Take Me, page 3
“I didn’t. My only assumption was that you’re a reasonably intelligent woman. Am I wrong?”
“Don’t be an ass.”
“An ass?” He moved so fast it was almost a blur. He snapped his hand around her wrist, spun her forward to bend her over the bed, caught her other wrist, and pressed her face to the mattress. His free palm pushed her skirt up to her waist to expose her nudity and cupped the cheek of her backside. “I quite like your ass, Andrea.”
Her breath froze, her excitement exploding into heat that arrowed between her thighs. His shirt landed on the bed in front of her face and she heard the quick rasp of his zipper before the soft thud of his trousers hitting the floor. The heat of his skin branded the back of her thighs. Moisture slicked her pussy and her inner muscles throbbed. Her legs shook and she jerked at her hands, but he held her in place.
She couldn’t escape.
Anticipation unlike any she’d ever known made her heart trip before it raced in her chest. His palm moved from her ass to slide between the cheeks and dip into her wet sex. His breath hissed out. “So hot. And all mine.”
Any retort she might have made died on a scream when he knelt behind her and flicked his tongue against her hard clit. “Oh, my God.”
He chuckled, and the sound vibrated her clit. She couldn’t hold back a helpless moan. Tugging at her manacled wrists proved futile. She closed her eyes when he moved to suckle her pussy lips, nipping at the swollen tissue. One of his long fingers dipped into her sex, working inside her damp channel. She could smell her own wetness…could sense his contained excitement. It made her burn hotter until she trembled with the force of her feelings.
Trailing his fingertips from her sex to her anus, he swirled them around the tight pucker. Her own moisture eased his passage when he pushed into her. One digit, then two, entered her ass.
“Miguel,” she breathed.
A low growl against her pussy was his only response. His tongue and teeth and fingers worked her in tandem, building her excitement to a boiling point. She was so close to coming, it taunted her. Then his fingers withdrew and his tongue slid up until it reached her anus. Every muscle in her body locked, shock making her breath catch. His hot, wet tongue pressed inside her ass, thrusting, licking, in a slow rhythm.
It was so wicked, so forbidden. She writhed against the bed, her hips pushing back into his mouth. “Oh, oh, oh.”
He hummed against her ass and she choked. The sensation unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Her pussy clenched, orgasm shimmering just on the edge of her consciousness. A high, desperate sound burst from her throat when he rose to his feet, his mouth leaving her.
“No,” she moaned. Her wrists twisted in his hand. God, she needed to come. She’d go insane if he didn’t give her what she craved.
His thighs crowded between her legs, his hands pressing her more firmly to the mattress. The head of his cock pushed against her anus. She arched her torso, shoving her hips back.
“Andrea.” The low rumble of his voice held a warning. But she was beyond warnings. Her breath puffed out in little gasps against the bed, her need coiling inside her until she had to lock her jaw to keep from screaming, from begging.
He thrust forward, entering her inch by slow inch. A ripple of sensation bordering on pain crawled up her spine as his hard cock stretched her. She shuddered, her eyes flaring wide. He groaned when he was fully seated in her ass. He pulled back slightly and then pushed in again, building up speed. Her hardened nipples rubbed against the soft fabric of her camisole as they moved together. The man held her captive in her own room. Her sex throbbed in response to that thought.
Then he stopped, his cock embedded deep in her tight anus. She whimpered. God, what would he do to her now? How could he just stop? His hand smoothed over her ass cheek and as full as she was, she could feel the caress inside and out. A moan jerked from her.
His palm lifted and cracked down on her butt, leaving a hot sting behind. She froze beneath him, dark pleasure coiling in her belly. A few moments passed before his hand came down against her upper thigh. She swallowed, every sense she had focusing on the agony and ecstasy that wound through her with each strike of his hard palm. She began to move again, arching as best she could into the blows. More, more, more. She wanted it, she needed it.
Switching hands, he kept her wrists locked against the small of her back. She sobbed on a desperate breath as he continued to spank her. Sweet pain echoed in her pussy every time his hand slapped her ass. Wetness slid down the insides of her thighs. She needed to move, but his hand and hard cock and heavy weight leaning against her held her pinioned in place. She could barely wriggle. His loose hair fell forward to tickle her arms. One more sensation piling on top of all the others. It was too much, too good.
She opened her mouth to demand he stop, to scream, to plead, but no sound emerged. Pleasure fiercer than any she’d ever known held her tight in its grip. It was wrong to like what he was doing to her so much, but she couldn’t stop it. Her fangs slid out of her gums, and she was closer to feral, to shifting forms, than she ever had been in any sexual encounter before.
“Come for me.” His deep voice was a command, and she couldn’t help but obey.
He spanked her over and over as orgasm tore through her system. Each smack made her pussy throb. She shuddered as heat built higher and faster until it coalesced into an implosion that made her entire body clench in reaction. She felt as though she had shattered into a million pieces, her sex fisting on emptiness, her anus tightening around his cock. They both groaned. It went on forever, it ended too soon. Tingles raced over her skin in waves each time her pussy flexed.
A low roar ripped from his throat and he finally began to thrust again. His dick pistoned in and out of her ass. He let go of her wrists to grip her hips in his big hands. The deep lure of ecstasy dragged at her again, made her move with him when she thought she’d die of exhaustion. It didn’t matter. Her body wanted more. Always, always more.
Her orgasm built faster this time, rocketing through her body. His belly slapped against her sore ass, sending throbs of wicked sensation shooting inside her. Her fingers clenched into the bedspread, her claws punching forward to slice through the material. She hissed, the low sub-vocal sound of a wildcat.
Reaching around her, his fingers rolled over her clit in quick, rough caresses. Her back bowed hard. “I’m coming. I’m coming, Miguel.”
“Yes!” His hips slammed forward until he froze, his dick buried deep in her anus. Her muscles fisted around the length of his cock in rhythmic pulses. She closed her eyes as she felt his hot come flood her. A shiver ran over her skin. Her lungs burned as she gasped for breath, the scent of sex and him filling her nostrils.
Her pussy clenched in an aftershock of orgasm before she collapsed against the bed. She went limp as the events of the day replayed themselves behind her closed lids. It was all too much, and her mind refused to take in more. He was still inside her when sleep crashed over her, pulling her under. She sighed and the world faded away.
Miguel awoke wrapped around his mate’s body. A deep contentment settled over him, and he couldn’t help the grin that formed on his mouth. He brushed his lips against her temple, inhaling the intoxicating scent of her. The short length of her dark hair clung to his beard stubble and he smoothed it back as he eased away from her to sit on the edge of the bed. He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes.
It had been better than he’d even imagined with her. He’d gone further than he intended to, letting the primal urges inside him take over as he’d worked her with his hands and mouth. His cock swelled just recalling the sweet feel of her clenching tight around him. Lust curled in his gut.
Shuddering, he forced himself to stand and walk to the door. If he stayed, he’d wake her up and fuck her until they were both spent. Again. His lips quirked up. It wasn’t a bad idea, but he had a meeting with the Australian delegation soon. He should have been up and started his workday hours before.
Gathering his discarded shirt and slacks, he slapped out the wrinkles as best he could and pulled them on. He doubted he had time to change before the meeting. Damn it. He slid into the shoes he’d left by the door the night before. Stepping out of Andrea’s suite, he came face to face with an irate Antonio. The Pride leader gripped the front Miguel’s shirt, slamming him back against wall beside Andrea’s door.
“She’s my sister, Miguel. You’re my best friend and my Second. I know the kind of shit you’re into, and I’m fine with it, but she’s my sister. I can’t emphasize the sister thing enough. And if you’re messing around with her and it blows up, then she might leave before the loyalty ceremony. That can’t happen and you know it.” He shook his head, his grip tightening. “I…This is insane. What the hell are you doing?”
“She’s my mate.”
Antonio rocked back on his heels, letting go of Miguel as his eyebrows arched so high they almost met his hairline. “Wh-what?”
“Mate.” Miguel nodded, meeting the other man’s gaze so that he knew this was serious. “We sensed it in the limo before we got here. And you know what happened after that.”
“I could smell it, yeah.” His friend huffed out a breath.
He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Who couldn’t? It’s one of the serious downsides of being a Panther—can’t get away with anything.”
“Tell me about it.” A small grin creased Antonio’s lips. He’d had a hard time keeping his mate secreted away from the Pride. She’d been a non-shifter outcast at the time and wanted nothing to do with the Pride ever again. Difficult for a Pride leader to have such a mate, but things had turned out well in the end.
Miguel could only hope for such a happy ending. Having a mate didn’t mean that things went smoothly. Relationships had to be built and nurtured. The depth of connection with a mate only made it more intense, more imperative to compromise and fit together seamlessly.
An uncomfortable expression crossed his friend’s face and Miguel almost smiled, knowing exactly what was coming. Antonio groaned. “Look, I’m not talking about the whips and chains you like, but…don’t hurt her. She’s my—”
“Sister.” This time, Miguel didn’t bother to hide the grin, but it fell away and he lifted his palms. “I know. I know what you mean as well. And she’s my mate, so rest assured that I would never hurt her on purpose.”
“Man, I don’t want to know that my sister is into your shit.” Antonio groaned again and glanced away, letting his head drop back. “Damn, Miguel.”
“I’d say I was sorry, but your sister is hot.” He laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
Antonio’s head came back up and he glared. “I could kill you, you know.”
Miguel arched a brow, smirking. “You could try…sir.”
Rolling his eyes, Antonio shook his head. “We have a meeting. It’s not like you to be late, so I thought you might need a reminder. Apparently, you needed someone to pry you from Andrea’s bed.”
“I was on my way.” Miguel thrust his hands into his pockets, hunching a shoulder to indicate they move toward the stairs that would lead down to the conference room.
“The meeting started twenty minutes ago.”
Had he really missed a meeting? Not once in his entire life could he recall being late to anything. He was always in control, always meticulous. Always punctual. He’d slept like the dead, curled around his mate. The feel of her skin, the scent of her…he hadn’t wanted to move. Feline lassitude had sapped at his will to budge an inch and time had slid away. He wasn’t certain how he would deal with this. A mate deserved a man who would bend, make changes for them, but his work had always been the most important thing, ensuring the success of his Pride. His fists balled in his pants pockets. “Mierda.”
“Yeah.” Antonio chuckled, reaching over to muss Miguel’s long hair. He jerked away and snarled a warning. His friend just laughed outright. “It’s pretty damn entertaining to see you running around like a chicken with its head cut off.”
“Which head? Because this cat messed with our sister. More than once.” Diego topped the stairs and crossed his arms, an unusually intense expression on his face.
Miguel lifted his hands in supplication. “Your sister, my mate.”
With the twins’ unpredictable nature, it was difficult to tell what their reaction would be. It was just as probable that they’d congratulate him on getting laid—whether it was with their sister or not—as it was that they’d jump him and do their collective best to beat him to death.
From the way Diego went rigid, that frown still furrowing his brows, Miguel let his hands fall loose at his sides and braced himself for attack. This could get ugly. He’d hate to have to hand the young cub’s ass to him, but he would if he had to. And it wasn’t as though violence would change the truth. Andrea belonged to him—whether she knew it yet or not.
A wicked smile creased Diego’s lips and his hands snapped out to grab Miguel and yank him into a bear hug. “Sweet.”
“I—what?” His brows lifted and he gingerly patted the other man on the back. What the hell had just happened?
“Well, this means you’re gonna be part of the family, bro. Officially and shit.” The younger man looped an arm around Miguel’s neck and faced Antonio. “Can we keep him? Can we, huh, huh? Pleeease?”
The Pride leader heaved an exasperated sigh. “I’m going to kill you.”
Miguel shoved Diego away, flicking Antonio a glance. “How the hell did you get such an annoying brother?”
“I feel the love.” Diego scoffed and straightened his French silk cuffs. “Come on, let’s get this meeting over with so I can ditch the monkey suit.”
The three of them jogged down the stairs and Ric poked his head out of the study door. “How long are you guys going to leave me in here alone? You know I hate dealing with these guys.”
“Bro, Miguel is Andrea’s mate.” Diego decided to forgo the last few steps to vault over the banister and land lightly on the hardwood floor below.
“Awesome. Now get your asses in here.” Ric withdrew back into the room and they followed him through the study and into the conference room where their guests waited.
Miguel’s mind cleared and focused on the task at hand. Mate or no mate, he had work to do. When he was done, he’d figure out how best to proceed with courting his mate. The thought of her sent a wave of lust spiraling through him.
Anticipation was a sweet thing. Andrea was here and his for the taking until the new heir was born. She couldn’t escape him, couldn’t run away from this thing that was developing between them. It was an excellent prospect. A smile curled his lips. He couldn’t wait to proceed.
Chapter 3
Andrea hunched over a sketch pad in her suite that evening. She’d set up a mobile office in the sitting room—laptop, scanner, printer, and her cell phone. All she needed to run her business, shipped to her courtesy of her assistant in New York.
Now, she let the creativity flow from her and onto the paper. Her world narrowed down to this, every concern and problem melting away to nothing. She was showing a new collection in Bryant Park at New York Fashion Week and she needed to complete the details. It all rolled through her head—colors, fabrics, cuts, style. Her business was about staying ahead of the curve. And she loved that challenge. A smile curved her lips as she worked. A flourish here, a straight line there. Yes, that was almost perfect.
She sat back in her desk chair, only then noticing the crick in her neck, the cramping in her fingers. But she didn’t feel the effects of her wild night. The magic inside her had healed any mark Miguel might have left on her body. The memory was burned into her mind though. She doubted she’d ever forget the intense pleasure, or the guilt that hounded her now. She pushed aside the feeling. It could never happen again. That was final.
Stretching her arms over her head, she looked over her drawings and nodded. “Not bad.”
“It’s beautiful, actually.”
Screaming, she leaped to her feet. Fear pumped through her veins, made her heart hammer in her chest, and her claws and fangs extend. Her chair tumbled back and away as she rounded on her surprise guest. Hissing a low warning, she knew her eyes had gone gold with change.
“Whoa.” Miguel stood from where he’d leaned a hip against the wall, lifting his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry I startled you.”
When was the last time anyone had snuck up on her without every instinct inside her shrieking of a threat? And did she even want to consider what it meant that her instincts didn’t consider him a threat? Instead, they clamored with the same message they’d given her the moment they’d met. Mate. His scent filled her nostrils, dragging out the memories of yesterday again. In the limo, in her bedroom. She shuddered, retracting her claws with effort. Her heart still raced, but not with fear.
She took a deep breath and turned aside to tidy her desk. A paper fluttered to the floor and Miguel picked it up to hand it to her. Glancing down, he saw the official letterhead for her company. The logo showed the dark shape of a panther stretched into sprint, the words Pantheras Designs scrolled below its paws. He set it on the desk, tapping a long finger against the image. “Pantheras?”
“It’s the genus name for all large cat species: tigers, leopards, jaguars, lions.” Her shoulder lifted in a shrug, and she looked up to meet his gaze. “I thought it suited.”
He nodded, the cool composure she’d noticed about him yesterday evident on his face. “I can understand why.”
A smile curled her lips and she brushed her hair away from her eyes. “I was often told I had a feline grace on the runway.”
That startled a chuckle out of him and the sound warmed her, even though she knew it shouldn’t. They needed to talk about what had happened between them. About what couldn’t be allowed to happen between them. She swallowed.
