Lian/Roch (Bayou Heat) (7 page)

It was as if she’d waited her entire life for his touch.

Licking and biting his way to her other breast, he reached up to tug her hair out of the rubber band to allow it to tumble over her shoulders.

Instantly his fingers smoothed through the silvery strands.

“Such glorious hair,” he sighed. “Like liquid moonlight.”

“Can I feel yours?”

The gold of his eyes darkened, his cat lurking just beneath the surface.

“God, yes,” he pleaded.

He held perfectly still as she slowly undid the long braid, delighting in the midnight texture.

“It’s soft,” she said in a wondering tone. “And it smells like musk.”

She combed her fingers through the long strands, allowing it to brush over her naked skin. The sensation triggered a low groan of approval from her parted lips.

“You smell like summer. Warm days and lemonade,” he breathed, his hands tracing a scorching path over her body even as his teeth sank into the base of her throat.

The feel of his bite should have shocked her.

Instead she squeezed her eyes shut as her back arched with excitement.

“Lian,” she cried out.

“I told you I was going to taste you.” He returned his attention to her breast, tormenting the tip with his tongue as his hand eased between her legs. “Slowly.” One finger slid between her slick folds. “Thoroughly.”

“Does it have to be slow?” she rasped as he pressed his thumb against her clit.

“Oh sweetheart, we can go any speed you want later.” He used the edge of his teeth to bite her nipple before he soothed the small pain with nuzzling kisses. “But this first time I want to savor.”

Her hips instinctively lifted off the mattress as his finger slid into her aching body, his thumb rubbing her sensitive bundle of nerves at a steady pace.

“Savoring is good,” she decided, her voice thick with need.

He gave a soft chuckle. “Just good?”

She tentatively slid her hand down his back, fascinated by the heated silk of his skin. She hadn’t expected fur. Not in his human form. But who knew that he would be so smooth? And hard. And delectable.

“Maybe excellent,” she conceded.

“Maybe?” Nuzzling a path up her neck, he teased the corner of her mouth before he kissed her, a stark demand. Sage melted, allowing her tongue to tangle with his as his finger thrust deep inside her. “I see you’re one of those tough professors,” he at last whispered against her lips. “What does it take to get an A from you?”

Sage scraped her nails over the rippling muscles of his back, delighted when he shuddered in pleasure.

She could have told him that the few classes that she taught online had earned her the nickname ‘Hard-Ass Parker.’ Right now, however, she was fully prepared to be generous.

Especially as he kissed a path down to her aching breasts, giving each nipple a lingering caress before heading ever lower.

“Sometimes I grade on the curve,” she assured him.

He glanced up, his eyes smoldering with a hunger that sent a thrill of anticipation inching down her spine.

“A challenge,” he said, his expression one of wicked promise.

Sage tried to swallow, her body vibrating with an acute tension.

“Not really—” Her words broke off in a strangled cry as his lips skimmed down the flat plane of her stomach. Her fingers clenched in his hair, her muscles trembling with delicious anticipation. “Oh.”

He traced the curve of her hip, the abrasive sensation of his five o’clock shadow against her skin oddly erotic.

“I thought some extra credit would help.”

“It’s—” She hissed as settled between her legs and licked the liquid heat that pooled in her pussy.

Raw lust blasted through her, making her toes curl and her thoughts fracture.

“Yes?” he teased, tugging her legs farther apart.

“Stop talking,” she commanded, sliding her foot down his bare back.

His eyes sparkled with mischievous humor. “Yes, Dr. Parker. I was always better with my hands.” Another mind-destroying lick. “And tongue.”

Oh, yeah. He was really, really good with his tongue, she silently applauded.

Running her foot up and down his back, she groaned in pleasure as he fucked her with his finger at the same time he licked her clit with skillful expertise.

She writhed beneath him, desire spiraling toward a critical peak.

“Lian,” she hissed in warning.

Easily sensing she was close, Lian kissed his way back up her body, balancing on his elbows as he peered down at her.

“I see your cat,” she murmured, hypnotized by the feral wildness that lurked deep in his eyes.

“And he sees you.” His voice was rough as his animal prowled near the surface. “He wants you in the worst way. Are you ready?”

She groaned, her hands cupping his face as she allowed him to see the depth of her need.

“So ready,” she rasped, not about to confess that after years of celibacy she’d been ready for him the instant he’d snuck into her cottage.

That was just…pathetic.

“Thank god. I don’t think I can wait another second,” he confessed, his musk teasing at her senses. “You’ve gutted me, Dr. Parker.”

Her fingers explored the chiseled line of his jaw before moving down to chart the broad width of his shoulders.

“Is that bad?”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We’re both about to find out.”

Even prepared, Sage cried out as he angled his hips and pierced her with one smooth thrust. Good lord. She felt invaded. Stretched to the limit, until she slowly became accustomed to his large cock.

She grasped his shoulders, shivering as his hair slid around them like a curtain of satin as he rocked in and out of her, each time thrusting deeper.

It was slow and tender and shockingly intimate.

She was being overwhelmed by Lian, lost in the heat and beauty of the moment.

The thought should have terrified her. She was a reclusive spinster who never allowed anyone close. But at this moment she wanted—no, she
needed
—to share herself on a primitive level.

Muttering low words of encouragement as she lifted her hips to meet his growingly urgent thrusts, Lian cupped her breasts, using his thumbs to tease at her nipples.

Sage groaned, digging her nails into his shoulders as he hit a magical spot that made her gasp as shocking pleasure jolted through her.

“Lian.”

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he muttered against her mouth, his body pressing even deeper.

She struggled to breathe.

She was close.

So deliciously close.

His hands lowered to grasp her legs, urging them around his hips as he pounded into her. At the same time, he buried his face in the curve of her neck, sinking his teeth into the tender flesh.

She screamed as her orgasm slammed into her with shattering force at the same time Lian groaned and released his seed deep inside her.

Bliss splintered through her before she was slowly floating back to earth, wrapping her arms around Lian.

She held him close, wishing this moment never had to end.

For the first time in forever, she wasn’t alone.

* * *

Lian reluctantly pulled out of Sage’s body, pressing his lips to the mark he’d made on her neck before he was gently gathering her boneless body into his arms.

Gutted indeed, he wryly conceded.

It wasn’t just the savage ferocity of their lovemaking.

That had been…spectacularly fantastic. And he fully intended to indulge his sexual hunger as frequently as Sage was willing.

But it was the soul-deep realization that destiny had just crashed down on him that made him smile in wonderment.

His mate.

His cat had known from the minute he’d caught her citrusy scent, although his human nature had taken just a little longer.

It was, after all, a life-changing event.

Now both sides were in perfect agreement.

This woman belonged to him.

And he was never going to let her go.

Silently running his fingers through the silken strands of her hair, he contemplated how long he had to wait before informing her that she was fated to spend the rest of her life with him, when the chime of his phone made him groan in frustration.

Reluctantly releasing his hold on Sage, Lian rolled off the mattress and dug his phone out of the pocket of his jeans.

“Damn,” he muttered, reading the text message.

Sitting up, Sage modestly tugged the sheet up to her chin. As if he hadn’t kissed every satin inch of her pale skin.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Our escorts are almost here.”

A satisfying hint of disappointment darkened her eyes to charcoal.

“So soon?”

“They were coming from Bossier City,” he said, not sharing the information that they’d been traveling through the south to gather families of the Pantera and return them to the Wildlands.

He’d already terrified her enough, thank you very fucking much.

“Oh.”

Lian watched in amusement as she scrambled off the bed and hastily began to jerk on her clothes.

Clearly she was embarrassed by the thought of getting caught in bed during the middle of the day.

He dressed at a much more leisurely pace, anticipating the pleasure of challenging that modesty on a regular basis.

Not that he would ever change her.

His shy, scholarly beauty was perfect.

But Pantera were openly affectionate creatures who craved touch from their mates. And of course, his family was extremely high maintenance when it came to demanding attention.

It was going to be interesting to watch her adapt.

Crossing the short space, he smoothed her hair behind her ears and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“It’s okay. They’re going to wait for us in the garage,” he assured her, a stab of fear twisting his heart as he felt her stiffen beneath his touch. Lifting his head, he studied her with a growing concern. “Hey, are you okay?”

Her lashes lowered to hide her expressive eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Blatant deflection.

His thumbs brushed the inside of her wrists, monitoring the unsteady pulse.

“Because we both know things just changed between us,” he said, unwilling to try to pretend their time together was anything less than life-altering.

She kept her head lowered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He clicked his tongue, releasing her hands so he could gently tip her face up to meet his wry smile.

“For the record, you’re a piss-poor liar.”

She heaved a small sigh. “I need time to…process.”

He wrinkled his nose, sliding a finger down the length of her jaw.

“I’m pushing again.”

“Yes.”

“Sorry.”

She arched a brow, her lips twitching with a burst of humor.

“No, you aren’t.”

Relief jolted through him. She might be stunned by the force of their attraction, but she wasn’t frightened.

At least not yet.

“Busted,” he admitted with a chuckle, rubbing their noses together. “It’s my nature to go for the kill, but anytime you need me to back down just tell me, sweetheart.” He stole a soft, lingering kiss. “I don’t ever want you to feel overwhelmed.”

“Hmm.” She gave a tug on his hair. “I suspect you overwhelm most people.”

True. He didn’t have the brooding intensity of a Raphael or Parish, but his feral power tended to make most people avoid pissing him off.

“Not you,” he swore, holding her gaze. “Never you.”

Unexpectedly she reached up to thread her fingers through his hair that he hadn’t bothered to braid.

Hell, he might never braid it again if Sage liked it loose.

And if that made him pussy-whipped…good.

“Only in the best way,” she assured him in husky tones.

On cue his entire body went up in flames, his erection pressing painfully against his zipper.

“Oh hell, Dr. Parker, you might be a genius, but your timing sucks,” he growled, wrapping his arms around her so he could press her tight against his aching cock. Then, knowing it was going to leave his balls blue, he kissed her with an urgency that had both of them panting before he reluctantly released his tight hold and headed toward the door. “Wait here,” he muttered.

Promising himself an entire month alone with Sage once the scrolls were translated and the threat from Shakpi ended, Lian made his way through the safe house into the attached garage.

He caught the scent of the waiting Hunters before he ever pushed open the door. Which meant he was prepared to discover Mercier standing in the center of the cement floor. The dark, sable-eyed male had a broad, heavily muscular body that was currently covered by a white tee and camo pants. It took a second, however, to locate the other Hunter who was hidden beneath Jean-Baptiste’s Lamborghini.

“Any problems?” he asked Mercier, ignoring the older male’s narrow-eyed gaze.

There was no disguising the scent of sex that clung to his body, but he wasn’t prepared to discuss his bonding with Sage. Not until she’d accepted that she belonged to him.

With a shrug, Mercier conceded to the unspoken warning.

“Nothing obvious, but…” The male scowled, giving a shake of his head. “Something’s out there.”

Lian knew exactly what he was talking about. It wasn’t a precise smell, or a tangible sound. Just a vague sense they were being watched.

“Yeah, I’m getting the same vibe,” he muttered.

Dammit. He wasn’t afraid of his enemies. But how the hell did you fight them when they lurked in the shadows?

There was a muffled growl before Rosalie was sliding from beneath the car, holding her hand up.

“I found it,” the tall, golden-haired beauty proclaimed, her pure green eyes smoldering with grim satisfaction.

The two males moved to inspect the tiny tracking device that’d been hidden on the undercarriage.

“Shit,” Lian muttered, wondering if it’d been attached to the car while he was at The Cougar’s Den or if it had happened while he was in Sage’s cottage. Either way, he now knew how they’d followed him. “That didn’t come from Radio Shack.”

“No.” Mercier’s expression was hard as he plucked the device from Rosalie’s fingers to inspect it with an expert eye. He was one of the Hunters who worked closely with the Geeks to develop weapons to protect themselves in the event the magic surrounding the Wildlands ever failed. “Military grade.”