Freakn' Cougar (8 page)

Bitch! It wasn’t just her cat who snarled at the thought of Stu with another woman. Patricia’s fingertips dug into her palm hard enough to leave crescents. Hello, jealousy. Long time, no see.

Stepping into the hot shower, Patricia tipped her head back and let the warm spray sluice at her worries. It did nothing to fix her dilemma, but her muscles did relax. As she lathered soap on her body, she kept mulling her choices.

Ignore the two men – not an option. She needed to work as closely as she dared with them without giving their cover away until she or one of the other undercover groups at another prison could find the person killing shifters.

Next option, convince them, and herself, they were mistaken. Somehow she didn’t think they would give up easily. Ricky seemed the type to latch on and not let go once he set his mind to something. As for Stu, she’d met his family. Stubbornness was an inherited gene. And, really, if she couldn’t convince herself they weren’t her mates, then how was she supposed to change their minds?

So what did that leave?

Her cat purred. Her body warmed. And her pussy, the one between her legs, clenched, sending a delightful shudder through her frame.

Take them up on their offer. Have sex with them, great sex. Enjoy myself. Feed the hunger, but … don’t let them mark me.
Perhaps she could keep the fever at bay by at least satisfying her bodily urges and just not take the final step. Would it work?

She didn’t know. The whole prison thing would make getting any privacy for the act difficult, but on the other hand, any sex she did indulge in would be quick, and she could skip any post-coital talk or cuddling, using the excuse of secrecy.

But what about once the mission was over and they went back to their regular lives? What then?

I always did love the solitude of the Rockies.

Ricky spent two days in solitary, two days of mind-numbing boredom without a single visit from his cougar. Disappointment became his newest friend. And he discovered even a grown man could pout.
Why is she ignoring me?
He’d not found himself able to. On the contrary, he’d spent quite a bit of those two days thinking about her. Fantasizing about what he’d do the next time he got her alone. Picturing her bent over. Atop him. Under him. How she’d feel and taste. How she’d sound when she came. How she’d smile and …

… pretend as if nothing ever happened between them when she did finally fetch him from his confinement.

When the slot in the door slid open, her scent immediately wafted through, and he couldn’t help a spurt of adrenalized anticipation. His initial jolt of joy died a quick death when she curtly demanded, “Please turn around and place your hands through the hole for cuffing.”

The indifference in her tone irked him. “What? No hello? How have I been?”

“I’m not here to socialize.”

Someone didn’t sound happy. That made two of them. “And I’m not here because I enjoy staring at four walls,” he snapped.

A heavy sigh left her. “Sorry. It’s been a rough few days. Hello, Ricky.” Oh, how grudgingly she said it.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes. I’m just frustrated by our lack of progress. It doesn’t help that I’m dealing with a-holes every day.”

“Anybody I need to
talk
to?” If any of the prisoners needed an attitude re-adjustment, he was more than happy to help. No one messed with
his
woman.

“Nothing I can’t handle and nothing pertinent to our case. Now that we’ve exchanged pleasantries, can you please place your hands outside the hole for cuffing? You do know there is a camera watching along this hall. I’d rather not have to explain why it took me so long to get you to listen. They already think I’m less than fit for the job because I’m a woman.”

He slid his hands through the narrow opening in the door and felt the familiar cold metal snapped around his wrists. “If only they knew you could kick their ass.”

“I’ve been tempted to show them,” she admitted on a wry note.

Manacled, he withdrew his hands from the slot and took a few steps away from the door. He knew the drill. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten about me.”

“The warden took a bit longer to convince than expected, or so your cousin’s wife said.”

“I was expecting you to visit me.”

“I couldn’t get away without causing suspicion.”

Lie. Ricky could spot it, but he didn’t call her on it. Apparently, his cougar seemed determined to try and ignore what had happened between them. The door creaked open, and he turned to see her looking as tempting as usual. The baton she held in a ready-to-strike position didn’t faze him a bit. Tough was a good look for her. “I missed you.”

She ignored his admission and did her damnedest to keep her gaze from meeting his. “Nothing weird to report?”

“I didn’t see or scent another soul, other than the guards who fed me. I was bored out of my freaking skull so much that I entertained myself by catching a few rats.”

Her lips twitched. “You’re kidding?”

“I wish. I swear my kitty is trying to fatten me up.”

She made a gagging noise. “Oh please tell me you didn’t.”

At her appalled expression, he burst out laughing. “Of course I didn’t eat them. Once I caught them, I gave them to the guard when I passed back my food tray. You should have heard the one squeal like a pig.”

Her lips twitched. “Let me guess, the fat one?”

“Seems he has a phobia.”

“That was naughty.”

“Very naughty. What can I say. I am a bad,
bad
boy.” Ricky took a step toward her, and she shied away. He took another, and she practically tripped over her own feet to keep out of reach.

So this was how she wanted to play? Act as if he possessed the plague? Like hell. Ricky lunged, quick as an adder, but before he could try and pin her to the wall again—and steal another kiss—she sidestepped him and rapped the baton across his hip. Ouch. His cougar had some muscle and knew how to use it.

“Behave,” she snapped, her irritated tone at odds with the rapid racing of her pulse.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“You have to. As I said, there’s a camera along this hall.”

“Manned by guards who don’t give a shit. You and I both know hanky-panky goes on all the time.”

“We’re here to do a job, not screw around like horny teenagers.”

“I’m hurt. Comparing me to an unschooled boy … I’ll have you know I have more finesse than that. Give me a try and you’ll see.”

“Or let’s try and think with a head not south of our belt buckle and do what we came to do. Solve a crime. Or have you forgotten what tonight is?”

How could any shifter not know? The rising full moon tugged at him. It called to his inner beast and asked him to join it for a wild, night-time run. Usually he would heed the invitation, but given his present circumstances, he tamped down the urge. His panther grumbled. It chafed at their current lifestyle. “I know what day it is. Tonight is the night we find out if our killer has selected its next target.” Because it seemed most of the deaths occurred on full moons. Was it because shifters and their odd traits were more noticeable, or was there another reason?

“I’m on the night shift for the next couple of nights. It’s all been arranged. I’ll be walking your floor at regular intervals to keep an eye.”

“The killer won’t strike while there are two of us in the cell.”

“I know. Which is why Stu is going to have a medical emergency that requires me taking him to the infirmary. He should be safe there. Once he’s out of the way, I’m going to swing by the cells of the other two shifters in this place. One should be okay. He’s got a human roommate. But the other, he’s kind of secluded in his wing.”

“What about me? I’ll be all alone.” With a bed, a hard-on, and too many fantasies.

She pretended not to catch his hint. “Boo-freakn’-hoo. And here I took you for a guy who could protect himself.”

The barb made him laugh. “I can. But it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like my hand held, among other things.”

Oh, she caught the innuendo that time, and the temperature between them rose a notch. “Don’t start. You need to focus on the job.”

“I am well aware of the stakes and what I have to do, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore you. Fight it all you want,
bebé
. It’s only a matter of time before we end up together.” A straight shooter in real life, he didn’t pull any punches when it came to dealing with Patricia.

“No we’re not.”

“You are living in denial. Face facts. No matter what you say, or pretend, we both know in the end, I will have you. Naked. Sweating. Panting. And creaming hard. I promise you’ll be purring by the time I’m done.” Ricky didn’t play coy. He’d already had a glimpse of her passion. The main event was sure to prove explosive.

She didn’t appreciate his frankness. “How romantic. Perhaps you’d like to throw in a few more caveman statements like, ‘My cock stopped breathing when you walked in the room. Wanna give it some mouth-to-mouth?’ or how about ‘I’m gonna crawl between your legs and eat my way straight to your heart.’?”

“Hey, I never said anything that corny.”

“But you keep implying it. Just so you know, there is nothing less attractive than a man who thinks a woman’s place is on her knees or her back servicing him. You should also take note that, not only do I not go for the macho type, but I also hate to cook and clean.”

“You wound me. I am a modern man. I am more than happy to be a stay-at-home husband while you work and bring home the bacon. And steak. Preferably a T-bone.”

“You just don’t give up, do you?”

“When it comes to things I am passionate about, I am tenacious.”

“I don’t get it. You barely know me, and yet you’re so willing to tie yourself to me, to imagine a future together. What if I’m the biggest bitch on the face of this earth? What if I snore? Or belch in public? What if I like to sing show tunes, out of key, on street corners?”

“I have faith that whatever drew us together did so because we have a chance at happiness.” He could have added that she was exactly his type. Had they met outside the prison, even without the mating urge, he would have hit on her. He liked women of character who didn’t simper before a man and who possessed minds and opinions of their own. He wanted someone who could engage him on all levels, not just a sexual one. But how could he convince her of that?

“I get it. You find me attractive, and you want to bang me. Sexual compatibility is not something to base a whole future on.”

“And, yet, isn’t that how most relationships start? First, you notice the exterior package, and your brain sends a message along the lines of ‘Hey, this broad is hot.’ Then your eyes meet, and there’s a little spark, a shared moment where you’re like, ‘I want to get to know this gal.’ Next thing you know, you’re talking and making out.”

“Or slapping the forward jerk and stomping away.”

He grinned. “I think we’ve ascertained at this point that we’re a little more compatible than that. Or have you failed to notice the fact we’ve been talking more than lusting?”

Her lips pursed. “I would have classed it more as arguing.”

“Nothing wrong with a lively discussion.”

“Fine. Split hairs and call it what you like. We still don’t know much about each other as people.”

“Easily rectified. I like the color blue. Bacon that’s practically burnt. And I watch
Vampire Diaries
, but will deny it if asked in public. Your turn.” He tossed her a challenging smile over his shoulder.

“We don’t have time for this,” she hissed as they entered the more populated area of the prison.

“Oh please. No one is listening to us.” Nor looking for long because all it took was one scowl from Ricky to send their attention elsewhere. A reputation for being a badass was a good thing to have in prison. “So come on,
bebé
. Spill it. Favorite color and food.”

“Red and cheesecake.” She mumbled it, not seeming pleased at all, which was why he was surprised when she said, “I like to watch
Once Upon A Time,
even if I want to slap Snow White for being such a pansy. And if you tell anyone, I will hurt you.”

He couldn’t help a spurt of laughter. “Was that so hard?”

“Yes.”

Further talk became nearly impossible as they entered the main area of the prison, but Ricky inwardly smiled. Maybe he’d not gotten to act out any fantasies yet, but he’d taken a step in the right direction getting her to open up, even if grudgingly.

He really did need to finagle some alone time though. Maybe tonight. If he could convince her to let him out so he could roam, under the pretext of sniffing out the killer, then perhaps he could sneak in a kiss or two or
more
. He wasn’t kidding when he boasted he could make her purr. And if he was really lucky, he’d wear some scratches to prove it.

Patricia left Ricky in the common area and went looking for Stu. Her cougar prowled her mind, restless and displeased. It lamented the fact she’d not let the rough-around-the-edges panther claim her or, at the very least, manage a grope. While Patricia might be a modern woman who valued her freedom and choices, her inner animal was more than eager to let a man place his mark upon her.

What she saw as a crude pickup line, her beast saw as strength and determination. Much as it galled her, Patricia couldn’t help but feel pleasure at his insistence he’d have her. That he wanted her. A part of her was even disappointed that she didn’t get a kiss.

There’s always tonight.

No. She tamped that thought right down. Tonight she needed to pay close attention to what went on. It would suck to have to explain, not to mention live with the guilt, if the killer struck on her watch. Especially if one of her guys got hurt.

They’re not mine.
Funny how she kept saying that to herself and, yet, believed it less and less. Every time she saw them, her resolve melted a little more. How much longer before she gave in?

On her coffee break, she went looking for her other dilemma. She came across Stu, head bent over a table in the library, tapping away at a keyboard that had seen much better days, or so the aging yellowed plastic casing indicated. Even the monitor looked ancient, its bulky size a far cry from the slim screens around today. But at least the computer itself sported some modern amenities, such as access to the network and, with the proper passcodes to get past the firewalls, the Internet.