbones, and her closed eyelids the moment they drifted shut as she let out a blissful sigh. Then he traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, edging them open. His kiss was deeper, more demanding than any she’d ever experienced. All thought escaped her. Nothing—not her past, the scary ordeal she’d survived, nothing—entered her mind except for Niall. He consumed everything. He consumed her.

  “Why me?” she whispered.

  It wasn’t her lack of self-confidence, because he’d managed to get her out of her own head to believe what he’d been telling her. But she’d seen the other female púca-shifters scattered around the courtyard, watching Fallon accept her into their clan. She hadn’t missed the envy in their eyes. She couldn’t blame them for being jealous. Mating with Niall probably meant status and position, and besides all that, he was one bloody good-looking guy. Niall could’ve had any one of them, and he’d chosen to be with her rather than the lithe, strong women in his clan.

  Niall lifted her chin. “Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but on the inside. Your eyes—they sparkle, and so do you.”

  It reminded her of something Cyn had always said about her. Felicity nodded slowly accepting what she should have trusted in all along. “I love you, Niall.”

  “I love you too, Felicity. You’ve shown me what it means to trust in love and in you.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes. Niall bent his head, kissing her again. No matter what had transpired—how things had changed, or how much she’d lost before—in the end their love had overcome every obstacle that had been thrown at them. This time his kiss deepened. It took her to a place where nothing else existed. He wrapped her in the cocoon of his arms, carrying her back to the bed. They spent what felt like hours simply kissing. Niall spent even longer caressing and exploring her body, marking every bit of it with his scent.

  Her nipples perked as his silky chest hair rubbed against her soft curves and she let out a moan. His eyes took her in, a hunger burning in them. She could tell he was holding his stallion back, taking his time to rub his vaguely animal and definitely masculine smell over every inch of her pink flesh. He studied her with greater intensity than she had anticipated. It made her squirm under his gaze, made the heat begin to pool at her core. Then he reached between her legs and slipped his fingers inside her, teasing her entrance.

  “Aye, you’re wet, love,” he said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. “I’m going to make you come so hard.”

  Felicity moaned. God, the things he could do to her with just the sound of his voice promised a night she would never forget.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Niall whispered against her ear, “that you want me to take you.”

  She curled her fingers into his hair, angling her hips toward his rock-hard body.

  “Yes, I...”

  He lowered his body gently over hers and slid inside her.

  A smile curled on his lips as he watched her respond to the mere beginnings of the relentlessly sweet torture of his length pulling in and out her with excruciating slowness. There was nothing rushed or frantic about it—they had more than one lifetime to love one another. And he so enjoyed teasing her with the head of his cock, stroking her entrance as he pulled out. She was approaching the glorious edge, and with the next thrust he sent her spiralling into an orgasm unlike any other. After about a dozen slow-building orgasms, they collapsed into each other’s arms, completely sated and spent. She curled against her mate’s body, laid her head on his chest, and fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 12

  When Felicity woke up, it was to the smell of bacon. For some reason, she found it both reassuring and extremely odd to experience something so mundane, considering she was in Niall’s domain—a stone cottage in another world. She wouldn’t complain, though, because her stomach was rumbling after the countless panty-drenching orgasms he’d given her.

  Felicity swung her legs over the side of the bed and discovered that Niall had left her an oversized t-shirt to replace the bloodied and dirt-caked garments she’d left on his bathroom floor. How sweet and considerate of him.

  She pulled the t-shirt over her head and padded toward the yummy scent of bacon.

  “Mmmm, that smells delicious,” Felicity said as she came up behind Niall and planted a kiss on his shoulder.

  “Good morning, mate.”

  She really liked the sound of that. “Good morning, husband.”

  Niall wrinkled his nose, but to his credit, he didn’t say anything. She imagined that her mannerisms and way of speaking must be very different from what he was accustomed to from the female púca-shifters in his clan.

  “Are you hungry?”

  Niall flipped the bacon. A blush crept to her cheeks, which Niall seemed to find delightful. “I’m famished.”

  “I see that you found the t-shirt I left out. I had
your clothes sent to be cleaned. I figured you’d need them to meet with my sister this morning.”

  Felicity laughed and sat at the kitchen table. “Darcy is absolutely adorable.”

  * * *

  Niall gave her a half-smile. He knew his sister better than anyone, and had to wonder why she’d demanded to meet with Felicity to give her a present. She was very adamant about her coming to the castle. He was certain his sister was up to something. Nothing malicious, of course, but Darcy had a way of getting what she wanted. He bloody well couldn’t say no to her to save his life.

  “Tell me if she’s still adorable six months from now,” Niall said.

  “Why? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “It’s too long a history lesson to give you now, love, but she could give you a gift anytime. Why does it have to be this morning? I’ve consummated our mating, and there’s nothing I’d rather do than consummate it a few more times just for good measure.”

  Felicity grinned. “I like the way you think, but it’d be awfully rude if I didn’t pay her a visit, and I don’t want to start off a relationship with my new sister–in-law by pissing her off.”

  Niall piled bacon onto two plates along with some eggs, sat hers in front of her, then seated himself across the table. She smelled like him. He’d marked her with his scent, thoroughly. She is ours. His stallion pranced in agreement. He never imagined that it could be like this with a woman. Felicity dug into her dish. Clearly she was on the mend, but her body needed nourishment, and he didn’t want her overdoing it today.

  “You’ll be back after you see my sister?”

  Felicity finished chewing before answering. “I really should get back to Pier House and tell Cyn everything. She’s my best friend in the whole world, and she deserves the truth. Besides if I don’t go back to London, I have some answering to do.”

  “I thought Cyn was your only family.”

  “Well, yes, but I have to tell Nathan, my boss, that I took a job, fell in love, or something so he won’t grow suspicious. You know I won’t write that story.”

  Felicity looked away.

  “What is it?”

  “There’s going to be an investigation into Archer and Dillon’s death. Caitlyn is sure to tell someone…”

  “Aye, I’ve been dealing with that since early morning, when I met with Fallon.”

  Felicity arched an eyebrow as she stabbed at her egg. She almost looked like she didn’t want to know how he’d been dealing with it. “How did Fallon decide to handle it?” she asked, biting into the egg and chewing it slowly.

  Niall cleared his throat. “Fallon sent for Caitlyn. She’s been taken across the veil and was given the choice of servitude in the Realm or being sent to the castle dungeon.”

  “Of course she can't get back to the human world, because only those who are mated can cross back and forth over the veil,” Felicity mused.

  “Right.”

  “And what did she decide?”

  “Well, the castle dungeon didn’t really appeal to her, so she picked a lifetime of servitude.”

  Felicity grinned.

  “What’s so funny, love?”

  “I can’t help but laugh over the irony. She’d had a position that offered security, slow aging, health, money, and a whole host of benefits, but she didn’t want to follow in her aunt’s footsteps because she was afraid of losing her freedom. She wouldn’t have, but now she’s…stuck.”

  Niall smiled back at her.

  “It’s bloody hilarious and brilliant!” Felicity stabbed at another bite of egg.

  Niall chuckled. “Aren’t you the feisty one?”

  “I have my moments. What will happen with the investigation into Archer and Dillon’s death?”

  “Caitlyn’s aunt is taking care of it for us. She’s devastated that her own flesh and blood would betray her and their family tradition.”

  Felicity nodded and pushed the plate away. “I can’t eat anymore, and I really ought to get going.”

  “In that?” Niall said, eyeing her t-shirt, which belonged to him.

  She blushed. “I’ll wait for my clothes.”

  “They shouldn’t be long, but hurry back from seeing my sister so we can have some more time to ourselves. It won’t be long before the clan will want to get to know you too.”

  “Of course,” Felicity said. “I have to be sure Cyn gets back to London, and publish a blog post.”

  Niall nodded. He loved his mate more than the very air he breathed. “I can think of a few things we can do while we wait for your clothes.”

  “Is that so?” Felicity grinned.

  He planned on giving her a few more orgasms before her clothes were clean.

  * * *

  Felicity made her way to the castle, but it took her a while to get there because of everyone greeting and congratulating her along the way. She entered the castle and was escorted to a great hall, where she waited for Darcy. Felicity didn’t have to wait long. Her sister came bounding down a stone stairway with her hair flying behind her.

  “I’m so glad you came,” Darcy said, grabbing her hand. “Come with me. Your present is in my room.”

  Felicity laughed. “All right.”

  “Did you sleep okay, or did my brother keep you up all night?”

  “Only half the night.”

  Darcy laughed. “I think I’m going to like you.”

  They headed up the stone stairway Darcy had just come down, rounded a corner, and went down a long hallway before Darcy pushed open a large door. Felicity entered the girl’s bedroom and watched as she crossed the expanse and opened a wooden box that sat on what resembled a modern-day vanity, although it was made of stone. She pulled an amulet on a chain from the box and handed it to Felicity.

  “I want you to have this,” Darcy said. “It was my mother’s.”

  The necklace was beautiful and the stone was small and pink, set in silver. It meant the world to Felicity because it had belonged to Niall’s mother. She wished she’d been able to meet her.

  “Thank you, Darcy,” Felicity said, and hugged the girl. “It’s beautiful!”

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I have to get going. Niall’s going to take me to the veil. I have a few things I have to attend to.”

  Darcy smiled, knowingly. They hugged again and Felicity headed back toward the great hall.

  She was almost at the stone stairs when she heard the sound of someone shouting distantly. It reminded her of one thing… she hadn’t told Cyn about Niall, the púca, or the truth of their existence. Felicity had to help her friend understand.

  The one thing she was certain of was Niall’s love. Cyn deserved a love like that. Other than being with Niall, nothing in the world would make her happier than seeing her friend find what she had. And Felicity knew now that when you took a chance and trusted your heart, anything was possible.

  The End.

  # # #

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  Ride Season Two Sneak Peek

  CHAPTER ONE

  Cyn Becket groaned in frustration, clenching her pale hand in a fist before releasing it and tracing patterns on the wooden table in front of her. It had been a full five minutes, and Tomas still hadn’t returned from the loo. For the past two hours, they’d been drinking at Tí Joe Watty’s, and she’d lost count of just how many Tom Cream Irish Lagers she’d knocked back. Her face was flushed, and she pulled a small compact from her purse to check her lipstick. Maybe that was the reason why Tomas hadn’t kissed her yet. Oh, pl
ease, she said to herself. If he hasn’t kissed me by now, I don’t think it’s because of my bloody lipstick.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Tomas emerged from the loo and loped toward the table, smiling at her. Cyn couldn’t help noticing how the late-afternoon sun created gold glints in his hair. She tried to resist the urge to run her hands through it, before bringing his face to hers, and—Cyn, get it together. Exhaling, Cyn made herself straighten up, avoiding Tomas and his golden hair. She flashed him a sexy grin as he sat across from her.

  “I want to discuss something with you. I need to know you understand. Cynthia…” Tomas cleared his throat, and paused.

  His normally-cool façade was flustered, Cyn noted with satisfaction. The alcohol must be getting to him as well. Perhaps she’d finally get to shag him, she thought as she tapped her long, painted nails on the table.

  “Why don’t you like my nickname?” Cyn asked. She leaned lasciviously over the table to display her magnificent cleavage.

  Ignoring both Cyn and her breasts, Tomas changed the subject. “How much did Felicity tell you about her research here, and the story of the púca?”

  “Hmmm,” Cyn murmured, through the slow fog of alcohol descending on her brain. “Only a little…”

  “Well,” Tomas said, carefully. “It’s true we have our own way of doing things that you’re not used to in London—”

  Cyn snorted. “Right. Because other blokes I go with always ask if we can do a photoshoot. It really was a lovely gesture.”

  “You are a model, you know,” Tomas said lightly. “And the camera loves you. But back to what I was saying… I know you probably think it’s antiquated, but when we mate here, we mate for life.”