The Cougar's Pawn

by Holley Trent

  All she knew was that she wasn’t supposed to leave. Whether it was just her dejectedness—her unwillingness to keep trying to belong in a place where she had never been designed to—or the budding of actual affection for Mason, she couldn’t say. She needed to find out, though. The first one meant she’d given up: that she was hiding from thoughts and opinions that bothered her. That’d never been her style. With the second one, she’d have to give serious examination to her feelings. There was such a thing as falling too fast, even in her world where connections were often fated. Preordained …

  Preordained.

  She rolled onto her side and stared across the wide bed at Mason.

  Just like a cat, he’d shaped himself around her in sleep, oblivious to her comfort or even discomfort. It hadn’t really been uncomfortable, just a bit stifling when she’d needed time and space to think. She’d gotten up to use the bathroom, and done some thinking while perched on the tub edge for a while. Then she’d gotten cold and returned to the bed. Mason had rolled onto his own side and hadn’t yet attempted to retrieve her.

  Preordained.

  What she was searching for was there in the ether, if she could just remember what it was about.

  She watched Mason’s lips twitch and nose wrinkle in sleep. Watched his hands clench into fists and release. She hadn’t wanted to share her nightmares with him, but she craved the knowledge of what unsettled him so in his rest. Her dreams weren’t scary so much as disconcerting. Phantoms bruising her self-esteem in her sleep the same way they did when she was awake. Eroding her confidence, convincing her there was something wrong with her when, in truth, there wasn’t. There never had been.

  She was worth being loved as she was and not as her family would have her be. Gail had done it, after all. Found the man who’d made her bloom and fostered her growth in all ways, but more than that, she’d let him do that for her. She got out of her own way. Ellery needed to do the same. If not for Mason, than some other man who’d have her. Who would want her unashamedly.

  That was it.

  Something Agatha had said a year ago drifted to the front of her memory as if like a leaf carried on wind. “I don’t think you’ll be on the market for long,” she’d said when Ellery lamented yet another of Claude’s eligible brothers being taken out of dating pool. Agatha had been elusive when Ellery asked what she meant. She hadn’t denied outright that she hadn’t had something up her sleeve. A woman like Agatha was used to pulling strings and getting things done, not just professionally, but outside of work, too. And Ellery was starting to suspect that one of the things Agatha had done was ensure her continued safety in one of the few ways she could—by matching her with someone who had power. Someone who had a need for what Ellery offered. Ellery knew Agatha spoke regularly to other gods and goddesses. She didn’t know which, but she’d bet good money that one of them had a special interest in the Cougars’ world.

  “That sneak,” she muttered, and put her chin atop her folded hands. Agatha knew the rules and played the game masterfully.

  She eased closer to Mason and skimmed her fingers along his stubbled jaw.

  Why fight it? Why not see what could happen?

  If it wouldn’t work, wouldn’t it be best to know now while she still had a chance to leave? It could be that they were completely incompatible just as she’d initially thought.

  He moaned softly when her fingers swirled over the cleft over his lip. “Can’t sleep?”

  “No.”

  “Need some help?” He rolled her onto her back, pulled her against him, and shaped his body around hers. His arm closed over her waist and he nuzzled his face against her hair.

  Protective. Comfortable.

  Not what she wanted.

  She wriggled against him. “I don’t want to sleep.”

  “Watch TV? Doubt there’s anything on.”

  “No.”

  “Hungry? We could have an early breakfast. Might wake Nick, though.”

  “No, I’m not hungry. At least … ” With some effort, she rolled to face him. “Not for food.”

  “You want blood?” He grinned with eyes closed. “I don’t think you have the fangs for it.”

  She sighed. How could he joke at such a time? She couldn’t very well just ask straight-out for what she wanted, so she took it. She unerringly found his cock and squeezed it hard.

  His eyes sprang open, and his hand wrapped around her wrist, gently removing her from him. “I thought I’d talked you out of rendering my boy parts useless.”

  “I’m not casting spells, Mason. I want to have sex with you.”

  “Why?”

  Why? What man asked why? Most men she’d ever heard of just acted. She sighed again. “Mutual pity fuck, if you still want it.”

  He sat up and furrowed his brow. “I’m not sure how I should respond or if there’s even a right answer.”

  “The right answer would be you taking off your clothes.” She reached for the bottom of the oversized shirt she’d borrowed from his drawer for sleeping to emphasize her resolve.

  He didn’t move at all in the time it took her to remove the shirt. He sat very still, his hands gripping the sheets. His gaze locked on hers.

  Obviously, he needed more incentive.

  She wriggled off her socks and shucked her panties, tossing it all over the bedside. “There you go.”

  His gaze moved lower, lingering for a few seconds at her chest and then falling to the shadowed niche between her legs. His Adam’s apple rose and fell, his swallow loud enough to hear.

  “Did you change your mind about wanting me?”

  “I’ve never once changed my mind about that.”

  “Cold feet?”

  “My performance won’t be an issue, I assure you.”

  “Then what’s the problem, dirty red? Afraid to earn your nickname fair and square?”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “Only if you’re not going to phone it in. I can get boring sex anywhere. It may be a pity fuck, but there’s no reason for it to be dull.”

  “I don’t think you understand what you’re asking.”

  “Are you going to mansplain sex to me? I know exactly how it works and a little more than just in theory.”

  He gave her a slow blink.

  “Should I put my clothes back on? I warn you that if I do, you’re sleeping on the floor. I don’t take kindly to being scorned.”

  “I’m not scorning you. I’m trying to get my mind right, but if I really gave you what you think you’re asking for, you’d be running for the hills. Given the circumstances, I’d really like to prevent that.”

  Her turn to swallow hard. She rubbed her thighs together in response to the dull ache building low down.

  He crawled closer to her, slow as a stalking cat, his amber gaze eerily phosphorescent in the dim light. “I’m giving you a chance to change your mind. You can lie down like a good girl and go back to sleep.”

  “Nope.”

  He stalked closer. “Then be content with nice, gentle lovemaking that’ll ensure you’ll still be able to sit tomorrow.”

  “You talk a big game.”

  “And I back it up every single time. I don’t get to stay Alpha by making idle threats.”

  “Is that what it was? A threat?” She leaned back against the pillows and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m waiting.”

  “You’re really trying me.”

  “Get used to it, Alpha.” She said the word slowly, enunciating each syllable clearly. “No one ever said witches were easy to be with. We’re a pain in the ass even for other witches.”

  “You’re definitely a pain in some things.” He grabbed her by the waist and yanked her down onto her back. “Still not ready for night-night?”

  She grinned. Shook her head. “You going to put me to sleep?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I’ll put you to sleep, all right.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Mason didn’t know why Ellery was pushing h
im, but at the moment was having a hard time deciding whether or not he cared. He peeled off his shirt, removed his boxers, and straddled her hips.

  She raised one daring eyebrow at him.

  Nope. He didn’t care. If she thought she was getting off the hook with a slap and a tickle, she had another think coming. She’d wanted to see what was inside Pandora’s box, and he was going to give her a good, long look. He gripped his cock at the base, and stroked it down to the tip.

  She watched, entranced.

  He repeated the action, observing how her pupils followed his hand. How her breath caught as he squeezed to the end each time. He could probably hypnotize her like that. Put her to sleep and laugh about it in the morning.

  Too late for that, though. She’d amped him up, and so now she was responsible for getting him off, one way or another. He’d been having a damn fine dream when she’d woken him, but being awake might turn out to be even better.

  “You know, it dawns on me we haven’t even kissed yet.” He kept stroking.

  She kept watching. “Mm-hmm.”

  “Should we rectify that now, or are you unconcerned about the order of business?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Unconcerned. I see. That’s okay.” He released his cock only to unstraddle her. He nudged her legs apart and settled between them, draping them over his shoulders. “There are lots of places to kiss. This is as good a place to start as any.”

  Her thighs tensed against his ears.

  “Don’t get shy now, witchy one. Right now, you could be in blissful REM sleep dreaming about how good my ass looks both in jeans and out of them, but you’re not. If you didn’t want to be kept up half the night, you should have held your tongue. I won’t hold mine.”

  He licked her. Just a tease, really, to remind her that he was down there.

  Her spine bowed off the bed, but he held her hips down and licked her again before she’d even stopped writhing.

  “I thought you didn’t like being licked. Damned shame, because you taste so good.” He parted her with his thumbs to improve his access and gave her swollen nub an experimental flick.

  She gripped his hair and clamped those thighs around his head again. “Ahhh, fuck you.”

  He chuckled. “You talk so pretty. Save some of that for our wedding day. I bet you’d pen some lovely vows.” He could just picture such an event. Him leaning in to tell her how beautiful she looked, and her standing up on tiptoes to tell him to go sit on a cactus and spin. And she’d smile in that coquette way and he’d want to rip her clothes off right there, onlookers be damned. Half the town had already seen him naked after shifting, anyway. No skin off his teeth.

  He licked her again, from the bottom to the top of her slit to warm her up for his upcoming assault on that little bundle of nerves in her nub. He drew it between his lips, sucking unyieldingly even as her grip on his hair tightened and her feet came together at his back.

  “This doesn’t work quite as well if you strangle me, honey.”

  “It’s a reflex,” she muttered.

  “I’ll fix it.” He slid off the foot of the bed and pulled her along with him until her ass was at the edge. He spread her thighs, holding her legs in their new position by the knees, and got down on his knees.

  Better view, anyway. He drew his finger down her wetness, and when her knees threatened to draw in, he said, “Nope.”

  She put them back.

  “Just hold still for me.” He worked her with his tongue and finger, nudging her back into compliance every time her legs moved closer. “It’s too fucking dark for me to start digging through drawers to find something to tie you down with. I know you can hold still.”

  She took a deep breath, and whimpered as he started up again. Her toes curled, legs shook, and her hands gripping the bed’s edge went white at the knuckles.

  Good girl.

  He added another finger to the carnal massage and she nearly vaulted off the bed. And to think, he’d worried she’d be unresponsive.

  Pressing his tongue flat against her, he slid one wet finger down farther and pressed at her tighter entrance.

  “Mason.” There was a warning in her tone.

  “Hmm?” He murmured around her, sending another violent shudder through her body.

  She kept her legs apart, though, even if her hands moved to his hair yet again.

  “Put your arms over your head.” He massaged the bit of skin between her entrances and worked her clit between two knuckles. “Just like that. Keep them there until I tell you otherwise. Got it?”

  She didn’t respond.

  He took his hands off her.

  “Yes, goddammit!” she snarled.

  “Good girl. Alpha might not give you want you want, but he’ll always give you what you need.” He pressed again at that taboo place, distracting her with his tongue and fingertips on her sex. When he breached it, she let out a short, loud cry before clamping her hands over her mouth.

  He’d forgive her for it. There was a child in the house to consider. The last time Mason had made a woman get loud in this way had been long before Nick’s birth.

  He could always take her outside …

  Nah. The desert echoed. She could probably be heard clear to the hellmouth.

  “Hands back up,” he said.

  She complied, only for him to flip her over and haul her ass up into the air.

  She struggled onto her hands, and he gave her ass a swat on each cheek.

  “Where are you going?” He gently pushed her shoulders down to the covers. “Didn’t ask you to get up.”

  “Tell me the plan and I’ll try to stick to it.” She wriggled against his hand, and he gave her ass an appreciative rub.

  “I don’t think you will. I’ll think you’ll do anything you can to subvert me. To make me work harder, won’t you?”

  “Probably,” she muttered into the bed.

  “You’ll confuse a man like that. Having your body say yes when your mouth is spouting ever so much shit.”

  “Assume yes unless I specifically say no.” She wriggled against him again, and he gave her a little love tap.

  Her toes curled again.

  “I see. Trust me?”

  “Only in this room, Mason.”

  “Aw, I like when you say my name. Sounds so much better than buddy-roe. Stay right there.” Chuckling, he backed away, keeping his eyes on the prize all the while. Such a nice ass. It’d be nicer with a little more red on it, though, either from his handprint or his bite. Later, though. Some things needed to be worked up to, in spite of how much she was asking for them.

  He patted the dresser drawer behind him, opened it, and found the still-sealed box of condoms. He brought them up to his eyes and squinted at the expiration date in the dim light.

  Thank you, goddess.

  He pulled one out and tore it from its packet. Sliding it onto himself, he asked, “Still want to get put to sleep?”

  “If you can manage it.”

  “Easy as pie.”

  Gripping her haunches, he eased into her tight, wet sheath and tried to ignore the distracting, triumphant cat dancing around in his head. “Sweet manna.”

  She clenched around him. “Like that?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He swiveled his hips and made himself a little more room inside her. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was the first one there.

  She wriggled again, and he pressed his hands to her ass, kneading the flesh and working her cheeks apart.

  He thrust.

  She clenched.

  Shit. He’d promised her a ride, but he may have bitten off more than he could chew. It’d be one thing if he’d cleaned the pipes earlier, but he was going into the scenario after a very long dry spell and with a woman who could make him hard with so little as a sneer in his direction. He was in a really bad way.

  Mind over matter.

  He closed his eyes, and he concentrated on increasing the speed of his thrusts, of working her up to hot and heavy wi
th a side of begging. He thought of playful things.

  Bunnies frolicking in tulips.

  Leprechauns dancing around a pot o’ gold coins.

  Kittens leaping and missing their targets.

  Cougars enmeshed in battle. Biting, wrestling, transforming.

  Not cougars. People. Naked, sweaty people, clinging desperately to each other and searching for release.

  Goddamned cougar.

  He shook his head to free himself of his id’s baser notions. Id didn’t want him to last. Id wanted him to come.

  No, he needed to make Ellery come so he could stand by his word. Alphas made things happen, so he wrapped her ponytail around his fist, gave it a small preemptory tug, and said, “Better hold on.”

  She gripped the quilt top so firmly he could hear the threads ripping. There was the slap of skin against skin along with her pants of pleasure and restrained moans with each pull of her hair.

  He added his own hisses of anticipation, because he was so fucking close. He had to get her there first. He moved his free hand from her hip and pressed its thumb into the seam of her ass. With each thrust, he pushed it in farther until it was inside her up to his knuckle.

  Her body spasmed against him, her hands pulling at the covers for purchase, and he thought, “Thank fuck.”

  Freeing his hands, he leaned over her, and increased the speed of his thrusts until that starburst of ecstasy burned low in his torso.

  “Mason!”

  He let go. His orgasm rolled through him like a runaway freight train on a greased track and all he could do was try to breathe. Try to stay on his feet. Try to make his legs stop shaking.

  “Damn.” He pressed his palms to the bed and got his weight off of her, slowly pulling himself free of her.

  She let out an indulgent little moan and slid forward onto her belly.

  “You all right?” he asked.

  “Ask me in the morning. I need some time to think about it.”

  He chuckled. “Right. Be right back.”

  He cleaned himself up as quietly as he could in the bathroom and returned to the bedroom to find Ellery asleep with all that hair covering her face, and one arm dangling over the side of the bed.