Take Me, page 12
“Okay.” Her usual smile was back in full force, and she spun to dart out of his room, closing the door behind her.
Erupting into action, he flung the pillow aside and pulled on a pair of khakis and a polo shirt. He didn’t bother with shoes, just rushed out of his room and down the stairs. He hooked his loose hair behind his ears and gave a perfunctory knock on Pedro’s office door before he stepped inside.
“Come in, come in!” His uncle waved him in and motioned to a chair opposite the one Andrea sat in.
His legs almost collapsed out from under him at the first sight of her in so many days. She was so beautiful. Mate. His instincts sang in the same recognition they had the first time he’d seen her. He dragged her sweet scent into his lungs. His heart seized when her midnight eyes met his. Some emotion passed through her gaze, but it was gone so quickly he had no idea what message it conveyed. She held her long, lithe body in a rigid line.
Was she angry? Sad? Upset? He couldn’t tell.
The smile Pedro aimed at Andrea was both benevolent and predatory. “We look forward to you joining our family.”
“As do I.” She pulled her gaze from Miguel, the polite, professional mask of a model settling over her features. For once, he was grateful she was so good at hiding her feelings.
His uncle continued as if he didn’t sense the tense undercurrents running through the room. And maybe he didn’t. “The Pride will be so pleased to have you. You must tell us more about this business interest of yours. Clothing design, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” Her courteous smile turned regretful. “I’m afraid that as overjoyed as I am at the prospect of being a part of Miguel’s loving family, I won’t be joining the South American Pride. It’s just not possible.”
“Excuse me?” Pedro arched an incredulous brow.
“As you know, I am the North American Pride leader’s heir.” Her smile didn’t falter, and Miguel had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from grinning. He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going. His uncle, sadly, hadn’t a clue.
Pedro laughed heartily, shaking his head. “He is about to have a child of his own, yes?”
“Of course. I’m very happy about the future birth of my niece or nephew, but the child is not yet born. Should something happen to my brother’s mate now, he would have no other children. No heirs.” She tilted her head to the side, the picture of feminine guile. “I’m sure a man as discerning as you can understand why I can’t in good conscience join another Pride.”
The smile had fallen from his uncle’s face, but Andrea pushed on. “Is it not also customary in the Prides for mates not in the same Pride to join the higher-ranking mate’s Pride? As close as you might be to Miguel, I clearly outrank him in North America. I’m afraid he will simply have to join my brother’s Pride.” Her eyes widened, sweet and angelic.
“I disagree.” No mirth shone from Pedro’s eyes. Something ruthless flashed in those depths, feline calculation. “We fostered your brother so long, surely he can see that—”
She lifted a slim hand, cutting him off. “But I’ve spoken to my brother, and he understands that this will rob you of a beloved nephew and a possible breeding pair. He’s not unsympathetic to a new Pride leader’s duties, so he wishes to strengthen the bond between our Prides and show a deep faith in your leadership. Therefore, he’d like to ask that your son and heir serve as his Second for the next year.”
Pedro’s mouth flapped open. Losing a breeding couple would be bad, but an open show of faith from another Pride leader was important to cementing the transition between leaders. And having a member of his family mated into the ruling North American family could only be seen as a good thing. His mouth snapped shut and his nostrils flared as he drew a deep breath. A smile stretched his lips. “I’m honored by Antonio’s show of faith. I return his regard and wish you much happiness in your mating to my nephew. May you have many sons.”
“And daughters. My parents had a large number of children for Panthers. I can only hope to follow their example…in that regard, at least.” The gracious, businesslike smile curved Andrea’s lips once more. “I’m certain your leadership here will be long and prosperous. I trust that with much compromise and understanding of each other’s flaws, my mate and I will find happiness together.”
Her eyes met Miguel’s as she spoke the last sentence. So many things they hadn’t yet said flashed between them. He allowed no expression to cross his face—his uncle had no right to be privy to their private problems. He could only be grateful that she and Antonio had found a way to get them out of the tangled political mess they’d been in without leaving Andrea stranded in South America. Whether he and his mate worked things out between them when they returned to North America and he pledged loyalty to Antonio was not his uncle’s concern. She stood and Miguel and Pedro hastened to stand with her.
“If you’ll both forgive me, I’ve traveled very far today and I’m exhausted.” She swallowed. “Miguel, would you be so kind as to show me to our room?”
He nodded, still silent. He saw that despite her cool exterior, her hands shook, and she balled them into fists at her sides. He caught one in his, uncurling her fingers to twine with his, careful to exude the kind of self-confidence that would keep his uncle from suspecting things weren’t as wonderful as he might expect with two people who were soon to be mated.
Clenching his jaw to keep from ripping her clothes off, jerking her against his body, and fucking her until all the pain and longing and frustration burned away, he led her out into the hall and up the sweeping staircase.
What would she think of this place where he’d grown up? The South American Pride den was beautiful, all polished tiles and smooth wood. But it wasn’t home. He’d never felt a connection to the place or people the way he had in San Francisco. He sighed as he set his hand on the small of her back and urged her toward the door to his suite.
She glanced back at him, uncertainty in her dark eyes. “You’re not coming with me?”
“I haven’t eaten today, and I doubt you have either.” He looked away for a moment, not wanting her to read the turmoil inside him on his face. “I’ll be back shortly with food.”
Her mouth opened, closed, and her lips twisted. She nodded and stepped into his sitting room.
Turning, he jogged down the back staircase to the kitchen and gathered a tray of food. He wasn’t hungry, he was just distracting himself from a painful conversation with his mate. They’d already said good-bye—now they had to work out how to live in the same Pride without being true mates. Out of the political frying pan and into the emotional fire.
He shook his head and walked back up the steps, passing several Pride members along the way. They smiled at him and he felt the weight of their expectations. A new mating was something Panthers celebrated. He wished he could share their felicity, but it wasn’t to be.
He balanced the heavy tray on one hand, opened the door with the other, walked inside and set the food on a side table just to his left. His mouth dried when he turned to see his mate standing in the middle of the sitting room. She sank to her knees before him, naked except for the necklace he’d given her. The fire opal sparkled in the lamplight, and just the sight of her bare flesh made his cock harden painfully. “Miguel, I—”
He jerked his chin to the side. “Don’t.”
“I have to.” The look in her eyes was one he’d craved from the moment he met her. Open, soft, loving. Bitterness twisted in his heart. Was she doing this because she wanted to, or because she now felt she had to? God save him; he couldn’t endure this and remain sane.
He forced his gaze away and his voice came out sharper than he intended. “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”
“Is it?” Her expression gentled to naked vulnerability. “I thought…it could never be too late between mates.”
“You don’t want to be my mate.”
Tears filmed her eyes, and the sight made his heart wrench. He cursed himself for always reacting to her, always needing to protect her from pain. Her lips trembled as she spoke. “I am your mate whether I want it or not. And I want it. Even if…even if I’d had a choice, I’d still choose you, Miguel.”
It was everything he’d wanted her to say and more. It was too good to be true. He sucked in a sharp breath, closing his eyes. “Stop.”
“I can’t.” She laughed, the sound emerging as a sob. When he opened his eyes, he saw the tears had begun to fall, sliding down her beautiful face. “I didn’t trust myself with men anymore, not really, not fully. It was one thing to give them my body, but to trust them with anything else? I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let go. Not even with you.”
“I should have—”
“You did everything right. I’m here, aren’t I?” She gestured to her nude body, to her position on the floor. His cock was harder than steel at this point, his erection never faltering from the moment he’d seen her bare curves. He pulled a slow, steady breath in, reaching for calm. She brushed a palm over her naked hip. “I’m yours. I’ll always be yours. Every second of every day for the rest of my life. Even if you decide we should never mark each other…I’d still be yours. There’s no one else for me. I love you.”
He swallowed. Having her there, on her knees in quiet submission was mind-blowing. He wanted to believe what she was saying, needed it to be real.
Her palms lifted in supplication. “I love you, Miguel. I see you, understand you, in a way that no one else can. Not even Antonio.”
A rusty chuckle slid from his throat. “There are sides of me your brother knows about, but will never see. I think it’s best considering we’re not close like that.”
“Thank God.” A tentative smile curled the corners of her mouth. “I’d hate to have to kill my brother.”
He shook his head. “Andrea—”
“Mark me.”
His breath stopped, shock reverberating down his spine. Of all the things she could have said, that was one he hadn’t expected. “What?”
“That first time, that first day, you told me to ask you to mark me. I’m asking. Mark me, Miguel. Make me yours in a way no one can ever deny. Not even us.”
“Don’t say it unless you mean it.” God help him if she didn’t mean it. This was no political move to smooth the bumps between them. This was undeniable, real. His hands shook with need, fire arcing through his body to make his cock ache at the mere thought of sinking his fangs deep into her soft flesh.
“When I lived with my father, he caged me, and then when I left, I told myself I would never be caged again. But it wasn’t true. I locked a part of myself away, even from myself.” Her gaze met his, steady, open, and sure, a direct contrast to the tears that still clung to her long lashes. “With you, I’m free. I’m just…me. No excuses, no lies, no barriers.”
And he believed her. His breath escaped in a slow rush, his heart hammering. Warmth banded around his chest, and the feeling had nothing to do with the desire raging through his system. “I love you so much.”
“Show me.” Her hands reached for him, but she stayed where she was, kneeling on the carpet. “Take me to that place I can only go with you. Take me.”
“Yes.” He could no more deny her—or himself—than he could keep the moon from rising. He didn’t want to. He wanted her forever, undeniably his, just as she’d said. Pulling his shirt over his head, he dropped it on the floor beside him. He made quick work of his pants and soon he was as naked as she. “Stand up.”
She rose, her gaze never leaving his. The irises began to turn gold at the edges. He saw her nipples had tightened to peaks and her breathing sped to an excited rush. Even from here, he could smell her moist readiness for him to claim her. “Do you want me bent over? Tied up?”
“No.” That wasn’t how he wanted their mated life to begin. Plenty of time for that later, to push her boundaries to the limits now that he knew he could. A deep shudder ran through him. This time was for enjoying the closeness between them, the love. His jaw locked as the reality of it coursed through him. She loved him, had given herself to him and only him forever. Yes. Oh, yes. That was perfect.
“No?” Curiosity sparked in her eyes, which had gone to full gold now. Her tongue flicked over elongated fangs as she ran her gaze over his body to settle on his long erection.
He wanted to pounce, but relaxed himself into a loose-limbed walk as he approached her. Her palms lifted to press against his chest, and then she was in his arms as they held each other tight. He buried his nose in her hair to inhale her sweet scent. Only then did he realize how she was shaking. His hands stroked in soothing circles over her back.
How much courage had it taken her to come to him and offer herself the way she had? But it was what they’d both needed, that final proof that they weren’t just mates, but could be mated and grow together through their problems. He pulled her closer. “I love you.”
“I’m so glad I came.” Her voice caught and her arms squeezed him with inhuman strength. “I love you so, so much.”
He moved until his lips brushed over the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered and sighed, tilting her head to give him freer access. He placed a soft kiss there, the moment reverent.
Her hands cupped his jaw, moving to press her lips to his. His tongue swept out to sample the flavor of her mouth. She opened beneath him and their mouths moved together in a sensual dance of lips and tongues, their movements mimicking the carnal act they would perform together soon. Soon. He groaned, curving his palms around her backside to pull her soft body tighter against his. She whimpered, wriggling to get closer still, her soft skin moving against the hard length of his cock. His breath hissed out and he lifted her against him, turning to carry her into the bedroom so he could lay her on his sheets.
Settling on top of her, he watched the same satisfaction cross her face that he felt. This was right where he was supposed to be. With her. The golden shimmer of her irises caught the light the same way the stone in her necklace had. Her legs wound around his waist, her body arching in offering.
Sweat beaded on their skin in the hot Argentinian night and sealed the fronts of their bodies together as it rolled down his back in rivulets. He drank in the sight of her body spread beneath him, waiting for him to mark her. It was something he’d never truly expected to happen, not after he’d left San Francisco. He had to taste her. He bent to suck her nipples into his mouth one at a time. Her fingers slid into his hair, and he could feel the light scrape of her claws against his scalp.
Sliding down her body, he ran his tongue around her navel and farther still until he was level with her pussy. Her thighs tightened around his shoulders, but he curled his hands around her slim legs and forced them wide so he could see the slick lips before him. He blew on the hot flesh, and she moaned. “Miguel, please.”
“You’re so hot and wet for me.” He glanced up at her, watching a flush race up her high cheekbones.
She nodded, her short hair brushing against the pillow. “For you. Please.”
Dipping two of his fingers into her channel, he spun them inside of her. His tongue flicked out to swirl around her hard clit. He bit and sucked at the little nub of flesh. The hot, carnal taste of her burst over his tongue, the sweetness of it almost enough to make him come. He added a third finger to her pussy, stretching her as he thrust fast and hard. Her hips writhed, her hands pulling at his hair in sharp tugs of need. His scalp tingled at the pain, his cock jerking against the sheets as his own body’s needs demanded to be assuaged.
A low keen sounded from her. The way her sex pulsed around his fingers told him just how close she was to orgasm. He pushed her higher and higher until he knew she was on the very edge. Then he moved back, sank his fangs into the inside of her leg, and marked her. She screamed, high and thin, and he felt her sex convulse around his stroking fingers, wetness slipping from her as she arched hard against his hand. Her body twisted on the sheets. “Miguel! Miguel, I need you.”
He bolted up the bed, her shaking hands reaching for him. He sank his cock deep inside her heated pussy, the slickness of her easing his way. Her hips lifted to take him deeper still.
“I love you.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down to her. “Never leave me alone again.”
“Never. You’re mine.” He pressed his face to her neck, nipping and sucking at the soft, sweat-dampened skin. His body rocked against hers, his hard cock plunging into her pussy again and again until he lost track of space and time and anything that wasn’t Andrea. He felt her mouth open on his shoulder, her tongue flicking over his skin. The soft prick of her fangs registered, but she didn’t bite him, just tasted him until he thought he’d go mad needing her to mark him. His muscles shook at the prospect. Yes. Mates. Yes.
Orgasm built inside him, tightening like a spring in his gut. Not yet, not yet. He wanted it to last as long as possible. To take her as much as he was taken by her. Fire ran through his veins, his chest rising in bellowing breaths. He caught her knee in his hand, pulled her leg tighter around him.
The silk of her skin moving against his hip made a harsh groan rip from his throat. “Andrea, I love—”
Her fangs pierced his shoulder, the bonds snapping between them. Magic and heat. Panther and human. Mates. He threw back his head and roared, his hips pumping hard against hers. Her claws raked down his back, her body moving with his as they came together. The tight sheath of her sex fisted around him in rhythmic waves and he could no longer deny his release. He froze, his body locking in a hard line before he jetted inside her.
It was so good, so perfect. Nothing had ever been this deep. Not even with Andrea. This was the connection he’d craved from the beginning, this unbreakable bond. He loved her so much, he couldn’t live without her now.
He belonged to her—body, heart, and soul. Just as she belonged to him. Nothing and no one could ever take that away from them. Their love was free to be as wild and untamed as they were. Always.
