by E A Price
“Okay.”
Diaz leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “You can yell at me later for that.”
“I will,” she breathed as her cheeks flushed.
“Good, this too.” He kissed her again, his mouth hot and insistent against hers as his tongue gained entry to her mouth and dueled with her own.
Reluctantly, he drew back and lifted her so he could get up.
“Don’t you have a gun or something?” she asked, wringing her small hands.
“Yes, but I don’t carry it when I’m off the clock. Now, hide.”
“Be careful…” she whimpered at the same time as her penguin. “Not that I care or anything… pervert.”
He winked at her as he left.
Her penguin flapped around, and she realized she felt real fear for him. The thought that anything might happen to him terrified her. He was incredibly irritating and a real pervert, but oh lord, she really liked him. Watching him leave was tearing her heart in two.
She wasn’t sure that knowing she cared about him made it a better Christmas or not.
*
Diaz crept through the underwear section. No one could manage stealth like a jaguar. He could hear two of them talking. They had no idea how close he was to them.
“What the fuck is taking so long?” snapped goon number one.
“That idiot Hans knocked the manager out,” said goon number two.
Hans thought Diaz. Maybe they were German. It would certainly add to the Die Hard feel.
“No one else had the combination for the safe.”
“Shit.”
Diaz rolled his eyes and spotted a mannequin wearing a very fetching underwear set. It was red velvet with white furry edges. Damn, Penny would look good in that. His lusty beast agreed with a growl. Okay, focus Diaz.
She could wear her roller skates and skate around his apartment wearing just the underwear. Enough, he had to focus, but all his instincts and his beast were trying to drag him back to Penny.
He needed to see Penny.
He had to make sure Penny was safe.
He wanted Penny.
There was another scream.
Shit.
“What’s that?” asked goon number one.
“Darius, he’s having a bit of fun with the female hostages.”
“Fuck, I wish he wouldn’t. I just want to get out of here.”
Diaz darted past underwear in the direction of the scream. Time to put a stop to Darius.
*
Diaz was taking too long. What if they’d caught him? What if they were hurting him? What if they were pummeling his beautiful face? No, she couldn’t allow that. She had to save him.
Penny snuck out from her hiding place. So far, so good. She actually made it through the toy section. Right until she ran smack dab into the chest of Smelly Greaseball.
“How did you get free?” he muttered gripping her shoulder.
Think fast. “Ah, I didn’t. I’m not the same girl you caught earlier.”
In her defense that almost worked. He was confused for a few moments before he processed it. When he realized, he tightened his grip. But before he could say anything else his eyes widened and he made a gurgling sound. He slumped forward, his head falling into her breasts.
“Eew, get off!”
Diaz pulled him off her and slung Smelly Greaseball over his shoulder.
“Come on,” he ordered.
She stared at him open mouthed as he ran off, the guy bobbing on his shoulder. Then he ran back, grabbed her hand and dragged her with him.
They heard voices coming their way, and they ducked behind the Lego train.
“I told you to hide,” he whispered furiously.
Her penguin chirped in relief that he was okay. “I was worried about you,” she admitted before she could stop herself.
He looked absolutely delighted by that fact and she almost wished she’d busted his balls rather than say something sweet. “Yeah, you were? Oh shit, that guy got some kind of dust on your breasts when he fell on you.”
Diaz pawed at them before Penny slapped his hands away. “Enough.”
He nodded. “Yeah, we’ll save that for later.”
“The hell we…”
Smelly Greaseball stirred and Diaz punched him out.
“Grab the jump rope.” Diaz nodded behind her.
She did. Diaz pulled it open and quickly tied up Smelly Greaseball.
“That’s five down.”
Penny blinked at him. “You’ve taken out five guys?”
“Yeah.” He tried to shrug modestly, but he looked far too pleased with himself – cat who got the cream and all that.
“Oh, that’s…” She wasn’t sure what to say. Impressive? A turn on? Both suggestions from her smitten bird. “Good,” she finished lamely. “But I thought we had to wait for your friends.”
“Yeah well, I saw the opportunity to take them out one by one, so I took it. I need to get you out of here.”
“Me?”
She swore pink dusted his cheeks. “You, all of you – all the hostages.”
“Oh.”
They heard voices heading their way.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
“But…”
Diaz disappeared, and her bird flapped in worry.
Smelly Greaseball stirred. Jeez, how hard was this guy’s head? Penny grabbed a box and hit him with it. He went out like a light. Penny flipped the box over to see what it was. Hey, roller skates!
Her penguin whimpered as she heard arguing and growls. Oh no, Diaz!
She looked at the skates. Oh well, only one thing for it.
*
The jaguar growled at the men. He’d gotten cocky, and now the last three robbers were pointing guns at him and his beast had done the only thing he could – he’d forced the shift.
So instead of three armed, angry men, he was dealing with three armed, scared men.
“Shoot it, shoot it!” hissed one.
“It’s a shifter, not an animal,” quavered another.
“Who gives a fuck, right now he’s an animal. You need to shoot him!”
“You fucking shoot him!”
The jaguar could take one down at least. The other two might actually just turn and run from him. They were too afraid to kill him. He could…
“Coming through!” yelled a sexy voice.
The beast snarled. Oh shit, what was she doing?!
Penny, on skates, careened into two of the men, knocking them down on their butts.
The jaguar didn’t hesitate. He leaped at the third, clamping his fangs into the guys arm. The wuss dropped his gun and screamed like a little girl.
He turned to see Penny kick one of the guys in the head with her skate. Atta girl.
The other grunted and aimed the gun at Penny. The jaguar howled and leaped at the man; the gun went off, and the jaguar clamped onto the guy’s neck. The beast roared around the flesh in satisfaction but groaned as he felt a hot pain in his side.
“Oh my god, you’ve been shot!” cried Penny.
*
“You needn’t have bothered turning up, I took care of everything.”
Lake, the chief tactical officer for the SEA and an arctic wolf shifter, leaned against the door to the ambulance. “Yeah, the hole in your side says just that,” he drawled laconically.
His jaguar grumbled.
All the robbers were either being arrested or taken to hospital while under arrest. They were whining about being mauled by a jaguar – pussies. The hostages were okay. The security guard needed a couple of stitches, and a couple of the females were shaken – grrr – but they should be fine.
The tactical team turned up a minute after he got shot. An annoyed paramedic was trying to clean Diaz’s wound but was sighing at him every time the impatient jaguar moved.
“Whatever, you get what I asked for?”
Lake nodded and passed him a duffle. “It’s all in here.”
Diaz’s eyes l
it up. “All the gifts and the…”
“Everything, but I don’t think it will suit you.”
“Mmm hmm.” His eyes drifted over to where Penny was giving a statement to a cop. He narrowed his eyes at the young man.
Lake chuckled. “Trust you to get in a hostage situation and come out of it with a date.”
Diaz smirked and waved away the paramedic. He jumped down from the ambulance and, shirtless, strode over to Penny. The cop decided to move away on seeing the expression on Diaz’s face.
Penny planted her hands on her hips and lifted her chin up in a stubborn tilt. But no matter how annoyed she tried to look, she couldn’t hide the quickness of her breath or her arousal.
“Hey, babe.”
“Coming to thank me for saving your life?” she asked innocently.
His lips quirked. “You saving my life?”
“If it weren’t for me and my mad roller skills, you’d be dead.”
He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Thank you,” he breathed.
She virtually swooned. “Oh, well thank you, too, for jumping in front of that bullet.”
“I promised I wouldn’t let you get hurt.”
“Yeah you did, and I mean it, thank you.” Her eyes glanced down at his side. “Are you in pain?”
“Nah, already healing, feel.” He pressed her fingers against him, and she scowled.
“You didn’t get shot there – that’s your crotch.”
He grinned as his jaguar practically snickered. “Uh huh. So how’s your Christmas Eve going?”
“Still not the worst one I’ve ever had. You know people are staring at us because I’m holding your… your flashlight.”
He ignored the last part. “Yeah? I managed to find all the presents you bought plus I have a gift for you, which you can have now since you’ve been such a good girl.”
“Oh.” Her eyes narrowed. “Is it what’s in your pants?”
“Nah, but if you want that as well…”
*
“Well, how does it look?”
Penny blushed slightly, and not just because of the fluffy underwear she was wearing. No, somehow the sneaky jaguar had managed to lure her back to his apartment, and now he was stretched out on his bed, completely naked. His flashlight looked almost menacing. Her penguin thoroughly approved.
“Wow,” he breathed as his eyes glittered to the yellow of his beast.
“Not too much like a slutty Mrs. Claus?”
He gave her a predatory smile. “Very much like a slutty Mrs. Claus – gorgeous.”
She giggled and spun around. “I’m surprised you knew my size.”
“Well, I have had my hands all over your butt, not to mention my mouth around your tit.”
Penny turned and wriggled her fur-lined ass at him. “Yes, you’re probably more familiar with my body than I am.”
Diaz patted the bed. “Come over here so we can get reacquainted.”
“Oh?” her hands flew to her mouth. “Is that why you gave me this slutty outfit? To seduce me?”
He kneeled on the bed. “Well, I didn’t get it for you to wear to your parents’ house for Christmas dinner.”
“Really, if I wore it there they might actually forget about berating me for my lack of a boyfriend.”
Diaz cocked his head on one side. “How about if you took a boyfriend with you?”
“Oh?” Her penguin fluttered with excitement.
“Well, if you come with me to my parents, I’ll go with you to yours.”
Penny raised an eyebrow and told her bird to calm down. “As a couple?”
“Yeah,” he shrugged. “Course, we’d have to have sex first – otherwise, it wouldn’t be realistic,” he told her that with a completely deadpan face.
“Is that the reason?” she taunted smoothing her hands over her breasts and licking her lips.
“That and I’m about to bust a nut,” he groaned
“How sweet,” she snorted.
“Sweet nothing!” He jumped off the bed and sprinted over to her scooping her up in his arms. “You know, I almost died today, I was in a hostage situation, and I got shot,” he said carrying her over to his bed.
“No way!”
“Yes, way!”
“Well, if you’ve been shot maybe you should take it easy.”
“You’re a dangerous tease,” he growled
“True,” she breathed and pulled him down for a kiss.
Her lips parted, and he covered her body with his, pressing his hardness against her soft curves. Her hands swept over the hard muscles of his chest, gripping his shoulders and pulling him even closer. There was barely a whisper of space between them.
One of his hands cupped her head, tangling in her hair, tilting her head and deepening their scorching kiss. She twined her arms around him as heat blazed through her body. His other hand gripped her ass, pulling her tight against him and rubbing her cheek.
Penny gasped for air as he began to trail kisses down her throat and up to her ear. Each brush of his lips against her skin sent a jolt directly to her sex. He teased the lobe between his teeth.
“Penny,” he breathed.
“Oh… wait,” she stopped writhing and she lifted his head to look at her. “What’s your name?” Her penguin frowned at her, but come on she didn’t even know his first name!
“Not important.” He tried to kiss her again, but she giggled and darted her lips away from him. “Fine,” he hissed. “It’s Walter.”
“Walter?”
“I hate it.”
“It’s not that bad. Walter. Oh, Walter,” she moaned, trying it out for size. “Oh Walter, I need you. Oh Walter, fill me with your flashlight!”
“Oh fuck, Penny!” He roared and flicked out his claws, slicing through the fluffy underwear.
He sucked one of her breasts into his mouth, nibbling on the hard bud of her nipple. She moaned and hitched her legs around his waist as her sex quivered in anticipation.
“Gorgeous,” he mumbled before moving to her other breast.
She gasped and tried to press herself against him, trying to soothe the aching need growing and demanding relief. His fingers glided over her stomach and delved inside her heat.
“Oh, Walter!” she moaned as he twirled his fingers.
He chuckled around her breast but didn’t stop. His erection pressed against her leg, hot and insistent. Her penguin chirped in excitement.
Yes, she wanted him. Needed him more than any other man she’d ever met. There was something about him. From the moment he trained that smug, irritating, gorgeous, irresistible smile on her, she felt an overwhelming urge to be with him. And through a weird twist of fate, now she had him.
“Walter,” she cooed. “Want you.”
He released her breast with a wet pop and grinned. She pulled at his shoulders as he removed his fingers and replaced them with the tip of his throbbing member. They both moaned as he pushed through her folds.
He breathed her name as he sank into her tight core. Penny cried out at the exquisite and intense sensation of being filled. Her muscles rippled around this pleasurable invader, and she lifted her hips to meet him, hot and needy for more.
Diaz growled and began thrusting into her. He crushed his mouth to hers, his tongue stroking hers as his thick shaft caressed every sweet spot. She reveled in the feel of his body against hers, of him passionately taking her.
Penny began trembling around him as her pleasure burned. He ripped his mouth from hers and drove himself inside her with a fury. She flung her body against him, uncaring to the loud cries and moans escaping her mouth. Oblivious to the sounds of the bed slamming against the wall, or Diaz’s neighbor yelling at them to keep it down.
She let out a wild scream as pleasure exploded through her body, and her body shook with the power of her release. Diaz bellowed with the force of his beast and reached his own release. He clutched her body to his as he filled her over and over, snarling at the ecstasy washing through his body
.
Diaz rolled them to their sides and lavished kisses on her neck. Her penguin sighed in satisfaction.
“So how’s your Christmas Eve going now?”
“Well, Walter – eep!”
He nipped her collarbone and moved his hands down to her ass, kneading her flesh.
“I can honestly say best Christmas Eve ever.”
Diaz chuckled. “Just wait until next year. I can do better.”
“Mmm, better than that. Wait, what did you say?” Her animal fluttered eagerly.
“Next year will be even better. Course, I reckon we’ll leave out the hostage situation.”
“You think we’ll still be together then?”
Diaz leaned back and gave her a lazy smile. “You’re not getting away from me that easily.” He nipped her chin. “Mine.”
Penny moaned. Yep, best Christmas Eve ever. She couldn’t wait to see what delights Christmas Day may hold.
The end
Fudging Cupid!
Cutter grunted and absently swatted at his face. Something was tickling his nose. His wolf roared at him to wake up, but Cutter begged for a few more minutes. Last night, his mate had been excitable and giggly and… inexhaustible. On reflection, he should have indulged in a few power bars before he took her to bed. About fifty would have done the trick.
“Ugh,” he grumbled as the tickling reached his cheeks.
If this was a fly, he was going to set his wolf on the blasted thing.
His eyes snapped open to find his mate’s lovely, smiling face an inch from his. If she weren’t the least scary thing put on earth since marshmallow fluff, he’d have yelped.
“Morning!” she chirped and pressed her lips to his for a sound kiss.
His wolf wagged his tail like a puppy, the way the soft beast always did when his little hedgehog shifter mate was around. Cutter would have made more effort, too, were it not for the fact that ninety percent of his body was still sleeping. Instead, he scratched his nose and mumbled, “Morning,” in return.
Lucie giggled and jumped off the bed, returning seconds later balancing an enormous tray laden with all sorts of delectable looking treats. That made him wake up, especially when he smelled her pancakes. There was nothing better to wake up to. Well, there was one thing, he thought as his arousal surged. But Lucie said she would only wake him up that way on his birthday and Christmas. She didn’t want to spoil him too much.
