CupidRocks (6 page)

“You’re pure sex, angel. If I wasn’t already as hard as a
diamond, seeing you this way would get me there.”

“And I’m dripping wet for you.”

“Take me into that hot wet pussy, Mandy.” When she licked
her lips again, Joe shifted his hips nearly unseating her. “C’mon, honey.”

Mandy grasped his cock and he groaned as he fought the rush
of hunger that filled him. It wouldn’t take much for him to spill inside her
and he was damned if he’d come so soon. Mandy raised her hips and slowly
settled on him, taking him inch by pleasure-pain-racked inch.

“That’s so good,” he growled, lifting his hips to fill her.

Her wicked chuckle went right to his cock but Joe fought the
orgasm making him strain and his forehead bead with sweat. When she rested
against him, he forced his eyes open to enjoy the sight of his True Mate
mounted on his rod. Nothing could be as fucking amazing as this. She was giving
him the best birthday present he’d ever had.

“You like your birthday present then?”

“Fuck, yeah.”

“I wonder how I could possibly top this.” She leaned
forward, her hands resting on his chest, stroking his pecs. “Hmmm. Maybe a
striptease next year?”

“Striptease?”

“I have one of those pole dancing-for-fitness DVDs.”

Joe imagined her dancing for him. “Sounds hot.”

She raised her hips. He groaned as his cock slid out of her
wet, clasping pussy. He watched his slick length emerge then disappear back
inside her as she lowered onto him.

“Course I’m much better at belly dancing.”

He blinked, almost missing her words. He swallowed hard as
he watched them move together. She rolled her belly muscles, so her words
finally registered. Joe groaned as visualized her wide hips circling and
twisting in a figure eight to the beat of Middle Eastern drums.

“You have a vivid imagination,” she purred, leaning down to
run her tongue over his tight nipples.

Mandy clenched on him as she rose off and slid back down.
Joe couldn’t get the image of Mandy in a belly-dance costume out of his mind.
Coin scarf wrapped around her hips as she wiggled in imitation of the moves she
now made as she rode him. He wanted it and he didn’t want to have to wait a
year.

Joe lifted his gaze to meet hers. “Do you see what I’m
thinking?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you up for it?”

“Name the time and place and I’ll be your personal genie.
Shall I call you master?”

Joe pulled her down to him, rolling her onto her back.
“Fuck, yeah. Learning to be True Mates is going to be fun.”

Mandy looked into her mate’s eyes. He swooped down and took
her mouth with his, adjusting his hips for the best possible fit between them
as she wrapped her thighs around him and tilted her pelvis to take him deeper.
It was as if he’d been made to fill her pussy.

“I was,” he murmured.

“Ya think?”

“I
know
.”

Mandy ran her fingers through his long hair, memorizing the
texture as she stroked it. She trailed her hands across his broad shoulders,
loving the feel of his skin under her hands. She traced the tattoo on his
shoulder and arm. Following the lines the artist had created on his skin. Joe
moaned as she caressed him.

“If you keep that up, angel, I’m gonna come.”

“You that sensitive?”

“To you, I am. Like you are to me…”

He trailed his fingertips along her collarbone and over the
rise of her breast. She shivered. He was right—whatever he did to her made her
want to purr. If he felt as attuned to her as she did to him, they were in for
a hell of a ride.

Joe chuckled. “I heard that.”

“And are we?”

“In for a hell of a ride?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh yeah, angel. This True Mate stuff rocks like a guitar
riff when I’m in the zone.”

He lowered his head and she opened for him, sighing into his
kiss. She rubbed her chest against his, clutching him tight to her. Joe
withdrew from her and slid home again. The sweet friction of his cock inside
her while his tongue teased hers left her gasping.

She reached up and tangled her fingers in his long black
hair, holding his head in place as he kissed her. He groaned into her mouth and
nipped the inside of her lips. She responded with a nip or two of her own,
arching upward to rub her breasts against his chest.

Mandy shivered as his chest hair tickled her nipples,
enjoying the way he held her tight. The grasp of his hands on her ass. The
brush of his lips from her mouth, to her chin, to her neck. He moved lower,
licking and nipping his way from her shoulder to the rise of her breasts and
finally to her nipples. His hot breath tantalized her senses. She quivered,
lifting herself up. Offering her breasts to him. He opened his mouth to suck
her nipples and areola. He even sucked along the rise of her breast, leaving
behind little red marks.

“Oh, Joe. Don’t stop.”

“I won’t, angel. Not as long as we live.”

He raised his face and their gazes held while he kept up a
slow, easy rhythm. Penetrating her and withdrawing. Slipping and sliding
together. Exquisite torture. A leisurely thrust and parry. She set her feet on
his ass, pressing him deeper into her pussy, making them both sigh. Soft,
shared moans mixed with the sound of the crackling fire on the grate. It was
the perfect night. The ultimate experience. The ideal introduction to
lovemaking between True Mates.

Joe rolled his hips and she expelled a gasp. The pleasure
was building. Winding tighter. Coiling within her. She tensed under him when he
gave another hip twitch designed to arouse her. And it did. His hand grazed her
skin from her ass to her hips and along her side to cup one of her breasts. The
calluses on his fingertips were rough against the soft skin of her nipple, but
the contrast was a complete turn-on. She lifted her mouth and Joe kissed her
again. Their tongues twined as she caressed her mate. Learning the texture of
his skin. The smoothness of his back. The way his nipples hardened beneath her
tender strokes and his breath hitched.

He picked up the pace of his thrusts. Driving more quickly.
Yet he held back. It was like going from low to medium, with plenty of room for
high speed. Her breath caught on a whimper as he rubbed her clit. He had just
the right angle on her.

Joe looked into her eyes. And they watched each other as
they made love. Slow and tender. Making things last. But it couldn’t last too
long, because her pussy began to clamp on him. Milking him with each gliding
plunge his cock made inside her.

He lowered his head until their lips just barely touched.
Their breaths mingled. His tongue darted out and flicked along the seam of her
lips. She gasped and returned the favor. Savoring the taste of his lips. He met
her and their tongues swiped together then he gave her upper lip a gentle bite.
She followed him by nipping his lower lip. Tongues teased and teeth tormented,
all the while they stroked one another. Exploring more intimately. She loved
the way he felt inside her. The way his hand glided over her skin.

“You’re amazing, angel.”

“So are you, Joe.”

She brushed his hair off his forehead, cradling his cheek. Brushing
his lips with her thumb. His hands tightened slightly on her body and his hips
stopped briefly. Then he resumed, picking up the pace. She answered him with
everything in her. Opening to him. Giving to him.

“So wet. God, it feels good,” he grunted softly. She
chuckled and kissed his cheek.

He lowered his lips to her throat, pressing gentle,
lingering kisses there. He licked the sweat from her skin. Yes, she wanted to
taste him too. She found moisture on his shoulder and licked. So good. It was a
taste she knew she’d love forever. Look for even on her deathbed.

His hips changed angle and he took up a short stab into her.
Filling her faster. Deeper. So that she had trouble catching her breath as she
met his pace. The tempo of his thrusts picking up. And she matched him. They
twisted. Writhed together. Nipples tightening. Gasps turning to pants. Soft
feminine whimpers matching deep male groans.

They clutched each other. Tension building. Pleasure
twisting inside them both. Desire knotting their muscles as they strained to
reach the pinnacle. Striving for the release that seemed just beyond their
grasps.

“Oh Joe. Faster, hon.
Please.
”

“God, yes. Give me everything, angel. Open for me.”

“Yeah. Let me—” Suddenly, she cried out. Pleasure rippled
outward from her clit and pussy. Stiffening her nipples. She shuddered. Spasms
shook her and she clutched her mate. Her
True Mate
. The male she was
made for and who was made for her. He pumped harder. Striving to join her.
Match her. “Ah, Joe. I want you. Now.”

He froze, buried deep in her. His face twisting with an
agony of pleasure. Then he jerked. His cock twitching while his cum spurted
inside her. Marking her as his True Mate in return. She kissed him and he
lowered his head to hers. His rough cheek brushing hers as a tortured moan
escaped him. The thrill of feeling him slowly relax against her swept her
senses. She ran her fingers through his soft hair. Loving the way the dark
strands felt like silk in her hands. Then she ran her fingertips along his
shoulders, holding him close. The connection was profound. So much more than
the experience earlier tonight when they’d fucked each other in a frenzy.

“It’s because this time we know,” he whispered.

“We know what?”

He lifted his head. “We know we’re True Mates. Meant to be
together. It makes it better.”

“More intimate,” she agreed, sighing as he pressed a soft
kiss against her ear.

“Yeah.”

Joe stroked her cheek tenderly and gently lifted himself off
her body and she let him go, but reluctantly. He pulled her into his arms and
grabbed the blankets, tugging them up. Covering them. Mandy slid her arm around
his waist and settled her head into the curve of his shoulder. He kissed her
forehead.

They held each other and slowly, softly drifted to sleep.
Bliss making everything right.

Chapter Six

Mandy burrowed into the warmth of the bed. It had been a
long time since she’d woken up feeling this good with her cheek pressed against
warm skin. She blinked her eyes open and looked up, smiling as she looked into
Joe’s lazy, warm gaze. He ran his fingers through her hair and brushed them
along her cheek.

She dropped a kiss on his shoulder, stroking his hard chest.
This male was all hers—for now and for always. How did she get so lucky?

“I’m the lucky one,” he breathed, tipping up her chin and
pressing his lips to hers. “After years alone, I finally found you.”

Joe gently shifted her to her back and looked down into her
eyes before softly kissing her. He brushed his mouth over hers, along her jaw
and over her eyelids. She sighed as he stroked her body. His thumb grazed her
nipple, waking the desire they’d only begun to explore the previous night.

Mandy ran her palms along his arms and up to his shoulders.
She cupped his cheek with one hand and swept her thumb along his lower lip. He
tilted his head to kiss her wrist. It was bliss to wake in the arms of her True
Mate. In fact, she didn’t want to get out of bed to face the day. Joe smiled.

“But you know we have to, right?”

“Yeah. Even with the late night last night, everyone else
will be rolling out of bed soon. I just don’t want to face it all.”

“We may not want to, but we have to.”

“I know. Eddie and Carly thrive on making things
complicated.”

“It’s their job.”

“Why?”

“’Cause they’re your parents,” he chuckled, dipping his head
to catch her in a loving, good-morning kind of kiss. Mandy opened her mouth for
him, tasting his early morning flavor…and she liked it. She’d never liked
anyone’s morning-after taste before.

“I’m glad you like how I taste, angel.”

“Me too. It would be kind of hard to avoid kissing you in
the morning until after you brushed your teeth,” she grinned.

He trailed his hands under the blankets and down the length
of her thighs, gently pressing her knees apart. “Open up and let me in, Mandy.”

Mandy spread her legs, raising them alongside his hips as he
pressed against her. He was only half-hard but she knew he’d rise to the
occasion with a little bit of encouragement, which she had every intention of
providing. She wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers down the muscles
of his strong back. As she stroked him, each bunch of muscles tightened then
relaxed under her touch.

Mandy frowned when she thought she heard a soft tapping
somewhere. Joe lowered his head, sucking her nipple into his mouth. She moaned
softly, completely forgetting about the disturbance as pleasure surged from his
mouth tugging at her. She caught his hair in her fingers, holding him against
her while he licked and nipped her.

“Yessss,” she hissed. Mandy heard a creak and another tap.

“Mandy honey, are you awake?” Her mother called softly,
opening the door.

“Oh fuck,” she groaned, starting to sit up and pushing at
Joe’s shoulders.

“Honey, have you seen Joe? He’s not in his bed or on the
bus.” Carly stuck her head around the door. Her jaw dropped for only a moment
then a gleeful expression lit her face.

“Oh My Gahd!
I knew it
. I
knew
that if you met
you’d fall for each other.” She turned to face someone in the hall. “I won’t
say I told you so, Eddie, but I told you so.”

Mandy groaned and Joe’s face froze in horror as Carly threw
open the door and dragged Eddie in with her. “See?” She waved her hands with a
flourish as if she was a magician who’d just performed a magic trick.

Mandy winced as murder flashed through Eddie’s eyes. Her
mild-mannered, usually laid-back father looked as if he wanted to kill. He
hadn’t been this vicious with Rik. Sarcastic. Rude. But not once did he verge
on the physical. Mandy gasped, shaking her head in disbelief when Eddie growled
and his lips drew back. His teeth were
elongated
. He intended to attack
her mate. She had to stop this.

“Go. Both of you,
get out
. Now. We’ll talk about this
later.” Mandy pushed Joe to the side, tugging a blanket over herself to cover
her nudity. She tried to climb out of the bed to get between Eddie and Joe but
she wasn’t fast enough.

“Get out of her bed now, you son of a bitch!” Eddie took two
steps forward, his hands clenched at his side.

Mandy stood, clutching the blanket around her. “No! Daddy
you need to leave. We’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“No, we won’t. I’ll settle him now. This bastard took
advantage of you and I’m gonna tear out his throat.”

“Eddie, don’t be silly. We’ll be grandparents now.”

Eddie turned to glare at Carly. “Like hell we will. A
musician. A fucking musician. He’ll get her with pups over my dead body.”

“I’m thirty-five years old and I’ve been having sex for a
long time.”

Eddie frowned, waving her explanation away. “I know that.
How many times have I told you not to date musicians?”

“It’s my decision and I wanted Joe.”

“You wanted? Hah! He conned you, honey and
I trusted him
!”
He glared at Joe. “Get out of that bed, you damn whelp.”

Joe growled and climbed out from under the blankets in all
his hotness. Eddie lunged. Joe blocked as Eddie aimed a punch for his jaw.
Eddie struck again, knocking Joe into the bedpost of the four-poster bed. Joe
shook his head while blood dripped from his split lip. Mandy screamed, covering
her eyes.

“Eddie, stop it,” Carly shouted, her hands on her hips.
Eddie paused, withdrawing two steps, breathing hard.

“I took him in, Carly. Accepted him into our pack, made him
a member of the family, and
this
is how he repays me.” He waved his hand
toward the tumbled bed. “He screwed my baby. I’m gonna kill him,” Eddie
snarled, lunging again.

“Stop this,” Mandy cried. “Joe’s not just a lover—he’s my
True
Mate
.”

At Mandy’s shout, Eddie pulled up narrowly avoiding another
collision with Joe. “Bullshit. Is that what he told you to convince you to let
him fuck you?”

Mandy blinked in horror at her father’s accusation. “I’m no
innocent virgin. I know the difference between good sex and what he and I
shared last night. Joe
is
my True Mate. I knew it as soon as I saw him.”

Eddie stared at her for a full minute. Mandy could almost
hear him thinking, then he turned back to Joe. “You bastard.
Mandy’s
the
groupie you banged between sets last night, isn’t she?”

Joe nodded, silent and serious. Eddie turned on his heel
then left the room, slamming his fist into the wall as he passed. Mandy groaned
and sank onto the bed, dropping her head into her hands.

“I’ve never seen him like this, honey. I’ll go talk to him.”
Carly left, pulling the door shut behind her, and Mandy knew her mother had to
run to catch up.

“I hate to sound like your mother here, but…I told you so,
angel.”

Mandy looked up at Joe. He was painfully pale, his muscles
were still clenched in preparation for fight or flight. He licked his lip then
wiped blood from his mouth. Joe was still ready to face Eddie and his teeth
remained elongated into fangs. Things shouldn’t have happened like this. Damn.

“I hate to say it, but you were right and I was wrong, Joe.
I can’t believe it. Eddie never acts like that. He’s been rude, but he’s never
attacked anyone before.”

“He’s never caught anyone in bed with his daughter before…
has
he?”

Mandy whipped her head around, frowning at Joe. “No,
he
has not
. Damn it, Joe.”

“Sorry.” He took a deep breath, holding up his hands. “I’d
probably react the same way if I was him.”

“But he likes you. You’re friends, aren’t you?”

Joe laughed sadly. “I thought we were.”

“I know he’s never wanted me to get involved with a musician
but this is crazy. Why isn’t he happy? He hasn’t been as bad as Carly about the
mate thing, but he’s been nagging me too.”

“I don’t know, angel, but we’d better get dressed and go
face the piper.”

There was a loud knock at the door. Mandy stood up and Joe
walked over to stand protectively in front of her.

“Now what?” Mandy murmured, setting her hand on his
shoulder.

“Who’s there?” Joe asked gruffly, tensing to fight again if
needed. What a miserable morning. He didn’t think Eddie would be thrilled, but
he hadn’t expected the old wolf to attack him. Damn, the bastard packed a
vicious punch and shit, did his lip hurt.

The door opened and Sharon peered around it at them. “Sorry
to bother you guys, but…” She looked back into the hallway then back into the
room. “Eddie’s fucked up. He’s out in the lawn threatening to go get hammered
and Carly’s in the kitchen crying. She never cries. Could you two come out
here?”

“Let the son of a bitch go get drunk!” Joe growled.

“No.
He can’t!
” Mandy dropped the blanket and ran to
the dresser, pulling out clothes haphazardly.

“Why?”

“He’s an alcoholic.”

“An alcoholic? He never told me that.”

“He’s been clean for years.”

“But, I didn’t think shifters could
get
addicted.”

“I don’t know about
all
shifters, but Eddie did and
taking a drink over this is just stupid and I’m going to tell him so.” Mandy
stumbled into a pair of panties, tugged on some jeans and pulled on a big
T-shirt. She looked back at him with a frown. “Why aren’t you dressed?”

“My clothes are upstairs.”

“Oh. Well, put on what you wore last night. I have to go.”
She ran to him, gave him a hard, fast kiss on the mouth and followed Sharon out
of the room at a run.

He winced. He loved kissing her but his mouth still hurt. He
thought he knew Eddie. Thought there was mutual respect. He must have been
wrong. Shit.

Mandy ran into the kitchen behind Sharon to see her mother
sitting at the kitchen table sobbing. She knelt and brushed away Carly’s tears.

“This is all my fault, Mandy. If I hadn’t pushed you into
lying about Zach, Eddie wouldn’t be so on edge. So ready to believe the worst
about a friend.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m sorry I lied to you about my mate
status, Mom but I’m
so
glad I found Joe.”

“I’m glad you did too, but Eddie shouldn’t drink. I have to
stop him.” She started to stand, but Mandy pushed her back into her chair.

“It’s
his
choice. I learned that in Al-Anon. Don’t
you remember?”

“Um…it’s been hard to keep up with all the traveling,” Carly
muttered.

Mandy sighed. “So you haven’t been working a program, have
you?” Carly shook her head. “Has Eddie?”

“He’s sober. He hasn’t taken a drink in twenty-five years.”

“There’s a difference between sober and dry. Threatening us
with going to get drunk isn’t the action of a
sober
male. Mom, we can
offer support but we can’t let him control us.”

“He isn’t trying to control us.” Carly shrugged, sniffing.

“That’s a load of crap and I’m going to go tell him so right
now.” Mandy stood, taking a deep breath. Joe came into the kitchen and she met
his concerned gaze. She smiled and his face softened.

If you need me, angel, just call. I’ll be there in a
heartbeat.

I know, Joe, but I have to deal with him.

Joe nodded and Mandy walked out the back onto the porch. She
stuffed her feet into her going-to-the-mailbox boots and went out the door to
talk to her father. Tom talked to Eddie in calming tones while her father
paced, but Eddie refused to listen.

“It’s bullshit, man. He used her. We’ve both seen him go
from chick to chick for the entire two years he’s been with the band.”

“Year and a half, actually.”

“Whatever. He’s not capable of commitment. He’ll hurt her.
Fuck around on her. Go out partying. Make her cry. Damn it,
I know
.”

“None of that is true, Eddie,” Mandy argued quietly. He
whipped around, pushing his long golden hair out of his eyes.

“Rockers are notorious. I’ve been one for forty freaking
years, honey. I know what we’re like.”

“Tom isn’t like that and he’s a rocker.”

“The exception that proves the rule.”

“You aren’t that way.”

Eddie barked a sarcastic laugh. “
Now
. I’m not like
that
now
.”

“I remember.”

He shuddered. “Yeah, I didn’t dry out ‘til you were ten, did
I?”

“Nope.”

With a groan he resumed pacing. “This sucks. I can’t believe
you.”

“What?”

“My old man left you this place because he knew you wanted
to settle down. Have a roof over your head and a place to call home. Mate with
Joe and you won’t be settled ever again.”

“Why not?”

“He’s a nomad, honey. He blows from gig to gig. What’s
worse, you’ll never be able to count on him for anything. When you’re a
small-time rocker money goes out as fast as you make it.”

Mandy couldn’t believe the trash talk dribbling out of her
father’s mouth.

But he’s right. Stay with me and we’ll move around…a lot.
We won’t be rich—I’ve had months where I could barely make the rent.

Do you think I care about that? We’ll have each other and
that will be enough.

Tell me that when I can’t clothe our pups.

Now you sound like him and it’s crap. He sounds like…oh,
my.
Mandy gasped as she realized where the garbage Eddie spewed was coming
from.

What?

I’ll explain later.

“What’s really upsetting you, Eddie?”

He stalked over to her and got in her face. “Joe’s not good
enough for you. You deserve someone with prospects. A wolf who can take care of
you and any pups you have. Someone with
character
, damn it.”

“Do you hear yourself?”