Breaking Ice (The Jendari Book 2)

by Delwyn Jenkins

  And the sensation of her hands on him was driving him out of his mind. As a man, he hungered for touch just as strongly as he avoided it. And somehow, he thought his lepardine would feel the same. Oh, the cat was touch-starved, for certain, but that aspect of him had no problems at all when it came to being petted.

  In the deepest part of his soul, Kasim wept. With joy, with heartache, with relief and no small measure of gratitude.

  This was how he could feed his need for affection. This was how he could communicate through touch. He might not be able to conquer his demons, but, thanks to Winter, he now had a way to bypass the bastards.

  Crawling onto her lap, he toppled her backward. As soon as she was flat on the floor, Kasim stretched out next to her. Pressing his heavily muscled body along her slender length, he closed his eyes in bliss.

  Chapter Twelve

  Winter couldn’t wrap her head around what she was seeing. Or what she was doing. She’d witnessed Kasim turn into a humungous predator, right in front of her, and she was petting him as if he was a house cat.

  But no house cat ever looked like this.

  He was huge, at least four feet tall at the shoulder, with strong legs and paws the size of dinner plates. His head was compact, with a small ears and a flat nose. His fur was thick, silky, and shiny. A band of white ran from his neck, over his chest, and under his belly. His head, body and legs were covered in palm-sized blotches of dark grey which morphed into rings when they reached his long, fluffy tail.

  And his eyes—those cool, see-too-much eyes—were the same icy blue that Kasim sported in his two-legged form.

  Of course, two-legged Kasim never purred, and in their one night together, he hadn’t demanded her to touch the way the lepardine did now.

  It was glorious and Winter was equal parts humbled and exhilarated.

  When Kasim pushed her down to lay flat on her back, it didn’t occur to her to fight. Easing back, she waited until he settled beside her, nice and tight, and then she put her arms around him. Fisting her hands into his fur, she held tight and let the vibration of his purring sink into her bones.

  She held him while he slept. Until her arm fell asleep and her hip hurt from laying on the hard floor. When she could bear it no longer, she eased away from Kasim and stood, shaking out her numb limbs. Pulling a throw from the couch, she covered him up and turned off all but one light. Then she headed off to bed.

  ****

  Winter was roused from sleep by the weight of a body sitting on her bed and a gentle shake of her shoulder.

  “Hi.” She rolled onto her back and switched on the bedside lamp. Blinking into the light, she did her best to focus on Kasim. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” He removed his hand from her skin, but stayed seated. “Sorry I nodded off. I haven’t been sleeping well and—”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s all good.”

  “Is it?”

  Kasim was always so cool, so in control, it was often hard to get a read on him. She didn’t know if he was happy, sad, pissed, or embarrassed.

  “It’s good as far as I’m concerned.”

  He nodded. “So, you’re okay with the phase?”

  “Well, okay might be a bit optimistic. It’s a lot to process.” Understatement of the century. “However, meeting your lepardine is probably the coolest thing to ever happen to me.” And she couldn’t even tell anyone about it.

  Kasim reached out and traced one finger over the back of her hand, a barely-there whisper of touch. Yet it was enough to spark her whole body alight.

  “I’d like to stay here with you tonight. Would you allow that?”

  “Stay as in sleep, or stay as in share bodies?” His feather-light touch was scrambling her brain and she wasn’t sure which way she wanted him to answer. Maybe she should just send him home and be done with it.

  “As in whatever you decide. I’d be happy simply to sleep under your roof.” He slid his hand higher and circled her wrist. “And I’d be honored if you’d share your body with me.”

  Winter eased her hand from his grasp and sat up, wriggling back until she was propped against the headboard.

  “Same conditions as last time?”

  “Not as frantic, hopefully.” He offered her a wry smile. “But the no-touching rule stays in place.”

  “You let me touch you when you were furry.”

  “I did, and it was wonderful.” Edging closer, he placed his big, warm hand on her thigh. “The lepardine lives in the moment. It doesn’t struggle with memories and old scars.” He shrugged. “But I do. And for now…”

  “No touching.”

  “Yes.”

  ****

  Kasim waited in utter stillness while his heart hammered a mile a minute. He was desperate to be inside Winter again, to feel her silky body next to his. To be gripped tight by her core as she orgasmed. Clenching his back teeth, he resisted the urge to beg. If she came to him, it had to be of her own accord.

  She looked at him, her brown eyes steady and calm. “Yes, I’d like you to stay the night. And yes, I’d like to share my body with you.”

  Kasim put his right hand over his racing heart and bowed from the waist. “I’m honored.”

  Winter licked her lips and her eyes skated away. “So, do you need to tie me up?”

  The question shocked him, then filled him with wild hope. He’d fantasized about doing that, many times, but he’d never had the stupidity to ask for it. No clanswoman would ever consent to such a thing.

  Among the Jendari, sharing bodies was common and free of the guilt that seemed to pervade human culture. It was a meeting of equals, of mutual care and pleasure. No party would ever consent to being bound by the other.

  It was why his sexual partners were few and far between. In a society where sex was considered a healthy part of life, Kasim was an aberration.

  “You would allow me to restrain you?” The image of her naked and bound filled his mind. An image so beautiful he couldn’t dare to believe it might come true.

  “Yes.” There wasn’t a hint of uncertainty in her expression. “I trust you not to hurt me, and to make sure we both enjoy the experience.”

  She utterly undid him. Her courage, acceptance, and trust were more precious than any other gift he’d ever received.

  Kasim’s body grew hot and tight, filled with a mix of anxiety and need. Bracing himself in case she changed her mind, he eased off the mattress. “Do you have something I can use to bind you?”

  “Ah, probably.” She slid out of bed, not quite looking at him, and made her way to a chest of drawers.

  Desperate to distract himself so he didn’t pounce on her, Kasim looked around her bedroom.

  The space was small, and not overly tidy. The furnishings consisted of a wide set of double drawers, inbuilt wardrobes along one wall, a chair currently overflowing with clothes, and the double bed.

  Kasim eyed the wooden headboard, identifying anchor points for Winter’s restraints.

  He turned back to her, his desire thundering through his body like an avalanche. Lust took over and his patience ran out.

  “Winter.”

  She turned to him, several lightweight scarves dangling from her hands.

  “Give those to me.”

  She complied, and when she handed them over, he caught a hint of uncertainty in her expression. Forcing a control he didn’t feel, he gently cupped her cheek. “Last chance to change your mind.”

  Turning her head slightly, she kissed his palm. “I’m ready.”

  By the Goddess, he wanted to pull her into his arms and never let her go. Instead, he nodded toward the bed. “Get undressed and lie down.”

  And she did. Watching her like the predator he was, Kasim took in every movement, reveling in every inch of exposed skin as she shed her top and pants.

  Then she was gloriously, beautifully naked. Her skin was a warm gold and her long dark hair fell in waves down her back. Her perfectly formed breasts were firm and high, showcasing dus
ky nipples that hardened under his gaze. An indented waist led down slightly flared hips and a feminine mound covered by nothing but a fine layer of neatly trimmed hair.

  Heart racing and cock hard, he watched as she pulled the covers back and lay on the bed. Reclining on the pale pink sheets, she was a feast for the starving. Then she raised her arms above her head and his whole body spasmed in need.

  Wanting her to feel safe, he kept his movements calm and controlled as he walked over and kneeled by the bed. Taking one delicate wrist in his calloused hand, he wound the end of a silky scarf and then tied it off. He slipped a finger under the binding to make sure it wasn’t too tight, then he bound her other wrist with a second scarf. Grasping both ties, he leaned down and kissed her. Long, slow, and sweet.

  Easing back, he nibbled at her lips, rubbing and nipping, licking into the corners of her mouth. Moving lower, he kissed her neck, dragging lips and teeth over her soft silky skin. Breathing in her unique scent, now heavy with arousal.

  He lingered at the pulse point just below her ear, before traveling down the length of her neck, using hot, sucking kisses to take the taste of her into his body. She arched off the bed, giving a needy moan that filled him with fierce longing.

  “Please, Kasim.”

  Unable to deny her, he lifted his head. Giving her a reassuring smile, he raised her arms until her knuckles brushed the headboard. “Don’t move.”

  With quick efficiency, he tied the loose ends of the scarf to the wooden frame. He left enough play in the bindings that Winter would still be able to move her arms, but not enough that she’d be able to touch him.

  He sat back and looked at her. When she smiled and nodded, the tight band of anxiety in his chest eased a little.

  Kasim trailed his fingertips over the bindings and down the delicate skin of her forearms. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.”

  He cupped her elbows, sliding his hands down over the slender muscles of her biceps and shoulders. Pressing his palms against her skin, he came to a halt just above her breasts. “You’re giving me a precious gift, Winter, and it’s one I intend to honor. If I do anything you don’t like, just tell me and I’ll stop. If you change your mind at any time, I’ll stop.” He slid his hands down to cover her plump breasts and squeezed. “No matter how much I don’t want to.”

  She snickered. “I appreciate that.”

  Sliding off the bed, Kasim withdrew a knife from the scabbard in his boot.

  “What the fuck is that?” Winter’s entire body was rigid with fear.

  So much for trust.

  He hid his disappointment behind a cool mask. “If something goes wrong, or I need to release you in a hurry, I won’t have time to untie the knots.” He placed the naked blade on the bedside table. “This way I can cut the ties if I need to.”

  “Oh.” Winter flushed, clearly embarrassed at jumping to the wrong conclusion.

  And he was angry enough that the question he didn’t want to ask just popped from his mouth. “Do you want to stop?”

  She took a deep breath and shook her head. “No.” Then she looked at him with those liquid brown eyes. “This is new territory for me, Kasim. There are bound to be some hiccups. Just be patient, okay?”

  By the Goddess, he was an asshole. Here she was, bound and helpless, and she was still the most sensible one in the room. So, he met her courage with his own. “I apologize. This is new territory for me, too, and I’m nervous and excited.” Right now he had so many emotions tumbling inside him, he didn’t know what he was feeling. “I guess we both need to be patient.”

  Then Winter flexed her hips and offered him a wicked smile. “Not too patient, I hope. It’s getting cold and lonely down here by myself.”

  “Well, we can’t have that.”

  Not taking his eyes from Winter, Kasim stripped down to his jeans and t-shirt. Boots, belt, and sweater were tossed aside with no care for where they fell. Then he walked down to the end of the bed. “Spread your legs, jessira.”

  She didn’t move. “What does that mean?”

  “It’s an endearment. It’s the equivalent of darling or sweetheart in English.” He dropped his gaze to that enticing triangle of fine hair. “Open.”

  Her eyes betrayed her nerves, but his bold Winter took a breath and slowly spread her legs.

  “Knees up.”

  This time she complied immediately, baring her intimate flesh to his hungry gaze. He’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life—this strong, courageous woman tied down and open to his pleasure. His heart grew too big for his chest and his lungs squeezed tight. His lepardine roared and it was all Kasim could do not to fall on her, taking her rough and hard.

  Instead, he dropped to his knees at the end of the bed, taking a moment to calm his feline half. Forcing his heart beat to slow to its normal rhythm, he waited until he had himself firmly under control before he moved again. Putting his elbows on the bed, he leaned forward, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her arousal. Looking at her intimate flesh, so soft, pink, and swollen.

  Easing up a little, he closed the distance and kissed her. Opening his mouth wide for maximum contact, he thrust his tongue inside her core, savoring her slick heat.

  Winter swore, gasping as she arched her hips into him, her intimate muscles clenching under his tongue. He closed his eyes as he worked her, imprinting every sensation into his memory. The earthy taste of her under his tongue and the exquisite clench of her body. The warm silk of her skin, the mindless sounds of her pleasure. In this moment, she was his in a way she’d never belong to another, and he was hers as thoroughly as if he were the one who was bound.

  She was close to orgasm already and that knowledge made him dizzy with power. But he wasn’t ready for her to come just yet. Slowing his rhythm, he eased the pressure of his mouth until he was offering her little nips and licks.

  “Kasim, please.”

  Oh, how he loved the tone of desperation in her voice. Unfortunately for her, it only made the feline in him want to play longer. Using lips and teeth, he tasted every inch of her feminine flesh, going up one side and down the other, pausing every now and then to renew his kiss. She was hot and wet, and he thought she was enjoying his attentions, so it took him a moment to register her words.

  “Stop. Kasim, you have to stop, please.”

  He froze, his heart stuttered, and his stomach dropped to his toes. Lifting his head, he met her brown eyes. “Do you not like this?”

  “Yes, I love it.”

  The wave of relief made Kasim dizzy. “Then what’s wrong?”

  “I need you to touch my clit.”

  He kissed the inside of her thigh then leaned his cheek against it, rubbing his beard against her soft skin. “I think this is where the physiology of our races diverge. I have no idea what a clit is.” He nipped at her inner thigh. “You’ll have to educate me. Where is your clit, and how would you like me to touch it?”

  Winter stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, then she burst out laughing. “Don’t feel bad about not knowing. There are a more than a few human men who could use some tutoring.”

  He nodded, enjoying the way her laughter danced over his body like a touch. “I’m at your disposal, my lady.”

  Grinning down at him, Winter relaxed, her legs falling open even further. “Put your finger on my pussy.”

  “Pussy?” For a feline rhe’hashan, that word had nothing to do with a woman’s body.

  “Yes, my … um…”

  “Core?”

  “Yes, that.”

  Amused that she couldn’t even say the word, Kasim placed a fingertip lightly on the entrance to her body.

  “Now go up.” He complied until she gave the command to stop. “Feel that small lump?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s my clitoris. It carries over three thousand nerve endings and it’s incredibly sensitive. If it’s treated right, it can make a woman orgasm. In fact, some women can’t orgasm unless their clit is stimulat
ed.”

  Jendari women didn’t have such a problem, thank the Goddess. Intrigued, Kasim used his fingers to peel back Winter’s flesh, revealing the swollen pink bud. It looked very small to carry so many nerve endings. Lightly, using just one finger, he circled her clit. “Can I play?”

  “Play what?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t forget you have a cat in your bed.” He gently gripped her clit between thumb and forefinger. “I’ll play, and you can tell me what feels good.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  She sounded unconvinced, but he loved that she was willing to let him explore.

  Under her guidance he stroked, tapped, squeezed, circled, and pressed. When he thought he had a handle on this new toy, he removed his hand and replaced it with his mouth. He suckled her firmly, barely finding a rhythm before she broke apart under his tongue.

  He licked and nuzzled until she came down from her high. Then he started all over again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Winter wasn’t shy or embarrassed about sex, but she wasn’t promiscuous either. And she had trust issues when it came to men, so she’d always been very picky about who she invited into her bed.

  She’d never propositioned a man in her life, and she’d never, ever consented to being tied down.

  Yet here she was, bound and naked while a man she hardly knew lay at the end of the bed almost fully dressed.

  It should have felt weird, it should have felt a little bit wrong. But it didn’t.

  It was the most erotic experience of her life and Winter’s body vibrated with feminine power.

  Right now, Kasim was kissing and nuzzling his way down her legs, his soft lips and silky beard causing ripples of pleasure to pulse through her body. When he got to her feet, he nipped the arch of her foot and she jerked out of his grasp. He lifted his gaze to hers, his ice-blue gaze burning hot.

  “I’m ticklish,” she admitted. The grin he gave her was one of surprise, and she didn’t trust the delighted gleam in his eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Why not?” His hand flashed out, gripping her foot in a firm grip. “I like it when you laugh.”