“I thought we could spread the blanket out on the bank and have our lunch.”
“Works for me.” Lila popped open her door and hopped out. She walked around the front of the cab, met Stuart on the other side, and followed him through the clearing toward to the creek. The swimming hole looked even larger up close—an imperfect circle of water caught between two narrow streams. Sunlight reflected off the clear green surface. Trees towered over the water on the opposite side of the bank. She couldn’t think of a more tranquil place to relax.
Stuart spread the blanket out on the ground and set the picnic basket in the center. “Voila.”
“I’m impressed. We have sunshine, beautiful scenery, and good company. “ Lila folded her legs underneath her and sat down. “All that remains to be seen is what you have packed in the basket. Just so you know, I’m going to be sorely disappointed if you pull out potted meat and crackers.”
Stuart sat down across from her. “How would you feel about Vienna sausages and pickled eggs?”
Lila wrinkled her nose.
Stuart chuckled as he opened the picnic basket. “Good thing I went with my gut and packed a variety of things.” He pulled out one Tupperware container after another, popped the tops, and spread them out between them. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so there are rolls, a couple of different kinds of sandwich meat, cheese and crackers, and some fresh berries for dessert. I figured I’d save the good stuff, like pickled eggs and deviled ham, for our second date.”
Amused, Lila shook her head and smiled. “You’re something else.”
“Something good, I hope.”
“I’m may be leaning that way.”
“Anything I can do to sway you over to the dark side?”
“Sure.” With a wink, Lila leaned in almost close enough to touch noses with Stuart. She waited a heartbeat until his pupils dilated and his nostrils flared in anticipation and then whispered, “Feed me.”
Stuart brushed his nose against hers in a sweet Eskimo kiss. “Yes ma’am. Let’s eat.” He dug in the basket and handed her a plastic plate, matching spoon and fork, and a cloth napkin. “I hope there’s something here to your liking.”
“This all looks great. I’m really not that picky. I was just having fun teasing you.”
Lila grabbed a roll and used her fork to spear a piece of cheese, a sliver of tomato, and what looked like thick slices of turkey breast. She bit into her sandwich and groaned at how good it tasted. She hadn’t realized how hungry she truly was until that moment. She nodded at Stuart, who was busy filling his own plate. “It’s really good. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Stuart tore a hunk off his own sandwich and chewed.
They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, listening to the quiet burbling of the stream. Once Lila had her fill, she wiped her mouth and set her plate and utensils beside the basket. “So,” she said. “Do you bring all your dates here?”
“No. You’re the first woman I’ve brought here.” Stuart’s gaze was unwavering.
Lila returned his gaze, her curiosity piqued. “Does that mean I’m a special snowflake?”
“Something like that.” Stuart scooted closer and reached for her hand. “What do you know about mates?”
Lila shrugged. “As much as anyone else does, I guess. My parents are mates. They recently celebrated their thirtieth anniversary.”
Stuart nodded. “That’s great.”
“Yeah. They’re lucky to have each other.” Even after so many years together, her mom and dad were still madly in love with each other. She saw it every day in the heated looks they shared when they thought no one was paying attention and in the casual touches and affection they passed back and forth as if they couldn’t resist each other. Watching them together gave her something to aspire to for herself. She yearned to find a love like that.
“They are,” Stuart said. “Not everyone is lucky enough to find their fated mate. A lot of people give up and try to find love matches instead. Others spend their lives alone, refusing to settle for less than the one true person they’re meant to claim.”
“At least you have hope. Shifters are lucky they can recognize their mate. That ability sounds like a dream to me. So much of being human is a guessing game. All you can do is hope you choose the right person to trust with your heart.”
Stuart glanced down at their joined hands. “What if I could take away the uncertainty?”
“What do you mean?” Lila searched Stuart’s expression, looking for answers.
Stuart gazed deep into her eyes. “You’re my mate.”
“Are you sure?” She frowned, thinking back over her interaction with him. Her parents had always described finding a mate like it was some kind of a revelation—a lightning strike of instant attraction combined with a bone-deep sense of belonging. She couldn’t deny being attracted to Stuart. They had chemistry in spades. However, the sense of homecoming was missing. He didn’t feel like home. Although now that she was thinking about it, she was more comfortable with him than she should be considering they were technically on their first date.
Stuart nodded. “I’m positive. You’re it for me.”
“Wow. That’s...” ...really something. She didn’t have a clue what she should say or do. On the one hand, she really liked Stuart. On the other, he was basically declaring his intention to spend the rest of his life with her after only knowing each other for a week. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that level of commitment.
“It’s okay,” Stuart said, as if he sensed her hesitation. “I know I’m laying a lot on you with this, but you have a right to know that I’m not going into this relationship with casual expectations.”
“I appreciate your honesty.”
“You deserve nothing less.” Stuart used his thumb to stroke the sensitive skin between her thumb and pointer finger.
The simple touch sent a wave of goose bumps up her arm. A shiver traveled up her spine and made her tremble.
Stuart frowned. “Are you cold?”
“No.” Cold was the opposite of what she was feeling.
Stuart’s nostrils flared and his eyes darkened. His gaze lowered to her mouth. Neither of them moved as the tension stretched between them.
Lila swallowed the excess saliva in her mouth. She’d never wanted to be kissed so badly in her life. She moistened her lips and tilted her chin up, ready to tell him what she wanted. Before she got the chance, Stuart swooped down, closing the small space between them, and covered her mouth with his own, stealing her words, and causing a rush of pleasure so sweet it literally took her breath away.
Lila moaned her compliance and licked along the seam of his lips, silently begging for him to deepen the kiss. Stuart’s hungry growl spurred her on, made her feel reckless and sexy, boosted her confidence. She licked him again and was rewarded by his tongue coming out to play, rubbing and thrusting against her own. She drew him in, sucking on the velvety length of his tongue, and savored the delicious taste of him. She couldn’t get enough. His flavor seeped into her pores and set her on fire.
He ravaged her mouth with hot, wet kisses that left both of them panting for more. Lila couldn’t recall ever having been kissed like this. Stuart took complete control, his mouth raking over hers. She wrapped her arms around Stuart’s neck and pulled him closer, returning his kiss with every ounce of passion and need bottled up inside her. A low, starved moan echoed in her ears and she couldn’t be sure whether it came from him or her. Furthermore, she wasn’t sure she cared. Stuart smelled so good and felt even better against her. More importantly, he felt right. Maybe despite being human her senses weren’t as dull as she had been led to believe. Maybe somewhere deep down her body recognized Stuart as her mate.
Stuart’s strong arms enveloped her. His hands slid down her back, cupped her ass, and lifted her up and onto his lap. She squeaked in surprise at being lifted and moved so easily, but didn’t stop kissing Stuart. Instead, she followed her instincts and straddled his legs, s
itting back on his hard, muscular thighs.
Stuart kissed her harder, thrusting his tongue into her mouth in a parody of the act they both yearned for. He glided his hands upward, beneath the hem of her shirt, and rubbed her bare lower back. That simple touch, the first skin-to-skin contact between them, sent an overwhelming rush of longing through Lila. She gasped into his mouth and pulled back to gaze down at him in wonder.
He looked right back. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
She nodded, shaken by the depths of what she was feeling. Lust didn’t come close to describing the need pulsing through her veins. “What is it?”
“The mating bond.” Stuart kissed her chin and then her jaw. “It’s urging us forward, compelling us to complete the bond.” He nipped her ear lobe and then soothed the sting with his tongue.
Lila tilted her head to the side to give him more room and was rewarded with a hot, moist mouth trailing down her throat. “Oh God. That’s nice.”
“Mm-hmm,” Stuart murmured against her skin, sending a rush of warm breath over her flesh. “So nice.”
Lila ran her fingers through Stuart’s thick brown hair and tried not to squirm and rub herself against him as he kissed his way down her throat. To her surprise, he didn’t stop there. He kissed across the curve of her throat and then continued on across her collarbone. His warm hands traveled up her sides and over the curve of her waist to cup her heavy breasts over her bra. His large hands squeezed and massaged her aching flesh, while his nimble thumbs circled her nipples through the thin cotton.
Lila moaned and arched her back, pushing her bottom down against the hard bulge in his pants. He felt so big and eager for her. She wondered what he looked like without the clothes and how it would feel when he took her. The devil on her shoulder urged her to rip his clothes off, rub up against him, and ride him like a cowgirl. The more she thought about it, the better that idea sounded. There was nothing to stop her from being with him now other than her own idiotic idea that they should go slow. Making up her mind, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it up and over her head. She dropped it to the ground and stared down at Stuart, silently daring him to make the next move.
He didn’t disappoint. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, and dropped it behind him, revealing every scrumptious inch of his ripped torso. His pecs and abs were so perfect they looked Photoshopped. Before she could do more than look, he reached around behind her and released the clasp of her bra. She gasped at the freeing sensation and then his hands were there, sliding the straps off her shoulders and slipping beneath the fabric to cup her naked flesh. The bra fell away, baring her to his gaze.
While she might be self-conscious about the extra cushion on her stomach or the additional padding on her butt, she was confident about her breasts. They were large and round, still somewhat perky despite their size and the year she’d spent breastfeeding. Her nipples were a nice shade caught somewhere in the middle of brown and pink, and sensitive enough to rock her world if stroked just right.
“So beautiful.” He buried his face in the valley between her breasts and breathed her in. “And you smell so good.”
Amused at his response and more than a little turned on, she leaned forward to kiss his temple and run her hands over his broad shoulders. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on the rest of him. She’d never seen anyone in such good shape outside of a movie.
Stuart nuzzled her breasts and pulled one nipple into his mouth, running his tongue over and around her taut flesh, before releasing it and switching over to give her other nipple the same treatment. He moved back and forth, lavishing attention on both her nipples.
The sweet friction sent a bolt of need to her aching core. Her panties grew wetter by the second as her need for him grew to epic proportions. She clenched around nothing, empty and oh-so-ready to be filled by the hard-on she could feel pressing against her.
While he seemed in no rush to move on, Lila had different ideas. She couldn’t take much more teasing. It had been way too long since she’d been with a man and she didn’t want to wait another minute. Patience had never been one of her strong suits and that had never been truer than now. She caught his face in her hands and encouraged him to release her breasts and tilt his head back.
He blinked up at her, confusion evident in his expression. Without giving him a chance to question her actions, she slanted her lips over his and poured every ounce of the passion raging through her into the kiss. Stuart returned every lick and caress until her head spun and her panties went up in flames. Damn, the man knew how to kiss. She pulled away before she wound up rutting against him like a teenager and rose to her feet.
Stuart licked his lips and watched her through heavily lidded eyes. “Going somewhere?”
Lila shook her head and popped open the button of her pants. “Just getting more comfortable.” She slid down the zipper and wiggled her pants and panties down over her hips. Remembering her shoes at the last moment, she toed them off, and then finished undressing. She straightened up just in time to see Stuart reach for his jeans.
“Good idea.” He flicked open the button-fly of his jeans and shimmied out of the tight denim, revealing the long, hard length of his manhood and his furry, low-hanging balls.
She’d always had a thing for big balls on a man. They were so vulnerable and masculine. Almost as sexy as the impressive, towering proof of how much he wanted her. Damn. She’d seen a penis or two in her life, but nothing that compared to what Stuart was packing. He was seriously hung and all hers for the taking.
He looked up and caught her staring, and grinned. “See something you like?”
“Maybe. What about you?” She held her arms out at her sides and tried not to squirm under his penetrating stare.
“I like everything I see. You’re even more beautiful than I imagined. Why don’t you come over here so I can get a closer look?” He beckoned her closer with a crook of his index finger.
Lila happily complied. She stepped closer, straddling Stuart’s legs, and sat down on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his once more.
Stuart returned her kiss with aplomb, winding his big, strong arms around her. He ran his hands up and down her back, massaging every inch of her from nape to tailbone. Just when she thought he was finished, his hands slipped lower and cupped her buttocks.
She moaned into Stuart’s mouth and scooted in closer. He rubbed her bottom, kneading both her cheeks, and rocked her pelvis back and forth. Every time he rocked her forward, her groin brushed up against his steely erection, reminding her of how close he was to where she needed him most.
She reached between them and fisted his shaft, aiming him home. Raising up a little, she guided him right where she wanted and sank back down, taking him inside her one slow inch at a time.
“Jesus, Lila...” Stuart buried his face in the curve of her throat. “You feel so good.”
“So do you.” She gasped at the fullness of him stretching her open around his considerable girth. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back, relishing the sensation. She circled her hips, grinding against him, and had to close her eyes at how good he felt. It was like he was made for her. “Oh God. Stu...”
He slanted his lips over hers, sealing their mouths together as he reached down to cup her ass. She opened her mouth to the onslaught of his kiss and he swept his tongue into her mouth and claimed it. Grabbing his shoulders for leverage, she lifted up and dropped back down. A low growl tore through Stuart, encouraging her to do it again, and again. He groaned into her mouth as she bounced up and down, riding his hard shaft. His fingers dug into her bottom, massaging her buttocks, and guiding her up and down.
With every stroke, her desire climbed higher and higher until her body felt like it was on fire. She’d never been so hot, or so consumed by a man before. This was more than sex. It had to be. Nothing she’d done before had ever felt so perfect, so right. She gripped Stuart’s shoulders harder an
d held on to him, afraid he was the only thing anchoring her to the earth.
“Please,” she begged. “Touch me.” She was so close. All it would take to finish her off was a little nudge in the right direction.
“I’ve got you, beautiful.” He reached between them and ran the pad of his thumb through her slick folds until he found the little bundle of nerves guaranteed to blow her mind and zeroed in on them, circling around and around in slow, firm circles.
The tension of imminent orgasm built in the pit of her stomach. It twisted and coiled, tighter and tighter until the world around them ceased to exist. All she knew was the feel of Stuart’s hard cock pumping in and out of her clinging body and the orgasm breaking over her like waves hitting the shore. She moaned, her sensitive channel clenching around him, trying to hold him inside, where she needed him most.
Her release must have set off Stuart’s because he groaned, long and low, and stilled beneath her. Her name spilled from his lips as he buried his face in the curve of her throat and throbbed inside her, so big and hot.
She moaned against his temple and ground her swollen, sensitive sex against him in a slow, circular motion. Finally, after what felt like the longest orgasm in the history of orgasms, the tremors ceased and all her remaining energy leaked out of her. She collapsed against him, grateful he was there to hold her.
After a few minutes of panting against each other, Stuart started rubbing her back. He lifted his head and looked at her through slumberous eyes. “Hey. You all right?”
She leaned down and kissed him softly. “I’m good.”
“Yes, you are.” He leered at her.
Lila laughed and shook her head. “You’re terrible.”
“You’re wonderful.” He tightened his arms around her and rolled them onto their sides, facing each other. “You have no idea how hard it was resisting the urge to claim you. One bite and we would be mated.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asked, curious to hear his answer.
She needed to know what he expected from her now; if he thought she’d drop everything, move in with him, and play house just because his instincts said they belonged together. Even if they were mates, she wasn’t sure she was ready for a step that big. She knew her son wasn’t. Quinn was having a hard enough time assimilating without throwing in a surprise stepdad.
Pleasant Valley Bears: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Pleasant Valley Shifters) Page 13
