TherianPromise

by Cyndi Friberg

“As milady commands.” He swept his arm in front of him as he bent into a courtly bow. Then he turned on the water so the bathtub could fill while he obeyed her first directive. He tugged off his boots and socks then pulled his t-shirt off over his head. Her gaze boldly followed his movements, frequently lingering in strategic areas. Therians were blessed with a higher metabolic rate than most humans, so obesity wasn’t a problem. In fact the vast majority of human diseases didn’t affect Therians.

  Glancing at the tub, he made sure he had time before he asked, “May I undress you as well?”

  “Not until you’re naked.” She pointed to the front of his jeans.

  Desire rolled through him, fueled by the challenge inherent in her attitude. They’d barely begun and already he wanted to regain control, to rip the clothes from her body and press her up against the wall. Instead, he lowered his zipper and slowly removed his pants. Her gaze followed the descent of his hands until his shaft sprang free then her focus locked into place. Their positions the night before had kept her from seeing more than an occasional glimpse of his cock. Her rampant interest now only made him even harder.

  He stroked himself with one hand, drawing heat and urgency into his groin. “See what you do to me. Would you like to touch it, sunshine? It’s all for you.”

  She immediately reached for him, but he caught her wrist. “Not until you’re naked.” He used her words as a sensual taunt. So much for being passive.

  Her gaze narrowed for a moment then she ripped off her shirt and tugged on one of her boots. The stubborn footwear wouldn’t budge.

  “Would you like my help with that?”

  She sat on the edge of the tub and he removed her boots and then her socks. Pausing long enough to turn off the water, she stood and unfastened her bra. Her enthusiasm thrilled him, but it also compromised his efforts to keep things slow and easy. He unzipped her jeans and she shoved them down then kicked them aside.

  Before she could touch him, he pulled her against him and covered her mouth with his. Her hands moved up and down his back, pausing from time to time to squeeze his ass. Her lips parted and her tongue lightly touched his, but he wasn’t ready for a deep, breath-stealing kiss. Instead he eased her back and motioned toward the tub.

  “Get in.”

  She laughed. “I thought I was in charge tonight.”

  “You’re right. I apologize. What would milady like next?”

  She circled him, boldly running her gaze up and down his body. “Are Therian males fitness junkies or are you naturally lean?”

  “It’s not just males.” Her distraction allowed him to scrutinize her body as closely as she was scrutinizing him. “Your body is sleek and toned. Do you live at the gym?”

  “Good point.” She stopped behind him and pressed her breasts against his back. “I’ve always kept really busy, but I’ve never paid much attention to what I eat.”

  Her eager hands stroked his chest and sides as she rubbed against his back. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the heat of her soft body and the light stroke of her fingers. His cat tossed his head, restless and ready to pounce. He tried not to rush her, wanted her to explore and indulge all of her impulses.

  She caressed her way around to his chest and bit her lower lip as her gaze zeroed in on his cock. He expected her to swoop down and fist his hard shaft. Instead she stroked his chest and squeezed his biceps while his cock bobbed between them, desperate for her touch.

  Pushing up to the balls of her feet, she whispered in his ear, “Would you like me to touch you?”

  He fought back a groan as desire constricted his balls. “You know I would.”

  “Then say it.” She leaned in and his tip brushed against her soft belly. He caught her wrist and tried to bring her hand where he wanted it. She laughed and twisted out of his grip. “Now you have to say please.”

  How had she turned this around? Each time they’d touched before she’d seemed uncertain, almost afraid. Why was she so much more confident now? Jake and Ian. The thought made Kyle tense and his eyes stung as Therian light erupted in his gaze. Jake flirted with every female on the planet. Ian had been more subtle, but his desire for Ava had been easily interpreted. And she’d obviously enjoyed the attention.

  He’d put a stop to this right now. Slipping his hand into her hair, he formed a loose fist and slowly tilted her head back. “I want your hands on me and only me. I want your lips so accustomed to my taste that anyone else is repulsive. I want—”

  She placed her fingers against his lips as he had done with her. “Where is this coming from? I told you I don’t want Ian.”

  “What about Jake?” He eased up on her hair but didn’t remove his hand.

  “Let go of my hair.” Her tone was cold and precise, her gaze rapidly cooling.

  He pulled his hand back and took a deep breath.

  “Let’s get one thing perfectly clear.” She took a step back and snatched a bath towel off the rack, holding it in front of her as she went on. “You don’t own me. No man ever will. It was only after my mother stopped depending on men and stood on her own two feet that she had anything resembling a real life.”

  “I’m sorry I upset you.” Her gaze narrowed and he braced for the coming storm. That had obviously been the wrong thing to say.

  “You’re sorry I’m upset? How about being sorry for acting like a possessive asshole?”

  He grappled for the right words while his cat roared, objecting to any compromise. She was his and his alone, challenging that fact only made him more determined to prove it. With any other female, he would have kissed her into submission. He’d have accepted the challenge and demonstrated his superior strength and the depths of his hunger. But Ava had been reared human. She didn’t understand Therian ways. No matter how loudly his cat objected, he had to be patient with her.

  “I don’t want to own you, but the thought of another man touching you is…upsetting to me.”

  For some reason his explanation made her smile. “If this is you upset, I’d hate to see you get jealous.”

  “The only weapon affective against jealousy is trust.”

  Her momentary amusement evaporated and she was glaring again. “You don’t trust me?”

  “I don’t trust anyone,” he admitted. “I’ve been repeatedly betrayed by those I considered friends and more than a few lovers. I try not to expect the worst in people, but experience has taught me to be wary.”

  “That’s sad.” She draped the towel back over the rack and climbed into the bathtub. “Is there no one in your life you can relax with, no one who’ll support you no matter what?”

  “My mother and Quinn.” He remained beside the tub, not sure if she’d welcome him in the water.

  “I thought you were going to wash my hair.”

  Suppressing his relief, he climbed into the tub and settled against the molded end, facing her.

  “Why have so many betrayed you? Are you that poor a judge of character?” She softened the question with a playful smile and sank to her chin in the water. Even though he could still see her clearly, the barrier seemed to make her feel more secure.

  “My ancestors for six generations have held the position of network Prime. Both my father and grandfather resisted proposed changes to the Charter and stood in the way of much-needed changes. Suffice it to say, my family has many enemies.”

  “What’s the Charter?”

  He relaxed against the tub and spread his arms along the rim. Even keeping his gaze fixed on her face was doing little to curtail the hunger building inside him. But he needed her to understand the forces that shaped him. It would allow them to connect on more than a sexual level, and he sensed that she wanted that as much as he did. So he ignored the pressure in his groin and fought the urge to drag her back into his arms.

  “It’s a set of rules and policies governing the behavior of Therians, rather like the humans’ Constitution.” A nod was her only reply, so he went on. “Many of the alphas voiced their frustration with rules they cons
idered obsolete or antiquated. My grandfather insisted there had been a concrete reason for each word entered into the Charter and gathered supporters who shared his view.”

  “And your father continued the fight?”

  “Yes. The reformers—or rebels as they like to call us—grew in number, but the Prime council dug in their heels and refused to budge on even the most obvious changes.”

  “But you’re one of the rebels, aren’t you? That’s what you said when we first met.”

  “I absolutely agree that the Charter needs to be updated, but the situation is more complicated than my beliefs. My mother comes from a long line of Historians. They are responsible for our historical relics and maintaining the journals containing our history.”

  Understanding narrowed her gaze and her shoulders gradually relaxed. “And these Historians have disagreed with their husbands’ position?”

  “My grandmother tried to remain neutral and concentrate on her responsibilities. My mother is too much like her father. Neutrality is just not in her character. She has distinct opinions and she’s not afraid to voice them. She’s been the driving force behind the rebellion for the past twenty years.”

  “That must have made their marriage harmonious.”

  “Their union was established by the rules she is trying so hard to eradicate. Father wasn’t abusive, but theirs was not a love match.”

  She fiddled with the bottles on the shelf beside the tub until she found one that pleased her. “The history lesson is fascinating, but I’m not sure what it has to do with your unwillingness to trust.” She poured some of the blue liquid into the water then reached over and activated the jets. The tub buzzed to life and water swirled all around them, rapidly forming fragrant bubbles.

  “I’m the youngest network Prime in recorded history.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Thirty-four. But my father’s illness incapacitated him four years before he died, so I was barely thirty when I began acting in his place.” He had to raise his voice to be heard over the motor, but she appeared to be attentive and interested. “My mother’s supporters were thrilled to have another voice on the Prime council, but Father’s allies expected me to continue his positions.”

  “Another voice on the council? Who else supports the changes?”

  “Ian.”

  “So the Rocky Mountain cats and the Minority Network are for changing the Charter while the Canines and the Southern cats want things to stay the same?”

  “Exactly. Canine Prime is Nate Fitzroy, father of the wolf who tried to abduct you.”

  “I see. And the Southern Prime?”

  “His name is Fredrick. Ian and I have some hope for converting him, but Nate is hopeless. He has a massive chip on his shoulder and he’s unwilling to compromise on anything.”

  “So you never know when someone is genuinely interested in you or when they’re trying to further some political agenda?”

  “Basically. I’ve learned to search for ulterior motives and expect the worst. Unfortunately, people seldom disappoint me.”

  She pushed to her knees then crawled toward him, the bubbles clinging in the most distracting places. “What ulterior motive could I possibly have? You came after me, not the other way around.”

  “I never said you deserved my suspicion. I’m trying to explain why I reacted so strongly, even though you’d done nothing wrong.”

  “Careful.” She straddled his hips, her warm ass cheeks lightly resting on his thighs. “That sounds precariously close to a genuine apology.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.” He placed his hands on her hips, not wanting to risk the progress they’d made yet unable to go without touching her another minute. “You’ve given me no reason to doubt your…” He wasn’t sure how to end the sentence. He didn’t want to put words in her mouth.

  “Attraction to you?”

  He accepted the suggestion with a stiff nod. He felt far more than simple attraction to her, but this was a good place to start. She wasn’t glaring at him anymore.

  “I’m not attracted to Ian or Jake.” She pressed her hand against the side of his face and smiled into his eyes. “I only want you in my bed and in my body. Are you okay with that?”

  Rather than reply with words, he drew her head down and fit his mouth over hers.

  Chapter Eight

  Ava parted her lips at the first touch of Kyle’s tongue. She ached for him, needed his fullness inside her core and his blazing presence inside her mind. Their bond strengthened and expanded each time they made love, yet she didn’t feel encumbered by the connection, she felt protected and whole.

  The kiss was slow and gentle. Their lips slid and pressed while their tongues tenderly stroked. His taste spread through her mouth and his scent filled her nose, more appealing to her senses than the expensive bubble bath.

  She pushed her fingers into his hair as his hands drifted across her back and teased the outer swell of her breasts. His erection bobbed in the water between them, brushing against her belly as she began to roll her hips.

  “I was going to wash your hair,” he murmured against her parted lips.

  “After.” She nipped his bottom lip. “I want this more.”

  He chuckled then bent to her breasts as he whispered, “I’m at your command.”

  His lips fastened on to her nipple and sparks of pleasure zinged from her chest to her core. She arched her back and combed his hair with her fingers, noticing each texture and relishing each sensation. His hands were so strong, yet he touched her with such care. She felt special and adored in his arms.

  She’d sensed desire smoldering in him, threatening to boil over and control his actions, but he’d restrained his need and shared more of himself with her. She rewarded him with open responses to his caresses. Not that she’d been able to hide how much she wanted him in the past, but now it was a conscious decision to bask in the heat of their desire.

  Shifting back far enough to make room for her hand, she reached between them and found his cock. The shaft rose hard and thick, nearly breaking the surface of the churning water. She carefully squeezed him near the base then stroked from base to tip, sliding up and down with steady pressure.

  His groan was muffled by her breast then his lips pulled harder on her nipple and she gasped, surprised yet excited by his aggression. His hands never stopped moving, gliding across her damp skin in hypnotic patterns.

  Suddenly he tore his mouth away from her breasts, panting harshly as he eased her away. “We are not doing this here.” His hands grasped her waist and propelled her upward as he shifted his legs beneath him. He opened the drain and turned on the long-handled sprayer, quickly rinsing the sudsy residue from both their bodies. Then he snatched one of the towels off the rack as he stepped out onto the thick bath mat.

  “Maybe I wanted to play in the tub.” She pouted, feeling wonderfully playful and free.

  He lifted her over the side and shook out the other towel. “We were headed toward another fast and frantic ride and that wouldn’t have fulfilled my promise.” Starting with her shoulders, he dried her body with slow, caressing strokes. “I’m going to explore every inch of your soft body with my fingers and my mouth.” He moved behind her, brushing the towel along her spine and over her bottom. The gentle slide of his hands made the mental picture seem all the more graphic. “I’ll make you wet and desperate for my cock.” He whispered the claim into her ear as his hand eased between her thighs, separated from her sex by the plush towel. “You’ll wiggle and beg and come over and over until you’re mindless and wild.” The towel moved against her, priming her body for the things he described. “Only then will I fill you.” He reached around and slowly drew the towel out in front. The slow drag of the material against her sensitive folds made her gasp and tense. He brushed his thumb over her lower lip and produced a knee-melting smile. “You’ll be so weak when we’re finished, you’ll sleep for a week.”

  Her snappy rejoinder deserted her as he leane
d down and licked her lips. The action was so unexpected and so feline, it was all she could do to keep her legs beneath her. “Fast and frantic” had just about blown her mind. How in the world would she survive a prolonged assault on her senses?

  Dropping the towel to the floor, he took her by the hand and led her back into the bedroom. Moonlight spilling in from the windows was the only source of illumination and it took her eyes a second to adjust. He pulled the bedding down and folded it neatly over the foot of the bed. Then he picked her up and placed her on the bed.

  “Any last requests?” He wiggled his eyebrows and made the question sound very dramatic.

  She laughed and raised her arms, already missing the warmth of his body. He spread out on his side and slipped one arm beneath her neck. “Some women look best when they’re all dolled up. You look amazing with no makeup and your hair wild about your face.”

  “You would know.” She smiled, warmed by the praise. “I certainly haven’t been at my best since I met you.”

  “I disagree.” He ran his index finger along her jaw then down the side of her neck and onto the ridge of one collarbone. “I think you’ve been in your natural environment since we met. You just didn’t know it until now.”

  His warm fingers cupped her breast as his lips slanted over hers. She raised one hand to the back of his neck and opened for the slide of his tongue. He was determined to go slow and easy, but already anxious energy thrummed through her body. She wanted him over her and in her, pressing her down into the bed as his hips moved strongly between her thighs.

  As if sensing her longing, he crawled on top of her and settled on his knees between her legs. She bent her knees and opened wider, hoping he’d accept her invitation. His hand skimmed over her breasts, pausing every now and then to squeeze her nipples, but he made no move to enter her, kept his hips well back from hers.

  The kiss deepened, his tongue boldly exploring her mouth. She clutched his shoulders, enjoying the bunch and flex of his muscles beneath her fingers. Heat spiraled through her body coalescing between her thighs. She wanted him there, inside her, sliding in and out, filling the emptiness.