Lucas shifted his legs beneath the table, jostling mine. We were both big men, over six feet so there wasn’t much space. A breathless sensation rocked through me when I pictured us naked. In my peripheral vision I caught Leticia picking up her glass and taking a sip of wine. Crap. It was fine being honest regarding our desires but we had a bloody chaperone. And there was something else. Might as well blurt it out before things became too heated.
“I’m not interested in a one-night stand. I’ve done that before and I’m past it. If that’s all you can offer, then we should leave it at a drink.”
I heard Leticia’s gasp but didn’t take my eyes off Lucas. His dark eyes glittered with unreadable emotions. I didn’t know him well enough to even guess what he was thinking. He inhaled, his muscular chest swelling beneath the expensive shirt he wore, drawing my attention. “We’re here for a week since we’re walking, doing some star gazing, and Leticia wanted to try fishing in the mountain streams.”
“I’m here for another month before my contract ends.” It was difficult getting the words out, keeping my cool. Beneath my skin, my feline stirred uneasily, restlessly. I’d never reacted this fast to another man before. It was disconcerting, this loss of control, the moment heart took over mind.
“And after that?” Lucas asked.
“No firm plans yet.” I considered going home for a while. The Mitchell brothers would welcome me even if my parents didn’t. The farm was too much for Dad to manage on his own, even though he was too damned stubborn to admit it. I hoped he’d managed to hire help.
“I want to see the whales at Kaikoura,” Leticia said, her tone defiant.
“And so you shall, sweetheart. I promised, didn’t I?”
Her face softened, and it was obvious brother and sister were close. “Yes,” she said. “You did.” She glanced at me. “Should I make myself scarce?”
I had an idea. Normally I drank over at The Dirty Dog with the people I worked with during the day. They were a good crowd, and I liked them, but tonight instinct had led me to O’Hara’s. “Why don’t we move to another bar? I can introduce you to my friends and coworkers. Two are keen fishermen. They might give you a few hints.”
Lucas’s smile deepened. “Letty, you can swap fishy stories.”
“Exaggerate about catches,” I added.
Leticia’s full bottom lip pouted. I began to apologize when I noticed a slight quiver. Seconds later she wore a full-out smile. I gaped before Lucas kicked me beneath the table.
“I might start thinking you’re interested in my sister,” he murmured.
“She’s stunning,” I said with honesty. “But she’s not for me.”
Leticia sniffed. “I wouldn’t look at you even if you begged.”
“Ah.” I fought a smirk. “A feisty attitude. My friends will love you.”
* * * * *
The Dirty Dog was just as loud and boisterous as O’Hara’s, the words of a Crowded House hit spilling out of the building as we neared. I opened the door for Leticia and Lucas, standing back to let them through. A wave of chatter poured out to greet us.
Lucas paused. “Thanks.” My confusion must have shown because he added, “For including Leticia. It means a lot to me.” He squeezed my shoulder for an instant. “You won’t be sorry. I promise.” Lucas walked into the bar, leaving me staring after him.
His words landed like a kick to the gut, in a good kick kind of way. My entire body shuddered while blood rushed to my cock. Tension held me still. I watched Lucas saunter after his sister, saw the immediate interest when both men and women stared at the couple. Damn. The male had me panting after him and we’d done nothing more than exchange a few words, hot glances and a couple of innocent touches. I hoped he wasn’t a flirt, leading me on for the hell of it.
I hurried to catch up and directed the pair over to the far end of the bar where my friends always congregated. We found them standing around a leaner, their drinks on top along with several empty glasses. The clack of pool balls sounded when Neil broke for the start of a game. There were groans and a lone cheer from Neil.
“Saul, thought you weren’t coming out tonight,” my boss Grant said. His quick glance at the spread of the balls on the table held disgust.
“Thought I’d bring my friends to meet you,” I said easily. “This is Lucas and his sister Leticia. They’re here for the next week.” I pointed to my boss and workmates, listing names. “Grant. Neil. Steven. Dave. Gaylene. John. Sue.”
The next hour crawled by in slow motion. We had drinks, a game of pool and laughed and teased each other. I was pleased to see Leticia relax, and I noticed a couple of the guys acted interested.
“Are you ready to go?” The heat in Lucas’s gaze caused a series of ripples through my body. The hard ache near my chest reminded me it was time to breathe. Breathless. Again. This male had the power to hurt me. I sensed it, yet didn’t consider walking away or slowing our pace. Neither was an option.
I glanced at Leticia. “Will your sister be okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks to you.”
Leticia caught my gaze. My brows rose in a silent question. She glanced at her brother before looking back. Weird. It was almost as if they were communicating telepathically. Her lips curved in a secret smile, her nod imperceptible before she turned away to survey the pool table and her next shot.
Relief tinged with anticipation flooded through me. I drew a sharp breath, catching the musky scent of shifter along with a hint of pine from Lucas’s aftershave. Time to move this show along to the next stage.
We said our goodbyes before walking out into the cool clear night. A blanket of stars twinkled in the sky above while the moon hung high in the sky, casting light over the surrounding mountains. Right now they appeared as dark, hulking shapes, but in the sunlight they were spectacular, a play of purple, gray and blue with a touch of snow at the top. When we paused in the middle of the footpath, a night bird shrieked before falling silent.
“My place or yours?” Lucas asked, touching my arm.
I grasped his callused hand and tugged him deep into the shadows of the pub where no prying eyes could see. With no warning my mouth crushed his. No finesse or gentleness, just truth and desire. Passion. Luckily Lucas didn’t protest. He leaned into me, gripping my shoulders tight. Our lips moved together before we both opened our mouths and took the kiss into carnal, tongues sliding together, tastes mingling. His tongue was rough, the coarse abrasiveness shooting pleasure straight to my cock. I ground my hips against him, my eyes closing to savor the zap of friction when our erections rubbed together. This loving would be good. Hard to see anything different when we struck sparks off each other with a mere touch.
I pulled away as suddenly as I’d grabbed Lucas and rested my forehead against his for a scant second before stepping back. “Your place. It will be more private than the hostel where I’m staying.”
Chapter Two
Lucas and Leticia were staying at The Hermitage. We strode into the foyer, looking neither left nor right as we headed for the lifts. Lucas stabbed the call button, and we both lifted our heads to check the illuminated numbers showing the lift’s location. We waited in silence. My mind was on the kiss. I licked my lips, savoring Lucas’s lingering taste. I trembled, desperate to strip and move skin against skin, to feel his abrasive tongue sweeping across my flesh.
A soft snarl snared my attention. I turned and saw Lucas watching me.
“Fuck the lift,” he muttered. “We’ll take the stairs. It’s quicker.” He seized my hand and dragged me past a vintage car parked inside the foyer. I had seconds to take in the sculpture of glittering silver fish and the water that poured over the wall before we hit the stairs.
Lucas dropped my hand and took the stairs two at the time. I followed in bemusement, becoming gladder by the second because I had such a great view of his arse and muscular legs as he powered his way to the top. We sprinted up another two flights of stairs, past shops and a casual restaurant before Lucas turned to the ri
ght and prowled along a carpeted passage. About halfway along the passage, he stopped to tug a keycard from his pocket. He slid it into the door, waited a second until the green light flashed. I followed him inside and the door shut after me, closing with a muted click.
The room was decked out in shades of cream with dark cream covers on the two queen-size beds. I couldn’t remember the exact color shade but had seen it when my mother had dragged me into a furniture store in Dunedin last year.
It was a standard hotel room with a desk and chair against the wall along with the obligatory television and local artwork on the walls. The thing that propelled the room to special and spectacular was the large window that took up most of one wall with views out toward Aoraki Mount Cook. Not that I could see much at the moment.
“Strip,” Lucas barked, his hands working on the buttons of his white shirt.
“What about Leticia?” I asked.
“She has her own room.”
My brows shot up. “Are you made of money? The room rates here are steep.”
Lucas’s gaze bore into me. “Yeah, we have money. Is that a problem?”
“It could be,” I said. “I’m not rich.” And I’d hate the label of moneygrubber.
“So?” Lucas prowled toward me, his expression mean and dangerous. He stopped inches away, his brown eyes glaring golden sparks. “I’m not interested in your money. It’s your body I want to fuck, not your bank account. That plain enough?”
“Crystal.” I held back a chuckle.
“Hell.” Disgust shaded his voice. “I’ve never met a male who liked to talk so much. Can we continue now?”
“Yeah.” I dragged my polo shirt over my head and tossed it aside. With my eyes on Lucas, I undid my jeans. The unveiling of Lucas’s body distracted me. Smooth golden skin stretched across magnificent muscles. Unlike me, a small amount of hair dusted his chest, arrowing downward beneath his black jeans. He sat on the corner of one bed to unlace his leather boots.
“Let me,” I said. I knelt on the carpeted floor in front of him and drew off the boot. He had big feet. My gaze drifted upward to the huge bulge at his groin, a smile tugging my lips. A big cock to match. Lucky me. I tugged off his sock before massaging his foot. His guttural groan, almost a purr, brought amusement. The man was easy.
I removed his other boot and sock. “Jeans,” I suggested, eager to see more skin.
Lucas stood and peeled off jeans and briefs in one swift move. He kicked them aside and stood proudly in front of me. I sat back on my heels, studying his sexy body. His skin was golden all over as if he bathed in the sun on a regular basis. Supple muscles played whenever he moved while his dick jutted out and upward.
“Nice.”
“I hope you’re gonna do more than look.”
Testy. I bit back a smirk. “I could touch,” I suggested.
“For God’s sake, do it,” he snapped. His jaw clenched and his face bore an expression of sensual pain.
“Yeah. Okay. We’ll do away with foreplay this time.” A fib, of course. I loved the tease and prolonging of the main event. It made the climax so much sweeter.
“Hallelujah.”
Smiling, I stood and removed boots, socks and my remaining clothes. Aware Lucas was eyeing my body in the same way I’d checked him out, I paused in a pose. We resembled day and night—one golden and one dark—but otherwise matched in size, and I think, strength.
Deciding Lucas had had enough time for window-shopping, I closed the distance between us and kissed him on the lips. This time was slower. Giving. We explored each other’s mouths, letting our bodies bump and jostle together. He tasted of beer, the crisp taste of hops dancing across my tongue. I took the kiss deeper, exploring the inside of his cheek and his abrasive tongue. A shiver rippled through me, my hips jerking in response. I couldn’t wait for his tongue to rasp against my skin. Without haste, I pulled away, my breathing hard and choppy.
Lucas wasn’t in much better condition. “Hell.” The word was a hiss from between his clenched teeth. “Do that again.”
“What? This?” I ground against him, our cocks sliding against each other before the swollen heads hit solid flesh. No need for erection-enhancing drugs in this room.
“Yeah.” Lucas seized my hips with his callused hands and held me still while he repeated the move. We both groaned, wet trails of pre-cum glistening on our abdomens. “I’m going to do you,” he muttered. “On the bed. Now.”
“Who made you boss?” I liked the dominant position best. I might want him, but I refused to let Lucas walk over me just because I wanted to get laid.
Our gazes met. Held. “Fuck,” he said, recognizing this could be a problem. “Okay. We’ll take turns.” He leveled a challenging glare at me. “I’m going first.”
“Are you a man of your word?” I refused to concede without promises.
“Yeah.” He sighed heavily as if he couldn’t believe he’d agreed to my stipulation. “I promise we will take turns.”
Good enough. I nodded to communicate my acceptance and on unsteady legs walked toward the nearest bed. I tugged the covers back and fell back on the crisp white sheets, looking up at Lucas. Anticipation crawled through my veins and my stomach did a strong flip. A new relationship was always full of possibilities. I was eager and upbeat even though I knew there was a time limit attached. If anything, the knowledge brought a new sweetness to this unexpected encounter.
Lucas joined me after rifling through a bag in the wardrobe. He slapped a bottle of lube and a fistful of condoms at the top of the bed, mere inches from the pillow where my head rested.
Seconds later, he leaned over me, kissing my lips before trailing kisses over my neck. His teeth nipped at the tender skin before his tongue darted out to smooth the sting. I shuddered at the sensual drag across my skin. The trail of his fingers, duplicating the move of his tongue, wrought the need for more.
“What do you think of that?”
I snorted. Hell, I liked everything. I especially enjoyed the intent expression on his face, the glint in his eyes when he explored my body. “What gave it away?”
“You were damn near purring,” Lucas said with smug satisfaction.
“Damn near,” I admitted, “but still a smidge away from purring.”
Lucas tossed his head, setting his tawny curls bouncing. “That sounded like a challenge.”
I shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat.”
This time it was his turn to snort. He nipped a pectoral muscle hard enough to make me jump. When his tongue swept across the spot, my dick reared upward, my balls pulling tight. Air whistled between my teeth. Hell, he was good. Or perhaps I was more desperate than I’d thought. I gave in to my need to touch and ran my hands through his hair. It was softer, silkier, than I’d expected. I also discovered Lucas had big ears. The imperfection was damn cute. Grinning, I kept my thoughts to myself.
Lucas kissed across my rib cage and rimmed my belly button with his tongue. My eyes drifted closed to better savor the sensations thrumming through me, amusement at his ears fading. I heard the distant whirr of the air-conditioning unit and a shout from somewhere outside the room. The mattress moved when Lucas stirred. He shifted lower still, his cheek nudging my cock. His breath feathered across my abdomen. Warm and teasing, promising pleasure.
Impatience grew. Eagerness. A gasp escaped when he gripped my cock with one hand and pumped. My hips levered off the bed, jerking upward instinctively, seeking to maximize the pressure, the sensations. He did it again, then there was nothing. No touch. Just nothing.
My eyes flicked open to see him grinning. “Stop teasing.”
Lucas was unapologetic when he glanced up at me. “My first thought was to get my rocks off straightaway, but exploring is good, getting to know what you prefer, what makes you hot.” He leaned over, guiding my cock to his mouth. Heat surrounded the tip. Once again, my hips thrust upward, driving my dick deeper into the warm heat. A groan squeezed past my lips while my heart galloped. Pleasure swept
through me, firing a deep-seated need inside. My balls pulled tighter still to the edge of pain. It was going to be good.
I knew it.
His tongue swirled across the head of my cock. I felt pressure as he sucked, drawing me deeper into his mouth. I groaned—a deep, dark sound—my hips moving, trying to burrow deeper into the scorching heat of his mouth. He knew what his touch was doing to me. His soft chuckle vibrated along my cock. The action of his lips and tongue pushed me higher. Clawing tension simmered inside. I trembled, every muscle in my body tense while I strove for climax. A tingle started in my balls. Another swish of his talented tongue pushed me higher still. I pushed deep into his mouth, the pressure building until I couldn’t hold back for an instant longer. I groaned as semen rushed up my cock, exploding from me in a convulsive contraction. He continued to work me while I luxuriated in the aftershocks.
Finally, I gripped his head, pushing him away. Still panting, I pressed a kiss to his hand. I sucked in a breath before saying, “I guess it’s your turn now.”
“Please.” There was a world of meaning in his face, and in that moment I wanted to give it to him—the world.
“Chuck me the lube,” I said, lifting up on to my elbow.
A tinge of red colored his cheeks while arousal glittered in his eyes. I reached out to accept the plastic bottle, taking the time to skim my fingers across his chest. I flicked a flat nipple and heard his sharp intake of breath, saw the flare of his nostrils. The heat of his touch seared my fingers as the lube changed hands.
“I want you,” he whispered.
“I know.” I sat up properly and flicked the top of the lube open. The bottle wheezed when I squeezed lube onto my palm. “Come here.”
Lucas knelt on the bed, moving closer until his knees nudged my hipbone. His cock thrust outward. The tip glistened with pre-cum. I set the bottle aside and rubbed my palms together to disperse the lube. Lucas watched me the whole time, his broad chest rising and falling rapidly, belying his pretense of calmness.
My Stray Cat Page 2