by Kyle, Celia
Mostly.
“Hungry?” Grayson murmured against her ear.
She turned her head, rubbing her cheek against his. “Yeah.”
“Ew. Please. Take that anywhere but here.” Brute gagged and Honor struck out, doing something she hadn’t done in months.
Lightning fast, she bolted toward him, allowing her cat to rush forward. By the time she crossed the few feet to her brother, her fingernails were claws. She flicked her brother’s ear, nicking the skin and cutting the shell.
“Motherfu—” Her brother snarled, baring his teeth.
Honor bolted away, hiding behind Grayson, plastering herself to his back. “Save me.”
“Always, lovely.” He whispered the words, but she heard them. Heard them and cuddled to her gently healing heart. “Always.”
74
“One small crack in your heart does not mean it’s broken. It means you need superglue. Or for a man to take an extended trip ‘downtown,’ if you know what I mean.” — Maya O’Connell, Prima of the Ridgeville Pride and woman who knows all about her town and Alex going down.
Grayson woke content, Honor snuggled in his arms once again. Her body practically covered his, her abundant curves aligned with him while her head rested on his chest. Her palm settled over his heart, as if she could protect it with her touch.
She didn’t realize his heart beat for her alone.
She sighed, her warm, moist breath fanning his skin, and goose bumps rose. Her clean scent called to the cat and he purred, allowing the gentle rumble to roll through his body. Another sigh came from his mate, immediately followed by her soft nuzzling. Her flavors coated him, marking him as hers. He knew she wasn’t awake, that the action was done on a subconscious level, but it didn’t matter.
If others got within sniffing distance, they’d know he had a female in his life. The aroma wouldn’t be as strong as if they were truly mated, but it was a good substitute until she was ready to move forward.
Grayson’s morning wood stiffened further instead of decreasing. Normally, he would have slipped free of her embrace by now, but he wanted just another second, another minute, of her touch. He’d get up. Soon.
A low moan escaped her and she wiggled inexplicably closer. Not an inch separated them, her pajamas the only thing that kept him from feeling her skin against his. Each night they went to bed, she slid a set on while he tugged on boxers. He couldn’t wait until she was comfortable enough to shed clothes completely.
No, he could wait. Because he loved her, and he ached to be everything she needed.
Yet another sound emerged, this one a deep, gentle purr.
Shit, she was almost awake and here he was perving on his still emotionally battered mate. Careful not to wake her further, he gently eased her arm from his chest as he carefully slid from beneath her. As long as he didn’t rush, she’d stay asleep and would eventually wake none the wiser.
“Grayson. Where y’goin’?” She breathed deep and rubbed her cheek against him.
Fuck.
“I’m…” Getting up so he wouldn’t freak her out with his morning wood and captive hold?
“Wanna cuddle for a little bit?” He remained tense while hope blossomed within him. When she threw her arm across his chest and cuddled closer, he let some of his tension ease. “You always leave early.”
“I didn’t wanna…”
Honor wasn’t listening. No, she was wiggling and pushing into his embrace, throwing one leg over his as if she were afraid he’d run away. She rubbed her foot along his calf, and how weird was it that the touch aroused him?
Yeah, he was going to hell for perving on his mate before she was ready.
She slid her leg a little higher, easing toward his cock, and he was quick to reach for her to stop her progress. Except he was too late and her knee nudged him. The action had her freezing and him swallowing his moan, but he couldn’t do anything about the shudder that overtook him.
“Grayson?”
“Honor, I’m—”
“You…” She still hadn’t moved her knee, that part of her still snug against his dick. She buried her face against his side, her words muffled. “You want me.”
Not a question, a statement. Hell, she’d dragged him onto a minefield and he didn’t know which way to go. He decided on giving her the truth. She deserved nothing less. “Yes, which is why I usually slip out of bed before you get up.”
“So…” She squirmed a little and he sensed it wasn’t to get closer or start anything, but more about her being uncomfortable with whatever was on her mind. So, he stayed quiet, waiting.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait too long.
“So, I mean, I’m not ignorant.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I know about what happens. I’ve seen porn vids.”
Grayson tried really hard not to growl, but a hint of the sound escaped.
That had her smiling against his skin. “I didn’t watch shifter pornos or anything. Well, just that once, but it was…” She shuddered.
He could only imagine what she’d seen. Shifter sex could be violent, some species more so than others. “Ours won’t be that. We care about each other, lovely.”
She melted against him once again. “Yeah, we do.” She took a deep breath. “So, I watched human vids because I needed to know what happened. I mean, there’s sex ed in high school, but it wasn’t as if I could walk up to my friends and say ‘hey, can I watch?’”
He understood her reasoning. Didn’t mean he had to like it.
“So, I know what that,” she nudged his cock and he moaned, “means.”
Without hesitation, he reached over and grabbed her leg before she could repeat the move. “If you know what it is, please do not poke the lion.”
Honor giggled. “You call it a lion. Really?”
Grayson moaned and not with pleasure. “Hush.” He nudged her knee from his cock. His very hard, very needy, cock. “I’m gonna shower.” He was anxious to end this conversation because every word had his dick aching for her touch. “Go back to sleep. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Are you going to take care of that?” She snorted. “God, I sound like such a kid. Next I’ll call it a ‘thing’ or something equally immature.” Drawing in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she tilted her head back and he lowered his chin so he stared into her eyes. “Are you going into the bathroom and make yourself come?”
A shudder of need slammed into him, his dick twitching with the need to sink into her. “Fuck. Don’t say things like that or I won’t be able to wait until I get a door between us.”
“I’m not ready for fucking.” She rolled her eyes. “But what would happen if you didn’t put a door between us?”
He raised a single eyebrow. Did she really want to hear?
“The truth, Grayson.”
“If you kept talking like that, I’d come in my boxers.”
She furrowed her brow. “You wouldn’t have to stroke yourself? The vids showed—”
He groaned. She was going to kill him. “The men in the vids didn’t lo— care for their partner. Your voice alone is enough to send me over the edge, lovely.” Fuck it, in for a penny, in for a pound. “If I was in the shower, I’d stroke my cock and pretend it was you touching me, moaning for me.”
“Would you imagine more?”
“God, Honor. You’re killing me here.”
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” She pulled away and he was just as fast to keep her close.
“No, I do, I will. You need to tell me if what I say scares you.” She nodded so he continued. He was going to hell. “I imagine your hands stroking me. Then you’d kiss me, your tongue tangling with mine. From there, you’d make your way to my cock.”
“And I’d suck you.”
Grayson moaned, the pictures in his mind overwhelming him. “Yes, you’d wrap your lips around my dick and suck me.”
“What else?”
“When you were ready, I�
��d spread you out and make love to you, tasting you until you were nice and wet. Then I’d sink into your—”
“My pussy?”
He wished he could reach down and tug on his balls, stop his impending release before it had a chance to surge forward. “Yes. The first time I’d be so careful because it’ll hurt a little.” She nodded. “And then I’d make love to you, make you scream in pleasure before I finally came inside you.”
She trembled and he cursed himself for pushing her, for laying his desires at her feet. He took a deep breath, ready to break into a long-winded beg for forgiveness, but something teased his nose.
Something hot, smoky, musky-sweet, and delicious. For the first time, ever, Grayson scented her arousal. She was wet and the sharp points of her nipples pressed against his side.
He didn’t push, didn’t assume her desire gave him permission to do anything but hold her. Still… His dick twitched, his balls ached, and his body reached for release.
Silence reigned, their breathing the only thing piercing the quiet. Finally, Honor spoke. “I imagined that when I touched myself, too. In the showers at school. In bed at night. I pretended you were with me.”
“Fuck. Honor.” He couldn’t withhold the curse or the need that flooded his veins.
He forced his hips to remain still, demanded his cat, and his body, listen to his mind’s demands. Otherwise, he’d rub his dick against her leg, take pleasure in the pressure until he finally came in his boxers. It wouldn’t take long, one rub, two at most, and then he’d bathe in the pleasure.
“We could do that.” Her voice was soft, unsure, and he held his breath for a moment.
“Do what?”
“Not that, but we could shower and you could do you and I could do me and… it’s a start?” So timid, his mate.
“You’d tell me if you got scared? I won’t be able to scent anything with the water.” He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but already he was so damned proud of her. After everything, the fact she wanted to even try gave him hope.
“I will. I promise.”
He leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. Any more and he’d blow before he even got to see her naked. And that was something he couldn’t wait to experience.
“Let’s get clean then.”
“Dirty then clean.” She grinned and scraped her teeth against his chest.
She was gonna kill him.
But what a way to go.
* * *
Honor licked the small bite, enjoying the salty taste of his skin. When she’d stepped off the plane, she never would have thought she’d end up here. Not in bed with Grayson and definitely not with plans to find pleasure with one another. Well, with, but not with one another.
He moaned as she laved the nibble and then he shifted beneath her, wiggling from her grasp. “C’mon before you kill me.”
In one swift move, he was out of bed and holding out his hand for her, encouraging her to do the same. She followed his lead, allowing him to tug her to her feet, and then they were pressed together front to front. Every hard line of his muscled body pressed against her. The strength of his chest, the flat abs she couldn’t wait to trace with her tongue, as well as the thick, firm ridge of his cock. She wondered what it’d look like, what it’d taste like.
Sure, she’d watched porn, but she couldn’t imagine Grayson acting like the males in the vids. She didn’t think there’d be rough snarls and hard grabs. At least, not this first time. Maybe someday… Her lioness purred at the idea of being dominated by him, at being forced to bend and move as he desired.
His eyes darkened from blue to amber, showing her his cat was near. Good, she wanted Grayson, all of him.
“C’mon.” She reached down and snared his hand.
“You sure?” His question was low, filled with unease.
“About this? Yes.” She was. Nervous as hell, worried she’d freak out, terrified the cat would overwhelm her and push them too hard. But she was still sure this was what she wanted.
“Okay then.”
Honor tugged, Grayson trailing in her wake. It wasn’t until her feet hit the bathroom’s cool tile floor that her bravado lessened. Thankfully, he was there to take over when her boldness faltered.
She released him and he strode forward, fiddling with the knobs until water burst from the showerhead. He closed the glass shower door with an echoing thump, the sound bouncing off the walls. Then he stepped back and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his expansive chest.
The patter of water against tile filled the room, steam slowly gathering and following the sounds. And still he didn’t move. Not a muscle. Not an inch.
She took a moment to look him over, to feast on his body. He was so gorgeous. She didn’t know how she managed to end up with a male as strong and sexy as him, but she’d forever count herself lucky.
“Uh, Grayson?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Mm-hm.” His heavy-lidded gaze traveled over her body, stroking her with invisible hands.
She knew she was covered, knew her pajamas were still in place and shielding her curved body, but the way he looked at her… Damn. He stared at her as if she were nude and spread for him. A tiny shiver raced down her spine, a curl of arousal following in its wake.
“Are we, uh, gonna…” Get naked and do naughty things?
“Strip for me, Honor.” His voice was deep and rough, the cat ending her name with a soft purr.
Honor gulped. “Strip for you?”
Her voice cracked on the last word, but she couldn’t help it. She’d never been voluntarily naked in front of a male before. Okay, sure, it happened when they all got together for a run, but this was different. This was sexual, this was seduction, and this was her mate.
“Uh-huh. Now.”
“You don’t want to…” Do it for her so she didn’t have to panic over getting naked.
“If I touch you, I will have you and we’re not there yet. Strip for me.”
That shouldn’t have aroused her, his tenuous control shouldn’t have made her ache for him, but it did.
She grasped the bottom of her top and slowly, carefully, tugged it up. He’d see the swell of her stomach first, the pale skin of her abdomen. Then there was the shining evidence of Angus’s treatment. Razor blade slice after slice… and that knife… The marks were pale now, barely discernable against her light skin. She refused to let her scars deter her.
When she got to below her breasts, she slid her fingers beneath the built-in bra. It joined the gathered fabric on its rise. Her breasts dropped free of their confines and she heard his harsh, indrawn breath quickly followed by a low moan. The rest of the shirt slid off with ease and she let it fall to the ground.
“Damn, lovely. Just… damn.” A light sprinkling of fur feathered across his bare chest and his obvious appreciation urged her to continue.
His eyes glowed from the cat and the animal made its presence known by hiding some of his human skin, but the real indication rested between his legs. Or rather didn’t rest. His cock, nice and long, tented his boxers, further telling her how much he desired her.
Honor tucked her thumbs into the waist of her bottoms, wiggling them down the tiniest bit to expose her hips. She easily added the edge of her panties to her downward travels, taking them along as well. She rocked her hips side-to-side as she eased them past the roundness of her ass until they finally fell to her ankles with a soft whoosh.
She fidgeted a little, her curved body exposed to his gaze, and she wondered if he would still desire her now that he saw all of her. The dimples in her thighs were there to see as were the small stretch marks marring her hips and breasts.
Then she focused on him, truly focused, and what she saw had her breath catching in her chest. This was more than need, more than a craving. His expression foretold a claiming, a possessive desire she’d never known. Angus just wanted to fuck her. Grayson had to have her more than his next breath and his face told her he’d kill to have her
.
Her cat purred at the thought.
“Honor, you’re… gorgeous and sexy and mine.”
That had the animal chuffing and purring and whining and begging for him.
“Your turn,” she whispered, but she knew he heard her.
His hands mirrored her earlier movements, easing the boxers down his thighs. The moment his bottoms hit the floor, he kicked them aside. He palmed his cock, stroking his length, and she licked her lips, wondering how he’d taste, how hard he’d be against her tongue. She wanted to find out. Desperately.
“Beautiful,” she whispered.
“See something you like?” His tone was husky, tinged with a hint of cocky bravado.
Eyes trained on his dick, she cupped her breast, stroked the soft flesh and plucked a nipple. She leaned against the tile wall that encircled the nearby tub and eased her thighs apart the tiniest bit. She snaked her other hand down her body, trailing her fingers between her breasts, over the swell of her stomach, and to her mound.
Honor toyed with the cropped curls, sliding one finger along the seam of her pussy, but not delving deeper. This touch was familiar even if the circumstances were not. She’d stroked herself like this many times, imagining Grayson nearby. Now he was. Well, sorta.
He stood at the other end of the bathroom, but it felt like no space at all. His scent engulfed her, teasing and tormenting her lioness until Honor thought she’d go insane from the wanting.
“Spread your legs, Honor.” His words were nearly indecipherable, but she did as asked. She’d always do as he desired.
Her feet went from inches apart to shoulder-width, exposing more of her to him. The shift gave her more room to play, more space to tease herself. The touch, so soft and teasing, aroused her further. Her pussy clenched and clit twitched in anticipation of what was to come.
She kneaded her breast, lightly tugging on the hard nub while she continued to tease her pussy. It ached to be touched further, ached to have her finger sliding over the small bundle of nerves that lay hidden between her folds. But she resisted the urge. She wanted to draw it out, let the pleasure build and build before the bubble finally burst.