by Anya Nowlan
He strode to the small fire pit he had made and built a fire while Liza threw her things into the tent and slipped out of her boots. She let out a small groan when her feet touched the floor of the tent, her toes wiggling. The best part of any traveling – stopping for the evening. Liza heard Rake’s low chuckle and then the crackling of a fire, yellow and red flames casting shadows on her tent just as the sun was beginning to set.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded, pulling her jacket off and putting a soft cardigan on instead.
“Oh, nothing. I’d just forgot that little sound you make when something gets to you,” he said, looking at her when she climbed out of the tent and sat down on her sleeping bag next to the fire. This time, he didn’t bother hiding the look of pure lust he let roam down her body, stopping on her breasts and her hips. She cocked a brow at him, looking less than amused even though her core was burning up.
“Oh no you don’t, Rake. You can’t treat me like I’m some crazed fan girl and then look at me like that,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. He shrugged nonchalantly, but a look crossed his face that told Liza there was more to everything than he’d been letting on so far. She frowned.
“Alright, I hear you,” he said, sitting on his haunches. He set a can of beans to cook near the fire, poking at it at times to turn it more towards the fire.
He was gorgeous. That strong chin of his and determined nose, the tuck of his upper lips and those gorgeous, soulful eyes – she could stare at his profile all night. Colors danced in her thoughts, and she wished she had a canvas and paints with her right then and there. The sun was fading in the background, letting the moon and stars shine with their rightful power. The fire was warm and comforting, and the silence of the wilderness clutched them in its embrace, distant and safe from any prying eyes or curious ears.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Liza,” Rake finally said, his tone quiet and controlled. He glanced at her, and she felt something tug at her heart. A glimpse of the man she had got to know finally shone through. Strong but vulnerable, brash but gentle.
“So what happened?” she asked, forcing her voice to remain calm, even though she was trembling all over.
“It’s a long story,” he said, the corners of his mouth turning downwards a bit as he busied himself with settling the can, which was already letting out hot steam.
“I’ve got nothing but time.”
He chuckled and the rumble reverberated through her, lighting her up. He was so close and yet so far, just within reach but seemingly further than he had been when they were just chatting. She hadn’t been prepared for this. When he turned to face her, her breath went shallow, and she had to struggle to keep from drowning in those green eyes of his.
“I don’t think you can possibly know how badly I want you right now.” The rumble turned into a growl, and her skin pimpled with goose bumps.
“So why haven’t you done anything about it?” she asked breathlessly, the distance between them shrinking with reckless speed.
“You know how family is complicated?” he asked, receiving a nod in reply. “Well, mine’s even worse. They think I have some responsibilities towards them that I don’t agree with. And while I may object, well, it doesn’t carry much sway with them.”
Pain twisted across his expression, so sudden that she sat up on her knees and put her palm against his cheek. He leaned in to the touch and heat spread through her body from where their skin met.
“What I’m saying is, being with you could put you in danger. Real danger. Angry werelionesses on a rampage kind of danger,” he said, taking her hand and laying a kiss in her palm with his trademark smirk playing across his lips. Liza whimpered a little, her body screaming to touch more of him, to be closer to him. “And I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you, Liza.” The last words were almost a whisper.
“I talked to Deacon so I could do this drive on my own, so I would be away from you for the week. I knew that if I stayed so close, close enough to just drive to you whenever I wanted, I couldn’t keep away. Fuck, I’d break down the door if I had to. I’ve wanted you since that night. Badly. You’re all I’ve been thinking about. And it killed me to have to pretend like I’d suddenly turned into some gigantic fucking prick who had strung you along the whole time.”
“And then I came on the drive,” she noted flatly, reveling in the feeling that took over her when she touched him. He nodded mutely, and she smiled slightly, leaning closer. Her heart sang. It had been so hard to believe that this wonderful man was the careless cat he had portrayed himself to be to everyone around him, and she was glad beyond belief to know that there was a real reason behind it. That he had wanted to protect her, not hurt her. Well, he didn’t know one thing – Liza could handle any self-centered bitches with claws far too well for their own good. “Well, you know what? I don’t care. I can take care of myself, and we will figure it out. It’s not fair to either of us to let fear and what-ifs control our lives. I think we have something here, and I want to find out more. Don’t you?”
Her lips were just inches from his now, willing him to kiss her. Her tongue slipped across her plush upper lip, and her breathing quickened, the beating of her heart pounding in her ears. He smirked, and she couldn’t suppress a little moan. Damn, the man was hot. Even more so now that he had shown his vulnerable side. The wait was excruciating, her hazel eyes studying his green orbs for a reaction. His hands slowly slipped across her hips and ass and then linked on her lower back, pulling her against him. She gasped, her heavy breasts pressing against his chest.
“Fine. We’ll not give a damn together,” he purred, that familiar rumble stuttering through and lighting her on fire. Their lips met, and she was gone. The world came crashing down around her, and she didn’t care. All she knew was that she wanted more, and she had to get it right now.
CHAPTER FIVE
The kisses held all the anguish and passion of time spent apart. Her tongue assaulted his, twisting against it, drinking hungrily from his mouth. Liza’s nails scraped against his rough skin, and he pulled her upwards, grabbing her ass with the confidence of an Alpha and a man who has taken what he deserves. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she pawed at his jacket, pushing it down his shoulder. The night air was getting colder and colder, but the heat between them was only beginning to flame. She wasn’t going to be cold, not when she was next to the intense werelion.
He wasted no time. Liza yelped as he locked her in his arms and flipped her down on her sleeping bag. His knee pressed between her thighs and she parted her legs for him, enjoying the feeling of him pressing against her aching sex. He was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans now, and she couldn’t wait to get him out of them. As soon as she’d pulled the shirt off, her hands went to roam across his chest and back. All those muscles and flat planes she’d feverishly dreamed about every night since making out with him were now hers to worship. She murmured a soft groan as he quickly undid the front of her jeans and slipped his hand between her legs, feeling her ramping wetness through her panties. Without thinking, she bucked against his hand, willing him to take her as he pleased.
“That’s it, baby. You’ve been thinking about me since that night, haven’t you? You’ve wanted this? Needed this, huh? What do you want me to do to you?” he asked, the gruffness of his words making her core pulse wildly. Her hands were pressed against his lower stomach, sneaking in between his hard abs and the line of his jeans. She looked up at him, and he paused, not giving her any more pleasure before she asked for it. Liza whimpered, a desperate, needy noise she hadn’t known she could make. But he brought out all sorts of things in her that shocked and surprised her.
“Yes, please,” she moaned, getting rewarded by two of his fingers rubbing up and down her slit, just enough to drive her further. “I want you in me, Rake. I want you to fuck me like mine is the last pussy you ever want to be in. All those things you told me you’d do to me, I want them all.” Her back was arched, and she was grinding agai
nst his touch as much as he would let her, begging him to get her off both with her words and her body.
Liza inhaled a deep hissing breath through her teeth as he pushed the delicate fabric of her panties aside, and his fingers rapped against her wetness for the first time. His fingertips made circles around her swollen clit, teasing and torturing. Her nails dug so deep into his abs that she was sure she’d draw blood soon. She fumbled with his belt, desperate to get it off of him and to let loose the thick hardness she felt against her thigh as he hovered above her, commanding and strong. The animal was obvious in him, toying with his prey until she was willing to do just about anything for him. Whatever he asked, just so he would give her the pleasure he kept dangling in front of her.
“And what have I promised you? What did I say I would do?” he asked, licking his lips and smirking. His chest was rising and falling, and Liza knew she was getting to him as much as he was getting to her, but his self-control was amazing. Fully in charge and composed, even though his cock was hard and ready to plunge into her.
“You promised you’d take me from behind, have my ass up so you could plow into me while my tits were squished against the cover,” she recited breathlessly, remembering all the things he had written her. The ripping noise of his zipper coming undone made a shiver traipse through her whole body. She laid her palm flat against the front of his boxers, sliding down the full length of his cock.
God, he’s huge, she thought gleefully. Her clothes seemed constricting, keeping her from what she needed so badly.
“You promised you’d fuck me so hard I’d see stars and forget there were any other men in the world. And then, you’d make me suck your cock, take it in all the way until you came in my mouth. And I’d swallow it. I’d swallow it all. Oh god, please, Rake! Just fuck me already,” she pleaded, her words rising into a scream as he flicked across her clit faster. He growled, and when she was so close to coming, he pulled his hand away from her.
Liza opened her eyes, rudely torn from her throbbing need. He was ripping off his jeans, and she took the cue quickly. She threw off her jacket and shirt and was just fumbling with her bra when he grabbed the front of it and pulled it straight off her chest. Liza gasped, grinning widely. Their lips mashed together again, and she fell against the thin softness of the sleeping bag, the magnificent man right on top of her. He pulled off her pants and finally, she could feel his body completely against hers. Her knees parted easily for him, the warmth of the fire nothing compared to the intense heat of the flame blazing within her.
She gasped and threw back her head, her curly hair flowing around her in a waterfall as he kissed a trail down her neck and chest, stopping for a moment on either breast to lick and suck on her dark, taut nipples. The urgency in him was unmistakable, and she met it inch for inch. Instead of letting her touch him further, he grabbed her by the hips and turned her on her stomach. She yelped again as he pulled her up by her hips, exposing her juicy ass to him. Her cheeks burned with heat, and she was already teetering on the edge of oblivion. When he pressed the head of his cock against her slick opening, she knew exactly what she wanted. He gripped her by the hips, and she pushed back against him, a wave of pleasure wafting through her as soon as the head forced itself into her pussy.
“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he groaned, his words coming out strained and choppy. She grinned to herself, her fingers twisting into the fabric of the sleeping bag as he stopped her from pushing onto him any further. No, he wanted to be in charge. And dammit, she needed it, wanted it so bad she couldn’t see straight. Her muscles stiffened as he thrust into her, and a pleasured moan escaped her lips in time with his growl. She didn’t want him to be careful, and he wasn’t going to be. He plowed into her, and she stretched around him, so tight that she felt even the tiniest of thrusts within her. Every stroke brought another moan, and when he grasped her by the hair, pulling her up towards him, she broke into a million pieces.
She screamed, her pussy contracting around him as he pounded her remorselessly, driving himself as deep into her as he could. His hard hips bounced against her generous ass, and she wailed as sparks exploded into brilliant fireworks behind her closed lids, filling her with the tingling pleasure of a fantastic, mind-blowing release. Liza was pulled up against his chest, the beating of his heart throbbing through her as he thrust into her, her head resting on his shoulders. His hands moved up across her soft stomach and kneaded her bountiful tits, pinching at her nipples. The pain only made the pleasure so much richer.
When she was just at her peak, she felt him stiffening in her. She slid up and down on him, taking over as much as he would allow her, sinking onto him and taking him in to the hilt.
“Cum in me,” she said, knowing full well that there was nothing to fear thanks to him being a shifter. She wanted the closeness. He gritted his teeth, and she loved the feeling of him tensing against her, unable to hold onto control any longer. She reached behind and grabbed his hips, slamming against them harder as she came down. He groaned and pumped into her. Once. Twice. Then, he stopped, and his hands roamed down her stomach again, stopping on her hips. His cock pulsed, and he filled her with his seed, thick and plentiful. Her cheeks burned red, and he gasped for breath, falling back on his haunches and cradling her against him, still inside of her.
“That was well worth the wait,” he murmured in her ear, biting at her earlobe. She grinned, sweat glistening on her skin.
“First of many, tiger,” she whispered, and the growl he responded with made her giggle.
CHAPTER SIX
Rake was painfully aware of the happy smile he had been carrying on his face since the first night with Liza. While he had been sure that the trip was exactly what he needed, he hadn’t been quite aware how much and in what way. Instead of finding a quiet place to battle his demons, he had found the arms of a loving, gorgeous woman and was loving every second of it. Not only was she a dirty little minx, she also understood him without words, and that was the kind of magic he had dreamt of but not dared hope for – what could be better than someone sassy and full of life to call him out on his bullshit?
He loved watching her. She was a pro rider, even better than he was at times, her professional training showing through where his natural talent left him floundering. Her movements were effortless, and the horses adored her – a far cry from the quiet respect they gave him. Gone was the tension and unanswered questions, replaced by a far more delicious anticipation. It was hard staying on the trail when all he wanted was to tear her off the horse and take her until she screamed to the heavens. And he did. Over and over again. And it still wasn’t enough. She had fed the beast, and now he wanted more.
By the second evening, they had made it up to the main cattle herds, and by the end of the third day, they’d driven the languid, brown-eyed heifers into one teeming mass of mooing and grazing. As usual, they’d sat down to enjoy their dinner and each other in the light of a fire, when a rumbling roar of an engine sounded from the distance. Rake heard it far before Liza did, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He knew it had to be one of Deacon’s guys coming with a delivery, but something in the air made him react warily. His nose crinkled in the familiar echo of the lion inside of him, and he stood up when the beams of the truck came into sight,
“Rake, what is it?” Liza asked, sleepily hiking herself up on one elbow. They were both sore from the long days riding (both horseback and, well, not), but she could pick up on his nervous energy immediately. It was uncanny the way she read him.
“It’s nothing. Just one of Deacon’s guys. I’ll go meet him,” Rake said, motioning for her to get back to her dinner. He strode out to meet the truck, making it pull aside a bit further from the campsite than the guy had seemingly intended. The door flew open, and the wide-shouldered shifter jumped out, young and wild-eyed. Rake’s lion clawed at him, understanding why he had been so on edge.
Lion, he thought, his eyes flashing golden for a moment.
“Hey, man. De
acon sent me with the supplies,” the young man said, barely out of his teens. There was something inexplicably familiar about him, and when he turned to face Rake with the saddlebags full of gear, Rake couldn’t hide his growl. He was a Whiteplains lion, no doubt about it.
“What do you want?” Rake asked, grabbing the saddlebags. He could see the younger lion peeking across his shoulder at the campsite, obviously peering at Liza with an interest. Rake stepped closer to the lion, his muscles flexing. One wrong word and he’d deck the guy. He was young enough not to have been driven from the pride yet, and Rake had no doubt that the kid had been sent to spy on him
“What do you mean, man? I’m just delivering the stuff. I don’t have no beef with you,” he said, smiling widely and putting up his hands. Though the glint in his eyes told Rake something entirely different.
Rake grabbed hold of the front of the young lion’s shirt, pulling him close to face the older, more experienced lion. The growl of the beast within was obvious as he spoke, and all his doubts were confirmed when the younger man’s eyes flashed golden.
“I know you. You’re Royce, aren’t you? Did my mother send you to spy on me? Or Renata? Speak up or I swear, you’ll be leaving here with a few holes in your big grin,” he snarled, receiving an echoed snarl in reply. The protectiveness lit aflame in Rake, and his ears twitched, hearing Liza stand up from the fire and hurriedly run to them.
