by Wendy Stone
“Who says I’m going to give you the chance to do this again?” she asked.
“Me.” He tossed the fabric to the floor, his eyes roaming over her nude body.
“You’re wearing too many clothes,” Terry said, trying to break the tension. Her voice sounded husky; too deep, so unlike her.
He rolled to his back, crossing his arms behind his head. “Maybe you should do something about that, huh?” he challenged.
Terry glared at him for a minute then smiled. She saw the look of unease that crossed his face a second before she straddled him, leaning on one side to baby her injured knee. “Maybe I should,” she lisped. Putting her finger into her mouth, she wet it, sliding it down her throat and over her collarbone before trailing it between her breasts.
Nashe’s eyes stayed glued to that finger, watching it move slowly over her ribs and down the soft skin of her flat stomach, dipping for one intimate second into her navel. She smiled, loving the power she had over him.
“How far are you planning to go?” he said, his voice husky.
“As far as you want,” she said seductively, leaning over him as her finger slid through the soft hair that covered the mound of her sex. Her eyes closed and she moaned as her finger slid into her slit, feeling the wetness that his kisses had roused in her. “Oh,” she groaned. “I’m so wet.”
“Terry,” he growled, his eyes flashing. “Watch it.”
“How about if you watch it,” she whimpered, slowly twiddling her clit between her fingers. Her hips moved convulsively, her breathing growing raspy. She moaned as her passions rose. She felt Nashe under her, moving, grabbing her thighs and holding her prisoner as he scooted down the bed. She felt his mouth, the heat of his breath against her bare sex, the tantalizing sweep of his tongue that inveigled itself between her fingers, taking over.
His hands dug into her thighs, not allowing her to move away as was her first impulse. Instead, she was stuck, forced to feel every tiny twitch of his tongue, to feel him ravaging her intimately until the passion that burned deep in her belly erupted, spewing pleasure through her that had her crying out his name.
She collapsed, rolling off of him when he released her thighs. Her body fell to the bed, sprawling spread eagle as she fought to catch her breath and slow her heartbeat. Her entire body felt like one big pulse of bliss, throbbing gloriously. “Wow,” she whispered, her eyes closed.
* * * *
The taste of her was thick on his tongue, her scent wrapped around him. Like a noose, he thought, dragging him under. To a place he hadn’t wanted to go to again. It was too late to fight it, though that wouldn’t stop him from trying. For now, all he knew was that he had to have her. He quickly stripped off rest of his clothing, freeing his cock from his jeans with a sigh of relief.
Nashe rolled over, sliding between her spread thighs, liking the look of her dazed by what he’d done. The little minx deserved it, teasing him the way she had. She deserved what he was going to do next as well, but this was for him.
“Terry,” he whispered, lowering his face so that he could nuzzle her throat with his mouth and nose.
“Hmm?” she managed to get out, satiated.
“Open your eyes, baby,” he ordered, holding his body over her so that all that touched her was his mouth.
“Nuh-uh.”
“Yes,” Nashe insisted, rubbing his lips against the incredibly soft skin just under her ear.
“No,” Terry moaned, turning her head a bit so he could reach her easier.
“Okay,” he agreed, reaching down with one hand to grab her leg, holding it over his arm. “I tried to warn you.”
Her eyes flew open when he thrust inside of her, filling her with one stroke. He watched as her pupils dilated, her eyes narrowing. Her head tipped back and she reached up, grabbing his arms even as he draped her other leg across his shoulder.
She was hot, incredibly tight around his cock, his sudden taking of her making her muscles spasm. He held still for a single moment, savoring the sublime feeling of being inside his mate, though he’d never take her as such.
Her nails dug into his arms and he groaned, the tiny prickling pain calling to his beast. “Careful what you do, babe,” he said, his teeth gritted. “You might end up getting far more than what you want.”
Terry’s blue eyes brightened at the challenging words. “Bring it on,” she said, undulating under him as much as she could, considering he still held her still. “I can take anything you throw at me.”
“I think I’m taking you,” he groaned, pulling out until just the head of his cock was still inside her. He pushed back inside those steamy folds of flesh, the sweet friction sending tendrils of delight to wrap around his emotions. Nashe closed his eyes, savoring this, savoring her. He felt as if he were coming home.
It had never been this way, never felt this good with any of the women he’d been with, not even… NO! He wasn’t going to think about her, not now. Not when Terry was stroking her soft hands across his chest, taking such pleasure in caressing him. He moaned, the sound turning to a purr when her fingers slid into his hair.
“I thought I’d lost you for a moment,” she whispered.
“Impossible.” He slowed his strokes into her body, wanting desperately to revel in each sweet thrust into liquid heat. He found her mouth, his tongue seeking hers, dueling with it. He couldn’t get enough, his body trembling against hers.
He let go of her legs, feeling her wrap them around his waist. His hand sought her breast, delighting in the soft texture of her skin, in the hardness of her nipple, in the response of her body to his touch. She moaned into his mouth, hands stroking over his back and down the flexing muscles of his ass, squeezing and teasing him as he pumped into her.
Nashe reached between their bodies, his hand sliding down Terry’s soft stomach and over her silky blonde curls, dipping to find her clit. With incredible tenaciousness, he played with that tiny bit of sensitive flesh, feeling her stiffen under him before she cried out. He felt her pleasure, her climax creating strong spasms that caressed his cock and squeezed around him, her sweet pussy fluttering against his flesh.
His teeth clenched, he let her orgasm, holding back his own. If she thought she could take everything he had to give, he would show her how completely wrong she was. Pulling from her, he heard her cry.
“Where are you…” she began, opening her eyes. “You haven’t…” she gasped breathlessly, her eyes showing her confusion.
“No, I haven’t…” he teased, standing next to the side of the bed, proudly letting her look at his nakedness. “But I plan on….”
“Stop,” she snapped, glaring at him. Then she screeched.
He leaned over, scooping her up in his arms.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m in the mood for a bath.” He carried her to her bathroom. Setting her on the counter, he pulled the bandage from off of her knee and then carefully unwound the wrap around her ankle. Her ankle was still swollen, an angry bruise running from just above her arch to her calf.
“Are you nuts? You want to take a bath now?”
“You have something against water?” he asked from where he knelt in front of her, carefully moving her foot.
“No but…” Terry threw her hands in the air, giving up. “You’re completely nuts.”
He smiled at her, his green eyes filled with the fire of passion. “I plan on washing every inch of you,” he said silkily.
He watched as a shiver took her then leaned forward, finding the dark bruise and laying his lips on it gently. One kiss led to another and then another, until he was standing between her spread thighs, his cock pushing against her stomach. He laid his hands gently on her cheeks, holding her still for a kiss that sent smoldering heat like an arrow through her body.
“Don’t move,” he ordered, stepping back with another of those seductive smiles.
He turned on the faucets, checking the temperature of the water before setting the plug i
n the bottom of the deep tub.
“I thought cats hated water,” she said, watching as he added some of her favorite bubble bath.
“I’m only part cat.” He looked over his broad shoulder at her.
“Oh yeah, the rest of you is all dog,” she teased.
“Wolf,” he corrected with a grin. “Don’t make me show you.”
“Does that mean you’ll want to do it doggie style?”
Nashe sat on the side of the tub, his expression going from teasing to serious. “No, that is one position we can’t do.”
“Why? Do you wolves find it too demeaning or something?”
“No. You haven’t really talked to Marissa, have you?”
“Just yesterday, but I was kind of busy getting poked and prodded by the doctor. Why?”
Nashe sighed. “It’s in that position that members of the clan mate, usually for life. Considering the length of our lives, it’s a big commitment. It’s also the way that Marissa was…changed. She’s a panther now, and Lukah’s mate. They run together. The panthers don’t have alphas, not like wolves. The wolves run in packs, not clans like the rest of the weres. If I were to… well, I saw how you looked at us the first time you saw our other selves.”
Terry slid off the counter, hopping carefully over until she stood in front of him. “I’m sorry,” she said, her hands sinking into his hair and turning his face up to her. “I didn’t mean for any of you to think that I…I was just surprised. I mean, how many women end up with four big animals in her home that used to be humans?”
He smirked, staring up at her. “You have a point.” Wrapping his arms around her waist, he laid his head against her breast, just holding her. He felt her hands go to his shoulders, and then around him, holding him as well.
A sense of peace filled him, a sense of belonging that he’d never felt before, ever. It startled and confused him. He looked up, memorizing the sweet curves of her face, the way her mouth seemed to pout, the brilliance of her blue eyes. She had a tiny scar just below her eyebrow and he found that he wanted to know how she got it. But fear found him also. Was he falling for her? He couldn’t. He wouldn’t!
Keep it light, he told himself. No strings, just fun. He held her a little tighter as memories of another love bombarded him. A love gone horribly wrong. A small moan escaped.
“Nashe? What’s wrong?”
He tried to shake it off, though the pain still lingered, knifing into his heart. “Nothing’s wrong.” Holding on to her, he sank backwards into the tub.
Terry screeched in surprise as suds and water splashed up around them. Nashe laughed, blowing a small dot of bubbles off her nose. Keeping his arms around her, he moved them both to the head of the tub, turning her so she leaned against him, resting on his lap.
“You…you…you pain in the ass,” she sputtered, wiping soap and hair out of her face. “You could have warned me.”
“Now where’s the fun in that?” he asked, sliding his hands from her hip bones up until he cupped her breasts. She filled his hands, her nipples rubbing against his palms. “Very nice.”
“Nice? Just nice?” she fumed, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him.
Nashe rolled his eyes playfully. “Okay, let me try again. Exquisite? Beautiful? Incredible? Any of those do it for you?” He tweaked her nipples, twisting the hard tips relentlessly.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned, unable to stop her hips from moving against him.
He smiled, though his eyes were ablaze with need. When she pushed herself up in the tub, her thighs surrounding his cock, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. His groan was heavy, heartfelt, needful. He lifted her higher, nestling his cock along the hot folds of her sex. She was wet, seeming wetter than the water that surrounded them. “God, Terry, you are incredible.”
Lifting her even a bit higher, he pushed her down onto his cock. Nashe heard her gasp, then call his name. He leaned against the back of the tub, his hands caressing her, grasping her hips to move over him. Long, slow strokes set his pulse to racing until he could hear the blood rushing through his veins. He heard whimpers, the little cries she made as her desire coiled and passion bloomed hotter and brighter than before.
“Nashe,” she whimpered. “Don’t stop.”
“I don’t plan on it, princess,” he growled. She leaned against him, the water caressing the full curves of her breasts, teasing her taut nipples. His lips found her nape, his teeth growing in his mouth, becoming fangs. He wanted so badly to share the ultimate pleasure of their kind with her, to take her as his mate. She called to him, to his beast.
Instead, he licked at the soft skin, nuzzling against her even as he kept thrusting in her. She grew frenzied in her movements, turning her face to find his mouth. Nashe wanted her kiss desperately. He wanted her taste on his tongue, her scent on his body. He wanted to mark her as his and his alone.
The first tingling wave of his climax caught him unaware. He grunted, jerking against her even as he felt her flesh quiver and heard her gasp of joy. He tore his mouth away, his head falling back against the edge of the tub, his frenzied movements causing the water to splash onto the floor.
When it was over, the final spasms still quivering through them both, Terry turned her head. Her lips found his. His hand went to her wet hair, rubbing against her scalp with a sense of something shared, something more special than just sex. Her hand went to his cheek, thumb rubbing gently against his skin.
Neither spoke, even when the kiss ended.
They lay in the water, Nashe content to hold her against him, until the water started to cool. Then he rose, helping her stand and picking her up in his arms once more to swing her out of the tub. He wrapped a towel around his lean hips before grabbing another to gently pat her dry, squeezing out her long locks. She balanced on her good foot, enjoying his attention.
Then he carried her to her bed, still mussed from their earlier passion. Nashe put her on the bed gently, shucking his towel and joining her, pulling her into his arms.
“You really are incredible,” he said softly.
A small smile touched her lips. “Strictly in an I-can’t-stand-you kind of way, right?”
“Yeah, well maybe I don’t hate you as much as I did before.”
She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “Maybe I don’t hate you that much either,” she admitted, acting put upon to admit it.
“Thanks,” he growled, flicking her nose with his finger.
She yawned, snuggling against him. “When do you have to be at the restaurant?”
“I uh…” he sighed, taking a deep breath to gain courage. “I took the day off and left Sam in charge,” he said in a rush.
“Good, then you have no reason you can’t be my pillow for a while.” She cuddled against him.
“Nope, not a one,” he said, turning his face into her hair and breathing its fresh scent. “You don’t snore, do you?”
“A gentleman should never ask a lady that kind of question.”
“Then it’s a good thing that I’m not a gentleman and you, while you might be all woman, you sure aren’t a lady,” He grinned when she lifted her head to glare at him.
Terry ruined the look of indignation by snorting, making them both laugh. Shaking her head, she curled up against him, closing her eyes and relaxing.
* * * *
Marissa slammed the door hard. She grumbled and ranted, walking over to the bed and slouching down on it. “Damn her!”
Lukah looked up, hearing her from the bathroom. He came out dressed only in a towel, shaving cream still on half of his face. “What did Lucinda do now?”
“I don’t know how you put up with her. She’s such a …argh!” Her eyes flashed purple fire, the anger inside of her cuing the change. Her body creaked and she forced herself to take a few deep breaths, remembering what Lukah had taught her about control.
“Slow and easy, my love. Don’t let her get to you. In only three days the ceremony will be finalized and then they’ll be on a flig
ht to Greece.” He sat down next to her, turning her face to his for a kiss. His tongue brushed against her fangs and flicked at the roof of her mouth. “You can make three days, can’t you?”
“Only for you would I put up with such a spoiled little bitch.” Marissa bit her lip, upset that she’d gotten to the point of name calling. “I’m sorry, Lukah. I know she’s your cousin and a member of the clan. It’s just…” she stopped, sighing and shrugging her shoulders.
“It’s just that she’s such a spoiled little bitch,” he finished, making her smile. “Three days and then we can begin to plan our own ceremony.”
“Will my parents be allowed to come?”
“I don’t know, Marissa. Our customs are so different, I don’t know how they would handle them.”
“But…they’re my parents. My mom would be heartbroken if she didn’t see me get married, or mated.”
“Marissa, we’ve talked about this. At some time you’re going to have to disappear. They won’t understand, especially when they see you in twenty years and you look the same as you do now.”
“I know,” she said, her voice low. “I don’t have to like it though.”
He lifted her chin, staring into the beautiful purple-gray eyes. “I love you with everything in me, Marissa. I have promised myself to you. That is a lifetime commitment. Considering how long our kind lives, that’s saying a lot.”
She tried to smile, although it wasn’t easy. “I love you too.” She lifted her face to his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled back, laughing at the smear of shaving cream on her beautiful face.
“Come on, Marissa. Let me finish getting ready and we’ll go get some breakfast. Yes?”
“Yes,” she agreed. She watched him stand and reached out, grabbing his towel and yanking it off. “Nice ass,” she said, letting loose a wolf whistle.
He wiggled it at her, then walked into the bathroom.
* * * *
Lucinda stared down at the mess of white tulle that she’d ripped from the trees. Marissa had spent hours going up and down ladders, fixing it to the branches and giving the small clearing where the ceremony would take place a kind of airy beauty.
