Heart of the Jaguar (2 page)

“...so are you in town long?”

He wasn’t sure what the first part of the question was so he just smiled, which seemed to take her aback. Good. He didn’t want to be the only one completely unbalanced. “I’m here for the wedding.” Since Owen hadn’t announced that Elias was going to be his second-in-command, he couldn’t tell anyone. Especially not with so many shifters nearby with exceptional hearing. “Good.” There was a glint in her eyes he wasn’t sure how to define. It looked almost like relief, but that didn’t make sense.

Her next words almost left him speechless. The key word being
almost
.

“You want to get out of here?” There was no denying what she meant.

He swallowed hard, his entire body tightening with need. Hell yeah, he wanted to get out of there and get her under him as soon as possible. This wasn’t remotely what he’d planned tonight, but he would definitely take it. And take her, over and over again. Standing, he grabbed her hand. “Yeah, I do.”

Chapter 2

Cindy couldn’t believe what she was doing, but she also couldn’t believe her luck. The tall, incredibly magnetic man next to her just screamed strength and oh yes, sexiness. He had a slight limp, which was odd for a shifter, but everything about him was delicious. He had broad shoulders in the way that wolf shifters tended to. Not exactly lean, but not bulky either. The man was simply built, and she couldn’t wait to strip his leather jacket and shirt off to see what he looked like underneath. She could see the ridges and outlines of his muscles, and her imagination was going wild as she fantasized what it would feel like to trace her fingers and mouth over him.

She’d never felt something so intense before. It was like regular lust multiplied by a thousand. Her nipples beaded tightly against her bra as Elias’s earthy, masculine scent rolled over her, embracing her.

Like the rest of the wolves, he hadn’t dressed up for the wedding. His dark worn jeans, scuffed boots and two day’s worth of facial hair growth might have looked sloppy on anyone else, but it definitely worked for him. Mr. Tall, Dark and Delicious was about to get a night of no-strings-attached sex, and she couldn’t wait. One-night stands weren’t her style, but she had to sate the need that had been building inside her. She was a doctor and needed to be on her game at all times.

Placing her hand in his much bigger one, she practically dragged him off toward the woods. She didn’t care if anyone saw them or what they thought. Practically everyone in the wolf pack and even Axel had hit on her at one time or another, and she’d never taken any of them up on their offers. The last thing she needed was a shifter getting all territorial on her—as they were known to do—but with Elias she knew that wouldn’t be a problem since he didn’t live here.

“Where are we going?” his deep voice rumbled, wrapping around her seductively.

She looked up at him, not breaking her stride. She noticed that he was nice enough to keep pace with her when he could probably take one stride for every two of hers. Lord, the man had some long, muscular legs... Wait, he’d asked a question. “There’s a cabin that we—ah, the jaguar’s—use when hunting. No one will bother us there.”

“So how long have you lived in Bear Mountain?” There he went again with that voice.

While she loved hearing him talk, she didn’t want to discuss anything personal. She just wanted to have sex. The sweaty, toe-curling kind she was positive he would deliver. Instead of answering, she glanced behind them and dropped his hand. They were almost completely out of earshot of the reception now, and she couldn’t scent anyone in the immediate vicinity. Stopping, she turned to look up at him. Her breath caught for a moment as she stared at the sharp angles of his face. The moonlight glinted off his hair, and she realized that it wasn’t completely brown. There was a reddish tint to it. And those eyes she’d been sure were almost brown were actually a darker midnight green. “Right now, I don’t want to talk.” She figured she might as well be honest.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but when she shrugged off her sweater and then reached around to her back and tugged the zipper of her vintage dress down, he sucked in a ragged breath. As the cream-colored wisp of nothing pooled on the forest floor, she felt as bold and beautiful as she ever had because of the heated way he was looking at her. Cindy felt a little crazed with the need to be with this man, as if her inner jaguar was literally clawing at her to take, take, take.

She stood there for a moment as he devoured her with his gaze. When he reached out a hand as if to cup one of her breasts, she took a step backward and slipped out of her heels. “Catch me if you can,” she whispered before shifting to her jaguar form. Her bra and panties shredded during the change, falling to the ground soundlessly.

Before they landed she was off and running.

Behind her she could hear his low growl and then the sound of breaking bones. Jaguars shifted much more seamlessly than wolves. She knew his transformation would take a few more seconds, giving her a head start. Of course, she wanted to be caught, but she also loved the idea of being chased by him.

The man was a complete predator, and while she was too, she didn’t mind being his prey for the night. He was in town only for the wedding, so she could have as much fun and be as uninhibited as she wanted with no repercussions. She was lacking in the most fundamental way for a female shifter, and she’d never told anyone since moving to Bear Mountain. It was the reason she never wanted to settle down or even think about mating.

Right now was all about pure pleasure.

Her paws pounded against the soft earth, crunching over fallen leaves and sticks until she finally reached her destination. The small cabin was rarely used, and they never kept the doors locked. There was nothing of value in it.

After bounding up the short set of stairs, she shifted to her human form. Adrenaline pumped through her at lightning speed. Turning, she scanned the dark forest but didn’t see anyone. She knew he was there, though. His earthy scent tickled her nose and she could practically feel that hot gaze on her, tracking her entire body from head to toe. Her lower abdomen clenched at the idea of him watching her.

Grinning into the darkness, she reached out behind her and grasped the door handle. It opened with a slight snick. She left it open and disappeared inside. It wouldn’t take him long to find her. With his extrasensory abilities, he’d be able to track the scent of her desire from a mile away.

* * *

Elias silently crept up the stairs of the cabin. He’d shifted to his human form in the woods and was now tracking Cindy in that shape. He was beyond surprised she didn’t want to talk first, but that was fine with him. They could talk in the morning. He hadn’t realized it at first because the feeling had been so intense, so powerful, but this was definitely the mating call. From the time he was young he’d been taught that if he ever did find his true mate, the hunger would slam into him without warning and he’d just
know
.

It stunned him since they were different species, but his own friend had just mated with a jaguar, so what the hell did he know. None of that stuff mattered. He could choose to ignore it—hell, they both could—but he didn’t plan to. Why
would
he? Finding a mate was so damn rare he’d resigned himself to never settling down anyway. He couldn’t tell if she understood what this pull was between them, because she didn’t want to talk.

His entire body was aching with the need to touch and stroke the soft curves of Cindy’s body. When she’d stripped like that, his brain had short-circuited and he’d lost the ability to talk.

Her scent called to him on the most primal level. As he strode through the cabin, he didn’t bother turning on lights. There was a small kitchen, a living room and a hallway that he guessed led to bedrooms.

Stepping into the hallway, he inhaled deeply as her scent wrapped around him. A few steps and he stood in the doorway of a bedroom. Stretched out on a soft-looking patchwork quilt, Cindy was completely bare. Her dark brown nipples were beaded tightly and her breathing was shallow and uneven as she watched him.

The blinds of both windows were open, letting the moonlight stream in unfettered. With her long hair spread out around her and the light illuminating her, she looked like a pagan offering.

All for him.

A low, territorial growl built in his throat. Wordlessly he crossed the short distance to the queen-size bed. Her breathing increased, and that potent scent of hers intensified until it was all he could smell.

Even though she was stretched out, obviously willing and into this, there was something completely vulnerable about her expression. He could see the nervousness in her dark eyes as it battled with the need emanating from her.

As he kneeled on the bed, he stilled instead of covering and claiming her the way his body demanded. “We’ll go as slow as you want and stop whenever you want.”

At his words, she propped herself up with her elbows. “I’m not going to want to stop,” she whispered.

He could scent the truth of her words, but that damn vulnerability on her face cut into him. They didn’t know anything about each other with the exception that they both desperately desired the other, but he could still see how much it was taking for her to lay herself open like this.

Keeping his movements steady was a strain on his control, but he slowly crawled up her body. Her thighs fell open, welcoming him, and he swallowed hard. If this truly was the mating call he felt, he was going to make sure she came before he pushed inside her. He had to prove he could satisfy her.

Covering her body with his, he shuddered as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. Her body was soft, welcoming and, right now, all his. She might look delicate, but he could feel the underlying strength in her as one of her hands gripped the back of his head. She pushed up to meet his mouth with hers.

Their lips and tongues clashed in a frantic dance, his teeth nipping and tugging her bottom lip as she moaned and writhed beneath him. She tasted sweet, like the wine she’d sipped earlier. As her back arched, her breasts rubbing against his chest with each movement, his cock jerked against her abdomen. It would take only a few seconds to push right into her. He’d get to feel that tight sheath wrapping around his cock, milking him. Of course, that would make him a complete asshole.

Slow
it
down
, he ordered himself.

Somehow, he drew his head back from hers. Her eyes fluttered open and she watched him, unsure. “What’s wrong?”

“Not a damn thing, sweetheart. I just want to make sure you’re ready.” Did he ever.

“I’m more than ready,” she practically snapped, her voice trembling with need. “It’s been two...” Her eyes widened a fraction as she trailed off and snapped her mouth shut.

He reached between them and cupped one of her breasts. They were small but full and round. Gorgeous. Holding her gently, he strummed a thumb over her hard nipple. A shudder rippled through her body, her legs tightening around him. He loved that she reacted so strongly to his slightest touch. “Two what?”

“Nothing,” she whispered.

He stopped his thumb.

Frowning, she arched into his hand, clearly trying to force him to move. “Don’t stop.”

He shook his head at her demanding tone and desperation, a grin tugging at his lips. “Answer me first. What were you going to say?”

Giving an exasperated sigh, she rolled her eyes. “Two years.” Her shaky voice belied her attitude.

Two
years
? He didn’t know how that was possible, but he wasn’t going to question her. He was just glad she’d chosen him. He could tell the admission bothered her, so he dipped his head and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. Hard. He didn’t want her thinking right now, just feeling how good things could be between them.

She let out a gasp that quickly turned into a long moan as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Gripping him tight, she writhed beneath him, letting out the most beautiful sounds. Lord, it sounded as if she was practically purring.

And he hadn’t even gotten started.

Cupping her other breast, he began stroking that nipple in slow, rhythmic little circles as he tugged on her other one. He kept the pressure harder with his mouth but gentle with his fingers.

If her squirming and panting was any indication, she loved it. The scent of her desire grew even stronger, and he knew she had to smell his own. There was no way in hell to hide it even if he’d wanted to.

“I could come just like this,” she panted, rolling her hips and rubbing her wet slit along the length of his cock.

Hell, he could too if she kept talking like that. All his muscles pulled taut in restraint. It would be so easy to slide into her, but not yet. Continuing his teasing on her breast with his mouth and teeth, he reached between them and drew his finger down her slit. He briefly teased her opening, but instead of penetrating, he slid his finger back up and circled her clit with her own wetness.

“Oh...” She trailed off in a string of incoherent words. He couldn’t believe how sensitive she was. When she came the first time tonight, he wanted to taste it.

Though he hated pulling away from her sensitive breasts, he slid down the length of her lithe body. She let out a frustrated moan until she realized what he was doing. Kneeling between her spread legs, he was still lightly circling her clit with his finger. The little bud was swollen, and each time he rubbed it she let out a purring sound that was driving him crazy.

When he shot a glance at her face, he realized her eyes were closed and her expression was one of pure bliss. Well, he could make this so much better. Dipping his head, he captured the bud with his mouth and began stroking the sensitive bundle of nerves with his tongue harder and faster.

Her fingers slid into his hair again as she grasped him tight. The more she moaned things like, “oh yeah” and “just like that,” the faster he stroked his tongue against her. When he could feel the trembling in her body increase and he realized she was about to climax, he slid a finger into her wet sheath.