She shrugged.
“I don’t know about this,” he said. “I’ll have to think.”
She gave him another shrug and walked to to the office door. “Fine by me. But just remember. The oracle could walk in tomorrow and tell you who your future mate is. And then where would you be?”
She heard him let out a little growl as she exited the office to go in search of lunch. She laughed.
Hopefully he’d decide to go along with it, and things could get a little more exciting in this big, empty house.
2
A fake relationship for the sake of practice. Axel couldn’t believe he was actually considering it as he sat across from Lucy at a long, otherwise empty table while they ate dinner in relative quiet.
Lucy had set up a TV in the corner she could watch, which meant he probably wasn’t great dinner conversation.
He had a propensity for disappearing into his thoughts, so that was no great surprise.
Tonight, however, the TV was off, and she was studying him curiously, her hair tucked into a side ponytail that brought her curls cascading over her shoulder. She was wearing a soft sweater with a scoop neck that showed cleavage and soft black lounge pants that skimmed her curves.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
Oh sure, she often liked to change into more comfortable clothes after a long day at the office. But this was different. Her shirt was lower. She was wearing something glossy and sticky on her lips. Something that made them more red. And she was looking at him like particularly succulent prey.
He had to admit her plan had merits. She was right; he was rusty and needed practice if he was going to win his mate. He’d been so busy worrying about when it would happen that he’d forgotten he would have to try hard once it did. In a way, everything in life had come easily.
Even the things he’d never asked for or wanted.
But that was different than having to work for something. He hadn’t had to really do that. Wooing her would do that for him.
And maybe it would be a bit fun. It’d been a while since he’d relaxed. With her helping with his workload and his younger brother Cain in the country doing diplomatic work, he finally had a little bit of time for something like that.
“So wooing you,” he said. “What would it entail? How long would it last?”
She shrugged her pretty, rounded shoulders. “However long it takes.” She licked her lips. “I’m not easy, you know.”
He swallowed. “Right.”
“Or I guess until your mate gets picked. That’s kind of the end of that.”
“Wouldn’t that be like cheating on her, even if it’s before I know who she is?” he asked.
She raised a dark eyebrow. “That’s admirably loyal. But even humans don’t expect to never date before marrying. It’s okay to get to know other partners before mating.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Even when you’re dating someone?”
“We’ve covered this. I haven’t had time to date someone,” he retorted tersely.
“Even if you were dating me?”
He pursed his lips together against the vision that came to mind. All of the sensual things they could do together.
What she was suggesting was all the more dangerous because it was tempting. Because he would love to do all of that with her. But it scared him that it could all end badly.
“I don’t know,” he repeated.
Obviously, he would want to. And it was tempting to take her word that it would help when he did take a mate.
But it seemed like playing with fire in order to learn how to not to be burned. Counterintuitive.
He always kept his mind clear, his thoughts logical. Nothing about what he wanted to do to or with Lucy was logical.
He did want to woo her. Show her just how well he could court a woman. Get her into bed and show her how capable he was there as well.
But…
“What’s the big hesitation?” she asked, folding her arms, making her soft breasts press together in a way that made his mouth dry. “You worried I’m going to get my heart broken? You worried I’m going to get feelings and not be able to tell make believe from real life?”
“I couldn’t do it with make believe,” he said. “If I’m going to do this, you have to understand that I’ll be actually getting feelings. That’s a dangerous game. One I’ve stayed away from because of my future responsibilities.”
“I don’t think it’ll be that easy for you to fall, Axel,” she said doubtfully. “After all, you’re the man who thought he wouldn’t even have to date his future wife. I think I’ll be fine.” She slid her tongue along her lower lip, teasing him. “On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind being swept off my feet.”
“I still don’t get what you get out of this,” he said.
She leveled a glance at him. “You, Axel. For a short time, I get you.” Then she put her napkin down, winked at him, and started to exit the room.
“What’s so great about that?” he called.
She turned on her heel. “You’re hot. You’re funny. And the way you stress out is entertaining. And I’m bored in this damn castle. And it would help you, which, as your friend, I would enjoy doing. It’s win-win-win all around. If you can just stop being a scaredy-lion.”
“I’m not a scaredy-lion,” he said, feeling embarrassed by the juvenile phrase as it left his mouth. He scowled.
“Prove it,” she said, leaning against the wall with folded arms. “Kiss me.”
He raised an eyebrow, his heart hammering against his chest. “What?”
“You heard me,” she said, her emerald eyes glowing in the warm low light. “That can be your first attempt. You can really win a woman over with just a kiss.”
He bit his lower lip. Kissing Lucy. That was risky. His blood felt like it was burning. His lion felt too close to the surface, his animal instincts threatening to overwhelm all the logic he held dear.
“You really think you don’t need my help? That you can win your mate over with no problems?” she asked, putting up her hands. “Then prove it, and I’ll drop it. One kiss, please.”
This is ludicrous, he thought, standing up and placing his napkin beneath him on the seat. Kissing his secretary. No, kissing Lucy, the curvy woman he’d been secretly lusting after for days. The only one to make him lose sight of all of his goals. And now she was here, offering to help him.
Giving him the perfect excuse to just give in to everything he wanted.
He strode toward her, a serious, intent expression on his face, watching each tic of her body, each movement of her eyes, her chest as she breathed. The predator in him was alive and awake.
He’d kiss her all right, but not for any of her stupid reasons.
He’d kiss her because he just damn well couldn’t resist.
There was a glow in Axel’s eyes that Lucy had never seen as he came around his side of the table and walked toward her.
She barely had time to stand up before he was right in front of her, backing her into the nearest wall, putting a hand on either side of her, trapping her.
“One kiss?” he asked, his voice calm, his golden eyes glowing. During the day, shaded by long lashes, she hadn’t been able to make out the color. A light hazel maybe. But here in the low light, the way he was looking at her, an unmistakable gold, like a lion’s mane in the sunlight.
“Sure,” she said, trying to sound calmer than she felt. “One.”
He leaned in closer. She could feel the heat from his body, his closeness. His largeness. A masculine scent. Spicy and clean. Cinnamon. Pine. Icy water.
She looked up into his eyes and saw him hesitating. She could practically hear his heart echoing hers, going crazy in her chest.
“Go ahead, then.”
He leaned in until his lips were a hair’s breadth from hers, so close she was aching to taste them.
He hesitated again.
Did this man have no ability to just let go?<
br />
She reached up, grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him in. His heavy weight came into her as he braced on his arms, and his lips were velvet soft over hers. Their breaths mingled as their bodies came together, easily entwining as her hands went around his waist and he leaned into her.
The kiss felt like something that should have happened ages ago. A release of pent-up tension that felt oh so good.
She groaned against his mouth and felt him tense, then relax as he deepened the kiss. He was taking control now, though his hands were still firmly planted on the wall behind her. But his tongue was weaving into her mouth, entwining with hers in a hot dance of power as he tilted his mouth to capture her further.
She felt heat between her legs, felt them weakening from the onslaught. Felt one of his arms leave the wall to snake around her, holding her up as she gave herself to the kiss.
It was wet, hot, seductive, promising. She could feel his hard chest and arm muscles against her and surrounding her, keeping her safe and warm. His tongue knew exactly what it was doing, thrusting expertly against her in a way that made her wetter the longer it went on.
“Axel,” she groaned against his mouth, and he pulled back, leaving her aching and wanting. She slumped back against the wall and looked up at him.
He looked confused. His beautiful lips swollen by the kiss, his eyes thoughtful and heated with some unknown emotion.
They darted back down to her lips, and she saw a twitch at the corner of his mouth, like he was trying to hold himself back.
Then he pushed off the wall and away from her, sitting on the long dining table behind him with a huff.
She was expecting some kind of snarky remark. Something like, “There, one kiss, see? No problem.”
Instead, he just stared at her, confused, as if she were some kind of foreign object and he was trying to decide what she was.
She bit her lip, and it drew his attention immediately. His masculine scent filled the room, and she could feel the presence of his very powerful lion.
It drove the lioness in her wild.
Could he scent her arousal? Scent how much she was aching for him to take it further?
She didn’t care about making a point anymore or her promise of fake dating. She just wanted the gorgeous man in front of her and didn’t care how it happened.
As long as he got inside her right fucking now.
She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself, and noticed he was doing the same.
How could a freaking kiss mean so much? Was it really just the effect of so much unbroken tension?
“Axel,” she said.
But then he launched forward, off the table, making it rock in response, and pinned her up against the wall again.
This time the kiss was heated, frenzied, no hesitation. Like their bodies were made for each other. He opened her wide and dove in, owning her mouth with a ferocity she’d never known he possessed. She sank into his hold as he plundered her lips, feeling close to going already, which was unbelievable. One hand held her waist easily up against him as if she weighed nothing, and the other stroked down the side of her neck, making her gasp and open her lips more, which he took advantage of.
She was kind of regretting ever challenging him on being good at kissing, because it was very plain he was. Then again, she was benefitting from it, so there was that.
She dug her nails into his back, clinging onto his shirt as the kiss softened, but his hand found her breast, squeezing lightly. Light waved through her, shocking her, but the pleasure was too great to resist, and she pressed her breast eagerly into his hand, wanting more. He felt her nipple through her soft bra and tweaked it, and she squeaked against his mouth and felt him grin in response.
I’m being ravished by the king, she thought helplessly. And I’m loving it.
His hand left her breast and moved down to the apex of her legs, which were clenched together. Everything was moving too fast, but she had no desire to stop it. The second he touched her there, electricity jolted through her, making her jump. Then she settled into the liquid touch and the pleasure melting through her, promising to ease her ache.
She pressed against his hand, holding on to him as he stroked against her. He pressed his body close, his hand between them, owning her whole body with his.
She felt totally enclosed, totally safe, and while she knew it wasn’t a feeling she should just get used to, it was a feeling she definitely would enjoy while it lasted.
She could feel the heat building inside her as his lips left hers to kiss gently at the sensitive skin of her neck, biting and sucking as his hand worked feverishly.
This man she’d just mocked for being inexperienced was about to bring her to orgasm faster than anyone else had. Faster than she ever had herself.
He was king of his people, completely adept at everything he did. Why had she thought this would be any different?
She moaned as he increased the speed, making the tension wind inside her unbearably. She had to go. Now. She bit into his neck as he pressed against her, letting out a growl of satisfaction.
Then his finger flicked and she felt everything kick over, cascading through her as she threw her head back and squirmed, trapped between him and the wall, forced to feel every powerful sensation as it ran through her.
“Axel,” she cried out. “Axel.”
His response was a low growl as his mouth covered hers, capturing her cries as his hand stayed where it was, stroking and enhancing her orgasm with almost too much feeling. His other arm still supported her now-sagging body. As she came down from the high, his kiss gentled. Softly stroking, pressing his lips to hers silently. Then pulling back, looking down with bated breath.
She looked up at him. Aroused. Relieved. Embarrassed.
“That was…” She didn’t have any words for it.
He cocked his head. Her eyes trailed down to his zipper and widened at the sight of his bulging member there. King indeed.
She wasn’t even sure if she could take it.
But before she could say anything, he took a step back, bringing her with him. He brought a chair and set her on it. Then he stepped back, hair mussed, lips swollen, muscles taut. Cock erect and pressing against his designer suit pants.
She’d never seen the king so disheveled.
She’d never thought just one kiss would lead to this.
And she really had to eat her words about his competence now that he’d made her come in just a few minutes.
She just kept breathing, feeling a pleasant calm come over her body, even as her emotions and heart were still riled up. What would he say? Would he chide her? Rub it in? Say he was right? Or even worse, that he regretted it?
Instead, with a terse look, he turned and walked out of the room.
That felt like the worst reaction of all. She watched him go with narrowed eyes, wondering what her next step should be.
3
Axel closed himself in his room and leaned against the door, totally shaken.
It was just supposed to be a kiss. Just quick proof to show her he wasn’t an imbecile when it came to pleasing a woman.
But from the moment their lips had touched, it hadn’t been about kissing just any woman. It had been about kissing Lucy.
And what a kiss it had been, shaking him down to his toes.
She’d taken everything from him in that kiss, leaving him with a hole inside that said only she could complete it. He’d been unable to stop as she urged him ahead, until she’d come in his arms, writhing and trembling and filling his mind with her scent, her sounds.
Everything inside him screamed mate. He didn’t think there was another woman in the world who could give him such feelings.
But that was confusing, because unlike most shifters, he wasn’t allowed to decide who his mate was. So why would it matter what his internal compass indicated?
A small hope flickered in him, one he didn’t dare acknowledge. That perhaps Lucy could be his mate. That it was more than coinc
idence that she had been sent to work at the castle with him.
She’d brightened his life in numerous ways since she’d come to the castle, and he honestly didn’t see how he could go back to life without her.
And he didn’t know how to go back to the time before they’d kissed. Those moments fraught with tension and tingling anticipation.
They had chemistry, real chemistry. He didn’t feel it was his inherent gift with women that had made her come so easily, but more a combination of the chemistry between them. Hot, erupting, unstoppable.
Even now, the giant lion inside him paced angrily, demanding he go back and finish what he’d started, claiming the female who seemed willing enough to go forward.
But he’d also seen a hint of fear in her eyes, hesitation.
She’d made it clear she didn’t want this to turn into anything. That she didn’t expect to love him.
The only way to have more of her, to be with her more, would be go along with her inane plan to teach him about courting a woman.
But what happened if he fell in love with her? If the stupid voice in him that screamed mate didn’t want to let go if the oracle picked someone else?
He never wanted to be forced into choosing between his country and Lucy.
But he knew he was getting ahead of himself. She hadn’t promised anything. She hadn’t said that was even an option. He crossed to his desk and thumped a hand on it, looking out the window into the night.
He could call the oracle, ask her thoughts on it. But he knew she’d just look at him in that cryptic way and tell him to make his own decisions and accept the consequences.
Well, it would hurt, but he had to engage with Lucy, accepting that they might have to part after.
But that was better than the alternative. Not having time with her at all.
He’d go along with her fake courting plan. Get to date her. Get to know her. Try to figure out the voices inside him that were urging him toward her.
She was right, he decided, looking out at the grounds. He’d gone too long without letting himself live. It was time to take steps to open up. Being fully alive with her, feeling his body zing with anticipation as she writhed in his arms, he knew what he’d been missing.
Protector of the Pride (Lions of Pride Island Book 3) Page 2