by Ruby Madden
Ryland chuckled and moved back to the stove. “Hold on, baby. It’s almost done.” Soon, he was dishing up plates of noodles covered in meat sauce along with slices of garlic bread he’d heated in the toaster oven. There was a bowl of salad for each of them.
“Water or milk,” he asked, before sitting down. “Sorry the tea’s not done yet.”
“Water.” Emma smiled at him. When he’d opened the door of the refrigerator to get out the ingredients for supper, she’d seen the glass jar of tea in the refrigerator. Her mother had always called that making moon tea. The tea bags soaked overnight before adding sugar. Lots and lots of sugar since he bought them some this morning.
Emma dipped her fork into the pasta and tried not to groan as she ate. Even though she’d seen him open a jar, she knew he’d done something else to the sauce. It was the best she’d ever eaten.
Emma dug into the food, too hungry to worry if he knew exactly how much she could eat at one sitting. Not that she’d gotten to do that very often this past year. And not that it really changed how she looked. Food had been scarce and yet Emma and Abby still had the same curves they always had. Curvy was who they were. After she’d taken the edge off her hunger, she asked, “Will Ryker feed Abigail?”
“Don’t, Emma.” Ryland scolded her gently, pushing her fork back up with his when she lowered it to her plate, guilty for enjoying this food when Abby might be going hungry. “Ryker will take care of his mate.”
A mischievous smile spread over his full lips spiking Emma’s curiosity. “What?”
“Well, Ryker isn’t the cook that I am. She might not be enjoying her meal as much.”
“Conceited much?”
She knew her smile was shy. Having a gorgeous man cook for her was not something that came her way very often. As a matter of fact, it had never happened, unless you counted a boy buying her a hamburger after school when she was in high school.
Ryland returned her smile, his bear happy that they had managed to put that expression on her face. Everything he did was calculated to win his mate’s heart.
And find our way into her bed.
Down, boy, he cautioned his bear. Nice and easy.
His bear grunted, but backed down.
He knew what his animal meant. The feelings he had for Abigail could never be described as nice and easy.
“I just know how to satisfy my woman.”
“Okay, Tarzan, don’t go thumping your chest. I need to concentrate on eating.”
“And the sight of me tugging off my shirt would distract you?”
“Mmm,” Emma groaned as she took a bite of garlic bread. It was delicious. She’d debated eating it, but decided if he wanted to kiss her, and disliked the taste, he shouldn’t have made it. She traded her garlic bread for a bite of salad.
“She’ll like Ryker’s house, I think. The Blackwoods have owned land just outside the city for decades. About twenty acres or so. Our bears need a place to roam.” Even though times had changed, most female shifters lived with their family unit until they mated. But the males were born horn dogs. They usually moved out as soon as they could support themselves.
Emma stole a glance at him from beneath her lashes, wanting to ask the next logical question.
He placed his fork on the counter and took her hand. “No, I don’t have a house yet, but I plan to contact an architect as soon as I can. I live in an apartment here in the city. I’d like to take you there tonight, if I may.” They both knew what he was really asking. Would she let him take her to his bed tonight? Thankfully, he wanted to go somewhere else. She had no desire for her first time with her mate to be on the lumpy mattress or the musky smelling sofa. There was no doubt she would be taking her mate into her body and heart tonight.
“I’d like that, Ryland. I’d like that a lot.”
“Yeah, me too,” his voice rumbled.
That was just what Ryland and his bear wanted to see and hear. He wanted to see her eyes sparkling with anticipation and hear her voice deepen with need.
He knew he couldn’t gain Emma’s trust overnight. He knew the sisters were hiding something and both were overly protective of the other, even for twins.
He also knew the sadness that seemed etched into Emma’s soul was killing him.
He rose to his feet and stacked the plates in the small sink. “Go pack a bag you’re staying with me tonight.”
“Okay.”
Ryland smiled at the easy accession to his suggestion-slash-order. But then he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. She might not have a ‘scent’, but when she was aroused…
Cleaning up the small kitchen, he waited for her to come back out of the bedroom. He’d brought his own vehicle tonight. The bears had known the night would end with them between their mates’ thighs and neither had wanted to take their mate for the first time in the small apartment. He hurried her out, his bear horny as hell.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“This is yours?”
Emma’s steps slowed and then halted near the curb. Parked in front of the apartment building was a dark green jaguar.
“Yes.” Ryland threw her a concerned look. “Don’t you like it?”
“The question is, do you like riding a jaguar?” Emma had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Did her mate know what type of cat she was?
Seeing the confused look on his face, she realized he didn’t. It wasn’t surprising. Cats tended to keep further south as a rule so the bears may not have met many cat shifters, much less a jaguar. She and her sister were from a species of shifters that was almost as rare as their animal counterpart in the wild.
Ryland threw her an odd look as he helped her into the passenger seat. She wanted to purr when the soft, supple leather immediately conformed to the curve of her ass. After he started the engine and the leather heated up, she did.
“You like? It’s a little cold out tonight.”
“Oh, yeah.” She laid her head back and enjoyed the warmth. This would feel so damn good in the middle of winter.
Ryland lived in the northeast part of the city in a neighborhood that was considered up-and-coming. The outside of the building where his apartment was located was nothing to look at but the inside more than made up for it. It was a huge loft with an open concept. Windows lined one wall and the view reminded her of the one from the third floor on the construction site. She could imagine herself in cat form, stretched out along the industrial beams running across the ceiling. She wondered what he would do if he came home and discovered a black jaguar looking down on him.
“Do you like?”
Emma turned to him, surprised to see his hands stuffed in the front pocket of his jeans, an almost little boy look on his face. Did her opinion matter that much to him?
“It’s beautiful. I feel like I’m floating above the city.”
He grinned and walked across the room, taking her in his arms. They stood for a long time watching the lights twinkle above the roof line. It reminded Emma that she and Abigail hadn’t heard from their father. And the gut-wrenching feeling they might never hear from him again. The most frustrating thing was they couldn’t risk going back and look for him. He’d made them promise never to do that.
Feeling the strength of Ryker’s arms made her want to tell him everything.
Remembrance of the Panthera’s evil deeds froze the words deep inside her.
Ryland propped his chin against the crown of Emma’s head, his arms holding her tight. The curl of her long, dark lashes against her cheek gave her a sweet, almost peaceful air. For a moment. Then a shadow floated across her features.
Damn, how he wanted to give her that. A life free from worry. That’s what a mate was supposed to do.
Why wouldn’t the stubborn woman tell him what was going on? He and Ryland both were about ready to turn the women over their knees. Mates weren’t supposed to be so blasted stubborn, were they?
She made a small sound of pleasure and
his cock hardened in his jeans. He shifted, trying to take away the pressure. No one told him he’d go around with a 24/7 hard-on when he finally met his mate. He tilted her head up until he could see her face.
“Ryland?” Her soft smile and husky voice stirred his body even more.
Their eyes locked and held and he knew what was going to happen. What he’d promised wouldn’t happen unless she was ready. Thank the powers-that-be she was of the same mind. Stretching up, she kissed the underside of his chin. The small flicker of her tongue made his cock jerk in his pants. He wanted to feel her tongue on him everywhere.
“Kiss me, Ryland,” she whispered.
Oh, he was going to do so much more than kiss her. Groaning, he fisted her hair and tugged her head further back before he captured her lips. Her mouth moved under his, demanding more. Angling his head, he deepened the kiss. She opened to him, probing the inside of his mouth with that sweet little tongue. Fire shot through him.
He wanted her naked. Now.
She was wearing a green blouse that had buttons up the front. Usually, that made for some exciting foreplay. But not tonight. His bear huffed when the buttons refused to cooperate. Of course, it could have something to do with the fine tremor in his hands. Frustrated, he grabbed the hem and pulled it over her head. She didn’t protest and wiggled, trying to help him. All that movement did was put pressure on his dick. “Stay still,” he growled.
His hands were shaking with want before he had her blouse off. Trying to hide the fact from Emma, he slipped off his shirt and tossed it aside. He placed his hands on her sides, resting just inches from her full, round breasts covered in a plain white bra. From what he and Ryker had observed, the sisters didn’t have much. Such a lifestyle usually implied you were on the run from something or someone. Who the hell was chasing his mate? And why? His hands tightened.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, sweetheart. Nothing.” He pushed the worry away, but vowed again that nothing would ever harm his mate. Emma’s eyes darkened as he trailed a finger down her throat and stopped at the top of her breasts. His mouth watered for a taste. With a quick flick of his fingers, her breasts tumbled out of the bra, blue-lined and creamy, the nipples a dusky, dark pink. Her nipples were large, almost as big as the end of his finger. The darker areolas covered the entire end of her breasts. For a moment he simply stared. And drooled.
“You’re beautiful.” He knew the words were inadequate, but his higher level thinking skills were no longer working. His bear was rising inside him, pushing for the man to lose control so the animal could come out and play.
He cupped the heavy weight and lifted them, watching her as he squeezed the firm flesh. He bent his head and barely kissed the hard peaks. Before he claimed his mate, before he spiraled out of control, he wanted to make them both burn.
Her hands tunneled through his hair and tried to pull him closer. “More.”
He gave each tip another kiss, flickering out his tongue this time.
She growled. “Don’t tease.”
He raised his head, breaking her grip. Her hands fell to his shoulders and immediately her hands opened and closed, kneading his flesh. Just like a hungry cat, he grinned. Tonight he was going to make his little kitten purr.
He drew a stiff, rosy peak into his mouth and suckled softly. When her nails bit into his skin, he deepened his touch, sucking hard enough to make her cry out. Opening his mouth wide he took as much of her heavenly flesh inside as he could, wetting the sweet surface with his tongue.
He did it again, scraping his teeth along the white flesh, scoring her with his touch before letting the nipple fall from his mouth. He couldn’t resist another taste. This time, he didn’t just lick the nipple. He lapped at her areola, tracing the dark outline with his tongue. He moved to her other breast, tasting and loving until she cried out for him to stop.
Tonight he was not stopping. He’d given her a reprieve this morning, respecting her need to move slowly. That time was fucking over. He needed to take her to his bed. Touch her. Possess her. He lifted her into his arms and strode to the king-sized bed at the back of the loft. Throwing her in the middle, he covered her with his body, her wet breasts sliding across his chest and making them moan. Her legs opened to him without any prodding. His cock was thick and heavy. He pressed it against her clit, growling when the sweet, little skirt she’d worn rode high on her hips. It reminded him how easily another male could take her when she wore it.
He stroked his hand up the smooth skin of her inner thigh. She made throaty little sounds that drove him wild and she lifted her hips, silently begging him to take her.
Not yet.
Why the fuck not? his bear roared inside his head. He knew how the animal felt, but tonight was not about them. It was about taking care of their mate. Making her feel good.
He knelt between her legs and cupped her knees, pushing her legs wider. She might not normally have a scent, but when she was aroused, the scent of her pussy surrounded him. He threw back his head, striving for control. An innocent looking piece of white cotton hid her pussy from his hungry eyes. A large wet circle had already appeared in the middle showing him his mate wanted him as much as he wanted her. He traced the area with his finger. “You want me, don’t you, baby?”
He looked up and saw her biting her bottom lip. She didn’t answer, just nodded her head shyly. His mate was a contradiction waiting to happen. She was bold as brass when someone was threatening her or Abby, but didn’t realize the beauty of her body and soul. He fingers easily breached the elastic of her panties. He didn’t take them off. Not yet. He found the tiny nub where he knew she ached and he rubbed.
Emma felt something inside her splitter. It was the shield of protection she had woven between her and the world in order to keep herself and her sister safe. Ryland’s touch breached that inner wall, made it collapse into rumble around her heart. With its failure, she felt it. The bond that was so precious to shifters, so necessary to their continued existence. Ryland was her mate and there was no way—no need—to deny that any longer.
She gazed into his eyes that were now more gold than brown. Just as her cat had felt the bond snap into place, so had his bear. She knew her eyes would have turned a deep navy blue, sparked with gold, their animals communicating on a level so primal that their human sides could no longer follow.
No longer in control, Ryland stripped them of the rest of their clothing, shredding material as fast as he could. When they were both naked, he rose above her, his hand gripping the thick base of his cock as he knelt between her thighs. He stroked the hardened flesh, pumping clear liquid from its tip before palming the head and wetting the taut flesh.
From her position against the pillows Emma saw Ryland nudge the crest against her entrance. “That’s it, baby. Watch me. Watch me take you.” His voice was low, animalistic in its tone and depth. He fell forward, bracing himself with one arm as he held himself above her, allowing her to watch as he took her. She felt the sting of his possession as the crown of his cock breached her entrance. When he pushed deeper inside, she cried out.
Ryland stiffened above her. “What the fuck?” He pushed the flared head forward a little more. Again the small sound of distress.
“Emma?” He stilled, not believing what was happening. His mate was a virgin.
The bear inside him roared its pleasure, standing on its hind legs and making Ryland tremble with its strength. He pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Why didn’t you tell me, Emma?”
She lifted her face, opening her eyes to give him another of those sweet, shy smiles. “I was afraid you might not, you know, want to.”
He gave a short bark of laughter. “What? Might not want to fuck my virgin mate?”
“Ryland!” She slapped her hand against the sweat covered skin of his chest.
“Look at me,” he demanded. When she did, he continued, “You have no idea how honored I am, my mate. My heart.”
Emma b
linked back the tears that threatened at the emotion in Ryland’s face and voice. “Ry—”
“Sssh. Just let me know if I’m hurting you.” He moved his hips back, drawing out of her stretched pussy. Before she could protest the loss, he pushed back inside, slow and easy.
She whimpered as he repeated the motion again and again, allowing her body to slowly accustom itself to his size and strength. When the head of his cock hit the barrier that proclaimed her innocent. He stopped, his fingers digging into the softness of her hip.
“Take me, Emma. Take your mate inside your body.” He let go of her hip and braced both arms on the bed beside her head. His body was still arched over her so they could see his length disappear inside her.
She closed her eyes and panted through the heavy stretch and burn as he possessed her.
“Easy, baby, just a little more.” He placed a hard kiss on her mouth as he continued to press forward. “Please, Emma, please take me,” he whispered into her mouth. Her eyes opened and she lost a little more of her heart at the desperation on his face. She looked down and saw that he was just a little over two thirds inside her. Could she take him? She lifted her hips, easing the angle of their joining. He sank into her wetness a little more.
“So good. You’re doing so good.” His eyes met hers and he leaned down and gave her another kiss, this one filled with so much love and emotion she felt her body relax into his. It was exactly what he needed to complete their joining. With a final surge, he broke through the barrier that separated them, taking her innocence.
“Ryland,” she moaned as she gripped his forearms, her claws coming out and breaking the skin.
Ryland lifted his head and watched the emotions float across Emma’s face. Pain that he couldn’t prevent and a taste of the pleasure he planned on giving her again and again. “You took me, Emma. You took all of me.”
“Always, Ryland. Always.”
He pulled back out, groaning as the flared head of his dick caught against the remnants of her barrier. She was so damned tight he didn’t know if he could last long enough to bring her to release with him. He glanced down and saw his flesh covered with her juices and the evidence of her innocence—the pink twinge of her blood. His bear morphed inside him, the animal crazy for the final thrust of possession and the feel of his fangs in the sweet flesh of her neck. Even though she was a shifter, they hadn’t discussed claiming and marking and he couldn’t force the issue.
