All the fears her father had instilled in her bubbled to the surface. Only an idiot would walk into a stranger’s apartment, especially when no one else in the world knew where she was.
Holding the elevator door open, Kat gazed into Alex’s emerald eyes. Fell into them, really. Without thinking about it, she allowed her bear senses to sharpen — just a little. No doubt he knew exactly what she was doing by her slightly longer fingernails or a telltale glow in her eyes, but she didn’t care if he was offended. If he was, she’d let the doors close and write him off as a jerk. But he waited patiently, appearing almost amused.
She smelled no danger from him at all. In fact, that sensation of total safety, one she’d never truly felt in the company of her bodyguards, solidified. Returning her gaze, Alex growled low. Not a threat, but an acknowledgement. He was inviting a she-bear into his den, letting her know it was safe.
The warmth of anticipation set her heart beating faster. If she stepped through that door, her life would never be the same. She knew this on a cellular level, and she couldn’t wait. With a slow, hopefully seductive smile, she brushed past him, trailing her fingers across his abdomen. His sharp intake of breath gratified her.
“Oh my God,” Kat said with a gasp once she stepped inside.
As the daughter of a Tier and successful businessman, she was no stranger to elegance and wealth, but her family’s taste leaned to the traditional. Dusty old carpets which had been in the family for centuries, tapestries featuring scenes of great battles between bear clans which had been embroidered by her seven-times-great grandmother hung on dark mahogany walls, and heavy furniture that wouldn’t break under a full-sized bear.
Alex’s apartment exhibited just as much wealth, but it couldn’t have been more different. Every piece of furniture and art screamed ‘modern’. Hardwood floors gleamed — how they weren’t scored with bear claw marks remained a mystery — and long, low, black leather couches dotted the spacious living room. The high ceiling gave the almost-comforting illusion of being outdoors. French doors on the far side of the room sat open to a balcony, offering a breathtaking view of the city and allowing a light breeze to cool Kat’s overheated skin.
“Let me show you around,” Alex said from very close behind her.
His proximity, not to mention his sultry tone, caused the tips of her breasts to tighten. Normally, she would have tried to hide her arousal, but not with him. She felt completely at ease with Alex.
“This is my TV room.” He swung open the first door they came to.
“Holy crap!” A giant screen took up an entire wall and three rows of staggered couches. “You call this a TV room? This gives ‘home theatre’ an entirely new meaning”
“Glad you like it. Next stop, my office.”
He dropped his hand to her lower back to guide her — a perfectly natural thing to do — but his touch made her head spin. At least he was close if she fainted from her need for him.
Alex’s ‘home office’ looked like any high-powered businessman’s office in one of the skyscrapers downtown…except one thing. And that exception worried her.
“Do you have a kid?” Not that she minded, but it could complicate things.
“No, why— Oh!” Alex’s laugh rolled over her like thunder on a hot night. “That’s my childhood desk.”
It looked like a torture device to Kat. Made entirely of wood, the antique desk only vaguely resembled a more modern one — say, from the 1970s. Three unevenly spaced slats of wood served as the seat with just one more slat to act as a backrest. The desk portion was connected to the seat by wooden rails, and had a long groove at the top for pencils and two holes for ink wells. The thing didn’t even open on a hinge — rather, the desk itself was a simple box, open at the front.
“It looks really old.”
“It is,” Alex said, clearly proud of the ratty old antique. “Look there, what do you see carved into the surface?”
Kat peered at the desk. “Ozzy?”
“Not that. In the top right corner.”
“Um, looks like initials. TR.”
“Yup. TR. Teddy Roosevelt. When he was a boy, he sat at this very desk and carved his initials into it.”
“Wow.” Kat did her best to sound impressed.
Almost every family in the two clans claimed to own something that had once belonged to the nature-loving president. Kat never could understand why — the man was a renowned hunter, and he wouldn’t have known a bear shifter from a real bear if he came upon one on a hunting trip. Of course, almost all of the claims were bogus, but it would probably be rude to insult something your date was clearly proud of.
Alex guided her out of the office, past a closed door — presumably the bedroom — and into the well-appointed kitchen. Top-of-the-line appliances gleamed and sparkled as if they’d never been used. He stopped in front of a wine cooler.
“Red or white?”
“White, please.”
He smiled and pulled a bottle from the cooler, before showing her back into his massive living room. She found herself drifting over to a wall with three large paintings. She could have stared at them all night…until she felt Alex sidle up next to her. She glanced up at him and became ensnared in his gaze.
That’s what I could stare at all night.
“Decorator?” she squeaked.
“Hmm?” An eyebrow quirked up.
Kat swallowed hard. “Did you hire a decorator?”
“No,” Alex replied, glancing around the place. “This is all me.”
Of course it was. Gorgeous, successful, a strong eye for quality art and he liked to decorate. It was all Kat could do to keep from swooning into his arms right then and there.
“Shall we…?” He motioned to a small table set for two on the terrace. Twinkle lights ran around the railing, giving the scene a soft, romantic glow. “Dinner’s ready.”
“You cook too?” Who could have imagined her first date would be with the perfect man?
Alex chuckled has he pushed in her chair and settled across from her. “Not even a little. I order in…a lot. In fact,” he looked a little embarrassed, “I have caterers on retainer.”
Kat couldn’t help laughing. “You’re joking!”
“Hey, I have to entertain for business, you know.”
“Sure,” she teased, as she looked around for the mysterious catering staff. “Are they here?”
Alex slowly lifted the sterling silver dome off her plate, revealing a mouthwatering selection of poached salmon and gently roasted vegetables. The scent made her stomach growl.
“No. They bring the food, set it up, and pick up everything the next day. They won’t be disturbing us.”
Katrina smiled, then blushed a little. She didn’t want to seem too eager, but she was more than happy to be completely alone with this bear of a man.
As they ate, the awkward tension she’d felt in the car fell away. He turned out to be much easier to talk to than she’d imagined. In fact, she found herself opening up to him, though she was careful not to talk about her family. The mere mention of her father typically sent men screaming.
“I want to travel more,” he said, after grilling her about her world travels. “I haven’t been nearly as many places as you. I’m a little… Well, planes don’t thrill me. When I was a kid, we had some turbulence on a flight to L.A. You remember how hard it was to control yourself as a cub, right?”
Katrina gasped. “You didn’t!”
“Yup. I shifted, and then completely freaked out. Naturally, the other passengers freaked, and the flight attendants freaked, and the pilot… Let’s just say it wasn’t my finest moment.”
“How did it all end?” She’d never shifted in front of unsuspecting humans before, and couldn’t imagine their reaction.
“Father told everyone they were transporting an orphaned bear cub to a zoo. To this day, I have no clue how he managed to talk his way around the fact they didn’t have a cage or that the child they boarded with was no longer on
the flight!”
Genuine, relaxed laughter wrapped around them like a warm blanket. She silently cursed her father for letting her miss out on the fun of dating, assuming all dates were this pleasant. But in her heart of hearts, she knew tonight was unusual. She and Alex had a special connection she couldn’t deny, and judging by the hungry look in his eyes when his gaze locked onto hers, neither could he.
It seemed impossible and ridiculous, but Kat wondered if this was what it felt like to fall in love.
Six
“What’s for dessert?” Kat asked as she pushed away her plate. The meal had been delicious, but she’d always been a sucker for sweets.
Alex laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a date ask about dessert before. Most barely finish their dinner.”
Kat’s cheeks flushed. Great, her first date ever and she’d already made some mysterious faux pas. “Why?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Alex said, leaning back to study her. “You really are something else, aren’t you?”
His gaze was so intense, it nearly scorched her skin. As much as she enjoyed it, she was also a little frightened by the ferocity of it.
“I don’t know about that,” she demurred. “I just like dessert.”
Alex’s voice dropped low, sending a powerful shudder through her. “Mmm, me too.”
Her eyes snapped back to meet his, and she knew in a stuttering heartbeat he wasn’t talking about ice cream. The wine — more than she usually drank — had gone to her head, giving her courage she wouldn’t otherwise have had. She held his gaze and bit her lower lip, just as actresses did when they were trying to look seductive. From the flare of his nostrils, she could tell it worked.
“Let’s save dessert for…later,” he said, standing and holding out his hand to help her up.
Even as inexperienced as she was, she knew “later” really meant “after,” and that was fine by her. All her life, she’d listened to her girlfriends talk about the guys they’d dated, bedded and mated. Now that she had the chance to finally see what all the fuss was about, she was going to jump on it.
So to speak.
Kat’s head spun from the wine and the new emotions as Alex pulled her body against his. His strong muscles rippled under her fingers as their bodies swayed to the soft music piped out onto the terrace. As he held her close, her whole body trembled with desire for him. She had no doubt he could feel her nipples harden against his chest through the thin film of fabric covering them. She wanted him to know.
Just as she knew he was having a similar reaction. The evidence pressed hot and hard into her hip, and it was all she could do to not grind on it. As much as she wanted him to throw her onto the cool tiles under them and take her, to own her, she wasn’t quite ready to admit it…to herself as much as to him. So she smiled, she dance, she ached.
“You’re so beautiful, Kat,” he murmured into her ear as his fingers lightly skimmed across the bare skin of her back.
She shuddered with need for him, and he felt it. He pulled his head back slightly, and she had no choice but to meet his gaze. A sultry mix of passion and admiration boiled there, along with a question. The time had come. Without a word, she gave him her answer with a smile.
The moment his lips claimed hers, a dam burst. All the pent-up sexual energy in Kat’s body came out as she kissed him back hungrily, greedily, her hands running over his broad shoulders and into his thick hair. Clutching two fistfuls, she pulled him deeper into the kiss and drew a low growl from deep in his throat.
His roaming hands grabbed her ass and pressed his hardness against her, showing her in no uncertain terms exactly how much he wanted her. This time she let instinct take over and moved her hips against him, letting a growl of her own escape. When one hand moved to her breast, the growl turned into a groan, and that was all he needed.
Pulling out of the kiss, Alex’s smoldering eyes watched his own fingers slowly slip each flimsy strap down her shoulder, grazing the skin lightly just to torment her, it seemed. The sheer dress slipped down, but stopped before revealing her breasts.
Alex dipped his head and let his lips and tongue skim the edge of the fabric, leaving a cool yet burning trail across her chest. When she moved to pull the dress down to give him better access, he clamped his hands around her wrists to stop her. More sweet torture!
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Alex nudged the fabric down far enough he could take one hard peak in his mouth, sending a bolt of electricity straight to her core. Kat barely felt the dress whisper down her body and pool at her feet.
She needed to touch him, to feel his skin under her hands. With her fingers still buried in his hair, she tugged on his head, telling him silently she wanted to feel his mouth on hers again. He seemed more than happy to comply, which gave her access she so desperately needed.
In one swift motion, Kat tore his shirt open, buttons skittering across the terrace. Alex didn’t even flinch, just kissed her even harder, but it allowed her to glory in the soft steel beneath her hands. Sculpted muscles twitched under her fingers, sending her lower to his rippled abdomen.
When her hand slipped even lower, she gasped in surprise at the soft head peeking out of his waistband. Her tentative touch drew a groan from Alex, so she repeated the movement. This time it throbbed against her hand. She had no idea what she’d expected it to feel like, but its silkiness amazed her, like velvet over stone.
Her entire body ached to touch the rest, to slide her hand lightly along its length, to finally know what a man felt like. But as she moved to unbutton his pants, Alex stopped her hand.
“Not yet,” he breathed.
Without another word, he lifted her into his brawny arms and carried her to the room with the closed door. With a swift kick, the door flew open and Alex laid her on the bed, kneeling above her as she lay gasping beneath him. The heat in his eyes scorched her and made her squirm.
“I need to taste you, Kat,” he said, his voice husky with desire. “I want you on my tongue.”
“Okay,” she squeaked, not entirely sure what he meant, but more than eager to find out.
He started at her neck and kissed his way to her belly. Normally very ticklish, Kat didn’t so much as flinch as his hands, lips and tongue devoured her all the way to the edge of her thong. Only when he hooked his fingers in them and his lips followed their progress down past her full hips did she realize what he meant to do.
Panic flared in her chest for a moment, but then his mouth was on her and she forgot how to breathe, much less speak. He moved slowly at first, gently exploring Kat’s most sensitive spots, then grew bolder by nibbling and sucking. Her hips bucked in response, telling him exactly what her body preferred, even though her brain had no clue.
Warmth spread low in her belly as pressure built in her core. Kat relaxed into his mouth, happily letting him take her to a world of pleasure she’d never known. This would be her first orgasm with someone else in the room and she wanted to enjoy every second of it.
Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, Alex slipped a finger inside her. Whatever he did triggered her animal side. Growling and writhing under him, Kat threw her legs over his shoulders and dug her high heels into his back, prodding him on.
At this, he added another finger, which only increased the sensation of deep, mind-bending, life-altering pressure. The universe collapsed in on itself to form a tight mass of pleasure that promised to explode in the most spectacular orgasm she’d ever experienced. Two heartbeats later, the promise was fulfilled.
Crying out, Kat arched and thrashed and spasmed, all while Alex coaxed even more from her. For a long moment, she knew nothing except the waves of pleasure that threatened to drown her. All she could do was hold on and hope he never stopped.
When he finally did, he crawled up the bed, straddling her trembling body, and stopped directly above her. “Please what?” he asked softly, though no one could have missed the undercurrent of dominance in his tone.
Kat blinked up at him, confused. With a start, she realized she’d been screaming “Please!” over and over as he drew orgasm after orgasm from her.
“Please what?” he repeated, his eyes flashing.
“Please…”
Kat hesitated. She’d fantasized about this moment — to finally know how a man felt inside her — but she’d also worried, worried she wouldn’t know what to do. Now, lying under Alex, she had no worry, no thought even. Only instinct. All she had to do was surrender to him, to let him conquer her, take her, own her. Still, the words felt foreign on her tongue, but she had to say them. They were the truth…her only truth, at the moment.
“Please fuck me.”
Alex had never heard sweeter words in his life. Baring his teeth in a feral grin, he lowered himself until the head of his cock pressed against her entrance. The sensation reminded him of how she’d tasted, how she’d rocked against his face as if she’d never experienced such pleasure before. It had been intense for him too — almost too intense.
From the moment he’d laid eyes on her standing outside Café Orange to the moment he’d first tasted her, Alex had been overwhelmed by everything about Kat. Not only was she stunning, she was talented, brilliant and funny as hell. He could have happily talked with her all night, even without what was about to happen. Chit chatting over dinner was usually the most boring part of any date for him, but not with Kat. He couldn’t remember laughing so much on a date. He’d hit some sort of secret jackpot he hadn’t meant to enter.
A mewl of need brought him back to the moment. Her gaze was soft and trusting — and something else. A little…fearful? She didn’t seem like a party girl, so maybe jumping into the sack with a veritable stranger was new for her. The last thing Alex wanted was for her to be worried or nervous, so he vowed to go slow…even though his bear instincts screamed to take her hard and fast.
Staring deep into her amber eyes, he eased into her, pausing when she gasped slightly. She tightened around him, tighter than he’d ever felt before. It took every ounce of restraint he had to not ram himself home, and his entire body vibrated with the effort.
The Werebear's Unwanted Bride (A Paranormal BBW Shifter Romance) (Howls Romance) Page 3
