by Milly Taiden
Toni arched an eyebrow at him before she gave in and did as he suggested. She was tense and uncomfortably aware of him so close to her. His tantalizing smell was driving her to distraction.
“If you want, you can come closer and use me as a pillow. I promise I’ll behave. I meant what I said. I won’t make a move unless you ask me to.”
Toni rolled to her side and faced him. “You’re so not what I thought.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. I admit I have more experience than most people deem politically correct, but I do have my good points and being a gentleman is one of them. However, I’m also a guy, and I don’t question when women throw themselves at me. They know the score beforehand, though.”
Toni laughed at his qualification and moved to lay her head on his shoulder and absorb some of his body heat. She had to bite back a moan at the touch of her skin against his.
A burst of colored lights flashed in the sky above her and Toni gasped in surprise. He was right, they were in the perfect position. The darkness made the fireworks shine even brighter and their position on their backs allowed the show to enfold directly above them.
“This is amazing,” she whispered.
“You’re amazing, my beautiful is breá.”
Toni titled her head back and glanced at him. “What did you say at the end?”
“Is breá?”
“Yes, what does it mean?”
“It’s a term of endearment.”
She smiled and turned her attention back to the fireworks display. Never could she recall feeling so loved and special as she had today with Garret by her side. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world and it blew her mind.
Not once today had she caught him looking at another woman. And they had done everything they could to get his attention. She had watched in amazement at the more blatant things they did. It really made her sad to be a woman when she saw things like that.
“So,” Garrett whispered as the last of the fireworks faded from the sky. “Did you like it?”
Toni faced Garrett and smiled. “I more than liked it. I loved every second of this whole day with you.”
Garrett smiled. “Good, because I want to do it again.”
Toni licked her lips and moved closer. “I want to do a lot of things again.” Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She gasped as fire shot through her body at the contact. Garrett didn’t waste time. He flipped them over and took over the kiss, making it hotter and deeper in mere seconds.
Before Toni could react, she was drawn in and lost in the sensation of pleasure and need that filled her body to nuclear reactor levels. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. She didn’t think she’d ever get enough of the feel of him plastered to her, his smell as it surrounded her, and the taste of him was the sweetest aphrodisiac.
“Uh, guys. Just so you know, we’re leaving,” Kasey called out a few feet away, breaking the spell they’d both fallen under.
Toni blushed and stammered a goodbye as Garrett chuckled at her reaction. “Babe, I promise you that Luke and Bastien took advantage of the romantic scene and they’re probably doing a lot more than kissing like we did.”
“Is that why they’re farther away than we were to Brannon and Kasey?”
“Yes, we didn’t need to see any of it. We’re shifters; we can hear it and that’s enough for me.” He laughed.
19
The trip home was quiet, each lost in their own thoughts of what the day had brought. For Garrett’s part, he had already known she was his mate. Today just sealed the deal that she was the perfect one for him in every way. He’d seen the way women had acted when they walked by holding hands and it pissed him off beyond reason. If he wasn’t trying his best to be a gentleman and show her how much she meant to him, he would have torn the others apart.
His mate was perfect in every way. Her curves made his mouth water. Her sarcastic quips and smart mouth made him laugh. The feel of her hand in his left him feeling as if he was the luckiest man on earth. She was the perfect woman. Add in that slap down she gave those two empty-headed bimbos and he had a mate he knew wouldn’t hesitate to fight by his side.
As they’d walked to the blanket, he couldn’t help the nerves that rattled through his body. He hadn’t wanted her to get the wrong impression, but at the same time, part of him couldn’t help but hope. When she had finally relaxed and laid her head on his shoulder, he knew he’d chosen right. Even if that had been as close as they’d gotten, it would have been worth every minute of misery in his life just to be in that position.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Garret inquired after the silence was starting to worry him. He didn’t want her to regret anything that had happened, not that much had.
“I’ve been thinking about what Jared said and I don’t want to stay alone. Will you stay with me?” Toni asked tentatively as she stared out the window, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.
Garrett grabbed her hand and gave it a slight squeeze. “If you hadn’t asked, I would’ve slept in my jeep tonight. I wasn’t going to leave you alone no matter what.”
“Inside will be more comfortable,” she teased.
“I don’t know. I saw the size of your couch; it’s not much bigger then this seat. I could just sleep in the bed of the truck, but without something over top, it gets kind of wet near dawn from the dew.”
“You can sleep in bed with me, if you want,” Toni whispered shyly.
Garrett sucked in a breath and had to wait a second before he could speak. “Babe, if I climb in bed with you, we won’t be sleeping. I’ve done nothing but dream of having you in my arms. I won’t be able to hold back with you that close.”
“We didn’t finish twenty questions. Can I ask you another since we still have a bit of a drive to go?”
“Of course, but you know you don’t have to use the game to ask me anything. For you, I will always be an open book.”
“When you came with Bastien to pick up Carly from work that day and all the women swarmed you…”
“Yes, I remember. You were wearing your hair pulled back so it stayed off your face. It cascaded down your back. You weren’t happy to see me, but you tried to hide it as you walked beside Carly in your black knee-length dress. The visions I had of removing that outfit drove me crazy that night.”
“You remember what I was wearing?” she gaped in surprise.
He laughed. “Babe, I’m not kidding when I say I had many naughty fantasies of you in those black fuck-me shoes. I hoped you had on garters to hold up your stockings. I pictured you in them. Nothing else, mind you. Just those shoes and garters.”
“I was wearing garters. I feel sexy wearing them, like a twenties pin up girl or something.”
Garrett groaned and adjusted in the seat. “You’re making these jeans very uncomfortable to wear right now.”
Toni smiled but didn’t answer and Garrett wasn’t sure what to make of that. He pulled into her driveway a few minutes later and put the jeep in park. “Don’t move. Let me get the door. This date isn’t over.” He jumped out and ran to her side.
“Let’s go, sweetheart,” he said as he offered a hand for her to climb out. He shut the door and followed her to the house, eyes glued on the gentle sway of her hips that he would swear was a little more pronounced than earlier.
Toni opened the door and moved to let Garrett in. He smiled and entered behind her and glanced around the living room, chuckling once again at the mess they’d made getting ready.
“Do you want a drink or anything?” she asked politely.
“No, but I’d love to use your restroom if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Second door on the right. I’ll tidy up in here a bit. We were a little distracted earlier as you can imagine.”
Garrett grinned and moved down the hallway, taking in all the pictures of her, her family and friends that lined the walls. He stopped in front of one and couldn’t help the smile as he saw a much youn
ger version of Toni and Kira at the beach. The happiness and love on their faces for one another was plain for the world to see.
“There’s towels and toiletries in there if you want to take a shower or get cleaned up. I have some old sweats of Jared’s if you want when you come out.”
“That would be fantastic, thank you,” he said as he moved into the bathroom before pausing in sticking his head back out.
“You didn’t say why you asked if I remembered that day I picked you up.”
“That’s because you answered my question without even trying. No one who remembers what I wore on a random day weeks ago had time to pay attention to anyone else.” Toni smiled and began to walk away before she paused, glanced over her shoulder and called out, “By the way, I might just have garters on under this dress as well.”
Garrett took the quickest shower of his life as his body burned for the woman on the other side of the door. He heard her open the door and part of him wanted to beg her to wash his back, but the saner part won for the moment. When he finally had his chance with her, it wasn’t going to be in the shower, but in bed where he could take his time and learn every inch of her magnificent body.
He quickly dried off, grabbed the sweatpants and pulled them on. With any luck, he wouldn’t have to wear them for long so he didn’t care how they fit. Garrett pulled open the door and had to pause to orient himself. The living room was dark, the only light was from the door at the end of the hall.
“Toni?” he said in confusion, heading toward the kitchen.
His mouth went dry as she appeared at the kitchen entrance in nothing but the lingerie and garters she had on under her dress. He licked his lips as he took in the high heels she must have slipped into for his fantasy. He wanted to say something but he didn’t know what or how. All higher function had shut down from rapid blood loss.
“Garrett, are you coming to bed?”
He picked her up, sitting her on the kitchen counter and taking a good look at her. “I’ve died, haven’t I? This is heaven.”
“No, but with luck, we will feel like we did soon enough.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you or pressure you.”
She smiled. “No, you aren’t. I want you. I have since the moment I saw you. Today I saw a side of you I didn’t believe existed. I’m half in love with you already.”
“There’s no half about it.”
She leaned back on the counter and he lost the last air in his lungs. God was on his side. His gaze did a visual tour down her curvy body to her glistening sex. She spread her legs wide, bending them at the knees, giving him full view of her pink pussy. With a deep inhale, he drew in her scent and growled. Aroused honey filled his lungs.
His cock jerked, needing inside her. Moisture dripped from her slit. She was soaked and it only made him harder. He glanced up and caught her nibbling her lip. Their eyes locked.
“What are you waiting for, Garrett? Make me come,” she pleaded.
He bent down and curled his arms around her large thighs, lifting her pussy to his face. With a determined swipe over her slick sex, he got a dose of honey straight from the source. She inhaled a sharp breath and moaned. “More.”
“There’s no fucking way I’d stop now, love.” He licked up her slick heat and sucked on her juices. She whimpered, wiggling her hips in his grip. Unhurried, he licked around the tight pleasure bundle he knew would be her undoing. He swiped his tongue up her asshole to her sex, drinking in the heat dripping on his tongue. He dove into her and growled.
“Yesss.” She panted and moaned all the while lying flat on the counter. She grabbed a hold of his hair and rode his face. Over and over, he fucked her with his tongue. Fuck, she was so hot. Her legs shook, breathing hitched, and whimpering increased.
“God, Garrett. You. This…I’m so close…”
He held her open and sucked on her clit. She tensed, shuddered, and screamed. Her body bucked and dripped wet heat over his lips.
“Fuuuuuck!” She shook every few seconds. “Garrett…”
Pleasure filled him at the god-like way she said his name. He chuckled and stood. She peered up at him with a look so hot, it almost made him come. He lifted her off the counter and helped her to her feet. She turned and splayed her upper body over the same counter spot she’d been lying on. Then she wiggled her ass at him. “Take it. It’s all yours.”
He held her hips in a tight grip and moved his exposed cock down her wet ass until he was at her pussy entrance. With one hard thrust, he rammed into her. He pulled back and slammed into her hard, again and again.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Fuck me just like that. Hard,” she demanded.
Her pussy rippled with each of his plunges, gripping his dick in a silken kiss.
“You’re so goddamned sexy and soft, baby girl,” he snarled. “I love just how tight and hot it feels inside you.”
“I know what you mean,” she panted. “This is good…so good.”
He glanced down, watching his cock disappear into her and pull out drenched with her heat. It was fucking beautiful. Then he shoved back inside her. It was so good. He was ready to come, but not without her. He rubbed a thumb over her asshole. The puckered hole was tight and wet from her previous orgasm. His thumb slid into her in one easy glide.
She propelled back into his touch, urging him to increase the friction. “Oh my god, oh my god…”
Her pussy’s hold on his cock tightened. He increased the pace of their mating, sliding into her with much harder, faster drives. At the same pace his dick rammed, he slipped his thumb in and out of her ass.
She dropped her head forward and tensed. Her pussy fluttered around his cock, sucking him deeply inside. She screamed his name so hard, it pushed him over the edge. Pleasure blasted down his spine and to his cock. He jerked inside her slick, hot channel and filled her with his cum.
20
That night they’d made their fantasies a reality. It had been especially magical. But the next morning when Garrett had to go out of town for business he’d insisted she stay and wait for him at his place. She found herself questioning what the hell she was doing two nights later while walking around his cabin. He wasn’t due back for another day and she was rethinking being here waiting for him.
Why was she wondering about where this was going? This was Garrett. She knew how she felt. He’d told her she was his mate. That she was the one for him.
“Here’s to whatever.” Toni lifted her glass, saluting the shadows across the expansive yard behind Garrett’s cabin. She drained what was left of the two bottles of wine from dinner, watching the full moon high above the trees in the adjacent woods. She could have stayed with Carly and Bastien after dinner. They did try to insist, but instead she grabbed the wine and went to Garrett’s place. It made her feel closer to him.
So here she was, alone with her thoughts.
Thoughts.
She frowned, eyeing her empty glass. There wasn’t enough wine in the world to keep Garrett from her mind. Her fingers closed over the handle to the screened door. She thought back to Carly and Bastien. The utterly in love newlyweds.
The more the wine flowed, the more the two could barely keep their hands off each other.
Jealous much?
Toni sighed. Maybe. Especially when it came to Garrett.
“Stop worrying. Everything will be clearer in the morning, love,” Carly had said earlier. She’d stifled a giggle with her arm around Bastien. “You’ll see.”
She sighed again. Garrett was all she thought of. All she wanted…but. Toni shook her head. There were no buts. If he was truly all she wanted, then there was only one choice. Him and his world.
As if on cue, the sexy snow leopard walked from the shadows beyond the yard in his human form. Naked. And utterly glorious in the moonlight. She licked her lips and the empty wine glass slipped from her hand, crashing to the porch floor.
Ignoring the broken glass, Toni pushed the screen door open and walked with purpose to where h
e stood waiting. Maybe it was the wine, but she picked up her pace, nearly sprinting across the grass, inhibitions fading with each step. It was now or never. It was time to recognize her feelings and stop questioning everything.
She stopped in front of him a little breathless from the run. Yeah…it was the run and not the hot shifter at the finish line. Not.
“I thought you needed to chase the moon or something.”
“I need to chase you more.”
Garrett’s sexy voice and the way he looked at her punched through whatever was left of her defenses and her heart squeezed. “But I saw you only two days ago.”
He growled low in his throat and closed the distance between them. “Too long.”
The low rumble was rough and full of desire and Toni’s breath caught in her throat, her private parts dampening.
“Mmmm, I will never get tired of the delicious way you smell just for me.” Garrett slid his arm around her waist and pulled her against his hard length.
Toni’s pulse raced in her chest. Oh God, if he strokes me once, I’ll come right here.
A deep throated chuckle fanned against her throat as he nuzzled the tender flesh. He nipped the base of her ear.
“Oh, that feels so good.”
“Mmm. You taste good.”
“You are such a tease!”
“Always.”
A small grin tugged. “Why?”
“Builds suspense.”
She laughed. “You mean foreplay.”
“That, too.” He licked the underside of her jaw to her ear and nipped again.
She pulled back from him, her eyes on his. “I know you want more, Garrett. I do, too.”
His eyes twinkled. “More, eh? And you claim you’re not a size whore.”
She slapped his shoulder even as his arms tightened around her waist. “That’s not what I mean.” Size whore? Her clit throbbed with the image conjured, his large, corded member.
His gaze locked on hers. “Come play in the dark with me, Toni.” Garrett didn’t give her the chance to argue. In a flash, he scooped her fully fleshed curves into his arms as though she weighed nothing and carried her inside. He went to the closest bedroom on the first floor. A guestroom. She’d rather be on his bed but fuck it.
