The Purrfect Plan

by Angela Castle

  Hastily, she tugged at his clothes. It wasn't enough; she wanted to feel his skin on hers.

  "Want you, need you." She panted when his mouth left hers to trail hot open mouth kisses down the side of her neck. He paused at her throat to nip at her skin, making her body respond in hot shivers.

  "I know, cookie, I need you so damn much."

  Her feet dangled as he lifted her up, turned and set her back down. Dimly she realized he'd put her on the kitchen table. The tearing of fabric reached her ears. Her ass encountered the cool laminate surface.

  Storm fell back, dispersing the evidence of her scheme to get pregnant.

  Buttons pinged against vertical surfaces as he hastily ripped apart her blouse. The front of her bra tore like paper in River's strong hands.

  She didn't care about her ruined clothes, as her hands tugged at his shirt; she needed to feel his skin press against hers.

  He obliged her, moving back slightly to remove his shirt and shuck his jeans, displaying all that addicting caramel skin. She licked her lips at the sight of his chest. Good God, the man was ripped. Unable to resist, she licked across one flat nipple, tasting the salt and feeling the warmth of his skin. He growled low in his throat.

  Her head fell back on the table.

  His hungry gaze raked over her nude body as she lay there. He came down on top of her; his hands flattened against the table surface either side of her head. His lips came down on hers. His mouth felt hot and hard, and the shock of it stole her ability to breathe for a moment.

  A needy whimper escaped her throat as she tried bucking her hips under his, but all she managed to do was squirm as her legs still dangled off the end of the table, rendering her helpless to his onslaught.

  When he shifted off her, Storm mourned the loss of body heat and his mouth. He caught her legs under her knees and pushed them wide, moaning when the blunt head of his cock engaged with her weeping entrance.

  "Look at me!" His strained demand made her lift her eyes, their gazes clashing. "No more running."

  Storm shook her head, in confusion. The need to have him inside her clouded her thoughts.

  "You are mine, do you understand?"

  She nodded, willing to do or say anything if he would only fuck her.

  "Say it, Storm."

  "Yours, I'm yours, River." And she was.

  With a powerful drive of his hips, he plunged into her tight slick channel. Storm cried out at the pure pleasure of the invasion. Her internal muscles clamped around him, never wanting to let him go.

  He pulled back only to slam back in. If not for his tight grip on her hips, she would have slid up the table at the force of his thrusts. Desperate, wild and rough he pounded into her as she moaned and writhed, loving the incredulous pleasure and the friction their merged bodies created. She gripped the sides of the table for something to hold onto as the pleasure built within her lower stomach, spreading out through the rest of her body, making her moan louder. He shifted his angle of penetration, pegging her sweet spot over and over.

  When he reached between their bodies flicking her clit, Storm cried out as her climax crashed through her body, faster than a speeding freight train.

  River's pace became frantic, prolonging her orgasm. He grunted and groaned.

  Through half closed eyes she saw a fine gleam of perspiration coating his upper body. His body tensed for a moment before shuddering, his loud snarl making her ears ring.

  His big body fell forward onto her softer one. Both their breathing came in shallow pants.

  She had no idea how long they lay together, but after a moment, she struggled to breathe under his weight, giving a muffled protest.

  Slowly, he raised his head and upper body off hers, their lower bodies still intimately joined.

  Unhurriedly, she raised her gaze to meet his deep intense one. She had no idea what to say. The fear of the reprisals of her actions re-surfaced. How could she have acted so wanton? Why was the pull to have him so strong? It confused the hell out of her.

  She saw no condemnation as he gazed down into her eyes.

  She bit back a moan as River shifted, pulling from her. He stood proud and deliciously naked. The man could make serious money selling photos of himself online. He offered his hand. Hesitantly she accepted letting him pulled her up and into his arms.

  "Let's go shower, then no more distractions until we've had our little talk."

  Storm swallowed and nodded, but knew their talk was going to be far from little.

  Chapter Five

  River never took his gaze from his mate's lush body. Despite giving her an orgasm or two, her tense posture told him she was far from relaxed.

  "You know I've never met a man as big and tall as you. Are you sure you don't have planes circling around your head requesting permission to land?"

  River's mouth quirked up at his mate's nervous chatter, as he pushed her under the warm spray of the shower. There was insufficient room for them both, but enough for him to wash her. He didn't have to, but he couldn't keep his hands off her. It was pure pleasure to touch and caress her soft creamy skin. Taking care of his mate and grooming her was a part of his natural instincts.

  "My brother's as tall as me."

  "Oh."

  He could see the questions in her brown depths.

  "Why and how did you find me? I mean a one night stand is simply that, one night, then never see each other again."

  Storm's last five words made him growl low in his throat.

  Her eyes widened in fear when he pressed her back against the tiled wall of the shower; his arms either side of her head as she gazed up at him.

  "Finding you wasn't that easy, and yes, normally, I am a fuck and run man, but you've changed everything for me, cookie. The moment I met you in the bar I knew you were the one woman for me. There is never going to be another." There was no reason not to be honest with her. Showing her his Panther would come soon enough; they had other issues to work out first.

  Disbelief and doubt flickered into her gaze.

  "Is that what you are? A fuck and run woman?"

  She shook her head, giving him an offended glare. "No, I've never done that before, but..."

  "You had your reasons."

  She nodded.

  "If I hadn't come along that night, would you have fucked Hamish?"

  She lowered her eyes. Her cheeks flushed with guilt, but she nodded again.

  He hooked a finger under her chin, lifting it back to meet his gaze as he searched her face for answers. His anger melted away, wanting to understand why she did what she did.

  "You wanted to get pregnant, didn't you? And didn't care who it was. You're not married, you don't have a boyfriend. Why?"

  "Intro-fertilization was too costly and men are...are, well..."

  He cocked an eyebrow. "Cheap? Gee, cookie, you make men sound like cheap whores."

  She gave an un-lady like snort. "I didn't see you saying no. You admitted to being a fuck em' and leave em' man. I'm sure if it wasn't me, you would have fucked someone else that night."

  River recognized the bitterness and jealousy in her tone. For certain, someone had done a number on his mate to make her untrusting of men.

  "Do not change the subject. Were you planning on raising the baby by yourself?"

  "There is nothing wrong with being a single mother. Better a child to grow up with one loving parent than two who are constantly fighting."

  He could see her point and was getting a glimpse into his mate's past. River stepped in closer, lifting his hand to gently stroke her cheek.

  "Not all relationships and marriages are as bad as you seem to believe. I grew up in a loving home, with two devoted parents. And I know many, many more."

  She slapped his hand away. Her lips pressed into a thin line of stubborn resolve.

  "And I'm going to prove to you we will work this out, together, as a couple."

  "No." She shoved at his chest.

  At two hundred pounds of pure muscle
, there was no way she could have ever moved him. He did so only because he wanted to. Seeing the deep pain and anger in her eyes made him back off.

  "There is no us or we. I don't want a man or a relationship."

  "You think I'm just going to walk away and leave you and my child? They are just as much a part of me as they are you."

  Fire flared in her brown eyes, as she glared at him.

  "It's my body, my baby, I don't know you. You don't know me. Jumping into a relationship just because of a child will not work." Stepping out of the shower, she snatched a towel from the railing, wrapping it around her. "If you haven't figured it out by now, let me make it very clear. I like being single, I like doing what I want, and most of all I like waking up in the morning without some old middle aged man telling me how to run my life!"

  There was more behind that statement, River knew it, and wanted to delve deeper in to her mind and past and not just her body.

  "Don't forget you promised to be mine."

  A moment of guilt flashed in her eyes, but she covered it quickly, glaring at him in irritation.

  "People say all sorts of things they do not mean during sex, so it doesn't count." She flicked back her wet hair and stormed out of the bathroom.

  He should have felt insulted, but instead sorrow and anger rolled through him. He wanted to track down those who had hurt her and tear them to shreds, not caring if they were her parents.

  He stepped under the shower Storm had abandoned, swiftly washing himself. His mind mulled over the situation. His mate didn't want him but couldn't deny the attraction between them. Logically, there were two problems he needed to overcome, no, three. One: her belief she didn't want or need him. Two: her trust of men or rather him. Three: showing her she was mated to a panther shifter and carried possibly more than one cub. Number three he could take care of right now. He turned off the water, stepped from the shower, grabbed a towel, and went in search of his woman.

  ~ * ~

  Storm pulled on her underwear, not caring they were plain cotton. She grabbed a matching camisole and pulled it over her breasts, slumping down on the side of her bed, her mind battling with her heart and body.

  River had found her, but how could she make him leave? A part of her screamed at the thought of him leaving and never coming back. He seemed adamant about staking his claim on her especially now he knew she was having his baby. Her plan had utterly crumbled to dust at her feet. Simple fact, River was a man, and not to be trusted. If she let him into her life, it would end in him cheating, leaving her with the pain of another broken heart.

  River emerged from the bathroom buck naked and glistening with water. In one hand he held one of her grandmother's pink patterned towels, which he used briskly on his hair. Her breath caught in her throat as her gaze travelled over his body, up his muscled thighs and washboard stomach.

  The man was a God.

  He looked up and his green eyes darkened. Dropping the towel on the floor, he walked towards her. Without a word, only a silent demand in his actions, he crawled over her and pinned her beneath him. He was warm from the shower and his skin was still wet. She wanted to lick all the water droplets from his skin. Her heart rate sped up as he stared down into her eyes.

  She struggled to comprehend how one man could affect her so profoundly. It was madness.

  "Before you decide to reject me completely, I think there are a few things you need to know about me; where I come from, who I am, and most importantly what I am."

  She frowned at his words, but it was difficult to think clearly with Mr. Naked and Sinfully Sexy pressing her down into the mattress. Heat fused into her cheeks as her sex grew damp and her nipples hardened. Despite the incredible orgasm in the kitchen, she wanted him again. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. A knowing grin lifted up the corners of his sexy mouth.

  To her disappointment, he pulled away from her and off the bed. "Soon, cookie, but not yet, there is still a lot to discuss."

  She sighed, sat up, moving to rest her back against the headboard, making herself comfortable on the pillows. Strange how in the span of an hour having a naked, sexy man pacing her bedroom floor seemed the most natural thing in the world. River picked up the discarded towel, wrapping it around his waist and covering her eye candy, well his lower half at least.

  She folded her arms across her chest, certain there was nothing he could say that would change her mind about him making himself a permanent fixture in her life.

  "You know, most men would be running scared at the thought they had fathered a child."

  "I'm not most men, and it seems you're the one who likes doing the running."

  "Oh, c'mon, a man who looks as good as you, why would you want to be burdened with a mother and child? Aren't there more attractive women out there to chase down and conquer?"

  He stopped pacing to scowl at her. "I see I have my work cut out for me to prove my loyalty and devotion."

  Storm snorted. "Please, the only thing men are loyal to are their own dicks. Why did you really track me down? It's not like you have anything to gain--"

  "Stop right there." He pinned her with a dominant glare. "Don't you dare paint me as the bad guy. I am not the one who used the other just to get pregnant. Thank your lucky stars it was me and not someone else. Now you're going to sit there and remain silent until I've finished what I have to say. Understand?"

  He was right. Storm's face flushed with guilt; she'd used her smart-assed mouth in an attempt to drive him away. She lowered her eyes and nodded.

  "Good, you'd best prepare yourself because there is no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to tell it to you straight. But trust me, it's not a bad thing, okay?"

  The worry in his eyes vibrated back through her. What kind of thing was he going to tell her? So many questions popped to the forefront of her mind. She had to bite down on the side of her tongue to stop from asking them.

  "Simply, there are other creatures in the world out there who are not, or only part, human. And I am one of them. Have you ever heard of shifters, creatures that can shift, turn into animals?"

  Storm blinked at him, wondering how she could get past the mentally unstable man and call the cops.

  "You think you're an animal?"

  "I am a black panther, Storm, and leader of our community. Black Town was founded by my parents as a safe haven for all cat shifters."

  She added mental hospital to her list of people to call. Maybe she could sneak away again while he slept.

  "Okay, so Black Town is full of cat shifters and you're their leader. Strange, I thought the lion would be king of the jungle." Damn her mouth, why couldn't she keep it shut? She didn't want to provoke him.

  "Ted's the lion, the bartender you met in Black's bar, and no, I am Alpha of the town, and you are my fated mate. We only get one in a lifetime, and you're it, cookie, the one I've been waiting for my whole life."

  Storm licked her dry lips, unsure of what to say to his crazy declarations other than scream, You've lost your fricken' marbles!

  "You're carrying my cub, and most probably more than one. Very rarely are cubs born singular, and you, of course, think I'm mad."

  "Well, it does sound a bit far-fetched." She kept her tone calm, not wanting to anger him.

  He sighed. "I did tell you instead of shifting first, so you'd be prepared. But I see it's now time to show you the proof."

  She was about to snort her disbelief when he crouched down onto the rug at the bottom of the bed. Black hair sprouted, his limbs transformed into legs, paws and claws.

  She blinked rapidly, ran her hand over her eyes, as the big black cat walked around the side of the bed and gracefully leapt up onto it, approaching her with a loud purr.

  Frozen in shock, she watched as the cat lowered his head and ran his rough, yet soft, hot wet tongue over her ankle. Her body jolted at the sensation.

  "Impossible!"

  The cat raised his head. He purred louder as he loomed over her. She stared into
the same dazzling green eyes River possessed. Her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest. Her breathing became rapid, making her feel a little light-headed and dizzy. Her take on reality came crashing down around her. It was a good thing she was already on the bed, as for the first time in her life, blackness overcame her.

  Chapter Six

  That could have gone better. River shifted back, checking Storm's pulse and breathing.

  "C'mon, cookie, wake up." He patted her cheek. At least she didn't freak out and start screaming like a hysterical baboon.

  Her eyelids fluttered before they opened, meeting his worried gaze. "Why do you call me cookie?"

  River gave a strained laugh, not expecting that to be the first question she would ask him.

  "To me you have the delicious scent of fresh baked cookies, of home and hearth, like a place I belong."

  "Oh." A healthy color flushed back into her cheeks. "Did you really just turn into a big black cat?"

  "Yes, I did. How are you feeling?" He watched her pink tongue dart out, leaving a wet trail on her lush lips. He bit back a groan, wanting desperately to taste them again. At the same time, he didn't want her to freak out anymore. She needed time to come to terms with the reality of the situation.

  "Okay, I guess. Are you an animal or a man? How is this possible?"

  Confusion clouded her gaze, as she studied him with more care.

  "I don't know the how of it, I just know I am. When I'm in human form, I can feel my cat prowling around inside. When I'm in cat form, I am completely sentient."

  Unable to stop himself, he stroked her hair and face, wanting to comfort her.

  "You have every advantage having a shifter for your mate. Among our kind, while we can have free and unburdened relationships before we meet our mate, once we do, our brains are hard wired to be loyal and devoted to them. We can't have sex anymore unless it's with our mate. And the only way to break the bond is by death."

  Her eyes widened. "B...by death, we both won't die, will we?"