Caroline froze. “Why?”
“Kitten, I’d love to have another child with you, but right now, I want to concentrate on us and our boys. If we have another child, I want to know we’re solid, and it would be nice to have one planned child. As much as I love our sons, both of them came as a surprise.”
She dissected his words, prodded them for hidden meaning.
“Caroline?”
She sighed. “You’re right. I am on the Pill, but in the flurry of packing I forgot to pick up my repeat script.”
“We’ll grab condoms next time we go to Tekapo or Twizel,” Marsh said. “Or you can visit a doctor in Twizel. You’ll want to register the boys, anyway.”
“They’re never sick. Honesty, they never catch the bugs at school. And I’d better not jinx that either. You’re right,” she conceded. “We’re good for right now.”
“Great.” His lips grazed the side of one breast. “Now where were we?”
“Starting to get serious.”
Marsh chuckled and teased her nipple, tugging it with his fingers while he kissed her other breast.
The tension that had claimed her faded, and she allowed herself to drift, clinging to Marsh and loving the heat emanating from his body. She couldn’t wait to feel his hard muscles sliding against her body. His clothes were in the way.
Marsh slid a trail of kisses lower, licked over her hipbone. Funny, she’d forgotten how rough his tongue was—abrasive and stimulating. Her breath caught as she waited for his next move. She didn’t have to wait long.
With his fingers beneath her naked butt, he lifted her toward his mouth, and that rough tongue of his dragged the length of her slit.
She swallowed, every part of her waiting, waiting, waiting for the hovering climax to explode. Thankfully, he didn’t tease her but stroked firmly, giving extra attention to her clit. Enjoyment grew, pleasure flying up, up, up until one delicate wriggle of his tongue had her exploding, her empty channel pulsing, clutching at nothing.
“Marsh,” she wailed.
“I’ve missed this so much,” he muttered.
He stood and she mourned the loss of his heat. She heard the rasp of his zipper, the whoosh as his shirt hit the floor. He returned to the bed, kissing her roughly, and she could taste herself.
“I want to fuck you so bad,” Marsh said. “I’ve been dreaming of this night ever since we decided to come to the Mackenzie.”
“We could have made love earlier.”
“We could have, but I wanted to woo you.”
She reached up and yanked both his ears. “I thought you didn’t want me.”
“Ouch, woman. I thought I proved to you when we almost made love that I wanted you. Every time I think of you my dick goes hard.” He kissed her again, his tongue surging against hers. “Touch me.”
“Where?”
“Everywhere. Anywhere.”
“Need your hands on me. God, you drive me crazy, kitten. It’s always been you. Only you.” He cupped her breasts while still kissing her, his weight pushing her into the mattress. Then, he pulled away. “Let me take you from behind, kitten. I want to touch your breasts and have easy access to your clit while I drive into your pussy.”
He’d always told her what he wanted to do to her, his constant talking making her so hot and desperate.
“Anything you want,” she whispered. “I want you inside me.”
He helped her into position—on her hands and knees. A sharp pain on one buttock had her starting and looking over her shoulder. “Did you bite my butt?”
“Yes. I like your backside, almost as much as the front.”
That was another thing about Marsh. When they made love he left marks all over her. It never hurt at the time, but she ended up bruised and tingling. Well-loved too.
“You ready for me to fuck you?” His voice sounded deeper, hoarse.
“Bring it.”
She heard his bark of laughter, then his cock nudged her entrance. He pushed into her with one easy thrust, his shaft going deep. She gasped, and he stilled.
“Okay.”
“Yes.”
“Thank god,” she thought she heard him say, but then his busy hands distracted her, as did the surge and retreat of his cock. He upped the pace, one hand holding her in place while the other stroked her clit. His warm breath feathered across the base of her neck. She moaned, the combination of his touch and his cock doing it for her. Tingles of excitement fluttered to life, and she whimpered, this going much quicker than she’d expected. Her channel flexed around his cock and Marsh bit the fleshy pad at the base of her neck. Pain speared her, then the pleasure counteracted it.
Marsh gave a guttural groan, and his tongue flickered over the spot where he’d bitten her His hips moved in a frenzy, then he stilled, embedded in her flesh. Minute contractions told her he’d orgasmed. His tongue licked the same spot on her neck over and over, and each lash of his tongue made her vagina tighten around his shaft, a tiny drill of pleasure thrilling her.
Marsh lifted his head and pulled from her body. He turned her over and drew her into his arms, his fingers stroking that same spot. “I love you, kitten. I always have and I always will. Never forget that. Never,” he added fiercely.
Fatigue settled in as he held her. “Love you too,” she whispered, and that was the last thing she remembered before she fell asleep.
He’d marked her, bitten her in the feline manner, connected them as mates. Marsh stroked the tiny ridge of flesh and turned his head a fraction to study the site. It no longer bled since the enzymes in his saliva would speed healing. Regret, no, guilt surfaced. He should have told her before he marked her, claimed her as his, yet pride and satisfaction also coursed through his veins. He’d lacked control. Not only had he fucked her good and hard, tired her out, he’d lost control of his feline for a while there. Sharp claws had formed beneath his fingernails, forcing their way into prominence. Canines had made his speech deeper and the only thoughts pounding through his mind had been to take her.
Possess her.
Own her.
Mark her.
While the human part of him hadn’t wanted her to fall pregnant, his feline had screamed in his mind, wanting another tie of belonging, so she could never leave them.
Hell. His breath whooshed out, and he dragged his free hand over his face. A disaster, yet a slow grin spread across his face, and he reveled in the pull of muscles. While he’d let his feline take control, he felt fantastic, as if a part of him had slotted into place. A missing part.
For the first time in his life, he truly belonged.
* * * * *
Marsh woke early. It was still dark outside and Caroline cuddled against his side. A sound. A growl? He rolled away from his mate and…his mate. A smile curved his lips even as he stood. A quick glance at Caroline showed she hadn’t woken, and Marsh went to check on his sons. Ricky lay curled in a tight ball, only his head visible above the covers. He moved on to check on James, almost at his oldest son’s bedroom when he heard another growl. What the hell?
He burst into the room. The growls were coming from James. His slight body twitched while his limbs jerked as if he were running in feline form.
“Steady there, James. It’s all right,” Marsh murmured, wondering what this meant. He and his friends hadn’t experienced anything like this until the months before they shifted for the first time. Time to speak to Saber or Cam. And Caroline. She needed to learn the possible outcome of the boys’ dreams.
James seemed to quieten and Marsh covered him and returned to bed.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Caroline murmured, her voice thick with sleep.
“James was having a bad dream. He’s settled again and is fast asleep.”
“Is it almost time for me to get up?”
“It’s five thirty.”
“Oh, man.” Caroline sighed. “I need strong coffee to kick start me today.”
Marsh reclined beside her, and unable to resist, pulled her against his body. “We
could always make love again.”
She yawned and kissed his neck, right on the marking site. “We could,” she murmured, unaware of the havoc she’d created with her innocent touch.
His cock went rock-hard, his blood rushed south, leaving him dizzy.
Before the thought formed, he was kissing her, dragging their bodies even closer together, so she was in no doubt of his desire. His fingers strummed across her mark, and he gloried in the groan she made.
“I don’t know what it is but that spot always makes me hot.”
“Good to know,” he purred.
He parted her legs and slipped into her heat, going slowly so he didn’t hurt her. He needn’t have worried because she groaned again and wrapped her legs around his hips, encouraging him without words.
“Yes,” she muttered two thrusts later. “Yes, just like that.”
Marsh grinned and did what she required. He’d missed this side of her, the demanding, knowing what she wanted in bed. If there was something she wanted, she’d never acted shy about asking him to act on her needs. Her channel contracted, and he saw stars, the purr of his feline rasping through his mind. Happy times all around. He kissed the side of her neck, his mouth searching for and finding the mark. It had healed already, leaving a raised scar. Instinct had him licking back and forth. Caroline gasped, her enjoyment of his ministrations making loud purrs rumble in his throat.
The muscles of her inner thighs quivered against him, her hips jerking with each of his hard thrusts. The tight, grasping heat of her pussy had his balls tightening, but it was her sexy little whimper that did him in. He exploded, unraveling within her embrace.
“Kitten,” he groaned, his hips moving lazily now.
“My turn now.” She wound her arms around his neck and laid her lips against his.
Humor leapt to life and his lips tilted up at the corners as he gave attention to her mark. A sneaky advantage he now had since the tales he’d heard regarding a feline mark seemed to be true. Each of his touches drove her wild. Her bright blue eyes fluttered closed as he fingered the spot. Her strawberry-blonde hair lay around her head in a snarl of curls. Uncharitable people called her hair red, usually in a disparaging tone. The color of her hair, combined with her blue eyes, had been one thing that had first attracted his attention. She was stunning. Curvy, and all his.
Now he had to confess about felines and what the mark meant.
He used his mouth on the spot, giving her a hint of teeth. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, her hips moving restlessly. He slipped one hand between their bodies and sought her clit. Swollen and slippery, he caressed it with light but constant pressure. She hummed, her pussy flexing around his softening cock. He pushed on the mark with his free hand and caught her cry of pleasure with his mouth. Seconds later, she was coming, a flush on her cheeks. God, she was beautiful. He was a lucky man.
Her eyes flicked open, and she smiled. “That was amazing. Not a bad way to start the day.”
“I second that.” He sighed, sated with pleasure and loath to leave this cocoon of togetherness.
The alarm pipped a warning—the weird noise it made before it went full throttle into wake-up mode. Marsh reached over and slapped it off.
Caroline sighed. “Guess I’d better get going.”
“I’ll check on the boys while you grab a quick shower.”
“Thanks.” She peered out the window. “It’s so dark out there. No wonder Cam recommended I take Maria’s torch.”
“If the dark worries you, I can go up with you. The boys should be all right for a few minutes.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll be fine. It’s not as if I have to worry about getting mugged.”
Marsh kissed her cheek. “Okay. I’ll wait until the boys wake and get them breakfast.”
“School is in session this morning. Jan, the woman in charge of schooling, said both boys can go.”
“I’ll deliver them to school and then go out with some of the boys to get a handle on my workday. Is that okay?”
“Perfect. Can you tell Jan I’ll be working up at the main house? Tell her I’ll come to collect the boys after I serve lunch.”
“Will do.”
Caroline rolled out of bed. “Ow, ow, ow.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Sore muscles. Nothing a hot shower won’t fix.”
Happiness caught his breath. “Any reason for sore muscles?”
Caroline huffed. “You know why I have sore muscles, mister.” She fumbled for the switch near the door and flicked it on, flooding the bedroom with bright light.
Amusement flooded him now, as she blinked at him like a morepork, New Zealand’s native owl. “Would you forgive me if I offered to give you a massage once the boys go to bed tonight?”
“Deal.” She winked at him and sashayed from the bedroom, naked and sexy.
His mate.
His grin stretched so wide his mouth hurt.
Chapter Seven
Caroline let herself out the front door and exhaled as the frigid morning air slapped her. Gloves. She’d need to find her gloves, scarf and warm hat. She closed the door with a click and marched to the end of their short driveway. The darkness was absolute as was the silence. She took a moment to switch on the torch, a comforting circle of light piercing the inky-black and illuminating her way.
The hair at the back of her neck prickled without warning, and she froze mid-step. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing nothing even though her night vision had kicked in and she could see faint outlines of neighboring houses and farm buildings.
“Silly,” she muttered. “There is nothing out here.”
She forced herself to move again, her steps noisy on the gravel underfoot. Heck, she’d told Marsh she’d be fine. Now she wished she’d accepted his offer. She increased her pace until she was running, certain someone lurked in the shadows, watching her progress to the main house. A thin coating of perspiration moistened her brow. She slowed to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans.
“You have an overactive imagination,” she whispered, to keep herself from crossing the remaining distance at a sprint. She forced herself to halt and turned a slow circle, casting her senses out to gather information. Nothing. She wished for the bat ears and eagle sight of Marsh and their boys.
An uneasy laugh escaped, and she resumed walking, fiercely glad when her hand closed around the door handle of the outer entrance to the main house kitchen.
Once she flicked on the light, the familiar surroundings of the kitchen calmed her galloping nerves. Shaking her head at her silliness, Caroline peeled off her coat, hung it on a coat hook near the door, washed her hands and got to work. Three batches of blueberry muffins and two loaves of fruit bread later, she admitted that the extreme darkness and the new surroundings had messed with her head. Stupid city girl, she thought as she set the table for breakfast. You’d think the years of living in Middlemarch would prepare her for the high country of the Mackenzie.
The outer door opened, and two of the employees entered, masculine laughter filling the air. Several men followed and the dining area of the large kitchen was soon awash with cheerful, hungry men.
“Something smells good,” one of the men said. He winked at her, his gaze a brilliant green. “I worried when someone said Maria wasn’t cooking. Dinner last night was tasty, and I can’t wait to see what you’ve made us today.”
“I can smell bacon,” an older man said as he whisked off his knitted beanie and hung it on the back of a wooden chair.
“Sausages. Eggs,” a tall and thin man, not long out of his teenage years added.
“Start with cereal,” Caroline ordered. “I’ll have something hot for you in ten minutes.”
Breakfast passed in a rush and flurry. She fed ten men and sent them on their way with packed lunches since Cam had told her the previous night the men would be out the entire day.
Cam appeared looking rumpled and worried.
“How is Maria?”
“N
ot so good. She’s complaining of nausea and pain in her lower abdominal. She has a fever.”
“Did she keep down the soup?”
“No. I’m going to fly her to Timaru,” Cam said.
“Anything you need me to do?”
“Just keep the men fed. They know what to do on the station.”
Cam rushed off and Caroline went back to her kitchen duties.
The morning seemed too short. Having no idea of what Maria had planned for meals, Caroline checked the pantry plus the walk-in freezer, and after assessing the ingredients, she planned menus for the next week.
“Mum! Mum!” A mother opened the door, and Ricky barreled inside, his face alive with excitement. “We played, and we drawed pictures and had a story.”
James arrived at a more sedate pace, a carry bag in his right hand and his attention on a girl his age.
“Hi, Caroline. I’m not sure if you got everyone’s names straight yesterday. I’m Dara. Jan asked me to deliver your sons since with Cam in Timaru, they were short a man. Your man got himself recruited to help with the dipping.”
“Thanks,” Caroline said.
“Looks as if you’re recruited too.”
“I don’t mind. I prefer to keep busy.”
“Why don’t I take your boys for you for the afternoon?”
“No, I couldn’t—”
“It’s no problem. James and my daughter are already firm friends. Chelsea loves to draw and I hear James does too. And your little one is yawning so much, I figure he’ll sleep part of the afternoon.”
“Are you sure? I’d like to get a head start on the cooking. I don’t want to dig into Maria’s stock of frozen meals too much.”
“Of course I’m sure.” She flapped a hand in unconcern. “We take turns with the kids, so we can get alone time. It’s a team effort if you live here on Glenshee.”
“I’m discovering that,” Caroline said. “James.” She squatted beside her son, trying to hide the wince from her protesting muscles. “You be good for Dara.” She tapped his nose. “Okay?”
James nodded. “We’re going for a walk to draw the mountains.”
Amused, she stood. “Sounds as if everyone is happy with this deal. Thanks, I appreciate it.”
My Estranged Lover (Middlemarch Shifters Book 5) Page 9
