by R. E. Butler
No problem.
He hoped.
Chapter Four
Emberly could feel when Diesel was on his way back to her table. She wasn’t sure why or how, but she knew he was coming. She pondered the strange flutter in her stomach at catching the sexy scent that seemed to be rolling off him as he stopped at the table and smiled down at her. Damn, he was sexy. Tall and broad shouldered, utterly lickable.
“I’m off work for the night,” he said, his voice low and a little gruff.
She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him. She was feeling more forward than she was used to, but there was something about Diesel she couldn’t put her finger on. It wasn’t that he was hands-down the sexiest guy she’d ever laid eyes on. Or that he smelled like a dream. Or that he ticked off all the boxes in her future-boyfriend-list.
She felt drawn to him, connected already after only knowing him for minutes.
Strange. But right, too.
“Do you want to go somewhere to talk?” she asked.
“Absolutely. There are some tables out back for employees. It’s pretty quiet.”
“Sounds good.”
She thanked him for the soda and picked it up as she followed him through the crowd, down a hall, and out a security door. The covered patio had picnic tables and a view of a parking lot. She sat at one of the tables and he sat beside her.
“How much do you know about shifters?” he asked.
“Pretty much nothing. There’s a wolf couple who come into the shop every week, and they’re super sweet and nice. But it’s not like I’ve ever asked them to explain what it’s like to be a shifter.”
“Well, wolves and lions are different in a lot of ways, but what’s similar is that we both have a beast that’s part of us. I grew up having a noisy creature in my head.” He tapped his temple and gave her a wry smile. “He’s pretty opinionated.”
Her brows rose. “Does he talk to you? Like with words?”
He shook his head. “Not words per se, but he will grumble, growl, or purr, depending on his mood. I can understand him because he’s been part of me my whole life.”
“It’s fascinating. I just have myself up here.” She pointed to her head and smiled when he chuckled. “Were you able to shift when you were a kid?”
“No, not until I was a teenager. The first few times were painful in some ways. The human body turns into a lion which involves bones, muscles, and skin moving around. It’s fast, but it was shocking when I changed the first couple of times.”
He explained that lions, unlike wolves, didn’t shift on the full moon, but instead had a gathering at the alpha’s house once a month for a hunting party. All the lions of the pride lived in pride territory, and they were the only shifter group in town.
“But there are other types of shifters besides lions and wolves, right?”
“Pretty much all the big predators – bears, tigers, pumas, and even owls. There are prey animals as well that can be shifters, like deer and antelope.”
She hummed. “I had no idea. Our town is so small – there weren’t even any shifters in school.”
“Shifters stick with their own kind for the most part. It’s just safer that way. Humans can be twitchy about us.”
“Does it go both ways?” She tilted her head and looked at him. His eyes were brown, a dark caramel color with gold flecks, and his lashes were thick enough to make her jealous.
“What?”
“Are shifters twitchy about humans?”
He didn’t say anything for a long moment, then linked their fingers and gave her hand a squeeze. “There are always people who don’t like another type of people for one reason or another. And yes, there are lions who don’t want to mix with humans. But I’m not one of them. Our pride recently went through some major changes to the laws governing us. At one time, lions couldn’t mate with anyone other than another lion or they’d be exiled from the pride.”
“Exiled like kicked out?”
He nodded.
“That’s harsh.”
He shrugged. “Our laws kept our people safe for centuries, and a lot of it has to do with keeping our kind going. Human-shifter mixes aren’t always able to shift.”
“Does that matter?”
“If you care about it, I guess it does. But I never did. It doesn’t matter to me what someone can or can’t shift into, only that they’re a good person. Before Duke found his human heart-match, there were only lions in our pride. Now Duke has Ree, and another lion – Barron – is mated to Ree’s sister.”
“Heart-match?”
“Lions find their mate one of two ways. Either they ask a match-maker to set them up or they wait to find their heart-match. The one right person on the planet for them.”
“So, you either wait for fate or go into an arranged mating? Wait, is mating like marriage?”
“Yes, and yes,” he said.
“Are you...arranged?” Her heart clenched as she waited.
“I’m not. I’m single. You?”
“Single.”
He purred and she adored the sound. “Good.”
She smiled and kissed him, a quick brush of her lips against his. But he didn’t let her get far from him, sliding his hand to the back of her neck and drawing her back to him. He swiped his tongue along her lips, and she opened them, and that first glide of her tongue along his sent a riot of sensation down her spine. Her stomach flipped and her body heated, and she scooted closer, letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around him.
He tilted her head and deepened the kiss, and she groaned. Her whole body felt like it was plugged in.
The kiss felt like it went on forever but also seemed to be over far too fast. Before she knew it, he was easing away with a purr that she could feel, and her heart was pounding in exhilaration.
“Wow,” he said, his eyes dark and hooded.
“I second that.”
He stroked her hair and she snuggled into his warmth. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to come home with her, but she’d never done that, and she wasn’t sure if he’d think badly of her. What she wanted right now wasn’t just one night with Diesel – her heart was already longing for a lifetime. And how strange was it that it was happening so fast, but she wasn’t freaked out by it?
“Can I take you home, sweetness?” he said roughly, his voice low in her ear. “I don’t want the night to end. Come home with me or let me take you to your place. I don’t care, just...don’t make me say goodbye right now.”
“Are you psychic?” she asked as she leaned away from him.
“Thinking the same thing?” he asked with a chuckle as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“Definitely. I’ve never done this kind of thing before. I don’t want you to think less of me.”
He took one of her hands and placed it on his chest. His eyes changed from caramel to gold and she saw the hint of fangs in his mouth when he spoke. “I swear on my lion that I want you. Not just for one night. You’re mine and I’m yours. I believe we were meant to find each other tonight.”
She leaned back a little and stared at him. “Really?”
He nodded solemnly. “I don’t want to freak you out, but I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were my heart-match.” He put his hands up. “I don’t want you to think I’m just trying to get in your pants, because it’s not about that. I just want to spend time with you, and I don’t care if all we do is talk. I just don’t want us to part ways anytime soon.”
She let that roll around in her mind for a few moments. Yes, it was incredibly fast, but it felt right. And maybe it explained why she felt so drawn to him.
“The heart-matches in the pride now… Did the women feel the same way right away?”
“The women knew on sight. They didn’t necessarily know what the feelings meant, but they knew they wanted to be with the guys.”
“I felt drawn to you immediately. It’s not a human thing, though. You know that, right?”
&n
bsp; “It’s not like love-at-first-sight, necessarily,” he said. “It’s just fate. You and I were made for each other. I’m one hundred percent sure of that.”
“Then I want to spend time with you. My place or yours, it’s up to you.”
“Where would you be most comfortable?”
He rose to his feet and she caught the tiniest hint of a wince on his face as he straightened. He schooled his features so quickly that she wasn’t sure she’d actually seen it. Was he hurt? She wanted to ask but was afraid to pry. They’d only just met, and while he seemed to be an open book, she didn’t know just how far that would go. Pushing those thoughts aside, she took his offered hand.
“Let’s go to my place,” she said. “I live in my grandparents’ house while they’re traveling the States.”
“Okay. Did you drive here?” he asked.
Shaking her head, she said, “No, one of the girls in the bridal party picked me up and we all came on the party bus. They’re long gone.”
“Then I’ll drive.”
He led her to a truck in the parking lot, unlocked and opened the passenger door for her. He shut her in, and she smiled at the gesture. He was a gentleman, and she loved it. She told him where her home was.
“Your grandparents like traveling that much, huh?” he asked.
“It was one of those things they always talked about, but no one ever thought they’d do it. When Grandpa showed up with the RV and declared they were going to live their dream, I honestly thought Grandma would have a stroke. But it turned out she really wanted to do it, too. They post a ton of pictures on social media, and they make their way through town a few times a year to exchange their seasonal clothing. She makes the best biscuits and gravy, so I love when they stay, even if I have to give up the master bedroom.”
“It was nice of them to let you have the place while they’re gone.”
“Definitely. I didn’t want to keep living at home. I work with my parents, so seeing them all day and all night was just... I don’t know. Too much parenting, I guess. Especially since my mom’s always trying to fix me up.”
He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and she glanced over at him. He was frowning deeply and concentrating on the road.
“Diesel? Is everything okay?”
He exhaled, and it was a mixture of a sigh and growl. “Your friend doesn’t like shifters.”
“Yeah.”
“What about your parents?”
“Are you wondering if they’ll like you?”
“Yes. My parents were mate-matched, and my father left us behind and found another mate in a different pride, and we haven’t seen him since. My mom is still in the pride and I see her often. She doesn’t care whether I have a heart-match or a mate-match, or whether she’s human or a shifter. She only wants me to be happy. I know when I tell her about you that she’ll be thrilled and want to meet you right away.”
Em smiled. “My parents will want to meet you, too. And they don’t have a problem with shifters. Even though I didn’t grow up around shifters, it always surprises me when someone says they don’t like them. I mean, what does it matter what anyone is as long as they’re a nice person?”
“It would be nice if the whole world felt that way.”
“Well, I’m glad that I won’t be the reason you aren’t with your people.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “You’d be worth it.”
“So sure, are you? I could be a total slob or have habits that would drive a sane man to drink.”
“Trust me when I say there isn’t anything you could do to change my mind that you’re my heart-match.”
“I’m glad I came to the bar tonight.”
“Me, too, sweetness.”
Chapter Five
Diesel parked on a gravel driveway next to a quaint ranch house. The front porch lights were on, revealing a bright red front door and a welcome mat. He got out, then opened Emberly’s door and offered her his hand. She took it and they walked up to the aging front porch where she unlocked the door and he followed her inside.
His cat had been making demands since he’d laid eyes on her, and while he was trying to mentally block the beast’s train of thought that inevitably led to the bedroom, he couldn’t help but be hopeful they’d wind up there. He was determined to let her lead and in no way wanted to put any pressure on her.
Whatever happens, she’s with us and that’s what matters, he told his beast, who simply grumbled in return.
“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Emberly asked. She slipped off her heels and picked them up.
“I’m good.”
“Wanna sit?” she asked, gesturing to the couch.
He sat on the comfortable couch and she joined him. After placing her heels on the floor, she inhaled and gave him a nervous smile.
Cupping her face, he drew her to him and kissed her. She sighed and melted in his arms, moving closer until he leaned back against the couch and pulled her with him. She straddled him, and he rested his hands on her waist. He was entranced by her. Everything about her seemed tailor-made for him, from the way she fit against him to the way she tasted and smelled. He was in heaven.
She rolled her hips and pressed harder against him. He slid his hands down her hips to the edge of the dress, caressing the backs of her bare thighs. He was protesting the confining jeans that separated them, and as if she were psychic, she reached between them and tugged on his shirt, pulling it from where it was tucked into his waistband. Her fingers found his waistband under the material, her thumb and index finger twisting the fastener and opening it. Tugging her dress up to her waist, he spread his hands across the silky panties covering her bottom.
Pulling from the kiss, she pressed her forehead to his, breathing hard. With a soft growl, he flipped their positions, laying her on the couch and leaning over her.
She touched his face, her eyes luminous. Nuzzling her palm, he bent and kissed her once more. “I can’t let you get me naked yet.”
“Oh?” she asked with a smile.
“Your scent is calling to me, sweetness.” His voice was rough as he kissed down her neck and across the bit of cleavage showing at the low neckline of the dress. He slid halfway off the couch and smiled up at her.
He moved his hands up under her bottom and pulled her panties down her legs, then pushed her knees gently apart to make room for his shoulders. Diesel stared at the apex of her thighs, his body strung tight and his mind spinning. He'd never wanted someone as much as he wanted Emberly, but it was more than just having sex – he wanted this first time together to be amazing for her.
Inhaling her sweet scent, he kissed up the inside of her thigh, smiling inwardly at the way her muscles tensed as he drew close. He pressed his hand lightly to her abdomen, spreading the lips of her sex open with his thumb and middle finger. Her heat beckoned him, the wet folds begging for his touch. He flicked his tongue against her clit, and she gasped softly. He did it again and again, alternating between moving from side to side, to circles, to rapid flicks. She shuddered and he tilted his head, tonguing her core and using his index finger to play with her clit.
She tasted as sweet as she smelled, all woman and honey. He'd only had a little taste and he was fully addicted.
She tilted her hips and placed her hands on top of his head, her nails scraping his scalp.
"Diesel," she said, his name a moan on her lips.
Spurred on by her breathy moans, he alternated between tonguing her heat and rubbing her clit. His cat was right under his skin, purring at her reactions.
She writhed under him, her skin flushing with passion.
He slid two fingers into her and worked his tongue on her clit, letting his purrs vibrate against her most sensitive place. Her pussy clenched his fingers and heat flooded over him just moments before she cried out, her hips flexing and her clit swelling. She fisted his hair and tugged, and he kissed up the center of her body, laving attention on her nipples as he worked his jeans
down his hips to free his cock. He was harder than he'd ever been and felt like he was two seconds away from blowing his load everywhere.
No one had ever reacted to him the way she did.
She was his heart-match from head-to-toe, and he was already half in love with her.
He kissed her lips as his cock brushed her entrance. If his eyes had been open, they would have rolled back in his head at how good it felt to press slowly inside her. How perfectly snug she was around his length, how everything within him reverberated with the sense that she was made for him.
She moaned when he was fully inside her, the sound muffled by their kiss. He stroked his tongue against hers as he began to move, flexing his hips to drive himself in and out of her, aware that he was holding onto his control by a thread.
He eased from her lips and let out a growl, sliding one hand under her hips and lifting her lower body from the couch.
"Ah, fuck!" she cried out as he pounded into her.
She kissed and nipped his jaw and throat, panting for breath as they moved together, bodies straining, hearts aligning.
Her pussy fisted his cock like a vise as she came a second time. He wouldn't have been able to stop coming if the world was ending. Gritting his teeth to stifle his roar of happiness so he didn't deafen her, he dropped his head to her shoulder, breathing hard as his cock spasmed and twitched within her heated walls.
"So good," she whispered, stroking up and down his back.
"The best," he said. He kissed her throat and sucked a bit of flesh into his mouth, biting gently. She shivered and he smiled, kissing the light bruise he'd made.
His gums ached as his body soared from the heavens, his mind spinning with bliss and his chest heaving. His fangs, which had descended several times during their lovemaking, re-emerged when they’d made love a second time after moving to the bedroom. Emberly was sprawled over him like a blanket, her head on his chest.