“Will do,” Travis said.
Shawna turned back to Cadence. “Mates, huh? Well, welcome to the pride, then.” Instead of shaking Cadence’s hand, she hugged her. “I better take that asshole in. Let’s all meet for dinner sometime.”
“Um, sure,” Cadence said. She wanted to ask about the mates thing, but Shawna was already leaving, the front door clicking shut behind her.
Cadence looked at Travis, but he was already gliding away. He asked, “Do you have some cardboard I can use to patch up your door?”
The glass pane closest to the handle was shattered.
“He did that, didn’t he?” Cadence asked.
Travis nodded.
“Here, I’ll sweep up the glass,” Cadence said. “There’s some cardboard in the recycling, there, at the side of the counter.”
“Duct tape?”
“The drawer on the left.”
Together, they got the mess cleaned up and the broken pane covered. Then there wasn’t anything left. Was he going to take off, now? And what about the mates thing? What was that? Cadence wasn’t sure if she should bring it up. Maybe he’d been talking in some kind of code with the detective.
Cadence was safe. She didn’t need Travis anymore.
But what if she did? Not for her safety, but because he was him. She liked him, even though she’d just met him. There was that pull, the one she couldn’t explain.
Travis cleared his throat. Cadence kept her gaze on the empty dustpan in her hands.
“Cadence,” he said in a soft voice. “Look at me?”
She wanted to resist, but there was no way. This man had some kind of hold on her—not just on her body, but on her heart. Even trying to ignore him made her chest ache. So she looked up, and was dazzled. Even in the darkness, adoration shone in his deep brown eyes.
“You probably have some questions for me,” he said, stepping forward and taking the dustpan from her hands.
“I don’t know if I’m entitled to answers,” she said. “It’s not my place, really.”
He leaned the dustpan against the wall and straightened to hold her hands. “It is your place, really. You can ask me anything.”
The sensation of his palms enveloping hers sent a surge of lust through her body. The power in her house might be out, but the circuits in her body were alive and wickedly active.
“I’m not sure where to start,” she said.
His hand came up and he cupped her cheek. She leaned into it. This was weird. Wasn’t it weird?
“What are you thinking?” he whispered.
“I’m wondering if this is weird.”
“For me, no.”
She stepped back. “You do this a lot?”
“No, no,” he said quickly, and gave an embarrassed-sounding laugh. “This kind of connection is common around people like me, but it only happens once, with one other person. I never thought it would happen for me.”
Cadence looked down, feeling shy. “Is this the…mates thing, that you and Shawna were talking about?”
“That’s exactly it,” Travis said. “It’s an unbreakable bond. It’s only truly there when both people feel it.”
“I feel it,” Cadence whispered. “It feels like coming home, or like my loneliness is coming to an end.”
“I sensed your loneliness from far away.”
He reached out and ran a finger over her cheek, then over her lips. The touch chased away some of Cadence’s shyness.
“You’re my mate, Cadence,” he said, his voice deep and rumbling. “You’re the one for me. Forever.”
“I should be freaked out by all of this,” she said, smiling. “But I’m not.”
“Good.” He leaned down and kissed her, and all her feelings about what she should do flew out of her mind.
She only knew what she wanted to do.
His chest was bare, and still a little damp from the rain. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders and down his muscular arms. He deepened their kiss, his mouth opening slightly, inviting her to match his movements. With a small moan in the back of her throat, she did.
He tasted like fresh rain. She felt washed anew in his kiss, as if this was her first time. It wasn’t her first time—she’d been with men before, and even a couple of women. But this time, with Travis, was all new.
The kiss built. Travis’s hands were in her hair, angling her head so he could ravage her mouth more fully. She splayed her hands over his chest, slid them down over his rippling abs.
He pulled away with a groan.
“Why are you stopping?” Cadence asked.
“It’s late,” he said. “I don’t want to presume—”
“We still have the rest of the night,” Cadence said. “I’m not tired. Are you?”
His smirk was devastatingly, panty-droppingly handsome. “Not much to do, what with the electricity out.”
She held out her hand. He took it in his own, and the heat from his touch warmed her through and through.
“I can think of a few activities that are great after dark,” she said, pulling off her long-sleeved pajama top. The chill in the air bit into her skin, but her hard nipples were from Travis’s kiss.
He groaned and grabbed his cock through his jeans, squeezing it so hard it looked painful to Cadence. “Fuck, woman. You’re going to kill me.”
“That looks like a big problem you have there,” she said, eyeing his package. “Would you say it’s a carrot-sized problem? Or more eggplant?”
He laughed. “You’re the gardener. Maybe you could tell me.”
“I’ll need to give it a closer inspection.”
He grabbed her in a hug and lifted her up. Her bare breasts rubbed against the hairs on his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to the bedroom, his lips hot on her neck as he peppered her skin with feverish kisses.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, swirling his tongue over her pulse point. “You smell so good.”
The room tilted as he laid her on the bed, and she gripped his biceps, centering herself.
“Cadence,” he whispered, “I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet my mate. I’ve finally found you, and I want to make you feel really, really good.”
“I want that, too,” she said, gazing into his eyes, touching his chest, his face, his shoulders—every part of him she could reach while he hovered over her like this with his arms braced on either side of her head.
He kissed her mouth, his lips and tongue warm and fresh against hers. Then he pulled back.
“Why’d you stop?” she asked.
“Because I want to do that—what I just did to your mouth—to your pussy.” He grinned and traced her lips with his thumb. “Would you like that?”
She could barely think with her lust-addled brain, but she definitely knew the answer to that question. “Oh. Yes. Yes, I’d like that.”
He sank to the floor in front of her and pulled her legs so they dangled off the edge of the bed. “Lift up your hips, Cadence,” he said. When she did, he pulled off her pajama pants.
Her house had seemed so cold before, but not any longer. He leaned forward, his breath fanning against her skin. She tried to clench her legs closed, but he kissed the insides of each of her thighs.
“Do you still want this?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, “I just…it’s so soon…”
“Do you want to wait?” he asked, punctuating the question with another kiss on her thigh. “I don’t mind. I want to make you feel good—but only when you want that. I’d be happy cuddling you, taking you out on dates, just talking, or sleeping beside you.”
Could he get any more perfect? This was the kind of partner she liked in the bedroom. His care and attention turned her on just as much as his muscular chest. “No, I don’t want to wait,” she said. “I’m ready.”
“Let me know if that changes,” he said, then kissed a trail from her inner thigh, right up to her pussy lips.
“Oh,” she said, “oh.”
/> This was amazing. His tongue was amazing. Long, soft licks against her, each one stopping at the top, where he focused on her clit for a few seconds before moving back down again. The pleasure within her spooled, spinning into something tight and shining.
“Travis,” she gasped. “I’m going to—”
“Come,” he said hoarsely, before sucking on her clit and going back down for another lick. He pulled away to add, “Come for me, Cadence.”
When he reached her clit again, Cadence’s pleasure burst outward, making her limbs go tense and rigid. Her pussy pulsed, empty and wanting. The climax was barely over before she was tugging on his shoulders.
“I’m clean, no diseases,” she said. “And I’m on the pill. Are you—”
“I’m clean. Shifters can’t get STDs,” he said. “But tell me what you want. You said it was soon. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I want you,” she said. “All of you. Your mouth, and your cucumber or carrot or eggplant or whatever giant vegetable you’re packing in there.”
He stared at her in surprise, then laughter burst from his mouth.
“I know, I sound crazy,” she said.
“You’re exactly my kind of crazy, then,” he said, pulling himself over her body to kiss her nipples.
His mouth on her breasts was almost as good as it had been on her pussy. She was soaking wet from her earlier climax. She couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her. And luckily, it didn’t seem she’d have to wait long. Because while he licked and sucked on her nipples, he was also unfastening his jeans and pulling out his cock.
She reached down between them, wanting to touch him.
He groaned against her chest when she gave him a light stroke. He was much bigger than the average vegetable. Hard, thick, and long. Smooth.
“I want you, Cadence,” he said.
“I want you, too.”
“You’re my mate—my everything.” He kissed his way up her chest to reach her mouth again. And as his tongue slid between her lips, she guided his cock into her pussy.
He was so thick, filling her so completely that he couldn’t push in all the way at first.
“You all right?” he asked, moving his lips from her mouth to kiss along her jaw.
“Yes.” She breathed deeply, feeling herself adjusting. Then she wriggled against him, lifting her hips, ready for more.
He slid in smoothly but slowly, giving her more time to adjust to his thickness. Long, sure strokes as he pulled out slightly, then pressed in again. “Cadence,” he whispered. “Cadence.”
“More,” she said. “Faster. Please. I think I’m going to come again.”
“Oh, you are,” he said, smirking at her in the dim light. Then his brows pinched in concentration and he began moving at a different angle. His base hit her clit in a new way.
He was right—she was going to come again. In fact, she was already there, pleasure electrifying her fingers and toes. She cried out, uncaring about all the noise she made. Let him know how great this was. He was her mate—he should know how she liked it.
His thrusts quickened. “So good, Cadence,” he said. “So good.”
He brought his mouth down to hers and kissed her again fiercely, then his cock stopped thrusting inside of her. She felt the pulsing of it within, the heat of his release, and he tugged her into his arms as he rolled to his side.
Still face to face with Travis, Cadence gazed at him, reveling in her own contentment and the love and adoration in his expression. Her breathing was slowly returning to normal, Travis’s heartbeat steady against her chest.
Her eyes closed, but she didn’t sleep. Twenty-four hours ago, she’d been lonely. Now, she was lying naked in the arms of a man—the man who would be hers forever.
She wondered how soon it would be before he could get hard again. She wanted to do all of that again, because damn. That had been incredible. He was still partly inside of her, half-hard. If she moved a little, how would he react?
He buried his face in her neck. “Your scent just changed.”
“I’m thinking how impossibly good that was,” she said.
He brought a hand to her chest and lightly traced one of her nipples. “It was more than good for me. It was fucking amazing. Magical.”
“Let’s go again,” Cadence said. “We make such a good pear.”
Still in her pussy, he began to harden once more. He grinned at her and kissed her. Then he pulled back and chuckled.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Just thought of the worst pun,” he said.
Already laughing, she said, “Tell me.”
“It’s terrible. And it has vegetables in it.”
“Well, now you have to tell me.”
His smirk was wickedly cute as he said, “Lettuce celery-brate our new love with more fucking.”
She laughed so hard, the movement had him hard again, and then he was sliding in and out of her once more, and all thoughts of produce were forgotten.
The Fierce Mates world includes five series: The Sierra Pride, The Cougar Pride, The Dark Pines Pride, The Rock Creek Clan, and Junkyard Shifters. Each book within a series stands alone, although they’re usually best read in order.
If you enjoyed “Her Celery Stalker,” give Filthy Beast, the first book in the Junkyard Shifters series, a try! Find the link to your favorite retailer here: https://lizastreetauthor.com/lizas-books/junkyard-shifters/
About the Author
Liza Street got her start in romance by sneak-reading her grandma's paperbacks. Now she’s a USA Today bestselling author. Whether writing paranormal romance or Wild West fantasy, she delights in throwing humans and supernaturals together and watching the magical mayhem.
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Her Juicy Lady
A Rainbow Central Story
Arizona Tape
Heat level: 2
There’s one thing Lisa loves more than anything and that’s fruit. As owner of a small juice business, she attends a yearly food festival to share her passion with the world. But this time, she’s not the only fruit fanatic on the block and the competition is about to get fierce. Who knew juice could be so exciting?
Reading suggestion: If you’re easily influenced by descriptions of food, put some (orange) juice in the fridge before you start this story!
Her Juicy Lady is a F/F contemporary romance connected to the Rainbow Central series but can be read entirely on its own.
Chapter 1
“Fresh juice, get your fresh juice here! Freshly squeezed, delicious, healthy juice!” Erin shouted as she paraded back and forth our stall. She looked at me for reassurance and I gave her a thumbs up.
She continued her call for customers but most people passed us without a second look, already munching and crunching on much unhealthier options. A couple stopped in front of our booth, took their time to read the menu, but were tempted away by the delicious smell of the churros van further up ahead.
Dejected, Erin lowered her sign and joined me back behind our designated food festival tent. “Lisa! How are we doing?”
I glanced at the pile of oranges, mangos, and all other kinds of fruit. For this time of the day, the heap was still way too massive.
Not wanting to kill the mood, I put on a smile. “Could be worse. Could be better. A lot better.” I glared up at the cloudy sky. “If only the sun would cooperate.”
Erin threw her towel onto the bar and cracked her neck. “Crazy that the weather influences so much.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe. Nothing convinces people to buy a fresh smoothie quicker than the threat of heatstroke.”
“So you’re taking advantage of their despair? That’s evil,” Erin teased as she leaned down on the bar.
�
��So is water in a bottle but hey. At least my juice is something you can’t just do at home without a mess or fancy equipment. Unlike water which comes straight out of everyone’s tap,” I moaned as I finished cleaning one of the blenders. “Anyway. Thank you for helping me out. Can you believe my assistant is having a baby? Again?”
Erin grinned. “Well, it is nine months after kids go back to school.”
“What? How’s that relevant— Ewww. No. I don’t want to think about her and her husband banging it out as soon as the school bus leaves. Why would you put that image in my head?”
“I merely suggested it. You’re the one with the overactive imagination.” Erin shrugged happily as she fiddled with a pink straw. “Anyway, glad to be here. I didn’t have anything to do and you pay well.”
“Anything for my best friend.” I took another look at the crowd but the bad weather killed the potential of lots of customers. What a lousy first day.
Not expecting much sales soon, I sat down on the dingy fold up chair I brought. “How are your video projects going?”
Just the mention of videos made Erin beam. “Great. I’m working on something new. It’s going to be fantastic. I hope.”
“I’m sure it will be. I really liked Project Crush.” I glanced back out, my eyes drawn to one of the stalls further down. The only other juice stand at the festival and from the looks of it, the weather wasn’t harming them. “I wonder why they are so busy.”
Making sure not to be too obvious, Erin snuck a quick look of her own. “They’re not that much busier.”
“Tssk. They weren’t here last year. What kind of name is Her Juicy Lady anyway? That makes no sense.”
Erin hummed. “Well… there’s a lady selling juice so…”
“Yes, I know it does make sense. It just a stupid name.”
“You’re right. Fruit Friends is a much better name,” my best friend reassured me as she gestured to the big banner behind us. “And at least you’ve got all those nice fruits on it. Hers is just a picture of some woman drinking from a straw.”
Eat Your Heart Out: A Romance Charity Anthology Page 47