by Sophie Stern
“Okay, Landon. We’re here. What happens now?”
I walk over to her and kiss her, running my hands through her hair. “Now I’m going to take care of you, Tina.”
“I might be sore,” she whispers. “I haven’t…you know…not since before Blake was born.”
“We can take our time, honey. We have all the time in the world, you and I. Will you trust me to make this good for you?”
Desire and fear wrestle in Tina’s eyes as she tries to decide. Even as she debates with herself, I can see her wanting to be brave, wanting to be bold, and then, after what seems like an eternity, she nods.
“I’m ready, Landon. I’m ready.”
Chapter 13
Tina
I’ve never considered myself to be brave.
In my life, I’ve gone through many hardships and many battles, but “brave” is not a word I would ever use to describe myself.
Until now.
As much as I hate to admit it, giving myself to Landon in this way requires a certain amount of bravery I didn’t know I had. I didn’t realize just how scared I’d become of something as simple as a bedroom until I stepped through the door with him.
And then I realized how stupid it was.
I’ve been sleeping on the couch because of a bad memory. Staying away from the room hasn’t dimmed my memories of what happened. Staying on the couch hasn’t made me forget what Chester did to me. All it’s done is make the problem bigger and longer-lasting.
Staying away from the room has only made my fear greater, and Landon is right: it’s time to conquer that fear.
I close my eyes for a moment and breathe him in. Landon smells nothing like Chester. They might both be shifters – which, I’ll admit, came as a shock – but they’re nothing alike.
And they smell different.
Landon smells good, strong. He smells like honey and happiness. He smells like contentment. He smells like safety and love and comfort, and I’m ready for all of those things.
I’m ready to stop denying myself and letting Chester win.
I’m ready to take hold of my life again.
And I’m starting with this moment.
I lean up and kiss him. He’s taller than me. I stand on my tip-toes and press my mouth to his, offering everything that I am. I offer myself to Landon with the knowledge that he will take care of me.
He will protect me.
He will care for me.
He will guard me.
No matter what else happens in my life, I know that Landon will be by my side. He’s not going to get scared and run away. He’s not going to ditch me when things get hard. No, he’s going to be here for me. We’ll have problems and issues as all couples do, but Landon and I will communicate. We’ll talk. We’ll work through our problems as a team because that’s what people in love do.
They face the world together as a unified front.
And then he picks me up.
“Woah,” I whisper.
“Yes, I’m very strong,” Landon winks at me.
“No one’s ever carried me like this before,” I tell him. “I feel special, like royalty, like I’m a princess.”
Landon just chuckles and takes me to the bed. He lays me on the covers and just looks at me for a second.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“As are you,” I tell him. “And I know it’s been awhile, so correct if me I’m wrong, but I think you’re wearing way too many clothes.”
He glances down at the jeans and t-shirt he’s wearing. He ruined his clothes when he shifted to fight Chester, but one of Chester’s neighbors offered Landon a set of clean clothes to wear when he shifted back.
“Oh my,” he says in mock surprise. “You’re right. What should we do about this problem, sweetie?”
“Take it off,” I say in my sexiest voice. “Take it all off.”
He teases the bottom of his shirt up and down, revealing his abs and then hiding them again.
“No, don’t tease me,” I say. “I’ve waited long enough.”
“You’ve waited a long time,” he admits. “So what’s a few more minutes? Let’s make this fun, Tina.”
He’s going to kill me.
He’s literally going to kill me.
I’m going to die from horniness and excitement and arousal if he doesn’t take off his damn clothes soon.
Landon seems oblivious to my suffering as he continues to strip slowly. He finally takes his shirt off, revealing his cut abs.
“Wow,” I groan. I want to lick him. I want to reach for him and touch him and just lick his body, and then I realize there’s no reason I shouldn’t. Quickly, I move so I’m on all fours facing him.
“What are you doing, Tina?”
“Whatever I want,” I tell him, and then I lean forward and swipe my tongue over his abs. He groans, and for a second, I think he’s going to push me away, but he doesn’t. Instead, he touches my hair and pulls me closer, and I keep going. I lick his stomach, nibbling and biting my way down to his pants. “These are coming off,” I say firmly.
I unbutton the top of his jeans and pull the zipper down.
“No boxers?” I look up at him.
He shrugs. “I wasn’t about to wear a stranger’s underwear.”
“I like it,” I push his jeans down and he steps out of them, kicking them aside. Then he stands directly in front of me.
“What do you want to do to me, Tina?”
“This,” I don’t grab his cock with my hand. I’m too anxious for that, too excited. I’ve waited too long to just rub his dick. Today, I’m ready for everything. I’m ready for all of him. I’m ready for all of this. I lean forward and take his length in my mouth, and I slide it down my throat.
“Fuck,” he growls. “Holy dragons, woman. You didn’t tell me you were so good at this.”
“By the way,” I smile up at him. “I’m really, really good at this.” I take him in my mouth once more, licking and sucking his dick. I reach for his balls while I suck his cock and play with them in my hands, gently running my fingers over them and squeezing softly while I lick him.
Landon is everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I’ve ever dreamed of, and I can’t believe we’re finally doing this. I slide his cock in and out of my mouth over and over again, enjoying the way he tastes, loving the way he feels against my tongue.
Soon, though, I can tell the sensations are overwhelming him and he stops me.
“Alright princess,” he whispers. “My turn.”
Chapter 14
Landon
A woman in love has a certain glow about her.
Tina isn’t just glowing: she’s shining like a fucking star.
I join her on the bed and lie beside her, hooking one arm under her neck. Then I kiss her, and kiss her, and kiss her. As my tongue explores her mouth, my right hand explores the rest of her body. I push up her shirt and run my hand over the top of her breasts.
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper. She just smiles and kisses me back eagerly, hungrily. Then she sits up and yanks her shirt off, throwing it off the bed.
“I don’t need this anymore,” Tina smiles.
“Do you need the rest of it?” I ask, waiting. I’m hoping she’s not going to tease me the way I teased her, but I know that’s pushing my luck. This is Tina we’re talking about; of course she’s going to give me a hard time. It’s only fair, after all.
She lies down and arches her back, running her hands over her breasts and slowly unhooking her bra, then she teases it down slowly, slowly, slowly.
“Come on,” I urge. “I want to see your beautiful nipples.”
“Is that right?” She lowers the bra. “Here you go, big boy.”
“You’re perfect,” I tell her. “Beautiful. Sexy as all hell.”
“Touch me, Landon. I can’t wait anymore.” That’s all the motivation I need to strip her out of her jeans and panties, and then she’s naked in my arms and I’m kissing her with nothing between us. Ther
e’s nothing between us at all. It’s just me and her and this moment.
I cover her body with kisses. I worship her with my mouth. Tina is perfect. She’s beautiful and soft, and I love touching her. I trace my fingers over her stretch marks and she blushes.
“They’re not pretty,” she says.
“They’re beautiful. You did something amazing, baby. You grew another person. You grew a shifter. You should be proud of these,” I kiss each mark and make my way between her legs.
She spreads them eagerly and looks down at me mischievously. I lick her, then, devouring her body. She tastes better than I could have imagined and I wonder how we managed to wait so long to do this.
Now that I’m here, I never want to leave her.
I want to do this forever.
I want to kiss her, love her, taste her.
I want to quit my job, leave the law firm, and just do this all day long, every day.
I want Tina.
“Please,” she whispers, pulling me up. “Please fuck me. I can’t wait any longer, Landon. I need you inside of me. I need you, baby. I need you now.”
I roll on my back and she straddles me, hovering just above my cock.
“Don’t be nervous,” I tell her, grabbing her hips.
“You’re bigger than I expected,” she hesitates.
“You can take me, princess. You were born to take me.”
“I’m nervous,” she says. “I haven’t done this since I had Blake. I’m worried it’s going to hurt.”
“Take your time, baby. This is why you’re on top. You control this. You control all of this. It’s all about you, Tina. We do this at your pace, okay?”
She nods, and then she seems to make up her mind, and she slowly starts to lower herself onto me. I groan as she does. She’s so tight. She feels so amazing, and I hope I don’t completely ruin the moment by coming in 0.3 seconds.
“That’s it,” I tell her.
“Fuck,” she groans. “This feels so good. Oh, Landon. You feel amazing.”
“I love the view,” I tell her. “Not going to lie. You’re so damn sexy, baby. I can see all of you. I can see your pretty breasts and your nipples and your tummy. I can see everything. You look amazing.”
“Yeah?” She asks, rocking gently on me.
“Ride me, baby.”
She grips my shoulders and then Tina rides my cock like she’s a damn cowgirl. I reach between us, rubbing her clit gently as she does, and it’s not long before she’s breathing hard and squeezing my cock like she’s going to explode. When she comes, it’s like lightning and fire. She looks amazing and feels even better. She digs her nails into my shoulders, but I barely notice because I’m so busy being enthralled with her.
“You look so sexy when you come,” I tell her.
“I want to see you come, too,” she whispers, and I thrust up into her. She groans, still tight and sensitive from her orgasm, and I grip her hips as I make love to her. Soon she’s coming a second time, and I come, too. We’re two lovers wrapped up in the most important moment of our lives. I’ve never felt anything this intense before and something tells me I’ll never feel anything like this again.
She snuggles next to me, then, and drapes her arm over my chest.
“That was…wow.”
“I love you, Tina.”
“I love you, too.”
I kiss her, and when I do, I’m filled with happiness and contentment. I didn’t know finding my mate would feel this incredible. I didn’t know it would feel this wonderful. I didn’t know it would feel like the sun was rising in my heart. I didn’t know it would feel like magic.
But that’s what Tina is: she’s magic.
And I’m going to love her for the rest of my life.
Epilogue
Tina
Four months later
Our wedding is on a Saturday morning in the summer.
When I got married the first time, we had a courthouse ceremony without guests, without friends, without anyone. Our witnesses were two random people from the courthouse whom I’d never met before.
This time, things are different.
Landon and I are having a small ceremony in the gardens of his law firm. It sounds silly, I know, but the Victorian mansion where his law office is has the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen in my life. The flowers are all in bloom and the grass is greener than I’ve ever seen it.
Everything is perfect, and I couldn’t ask for more.
I stand at the entrance with my father and look out at our guests. Our friends and family members have gathered to celebrate with us. Shifters and humans alike are here to make sure this day is one we never forget.
Everyone wants to help us celebrate our love.
Everyone wants to help us celebrate our new beginning.
My mother sits at the front of the crowd with Blake in her arms. My little guy is crawling now and getting into everything. I can see him wiggling in her arms and I laugh as he struggles to break free and explore the gardens. I don’t know how I’m going to handle him once he starts shifting. Luckily, I have Landon to help me deal with that.
My eyes roam over the crowd: Casa and his wife are here, along with Lyon and Joyce. Fawn came, as well as several other people from Blake’s daycare. My boss and several of my favorite patients, including Polly and her mother, have joined us, too.
And then there’s Landon.
There’s my groom.
There’s my heart.
The music starts and my father and I start walking down the aisle. I walk down the aisle and toward my future. I walk away from the past and toward the man who has given me everything I’ve ever dreamed of.
I walk toward my mate and my new beginning.
I walk toward Landon, and I’ve never been happier.
THE END
Tiger Clause
Shifters at Law
Sophie Stern
For my mate
Oliver Lyon loves his town, his job, and his house. He's got a nice car and a nice routine and a nice life.
What he doesn't have is someone to share it with.
Then Anna walks into his life. The human is sexy, sleek, and seductive. She's everything a tiger could hope for in a mate, but there's more to Anna than meets the eye. She's in trouble because of an ancient clause that's rarely used in contracts anymore, but one that could potentially change her life.
Will Oliver be able to help her before it's too late?
Chapter 1
Anna
The house in front of me is beautiful.
It’s absolutely, positively, perfectly stunning.
It’s the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen and there’s no way this is a legitimate law firm. No, it looks like the kind of house you go to if you want to talk with a fortune teller or if you have a ton of money and want to spend it on B&Bs.
This isn’t the type of place someone like me belongs.
This isn’t the type of place I should be going to.
Still, as I look at the card in my hand, I realize there’s no way I have any other choice. This is the place. This is the time. This is the guy. Joyce wouldn’t steer me wrong, and right now, I don’t think anyone else could possibly help me. Time is running out, and I need to figure out a way to make all of this go away.
I need to figure out a way to make everything okay.
The Victorian mansion in front of me is enormous. It looms large and dark in the bright sunshine. Everything about it looks like it’s from a fairytale. The paint is perfect and even the attached gardens are blooming with flowers. There shouldn’t still be flowers. It’s autumn.
Those flowers should be dead by now, but somehow, they’re still fighting.
Just like me.
I stand in front of the house, staring, trying to decide if I should go inside. It’s not like this is really an embarrassing problem. I’m not a criminal, after all. I’m not here because I made a poor choice.
I’m here because I was born into a shi
tty family.
And it’s not like that’s something I can help, but it is something I can fight against.
Maybe.
Hopefully.
When I called Joyce yesterday, it was mostly to vent. I knew she worked with lawyers, but I didn’t expect she’d be able to get me an appointment with one of them. I certainly didn’t expect a last minute appointment.
Still, she pulled through for me and now I owe her. Hardcore. Joyce is the sweetest, fiercest woman I’ve ever met. I wish I was more like her. Hell, right now, I wish I was more like anyone else in the world but myself.
I can’t believe my mother did this to me.
Hell, as much as I love my father, I can’t believe he did this to me. I was only 16 when he died. I was just a kid, and I know he had high hopes for me, but he screwed me with this damn clause.
What screwed me even more was not knowing about the stupid thing until now.
Now, I’m pretty sure it’s too late. I’m pretty sure it’s too late to do anything but kiss my trust fund goodbye because I know I’m never going to see it. I know I’m never going to be able to access it and that stings. It stings that the one thing my father left me is going to slip through my fingers because of some stupid, outdated clause.
Fuck.
“Are you selling something?” I look up and realize there’s a man on the porch. He’s standing there watching me.
“How long have you been watching me?” I glare at him. Fuck him. Fuck this guy. Fuck this place.
“Long enough to know you’re being super creepy.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I have no real reason to be pissed at this random stranger. For all I know, he’s here for the same reason I am: to get legal help. Still, I find him completely obnoxious, and I don’t like him interrupting my private thoughts. Those are for me.