Axel sobered. I’m sorry, Gun. I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations out on you. She just… He shut his eyes for a second and shook his head. No, that’s no excuse. I haven’t claimed her. And she was just acting upon hints I’d given her all the way up the mountain. I shouldn’t expect you to react any differently toward her than I would’ve.
We could claim her, Gunnar suggested as he plopped down on his side and playfully pawed at her to encourage more petting. She laughed and complied.
I don’t know. That’s the biggest commitment we will ever make, and we don’t know that much about her, other than she’s from Colorado, is an only child and lives in Vegas. She works in advertising too, and there’s no telling what kind of media contacts she has.
What if we’re wrong about her and she exposes our secret?
Gunnar groaned, although it was hard to tell whether from the pleasure of Dakota’s hands or the realization of Axel’s point.
“I think Falke is spoiled,” she observed.
“If he wasn’t before, he is now,” Axel said, playing along.
But not foolish, Gunnar quipped. You’re right. Until we know for sure, we practice caution. We have to know what’s in her heart before we can make any claims. He groaned again as Dakota put herself into the belly scratching. Tell me, Ax, through all our years of friendly competition over girls in high school and women once we grew up, when was the last time you attacked me for sleeping with one?
Axel sighed . Never.
When was the last time you felt this way about a woman?
Never. Axel scraped his hand through his hair and watched Dakota gentle her ministrations and tickle her fingers over Gunnar’s chest and chin. But we’ve only known her a couple of days. She’s on vacation. She could be a very different person day-to-day. If we claimed her and then we found out that she’s not this…wonderful…
Do you believe that?
Axel stared at the fire for a long moment. Did he believe that? Dakota brought out a lust in him the likes of which he’d never known—almost uncontrollable-and she obviously did the same to Gunnar. She was tough, strong both physically and mentally. She’d rebounded from her aches and pains within a couple of hours, and she’d faced down a she-wolf and didn’t break, not one tear.
No, he admitted. I don’t believe she’s much different in the real world than she is here. She’s not faking it.
But we barely know her and have no way to predict how she’ll react to the truth about us.
Dakota yawned. “Well, consider that payback for the kneading you gave me earlier, big guy, but I think I’m gonna call it a night and head to bed.” She stood up, stretched and faced Axel who sat on the couch.
“You coming?”
He glanced at his brother.
Go ahead. I’ll just stay down here…by the fire.
Maybe I’ll feel warm again by morning.
“Yeah,” Axel said. “Just let me put some more logs on the fire first. I’ll be up in a minute.”
She smiled. “Okay, but don’t take too long, or the sandman might beat ya there.”
While she climbed up the ladder to the loft, Axel busied himself with stoking the fire.
Did you use a condom? he asked Gunnar.
No, but you know I can’t impregnate her. She’s human.
Not alone, you can’t. He turned to stare at the cat.
The only way a lone catamount male could reproduce was by having sex with a female of his own kind. Despite an almost one-hundred percent guarantee of multiple offspring whenever births did occur, females like their sister were extremely rare. And unlike the maternal prides of African lions, mountain lions didn’t instinctively share a strong family bond, which was why what the Falkes had accomplished in Leavenworth was unique and precious.
Most male catamount shifters lived solitary, nomadic lives and died without reproducing. But a few males, like their fathers, had discovered a compatibility with humans that helped save their species. And their human mother’s love and guidance throughout their childhood had formed that family bond when other catamount units splintered.
Because Dakota was human, pregnancy wasn’t a concern unless two catamount males climaxed inside her during peak ovulation. Judging by her scent, that time was close. They couldn’t risk impregnating her, not an unclaimed female who might not wind up being their mate.
Damn, I-It’s okay. Axel headed for the hatch to the storm shelter. Lucky for us, Reidar included a box of condoms when he restocked the cold storage last summer. I spotted it this morning when I retrieved fuel for the generator.
Axel was back in a matter of seconds and closed the hatch.
I’ll never pick on him again for his compulsive way of planning ahead, Gunnar said with a full-fanged yawn of his own. The puma hopped up and stretched out on the couch. Have fun, bro.
Axel took out a few of the condoms and put the box in a bottom drawer of the desk. Good night, Gunnar.
He’d reached the top of the ladder when he heard his brother’s snicker. It won’t be as good as yours.
With night fallen, Axel paused to let his eyes adjust to the darker loft area, a task that wasn’t too difficult since she’d lit and left a couple of candles burning in glass hurricanes lamps on nightstands. Shadows danced about the space to the melody of the flickering candlelight, and the scent of vanilla hung in the cool night air.
Dakota lay under the covers, curled on her side, facing him. Her eyes, though, were closed. He smiled at the strange nervousness that coiled in his gut and forced his feet to move. He padded barefoot to the other side of the king-sized bed and put the condoms on the nightstand.
After stripping out of his pants, he lifted the soft flannel sheets and slipped into bed to spoon with the drowsy woman who’d provoked every lustful fantasy his mind could imagine.
Her ebony hair tickled his nose and smelled like fresh-picked strawberries, the fragrance of the shampoo in the bathroom. Her skin was silky smooth and warm to the touch. Better still, she was as naked as he was—a fact that reassured him of her willingness and made him want to keep her snuggled against him forever.
“Mmm.” The sound was soft and feminine, a touch dreamy.
She wiggled a little, cool bare bottom against heated groin, and his cock hardened to attention. He splayed his fingers over her middle and hugged her closer, one finger just brushing the underside of a soft, full breast.
“Sleepy?” he murmured.
“Not anymore.” She turned, scooted around to face him and hiked a bare leg over his hip. Her foot, like her bottom, was a fraction colder than the rest of her body. Heavy-eyed, she gave him a drowsy smile that contradicted her answer.
“You sure?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
He drove one hand into her hair and rubbed her thigh, hip and butt with the other. “Good. I’d hate to have to beat up the sandman.”
A light giggle was her only reply.
Pulling her to him, Axel began a slow exploration of her mouth. He swirled his tongue around hers until she mimicked his moves with her own. Her body came awake as she responded to his kiss with renewed eagerness. By the time he pulled back, her eyes were brighter, more alive and still visible in the soft candlelight.
“With kisses like that, bring on the insomnia,” she teased, making him laugh.
He rolled her beneath him, pinning her body to the mattress with his weight. “Glad you approve, ’cause I’m just getting started.”
“Oh? And what do you have in mind?” There was humor in the question.
He smiled, took her hands and interlaced their fingers as he moved them above her head. “If you’re a good girl, you’ll soon find out.”
“And if I’ve been bad?”
He cocked an eyebrow, enjoying her spunk. “Have you?”
“Not yet.”
“Then we’ll deal with that when you are.”
She grinned.
“Be still. Hang on to the headboard if you want, but don’t move.”
/> He sat up, shoving the sheets off of them both and revealing her supine body to his gaze. Her skin was a honey color that looked sweet enough to feast on all night long.
She put on a pout, one that succeeded at adorability more than displeasure, and asked, “You won’t give me a hint?”
“Nope. It’s a surprise.” He ran his hands down her arms, over her body. “You like surprises, don’t you?”
“No…yes.” She closed her eyes and hummed her approval, arching her spine as he fondled her soft breasts. “Okay, definitely yes.”
He chuckled and toyed with her dark nipples, lightly pinching and plucking at the tips until they pebbled. Scooting backward, he positioned himself between her legs, placed his hands on her knees and pushed them apart. The dark triangle over her apex parted to reveal a pretty pinkness that made his mouth water. Then he leaned down, using his arms to keep his weight off her, and nipped one of her breasts.
She sucked in a quick breath and grabbed his head.
“Nuh-uh.” He pushed up and sat on his heels.
“Hands over your head.” He didn’t tell her, but as on edge as he was, Axel needed her compliance so he wouldn’t climax too soon. This wasn’t a night for a quick fuck but rather leisurely lovemaking they could both enjoy and hopefully recall years from now as a fond memory.
He waited, watched her expression, saw her bite her bottom lip, but she complied.
When she did, he leaned over again to suckle one plump nipple into his mouth. He moved from one to the other, paying close attention to how her breathing became labored, how her heartbeat raced.
He licked a path downward over her tummy to playfully poke her navel with the tip of his tongue. He kissed her there before he moved lower. She raised her hips in a silent plea he understood but ignored. He had no intention of hurrying.
Instead, he scraped his teeth over her inner thigh, and she gasped at the sharp nip. His effective yet gentle bite didn’t break the skin this time, but he recognized promise in her reaction—a thought, a hope, he filed away to be examined another day.
She couldn’t take much more teasing without some fulfillment, and neither could he, so he dipped his head once more and nibbled his way from knees to pussy until she squirmed against his voracious mouth. He tasted her, licked her, suckled her clit, and he fucked her sweet pussy with his tongue and fingers, forcing her up to a peak that made her mewl, buck and rub her gorgeous cunt against his mouth.
Then, when her whimpers died down, he renewed his efforts to make her tremble and quiver all over again.
When he finally donned a condom and climbed over her, Axel noticed her white-knuckled grip on the bars of the rustic log headboard. Thankful she hadn’t suffered any splinters as a result, he blanketed her very compliant body with his, slid one arm beneath her head, and raised one of her legs with his other.
“Hold me,” he told her, and she responded with a quick tight hug around his neck. “Don’t let go.” He kissed her hard and pushed into her tight, damp pussy with agonizing slowness.
He drank in her moan and groaned in return as he gently entered her again and again, drawing out each thrust, stretching her inner muscles and pausing every time he buried himself inside her.
“Oh, my, that feels wonderful,” Dakota whispered against his ear. It hadn’t taken long for her fingers to weave into his hair, the sensation of her touch an aphrodisiac to his libido.
He hesitated, trying to catch his breath, hoping to hold off a little longer. Make it last.
He pulled almost out of her, felt her lift her hips toward him, and then shoved in harder than he had before.
“Yes,” she said against his neck.
He used his hand beneath her butt to hold her in place, pull her toward him, as he repeated the thrust.
She whimpered and clung to his shoulders.
“There’s more,” he warned, the words a mere whisper in her ear.
“Oh, God…”
“Hang on.” He nipped her earlobe, laved her jaw line, and kissed her thoroughly as he released the last cord of his restraint and fucked her with deep, solid strokes.
She felt too good…in his arms, beneath him, wrapped around his cock. Her inner muscles clamped down on him, and she cried out her pleasure.
He followed with a powerful orgasm of his own, the rapture leaving him lightheaded and spent.
Though his muscles trembled from the force of his release, the tender kiss she pressed to his cheek struck him like an arrow to the heart.
Chapter Four
Dakota felt no pain this morning. In fact, she doubted she’d ever felt better. Her body had been well used, she’d had more orgasms in the last twenty-four hours than she’d had in forever, and she was surrounded by warmth.
Her nose itched. Something tickled it. She slowly pried her eyes open and looked at the back of a furry head. In fact, fur pressed along her whole front and she had her arm around Falke. Behind her was the long, warm, bare male body of Axel, his arm around her, holding her tight, her head cradled by his arm and his warm breath brushing against her hair.
A slow smile overtook her and she closed her eyes, pressing her face against Falke’s fuzzy head. He smelled of the outdoors. Fresh and clean. She buried her hand in the fur of his chest. He started purring, which made her grin grow. “Morning, Falke,” she whispered. “Get lonely downstairs?”
He made a soft sound that almost sounded like “uh-huh,” and Dakota giggled.
“Wha—?” Axel lifted his head.
She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Axel’s bleary-eyed stare. “Mornin’,” she said. “Look who came to join us.”
Axel looked over her shoulder and sighed. “Just couldn’t stay away, could you?” After a short pause, he chuckled. “I think the fire burned out and he got cold.”
She leaned back a bit and kissed his stubbled chin.
“I hadn’t noticed.” The air was cool, chilly really, though under the covers with big, warm cat on one side and long, hot male on the other, she was toasty warm.
Axel dipped his head and kissed her lips lightly.
“Stay here until I get the cabin warmed up. I’ll start the generator when I bring in wood, and we’ll have a hot breakfast.”
She smiled at him and nodded. “Sounds good.”
He kissed her again, then threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. “Shit! Okay, it’s colder than I thought.” He laughed as he pulled on his jeans, hopping from one foot to the other, nearly toppling over, and making silly little sounds as he hurried for the ladder and disappeared out of sight.
Dakota sighed and relaxed back into the pillows and Falke, rubbing his side, digging her fingers into his soft fur. She hugged him and rested her head against his neck. “You’re a good kitty, aren’t you?”
His purr got louder, and she felt his tail flick against her shin under the covers.
“I wish I could take you home with me.” She dropped her voice to a whisper so Axel couldn’t hear her. “I wish I could take you both home with me.”
Falke made that little question mark sound and dipped his head to lick the inside of her wrist.
“I know, I know, this is just a vacation fling. I’m sure I’m not the first woman Axel has brought up here and shared this bed with. I’m also sure I won’t be the last. But…” She sighed. “He’s just so…incredible.”
The purring stopped, and Falke rolled over. He stared at her with eyes she could swear were filled with intelligence.
“You always seem to know what I’m saying.”
The cat nuzzled her neck with his cool, wet nose, and she giggled and pushed his face away from her.
“God, can you see me walking down Freemont Street with you on one side of me and Axel on the other? Bet that would deter the muggers.”
A low grumble came out of the cat, not quite a growl, but close.
She frowned at him. “It only happened once.”
He bared his teeth, his lips pulling back, and this time there
was no question he growled.
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It wasn’t really a mugger, just a teenaged purse snatcher. Nothing major. A stupid Midwesterner saw it happen and took off after the guy. I got my purse back, then had to tell the small-town Good Samaritan that chasing a purse snatcher was a good way to get himself killed.” She shrugged. “Then I took him out to dinner, since his buddies had abandoned him to go off to some brothel. He had a fiancée back home.”
She loosened her hold on Falke and leaned back into the pillows. “How come I can’t find a guy like that? Or like Axel. Only one that isn’t temporary? I mean, I suppose I paid for this trip, and he’s supposed to wait on me, cook my meals, make sure I don’t freeze to death, but do you know what my last boyfriend did?”
Falke nudged her shoulder with his nose when she stopped talking, when she’d slipped into the memory that to this day made her furious. She heard the generator fire up outside. “He was at a buddy’s house one night, drinking, and they ran out of beer. He called me at one in the morning, when I had class at eight, and wanted me to make a beer run for them.”
A low grumble came out of the cat again, and he bared his teeth a little bit.
“Yeah, well, I let him have it. Then I changed my phone number.” She shrugged. “And since then I guess I’ve just been too busy to look.” She scratched Falke’s ears, ran her fingertips over the silky tips and laughed when he flicked them and shook his head. “Sorry.” She went back to scratching. “I really like Axel, you know?
But part of me doesn’t know if it’s just been so long since I got any, or if there’s really something special about him. Not that it matters if there is,” she hurried to add then frowned at the cat. “I’m having a heart-to-heart with a mountain lion. That’s got to tell you something, doesn’t it?” Dakota really wished one of her friends was there to smack her upside the head and tell her what she already knew deep down inside. She wasn’t supposed to get attached to a vacation fling.
“He’s like two totally different men, though,” she muttered. “So hard and fast and exciting yesterday afternoon. Then so sweet and gentle and thorough last night.” She rolled onto her side and hugged Falke again, his fur tickling her chest and belly. She let loose a light laugh. “And you have no idea what I’m talking about, which is probably for the best.”
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