by Josie Hunter
She glanced behind her as her mother and female Tomcat escort came through the door. Rosa waved to Carly, dressed in a matching burgundy leotard and tutu, and Robb hunkered down so he was eye level with Suzie.
“I just came by to talk to Rosa.”
“’Bout what?” Suzie asked.
“’Bout personal stuff,” Robb said seriously.
“Oooooh,” Suzie said, nodding. “Personal stuff.” She frowned. “What’s personal stuff?”
“Personal.” Carly came up behind her daughter, took her little face in her hands, and tilted her head back. “And their own business.” She smiled down at Suzie. “What do we say when we butt into people’s business?”
“We say…” Her face scrunched again. “Sorry? Mind my own business?”
“Yep,” Carly said.
Carly winked at Rosa over her daughter’s head.
“Sorry, Tomcat 6. I need to mind my own business.”
“That’s okay, Suzie. I was just heading out. Have a good class.”
She gave him a salute. “Will do. Kitten over and out.”
Carly laughed. “She just figured out her call sign a few days ago.”
“She’s no slouch,” Robb said. He turned to Rosa. “I’ll see you Friday.”
Rosa tilted her head and smiled. “Looking forward to it.”
Robb lifted his index finger and gave Carly a little salute. “Ma’am.”
“LadyCat over and out,” Carly said.
Rosa and Carly watched Robb stroll toward the door, nodding to the Tomcat escort on his way out. The woman straightened up even a bit more if that were possible. As soon as the door closed behind him, Carly whirled around, jumping up and down.
“A date?” she squealed. “You have a date with Robb Jackson?”
“I do,” Rosa said.
Carly squeezed her hands into fists. “Oh my God, aren’t you excited?”
Suzie’s upturned face swung between them. “’Cited ’bout what, Mommy?”
“Rosa is going on a date!” Carly took Rosa’s arm and started leading her across the dance floor as the chimes sounded and another set of mother-daughter dance partners came through the door. “You have to tell me everything before class starts.”
As Rosa let Carly propel her toward the office, she heard Suzie call out behind them, “Mommy, you’re ’sposed to mind your own business!”
“Sí, Carly, you are supposed to mind your own business.”
“Not today, my little Hellcat,” her friend said.
“Hellcat? Who came up with that?”
“They’ve been calling you Hellcat for a year. You never knew?”
“I don’t like it,” Rosa muttered as she shot a glance toward the door. “I’m a serpent-shifter, and you’re a mongoose-shifter. How can these cats be so arrogant to give us cat names?”
Carly smiled. “Because they’ve earned it?”
“Perhaps,” Rosa murmured, shooting another glance as Robb passed by her front window. “But I still want a new call sign.”
* * * *
Sweat pouring down his face, Marcus shifted his shoulders slightly to ease the ache as he watched her beautiful face in the flickering candlelight. She walked around them, sometimes in their line of sight, sometimes behind them. Occasionally she walked between them, her crop running along his back or Steve’s as she strolled between them like a woman fingering fine lingerie. The red bustier she wore above her black leather skirt hugged her gorgeous body tightly, and her breasts rose above the laced-up bodice. If he dared to look, Marcus knew he would see the edge of her rosy nipple just above the soft leather, but of course he didn’t dare look.
He forced those thoughts from his mind. Thinking of her, watching her, smelling her made holding back his orgasm that much harder. But if all went well and according to plan in the next few weeks, maybe Rosa would be theirs to love, to cherish, to share. Between the three of them, they could give her everything her heart desired. He let his gaze caress her face as he thought of everything he’d like to give her, but first he needed to prove himself a good little soldier and make her happy today. Hell, make them both happy. His gaze dipped between her breasts, and his heart sped up at the sight of that nipple. He wanted to wrap his mouth around it and suck until she—
“Eyes front.” She tugged his head back by the hair, and he felt a twinge of discomfort.
She had pulled his arms back tightly, and the cuffs, though padded, dug into his wrists. Despite the discomfort, his cock stood at full attention in his leather pants, throbbing with the need to release. His balls had tightened, sending that grinding ache through his body like a path of desire. He hung on by a thread. His body felt as taut as a tripwire, and one tiny move on his part, on Steve’s part, on Rosa’s part, would send him hurtling into an abyss of sensation. He wanted to hang on just a few more minutes. Every week he tested himself, forcing himself to keep his orgasm at bay, trying desperately to wait until that final blissful moment when Rosa allowed him to take the pleasure he so desperately wanted. Her approval made it all the sweeter.
As she passed in front of him, he flicked a glance in her direction.
“Eyes front I said,” she snapped. The sound of her crop flicking against his leather pants resonated in his ears a moment after the sting burst through his ass. She leaned closer, and the scent of her arousal tickled his nostrils along with the aromas of her faint perfume and the soft leather mask she wore. The tip of her nose touched his cheek as she whispered, “Have I said you could look at me?”
“No, Mistress,” he murmured softly.
“Then why are you looking at me?” Her words slithered over him in a sensual caress, the severity of her tone almost deadly.
He gulped when he felt a drop of pre-cum dampen the inside of his pants. The sound of a groan came from next to him. Steve had caught the scent.
Rosa licked her lips then tugged the bottom one into her mouth. He barely saw the gesture from the corner of his eye. Her voice soft, she said, “I’m sensing a bit of discomfort, Tomcat. Are you going to defy me tonight?”
“No…no…”
“No what?”
“No, Mistress,” he said, trying to sound submissive, trying to make her happy.
She shifted slightly, and he held his breath in anticipation. “We mustn’t forget our protocols, sub.”
“No, Mistress.”
He felt the slide of her crop up the inside of his leg. When it reached his groin, she ran a pathway under his balls. His balls tightened further, and his dick lurched violently against the leather. She ran the crop back and forth several times between his balls then swiped it down the other side of his leg. She stepped closer, and the palm of her hand came to rest over his cock, cupping the entire length. She rubbed him until his dick grew even harder, lifted her face, and stared into his eyes. Her deep brown eyes flashed with power and desire behind the red leather mask, and her mouth, dark with a bright red lipstick, curled into a sultry smile.
“You like that, don’t you, sub?”
The sound of the word on her lips, the warm breath on his face, the way her dark eyes caught his in a mesmerizing stare… All of it was almost too much. His breath caught in his lungs, and he struggled to find the strength to answer.
“Yes, Mistress…very much.”
“I’m glad.” She pressed her body against his, rubbing up and down enticingly. “You want to come, don’t you, sub?” He blinked, unsure of how to answer. His body had begun to shudder uncontrollably. His body always reacted this way being this close to her. “Go on. You may be honest.”
“Yes, Mistress, very much.”
She pressed her mouth against his cheek, her lips raising goose bumps on his flesh. Each word seemed defined by the movement and pressure of her mouth. “And will you?” she asked slowly.
Steve groaned again, and Marcus had a hard time keeping his own sounds safely tucked inside his chest.
She pulled back at his silence. Snap. The crop hit his thigh, and the t
iny burst of pain made him jolt forward as his cock throbbed with a thick, heavy pulse.
“Tell me, sub.” Snap. “Will you come without permission?”
He nearly slumped with the pleasure coursing through his body. His chin fell to his chest as he struggled with that thick, heavy pulse beating in his groin.
Do not come, Gallagher. Do not come. Keep it together.
Snap. “Eyes to me,” she bit out.
His gaze flashed to hers. Her eyes glimmered with complete control. The sight almost made him shoot his wad.
“Tell me whether you’ll disobey me and come before I say you can.” Snap.
He straightened up. “No, Mistress. Never.”
“Promises, promises,” Rosa said in a singsong voice. “We’ll see about that.”
* * * *
When he felt the slide of the crop up his naked back, Steve couldn’t hold back the moan. His dick felt like a battering ram in his jeans, and he wished like hell he hadn’t gone commando tonight because the zipper was rubbing him raw. He supposed that might work to his benefit because it kept his mind focused on that irritating pain and not on the pleasurable sights and smells before him.
He’d smelled her arousal several times as she took Marcus to his limits. She really dug seeing them struggle to hold back. It was what sent her as close to the edge as she allowed herself to go in their presence. He often wondered how long it took after they’d left for her to come. Did she even have to touch herself? For some reason, he thought she’d be able to do with thoughts alone. That probably wasn’t possible, but if anyone could do it, it would be Rosa. When the three of them had seduced her into the idea of a permanent ménage, he’d find out the answer to that question. Until then, he’d—
Snap. The crop hit his ass, jerking him out of his thoughts.
Fuck. Was the woman reading his mind now? He supposed anything was possible where Rosa was concerned. Serpent-shifters were all a bit devious. He’d wondered more than once if the Rosa he knew was the whole woman or if she had layers he’d never see, or even want to see.
“Are you paying attention, sub?” she cooed.
“Always, Mistress.”
“It does not seem so.”
She was on the prowl again, behind them planning God-knew-what because the scent of her shifted as she ran the crop between his legs. Even through the rough denim, the feel of the crop caused his balls to twitch and rise higher. The smell of her arousal became more powerful, almost tangible. It made him want to lay her on the plush bed in the corner, push that little miniskirt up around her hips, grab her legs, and drag her up his body. He’d bury his cock deep into her pussy easily because she would be so slick, so wet, so aching with want.
His head dropped down as that picture coalesced in his head, his hair falling like a dark curtain around him. He was glad she couldn’t see his face because he could almost feel the cum shooting from his dick as he pumped into her and came in the image. He tightened his muscles, trying to stem off the real cum threatening to leak from the tip of his dick.
Snap.
His head shot up, his hair flying. He met the harsh glint in her dark eyes. So beautiful. So commanding. He was in her thrall. He couldn’t help it.
“You’re daydreaming, little sub. I can smell it.” She ran the crop up over his naked chest, flicking it through the patch of dark hair. “Would you like me to leave you alone with your dreams? I’m sure Marcus and I—”
“No!”
She tilted her head. “Such force,” she said softly. “You’re treading beyond the boundaries, little sub.”
Her red lips curved into a smile. What did the little witch have on her mind? Whatever it was, he couldn’t wait. He held his breath, and he saw her gaze dip to his nipples.
“I believe you will have to be punished.”
She did a graceful about-face and sashayed toward a small antique chest in the corner. That ass made his mind melt. She opened one of the drawers, the riding crop sliding up and down her pretty leg as she perused the items inside. When he saw her remove the nipple clamps, he released a shuddering breath, and the smell of Marcus’s pre-cum met Steve’s nostrils again.
“Damn,” his friend murmured. “What do I have to do to get those?”
“Jealous?” Steve said.
“Fuck yes.”
“No talking, little subs,” Rosa said quietly as she laid the crop on top of the dresser. “What shall I do with such bad, bad boys? Obviously you both need to be punished tonight.”
She turned slowly, holding two sets of nipple clamps. Marcus sucked in a quick breath, and Steve steeled himself for the ride of his life.
* * * *
When she’d clasped each of their nipples in the clamps, Rosa stood back and admired her handiwork. Both men were breathing erratically. Both had sweat dripping down their faces and across their wide, well-muscled chests. Their bodies were tense, taut with the need to hold back their releases. All because she willed it.
Their cocks looked like iron rods encased in denim and leather, their raging hard-ons straining against the fabric. Steve’s was thicker, Marcus’s longer. Both looked like generous mouthfuls. She smelled pre-cum from each of them, the aromas teasing her nostrils. Someday she might allow herself the pleasure of tasting them, but that was down the road. Tonight, like every other Thursday night, her little subs would need to come on their own, with her permission and at her command. Hopefully later, she could lie in her bed, touch her clit, use her vibrator, and remember every movement, every smell, every visual pleasure of this night. She’d think about the sight of their big, strong bodies coming apart at the seams, their muscles glistening with deep rivulets of sweat, and their shoulders quaking with the strain of their arms being bound. Thursdays could keep her imagination fed for a whole week.
She breathed deeply, capturing the scents of their sweat and cum. She’d pull those back into her memory in the darkness of her room. It was a talent she had as a serpent-shifter, and one she used to her full advantage. Scent was important to her. It enhanced her life and turned her on.
As the night breeze blew through her open balcony door tonight, bringing with it the sounds of a sleeping Catamount, she’d remember the earthy, breathless sounds of their moans, which even now swept over her skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake. Steve and Marcus were both struggling to hold those sounds in, but with that supreme effort came sounds of another kind, the soft sounds of surrender, of submission.
They stared at her now, their eyes filled with need, with desire. Steve’s dark eyes, almost black beneath the shadow of his hair, flickered across her with a barely controlled strength. She saw his shoulders twitch as the stress on his nipples sent pain and pleasure coursing through his body. Marcus’s soft green gaze had sharpened to the hardness of emeralds undergoing the stress of creation. He tugged his bottom lip into his mouth as he struggled to hold back a moan, but she heard it echoing in his throat.
Her own body thrummed with pent-up pleasure. She wanted to run her tongue over their bodies. She wanted to sink her fangs into their necks. She wanted their mouths on her clit and their cocks ramming into her pussy, but…not tonight. Not yet.
She reached out and pinched one clamp on each man, releasing the pressure and letting the blood flow back to that nipple. Their eyes closed, and their bodies tensed then bowed. Before they had a chance to recover, she reached out and quickly removed the other. Their eyes snapped open, and their bodies sagged. Deep moans shattered the silence between them as the men tried desperately to hold on.
Her clit began to throb, sending tiny shivers of pleasure through her limbs. Her heartbeat sped up, and her pussy picked up the tempo, clenching on emptiness. She let her gaze drift between the dark one filled with shadows and the bright one filled with fire. She gave them a smile, and said softly, “Come now, my subs. You have my permission.”
Both men shuddered, their hips bucking against air, and fell to their knees at her feet. The scent of their cum flooded the room,
thankfully masking the scent of her own as the flutters in her pussy exploded into a full-blown orgasm. She clenched her teeth and gripped the clamps in her hands tighter as she allowed the pleasure to wind through her body. The intensity of the sensations nearly dropped her to her knees, but she’d long ago learned to control herself. She was mistress of her own body, and she’d come by that control through a very long, arduous journey of discovery. A journey she continued to explore because she refused to really let go.
Chapter 4
On Friday night, the setting sun cast a shimmering golden path of light over the river, whose water had taken a lavender hue to match the darkening sky. The sparkle from the myriad of lights twinkling along the deck and the flickering candles on the tables added to the enchantment of a perfect summer evening. Rosa sipped from her wineglass as the warm Texas breeze brushed her hair over her bare shoulders, and she was glad she’d chosen a short, cranberry-colored sundress for tonight. She twisted slightly in her seat and crossed her legs, velvety smooth as they caressed each other. Her skirt rode higher up her thigh, and she slowly bounced her leg, letting her stiletto slide dangle from her toe.
She cast a surreptitious glance at her date—her very handsome date—to see if her calculated pose had any effect on him. Her brows rose when she saw he was studying the dessert menu with an intensity usually reserved for science experiments. She smiled. Only a man would have trouble choosing from the array of confections. Every woman she knew would have set her mind on which dessert before the main course had been served.
The sounds of the restaurant patrons talking quietly at nearby tables blended with the chorus of happy partiers along the river’s edge. Though very warm, the temperature couldn’t hold people hostage in the air-conditioned businesses that lined the waterway. Most diners had opted to eat their meals on the deck, and tourists and citizens alike were taking advantage of the beautiful July weather, scampering in and out of specialty shops and stopping for cocktails at the outdoor bars.