by Ashley Shay
“Carlita needs you, Cougar.” She took a sip of coffee then set the cup down with a sigh. “Hmm, es muy bueno. I hire you for morning, sí?” He nodded and settled back in his chair as she suddenly grew serious and looked into his eyes. “And you need her. It is time to let Jillian go, as I have let Carlos go. The heart can only stand so much pain.”
Cougar nodded in agreement but didn’t speak. He didn’t trust himself whenever Jillian’s name came up. However, Lucia had no such problem. She kept on talking. “Jillian is gone, and life must continue. You need to take Carly with you today, get to know her away from sus hermanos. You are a different man, Cougar. Tyler is a perfect alpha, Shane is the perfect beta, Dusty is full of fun, but you…eres muy especial.”
“Special, huh? And what if Carly doesn’t like special? What if she doesn’t accept who I am?”
Lucia smiled with a grandmother’s indulgence and reached across the table to touch his hand. “We had this same conversation about Jillian. Did we not?”
Cougar gave a bark of laughter and felt immeasurably lighter. “I seem to remember something like that.”
“I love you, mi pequeño puma. Carly will understand you.”
“Did I hear my name?” Carly asked, entering the kitchen with barefoot silence.
Cougar looked her up and down from head to toe. Her blonde hair tousled adorably around her face, and without makeup, she looked like a teenager. She wore a faded T-shirt without a bra and cutoff jeans. From the desperate look on her face, Cougar figured she’d tumbled out of bed and made a beeline to the kitchen for coffee.
“The coffee smells wonderful.” She headed toward the pot.
Lucia chucked and patted Cougar’s hand. “Ves? You see? Already something in common.”
“It might take more than coffee,” he whispered behind his hand.
“Oh, sí, es verdad.” She gave Carly a quick glance. “But we must begin somewhere, sí?”
With a firm nod, Cougar made a decision. “I’ve gotta go into town today, Carly. Would you like to ride along?”
Carly nearly dropped her cup and splashed hot coffee over her fingers. She shook them absentmindedly while staring at Cougar. “Are you a mind reader?”
He shrugged, giving her a heated stare in return, taking in her flushed skin and bed hair. He sniffed the air, smelling the mixture of scents that hovered on her skin and the intoxicating aroma of her pussy. “Sometimes.”
Carly blushed as she caught his drift. “Give me a few minutes to shower and fix my hair.”
“I like your hair the way it is.” He reached out to grasp her wrist. “Sit down, Carly. Enjoy coffee with Lucia and me. It will be a couple hours before I’m ready to leave the ranch. I’ve got to check in with security for the morning briefing.”
Carly sat down gracefully. “So what have you two been up to this morning? You both look a bit…mysterious. Like you’re telling secrets.”
“Oh, es nada,” Lucia said, rising to her feet. She pulled a skillet from the cupboard.
“Nada, huh?” Carly said. “I’ll bet.” She turned to Cougar. “Did you see Rosa talking to Tomcat 6 outside her door last night?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Cougar sat up straighter in his chair. “Tomcat 6? Are you sure?”
Carly put a hand over her face, obviously distressed. “Oh crap. How stupid can I be? I shouldn’t have said anything. Don’t get upset with them, Cougar. It probably wasn’t anything at all but a bit of harmless flirting.”
“I’m not upset. Tomcat 6 won’t get distracted, and Rosa’s a big girl. She can talk to him if she wants. I just find it interesting, that’s all.” He allowed himself a smile that turned into a chuckle. Interesting wouldn’t be the half of it if those two tried to dominate each other. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Rosa’s face when the Domme discovered her new potential boy toy was anything but.
“What’s so funny?” Carly asked, looking back and forth between Lucia and Cougar.
Cougar kept his eyes on Lucia. The two of them had always been able to share a conversation without words. Rosa was like a daughter to Lucia and had been since her arrival at Catamount. Lucia wanted only the best for her, and Cougar knew she thought Rosa needed a strong man to reign in her serpent tendencies. He could practically see the wheels turning in the old woman’s mind. Tomcat 6 was her favorite security specialist. She would make sure to throw the two of them together at every chance she got.
“No matchmaking, Lucia,” Cougar warned. “Rosa will handle it the way she wants it to go.”
Lucia rolled her eyes, speaking a flood of Spanish Carly would only catch bits and pieces of. “Ella no puede. She cannot. Rosita puede ser estúpida. Ella es prácticamente mi hija, y quiero que sea feliz. You want her happiness, no?”
Cougar held up his hands. “No, I mean, yes. Yes, I want her to be happy.”
“Tengo que la empujar,” Lucia insisted. “Entiendes? I must push because she is—”
“Stupid,” Cougar finished. “Yeah, I get that. Now back to work, you old busybody.” Cougar dodged as Lucia aimed a smack with a wooden spoon at the back of his head. He couldn’t remember feeling this good in a very long time.
* * * *
Tyler wandered into the kitchen to find Cougar smiling. He really couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother so relaxed at breakfast. Carly looked a little tired and sleepy. Tyler grinned himself as he thought of last night. No surprise there. He’d woken Carly up in the middle of the night for a little private time with her as his brothers and Gabe slept like babies.
He leaned in for a kiss, enjoying the scent of his mate and the taste of fresh coffee on her mouth. He could tell by the lack of scent that she hadn’t kissed Cougar yet, but there seemed to be an easy camaraderie between them this morning.
“So what’s got everyone is such a good mood?”
“Carly’s going to ride into town with me today. That okay with you?”
Tyler hid his surprise, and relief, with an easy shrug. “’Course it is. No one could keep her safer.”
Cougar attacked a plate of scrambled eggs and ham, eating for a few minutes before speaking. “I thought I’d check on the business receipts after I do a little interviewing to see if anyone new is hanging around the area. It’s going to be a long day, Ty.”
Lucia sat a plate in front of Tyler, and he pulled it close, forking a bite of eggs. “It’s fine. Rosa can watch after the kit. Carly needs to see the town and meet our business associates. You need to check in at Clandestine. You can’t let a business like that run itself for too long.”
Cougar pushed back from the table and his empty plate. “Jake’s got it covered. I just drop in to enjoy the atmosphere once in a while.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Jake called last night, but I was too exhausted to talk.”
“If it was important, you’d know,” Tyler said. “I wish we could get him out of that club and on security detail here. Did you talk to him about it again?”
Cougar nodded. “Yeah, but it’s not going to happen, Ty. Jake said after working presidential detail he’d never go back to security. He’s enjoying the club too damn much to give it up. I’m not even sure I want him to make a change. He’s a helluva manager.”
Ty let it drop. “Oh hell, I can’t blame him. We’ve got a good team as it is. He’d just make it better. Tomcat 6 can’t work twenty-four seven.”
Lucia muttered something under her breath about Rosa being stupid and more that Tyler couldn’t quite make out. He’d been thinking on Rosa’s future lately. With a new alpha female in the pride, Tyler doubted Rosa would stay at Cattail much longer, though he wanted to keep her in Catamount. He had some plans the next day that he hoped would make her very happy. He owed her a lot for stepping in after Jillian’s death to take care of Suzie and keep the household running smoothly.
* * * *
Cougar parked his SUV in a lot off Main Street, not far from the downtown area. “We walk from here.” He hit the security
locks and armed the system. Shoving the keys into his jeans, he took Carly’s hand. She noticed he glanced around to make sure the guards were somewhere in the background. Holding hands with Cougar gave her a slightly giddy feeling, and she wondered if it was happiness or her inner psyche responding to his cougar. Maybe a little of both she decided.
“Where are we going first?”
Cougar looked down at her. “We’ll stop in and thank Lisa Fauve for reacting so quickly when you were shopping with her. Besides, I’ve got a check for the purchases. We don’t want you to run out of credit.”
Carly laughed. “Somehow, I just can’t see that happening.” She could feel the butter-soft leather of the thong she wore under her dress. The thong had silver beads strung on the fringed waistband that danced invitingly with every step she took. She couldn’t wait to get an opportunity to show Cougar when they stopped by the club. She was fairly sure he’d love the suggestive little piece.
Despite the greetings of the town regulars, Cougar maintained a steady pace down the street, acknowledging and saying hi to everyone without stopping for a chat. Carly noticed the quiet way the Catamount citizens took in every detail, including the fact Cougar had a firm hold on Carly’s hand. They seemed almost shy with her today in Cougar’s presence.
Lisa met them at the door of Purrrfectly Fine Lingerie with a smile. She held up a cell phone, twisting it for Cougar to see. “I got a text the minute you stepped out of your vehicle. Homeland Security really needs to tap into the grapevine here in Catamount. There’s no way anything or anyone could get past them for long.”
Carly laughed at the assessment, thinking Lisa was right on. “They do seem to take an interest.”
“Oh, chérie”—Lisa waved her hand theatrically—“when it comes to the Lucas clan, everything is interesting to the good folks of Catamount. I’ve had a dozen phone calls wanting to buy the same things you bought here on your last visit.”
Carly was mortified her little shopping spree was talk of the town. “I can’t believe they’d want to know what I bought.”
“You’re our first lady, as compelling as Kate Middleton to the people in this county.”
Carly’s mouth dropped open as her gaze raked over the displays, thinking of the leather thong, the rumba panties, the black lace teddy, and every naughty, delicious thing now gracing her closet. When the cage dress superimposed itself over everything else, she gasped. “Oh my God, you didn’t tell them what I bought, did you, Lisa?”
“Of course I didn’t,” Lisa soothed. “Your purchases are strictly confidential.” She gave a mischievous smirk. “Except, of course, for that passé purple negligee you bought. I had boxes of them that I hadn’t been able to sell. When a couple of the ladies found out you purchased one, I ended up having to back order another after I sold my entire inventory.”
“But I didn’t buy a purple—”
Cougar laughed heartily. “Lisa, that is shameless.”
Lisa’s elegant shrug said it all. “I’m a business woman, cher.”
“Now, Lisa, you know you’re much more than that.” She gave him a brilliant smile, basking in his approval. “You’re our eyes and ears here in Catamount. You haven’t heard of any new shifters in town, have you? Anyone that might draw attention? Look like they don’t belong?”
Lisa frowned. “How long has it been since you were in Clandestine?”
Cougar studied her before speaking. “A while, Lisa, you know that. Did something happen at Clandestine I should know about?”
Lisa put a hand out, seemingly ready to touch him, but obviously thought better of it because she stepped back to a modest distance. Carly couldn’t help wondering how well Lisa knew Cougar. “No, nothing happened, but a new Dom inquired about admittance last night. He had the smell of the desert about him, and I’m told his skin was ruddy. The thing is no one could get a bead on him. He had shifter written all over him, but no one could determine what kind. Don’t you think that’s odd?”
Cougar looked concerned. “Very. Did anyone get his name? Where he’s from?”
Lisa shook her head. “You’ll have to talk to Jake. I’m giving you secondhand info. I’m surprised he didn’t call you last night.”
Cougar glanced at Carly. “He did, but I cut him off because we’d had one very bad day at Cattail. Damn, I’ve got to start focusing.”
Carly put a supportive hand on Cougar’s arm and noticed Lisa’s gaze linger on the contact for a moment before meeting her eyes with a genuine smile. “You couldn’t have known about him, and if Jake thought he was a real threat, he’d have insisted on telling you no matter how busy you were.”
“True,” Cougar agreed, “I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” He pulled a check from his jeans pocket and handed it to Lisa. “Let us know when the new collection comes in. Apparently, everything Carly picked out is a hit. Dusty said something about…” He frowned for a moment, and Carly exchanged a look with Lisa. “Rumba panties?”
Lisa burst out laughing. “Dusty is pretty predictable.” She gave Cougar a little smirk. “And what about you? Anything special on your list?”
Carly’s face flamed as she thought of the cage dress hanging in her closet. Cougar clasped her hand and tugged her toward the door. She didn’t think he’d answer, but right before they walked out, Cougar growled, “You know what I like.”
“Indeed I do,” Lisa said. “Indeed I do.”
Carly glanced over her shoulder and caught Lisa’s gaze. Lisa lifted her hand to her face in a telephone gesture and mouthed, “Call me.”
* * * *
They’d been to every business on Main Street, and Cougar hadn’t heard of any problems in town after the jackal incident. He also discovered nothing more about the presumed desert shifter. After the last stop of the morning, Cougar pulled Carly into Delectable, a small café right off Main, for a bite to eat before visiting the club. When they’d ordered and were waiting for their food, Cougar’s gaze drifted into the deep V of Carly’s sundress, and he let his eyes caress the soft skin of her cleavage and creamy shoulders.
In his mind, he conjured the same image that had been haunting him for days. He saw himself untying the skinny little straps of her dress and stepping back to watch the lemon-yellow fabric float to the floor in a gentle cascade. She’d stand before him in leather panties, always leather, though the color varied. In this daydream, the thong was a pale yellow to match her dress. The thong dipped low, the straps sitting lightly at her hipbones. He reached out and ran his hands over the swell of her hips then ordered her to turn around. When she did, that piece of leather string nestled between the globes of her ass nearly undid him.
The sight of her ass made his cock grow painfully, his erection straining against the dense fabric of his jeans. The aching throb compelled him to lift his hand, and he smacked her ass hard. She gasped and lurched forward as the imprint of a ghostly handprint rose on her skin. The sting of the slap had an immediate impact. Her pussy awakened. The scent of her arousal flooded his senses, and even now, it smelled so real.
He’d been watching her ass sway beneath that pretty dress all morning, and the question that had been on his mind since they’d left Cattail simply popped out of his mouth. “Ever been spanked?”
Carly froze, the open sugar packet in her hand forgotten.
He groaned at his own stupidity. Jesus Christ, Cougar. What the fuck is wrong with you?
Slowly, Carly raised her eyes to his. “By spanked, I assume you don’t mean because I’ve been bad.”
He could have kicked his own ass. Just what was he supposed to say now? He’d fucked it up as surely as if he’d brought out a flogger and laid it on the table.
He smiled and hoped it wasn’t as predatory as it felt because it felt damned predatory. “I guess that depends on what you mean by bad.”
Carly chewed on her lip. “Let me rephrase then.” She dumped the sugar into her iced tea and stirred slowly. “I assume when you say spanking, you don’t mean one I receiv
ed as a child.”
“No,” Cougar said quietly, “not as a child.”
She pressed her lips together, but Cougar thought he saw the glimmer of a smile on her mouth. “So, by bad, you mean…” She pulled the spoon out of her tea then slowly licked the liquid from it, keeping her eyes locked on his. She dipped her finger into a bit of sugar she spilled on the table. “Bad.” She put the tip of her finger into her mouth and sucked on it then pulled it out with a popping sound. She rubbed the moist finger over her lips.
His cock lurched against his zipper. “Yes, bad.”
“Hmm,” Carly said, “I’d never actually been bad…until I got here that is.” She gave a little laugh. “So I’ve never actually been spanked.” She lifted her glass and peered at him over the rim with those innocent baby blues. Her next words were soft, dreamy. “But I just might like it.”
Shit. He wasn’t going to make it through the afternoon if she kept looking at him like that. She looked like a woman who’d just been fucked and couldn’t wait for the next round. He thought he should bring it back to the task at hand. He’d promised he’d take her to Clandestine.
“How much do you know about bondage clubs?”
She let out a deep breath and gave him a brilliant smile. “Absolutely, positively nothing.”
“Then we’ll remedy that this afternoon.”
“So tell me.” She leaned forward, her elbows on the table. Her breasts squeezed together provocatively. He wanted to dip his hand inside the gaping fabric and run his finger lightly across a nipple until it rose to a stiff peak. Then he’d bring out the clamps and watch those pretty blue eyes widen. “I assume, as the name implies, someone is under bondage to another person.”
Cougar gave a slight grimace and scratched at his ear. “Umm, yeah, but it’s a bit more than that.”