Sean relaxed at her side and she knew her words were working. Wrangling a possessive cougar was no easy task, but since the possessiveness would worsen as her pregnancy progressed, this was good practice.
Of course, as they approached the far exit, Sean’s jealousy paled in comparison to the flips her stomach was doing. While she’d chatted with her parents over the phone and via webcam with Sean at her side, this was the first time they’d be meeting in person. Getting them onto DarkStalker’s land had been hard enough; now she had the monumental task of ensuring they’d want to come back, especially once the baby came.
Stop it, Lauren. They’ll love him like you do. Repeating that thought in her mind, they exited the great hall and entered a nearby room.
~~~
Sean’s cougar was pacing inside his head. Partly because of Sylas Murray’s actions, but also because of Lauren being out and exposed in public while carrying their baby.
He sent soothing thoughts to his inner cat. It’s not like we can lock her up for the next eight months. Calm the fuck down.
Since all his cougar did was snarl, he pushed the beast into the back of his mind as they approached the door to one of Kian’s private meeting rooms.
His mate’s heartbeat was racing, so he squeezed her waist. “Don’t worry, baby, it’ll be fine.”
She glanced up at him and smiled. “It’d better be. I faced a group of cougar-shifters on my own and won them over, surely two humans can’t be that hard.”
He winked. “I’m not as charming as Sy, but I’ll try my best.”
Leaning into him, she whispered, “Just don’t make any sex jokes or innuendos. That won’t go over well.”
He barked out a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Kian shot them a glance before opening the door and ushering them inside. The clan leader half-turned away as he said, “Sean knows the way, so come join us when you’re ready.” He looked over at Lauren’s parents. “We’d be honored if you joined us too, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer.”
The tall, middle-aged man with skin darker than Lauren’s nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Murray.”
Then Kian was gone and they were alone.
Giving his mate one last squeeze, he approached the middle-aged couple and put out his hand without the mating cut. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Spencer.”
Lauren’s father was nearly as tall as Sean and had a sprinkling of gray mixed into his short, curly hair. His eyes, however, reminded Sean of Lauren’s, and right now, those deep brown eyes were assessing him. Her father finally took his hand and shook. “Did you mean what you said, during the ‘mating ceremony’?”
He stood tall. “Yes. I would give my life to protect your daughter. She is my everything. Well, at least until the baby comes; then they both will be.”
Lauren’s whisper of, “Oh, Sean,” reached his ears and he barely resisted returning to her side. He needed to sort out where he stood with her parents and wouldn’t use his female to hide behind.
Mr. Spencer then looked to his daughter. “Baby girl, all I need to know is if you’re truly happy with this man. Because if you’re not, then just say the word and I’ll knock him flat on his ass. I may be out of practice, but in my army days, I was a pretty good boxer.”
Of course he had been. Sean knew about the army side of things, but not the boxing.
Still, for Lauren, he’d fight anyone if it would make her happy.
Lauren cleared her throat. “Daddy, how many times do I have to tell you I love Sean? Imagine your life without Mama. I’d feel the same way without Sean.”
Lauren’s mother rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. “Give it a rest, James. Our baby could send you fifteen texts a day saying she loves her shifter, and you’d still not believe her.” The plump woman pushed aside her husband and surprised Sean with a hug. Her voice was muffled against his shoulder. “Welcome to the family, Sean. Seeing you with my baby up on that stage, there was no denying the love shining in both of your eyes.”
As Sean gave an awkward pat to Mrs. Spencer’s shoulder, Lauren’s father grunted and said, “For now, welcome to the family, but if you hurt our little girl, my son and I will hunt your ass down and make you pay.”
Rather than argue how Sean would probably win, he merely said, “Yes, sir.”
Mrs. Spencer released him and patted his cheek. “Okay, now that my husband has gotten his threats out of his system, how about you and my daughter introduce us to everyone? I’ve never seen so many shifters in my life, and I must admit, it’s a little exciting. They’re all so tall and attractive.”
Lauren was at his side. “Mama!”
Mrs. Spencer shrugged. “What? Surely you’ve noticed how good-looking they all are.” She turned to her husband. “None compare to your father, of course.”
Glancing down, Sean could tell Lauren was fighting a laugh. “Of course.”
Mr. Spencer grunted again. “Let’s go back to the party. Your mother hasn’t stopped talking about the shifters, and I’m hoping she’ll get her fill so I don’t have to hear about it all the way home.”
Mrs. Spencer clapped her hands, much like Lauren did when she was excited. “Michael couldn’t come today, but I’ll bring him soon. Then I can maybe see more of their land.”
Lauren laughed and Sean finally let loose his smile. As her parents bantered, he reached out and pulled his mate close so he could whisper, “I think your mother likes me for my hotness.”
After giving a mock slap, Lauren said, “I don’t need to hear about my mother lusting after you.”
“Oh, I don’t know; it’s kind of funny to watch you when you’re embarrassed.”
Lauren stood on her tip-toes and murmured into his ear, “The sooner we get them back to the party, the sooner we can sneak back to our room.”
Sean had done a pretty good job of keeping his lust in check, but now all he could think about was his mate naked under him, moaning his name.
His inner cat perked up at that fantasy, and Sean knew his time was limited. He whispered, “Then let’s get back to the party, ASAP.”
Lauren laughed before herding her parents out of the room. As he watched his mate walking between her parents, he couldn’t stop staring at her ass. He needed her naked, and he needed her now.
Chapter Nine
Sean did one last sweep with his eyes before he whispered, “Now’s our chance.”
He moved out of DarkStalker’s grand meeting space, tugging Lauren behind him as he went down one corridor and then another. Smart female that his mate was, she had her heels in hand so she could keep up with him.
After what seemed like forever, they finally reached their new quarters inside DarkStalker’s living area. He opened the door and said, “Shifter tradition decrees we kiss before entering and then spend the next three days having wild, kinky sex.”
Lauren raised an eyebrow. “Decrees? Really? That word tells me all I need to know. I call bullshit.”
He shrugged as he gave her body a long, slow once-over, loving how the silky, cream-colored dress fit her breasts and hips. “Hey, I’ve spent the last two hours imagining every way I could get you out of that dress. Making up a shifter tradition was just my first strategy.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “And what was the second?”
He tugged until her body was pressed against his. He nuzzled her cheek as he said, “Toying with my prey until she begs me to fuck her.” He nipped her jaw and his mate’s heart rate kicked up. “You’ll be squirming before long, all but begging for my tongue and cock. At that point, you’ll forget all about your mating dress.”
He felt her softening, but his mate would never give in easily. She ran a hand down his back until she gripped his right ass cheek. “I have a better idea.”
“Oh?”
A slow, sexy smile spread across her face. “How about you unwrap me like you did on Christmas?”
“Baby, my first step in unwrapping you at Christmas was to take you against the wall while you were still dres
sed. There’s no way I can fuck you in that tight dress and not rip it.”
She ran a hand up from his ass to the skin at the back of his neck and whispered, “Then improvise, but save the dress. I might pass it down to our baby.”
At the mention of their child, Sean squeezed her tighter. “You’re so sure the baby is a girl, but if it’s a boy, I’m not sure he’d appreciate the dress.”
She laughed. “Then we’ll just have to keep trying until we have a girl.”
“I think we need lots and lots of practice, just to make sure we know what we’re doing. The first time might’ve just been a fluke.”
“I’ll deconstruct that excuse later. For now, if it’ll make you kiss me faster, I’ll go with it.”
He grinned before he cupped her face and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “There. How’s that?”
“If that’s all you’ve got, then maybe I should see if there’s a shifter-equivalent of an annulment.”
The thought of Lauren leaving him made his inner cougar growl. Don’t hesitate. Fuck her hard and brand her.
Rather than argue with his cougar about how she already carried his scent because of the baby, he cupped Lauren’s cheek and whispered, “You asked for it,” before he lowered his lips to hers and pushed his tongue into her mouth.
He distantly heard her heels drop to the floor before she laced her hands behind his neck. The feeling of her soft skin against his made him growl, and he continued to nip her lips and devour her mouth as he walked them into the room.
The hard points of her nipples were pressed against his chest, and all he could think about was sucking them deep into his mouth. But some small part of him remembered his promise, so he broke the kiss. His voice was husky when he said, “Take off the dress while I lock the door.”
He moved to the door, shut it, and locked it. As he turned around, he yanked his tie over his head, stripped off his jacket, and moved to the buttons of his dress shirt. Why the fuck had he agreed to wear a suit? He needed to be naked and inside his mate.
Deciding the shirt wasn’t anything special, he ripped it open, the buttons flying every which way, before he shucked off his shoes. His pants quickly followed suit.
When he looked up, Lauren was leaning over the back of the couch, her breasts dangling in front of her. She raised an eyebrow. “I’m waiting.”
He’d ask how she’d undressed so quickly later. Right now, just looking at her breasts and dark nipples made his cock throb with need and let out a drop of precum.
He moved behind her and stroked her back with his hands before reaching around and cupping her small, soft breasts. The pregnancy had already left them swollen, but the thought of his female showing physical signs of carrying his child only made warmth spread through his body.
Massaging her breasts, he rubbed his dick against her soft, full ass as he said, “Shifters do like it from behind. How about pleasing the cat before I take my time to devour you properly?”
He pinched her nipples and Lauren rubbed her soft ass against his dick. “Stop talking already and fuck me, Sean.”
~~~
Lauren had designed her mating dress to be easy to slip out of on purpose. Sean had spent most of the last two weeks first recovering and then being cleared of any possible diseases or infections. The whole time, they’d had to abstain. Lauren had only been able to touch his skin again a few days ago.
As a result, it might have been wrong with her parents always nearby during the mating ceremony and celebration, but Lauren had been thinking about Sean’s long, hard cock pounding into her from behind all evening.
For some reason, being pregnant made her extremely horny. She blamed it on the half-shifter baby inside her; shifters were more sexual and demanding than humans, after all.
Then Sean pinched her nipples again as he lightly bit her shoulder, and she forgot about everything but the man behind her. “Sean.”
Biting harder, he pressed his hard, warm chest against her back, and she loved the feel of his scraggly hairs against her skin. She felt his breath on her ear as he murmured, “Let’s make sure you’re nice and wet for me, baby.”
She rubbed her ass against his cock. She smiled at the answering hiss.
But her smile faded as she felt his big, rough fingers plunge into her pussy without warning. Judging by the thickness, it was three of them.
Sean retreated and fucked her with his fingers a few more times, each thrust a wonderful sensation against her nerves. Then he removed his fingers and she let out a sound of protest at the sudden emptiness; she’d missed any part of him being inside her over the last two weeks.
She growled, and he chuckled before kissing her neck. “My mate is nice and wet for me.”
“Wet and frustrated as hell. Fuck me now, Sean Fisher, or I’ll unpack the vibrator.”
Without a word, he thrust his cock into her and she arched her back. His voice was like a whisper against her neck. “No vibrator. Tonight you’re mine, all mine.”
That she could live with.
Then he gripped her hips with his warm hands and started thrusting in and out of her, slowly at first, before picking up speed. Only because of her grip on the couch in front of her could she remain standing.
Sean then changed his angle, and his pounding went from good to fabulous. Without thinking, she hummed and said, “Harder.”
The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the room, and she gripped the couch as she arched her back. She loved the way his big cock fit inside her. Then he slapped her ass and she moaned. Maybe later he’d tie her up and make her wear a blindfold.
Then his hand on her ass moved to between her legs and rubbed against her clit. She widened her stance to allow him better access, and he pinched her sensitive nub. “Sean.”
He pinched her again, and lights danced before her eyes before a wave of pleasure coursed through her body. She was barely aware of Sean still pounding into her until he stilled and gave a roar loud enough to be heard down the hall.
As the spasms of her pussy slowed, she murmured, “Hold me, Sean.”
Never removing his cock, he gently lifted her torso off the couch until she was leaning against his chest. She looked up into his blue eyes and smiled. “Is roaring loud enough to wake the neighbors another shifter tradition?”
He chuckled before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. “I think the tradition decrees three orgasms loud enough to be heard down the hall.”
“Decrees, huh?” He grinned and she couldn’t help but soften against him. “I’m starting to like some of these obscure traditions. Why don’t you teach me a few more of them tonight?”
His eyes turned heated. “Baby, I have a whole list of traditions to try with you.”
He kissed her again, more demanding this time as his tongue swept her mouth. When he finally pulled away, she smiled and said. “Let’s hope tonight is just the beginning. We have a whole lifetime to try them all. I’m sure they’ll get pretty creative by the time we’re fifty.”
Sean laughed and the sound warmed her heart. Whatever troubles they would face in the future, and she knew there would be quite a few considering the nature of their marriage, she could handle any of it as long as she had this wonderful, funny, loving man at her side. “I love you, Sean Fisher.”
He squeezed her tightly. “I love you, too, Lauren Spencer-Fisher. Now how about I show you how much?”
One of his hands moved to her clit, and he gave it a light brush, the sensation making her pussy throb again. “Hmm, I think that’s a good idea. After all, we still have to make you roar two more times tonight.”
His hands cupped her breasts. “Then we’d better get started.”
He did exactly that, and it wasn’t long before he’d roared all three times. In the end, they’d made it four, just to be safe.
Dear Reader:
Thank you for reading Cougar’s First Christmas! Would you like to know when my next release is available? (And receive exclusive goodies and inform
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Thank you for spending time with my characters. While waiting for my next Cascade Shifters book, maybe you’d like to check out the first story arc of my Stonefire Dragons series, Sacrificed to the Dragon, or the first book in my Asylums for Magical Threats paranormal romance series, Blaze of Secrets. (And just in case you haven’t read Reclaiming the Wolf, I’ll include some information about that too.) Turn the page for a look into my other works.
With Gratitude,
Jessie Donovan
Sacrificed to the Dragon: Boxed Set
Parts #1-4
(Stonefire Dragons)
In exchange for a vial of dragon’s blood to save her brother’s life, Melanie Hall offers herself up as a sacrifice to one of the British dragon-shifter clans. Being a sacrifice means signing a contract to live with the dragon-shifters for six months to try to conceive a child. Her assigned dragonman, however, is anything but easy. He’s tall, broody, and alpha to the core. There’s only one problem—he hates humans.
Due to human dragon hunters killing his mother, Tristan MacLeod despises humans. Unfortunately, his clan is in desperate need of offspring to repopulate their numbers and it’s his turn to service a human female. Despite his plans to have sex with her and walk away, his inner dragon has other ideas. The curvy human female tempts his inner beast like no other.
———————
Sacrificed to the Dragon: Boxed Set is now available on some online retailers.
Blaze of Secrets
(Asylums for Magical Threats #1)
Cougar's First Christmas Page 7
