Winter Tails: A Limited Edition Winter Shifters Collection

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Winter Tails: A Limited Edition Winter Shifters Collection Page 22

by Fox, Piper


  She laughed with him, snuggling closer, “Well, I had planned on winning tonight. We see how well that worked out. I blame it on the cursed full moon.”

  She turned around in his arms and gave him a kiss on his cheek, then rested her head on his chest, “But though I may not have succeeded on winning the game of hide and seek, I believe I won something far better in the long run.”

  Declan picked her up and kissed her until she was breathless before he answered, “I agree. But it certainly is rather cute to watch you try so hard to win. The look of determination on your face as you raced through the woods, knowing in the back of your mind that there is no way you can win against me is absolutely priceless.”

  Tamara gave him a glare as he set her back on her feet, smacking him in the chest as she responded, “Mark my words, Declan Fairfax, I will win one of our weekend games of cat and mouse. You can trust me on that. Maybe we should play this game with you in your human form. Test those heightened senses of yours.”

  His laughter shook his frame as he saw that determination, he had been talking about cross her face, “We shall see, my heart. If I hadn’t gone to the top of those tress you may have won this evening, but I will certainly take your offer into consideration for one of these weekends. It should make for some good research into my Were existence and how both sides work together.”

  Declan lifted his head, sniffing the air, “We should get back to the cabin. I can smell a thunderstorm brewing. Besides, a friend of mine is coming over that I want to introduce you to. I have a feeling the two of you are really going to hit it off.”

  She looked at Declan, anger and disbelief warring for dominance on her face, “You invited a friend over and are just now telling me about it? I mean, don’t get me wrong Declan, I enjoy entertaining guests, but I prefer more than a few hours’ notice. Do you think they’ll be staying for dinner? There isn’t much food in the cabin since we still have to go shopping but I’m famished. All of this running around really works up an appetite so I can only imagine how hungry you must be. I don’t want to appear rude by not offering your friend something to eat since I’ll be cooking for us. Do you know if we have any wine?”

  Declan ducked his head, trying to hide the shame on his face, “We can check when we get back to the cabin. As for him staying for dinner, I can’t be too sure. I suppose it really depends on how bad the storm that’s rolling in gets to be. Do you have any idea what you want to make?”

  Tamara cocked her head to the side, thinking, “Well I guess it really depends on two things; one, if your friend is going to be joining us and two, what your friend likes to eat. I mean, is he like you?”

  His brought his head up and looked at his fiancée with a smile, “In a manner of speaking. But I’m sure steak, or any kind of red meat, will work. Do you know what kind of wine goes best with red meat?”

  She returned his smile with a strained one of her own, “It all depends on the meat, but I would definitely go with a red. Any of the reds actually; Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah should do nicely. Um, are you planning on grilling the meat for dinner or leaving it up to me to make sure it gets cooked?”

  It was Declan’s turn to cock his head to the side, a thoughtful look on his face, “I suppose I could fire the grill up. But if this storm is going to be as bad as I think it will, grilling is out of the question. Though truth be told, I really like it when you cook. I truly love watching you in the kitchen. You seem to be in your element while cooking. But you own a restaurant, so I guess it makes sense that you would feel at home in any kitchen.”

  Tamara rolled her eyes and laughed, her face lighting up with her humor, “I do love to cook, my owning a restaurant notwithstanding. All right, then we can take the Syrah off the wine list because that one only goes well with barbecue. But since I’m the one doing the cooking, you’re going to be the one to go through the fridge and pantry to see what we have on hand. That is because if we don’t have what I need, you’ll be making a trip to the store, mister, rainstorm or not. If I am cooking, that makes me the chef and you are my kitchen help.”

  He laced his fingers with hers and the two headed in the direction of his cabin, enjoying the night sounds. His body practically hummed with the excitement that was still running through his system from the game of hide and seek he had recently won.

  As the cabin came into view, Tamara cleared her throat, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a shower while you take inventory of what we have in the way of food. I want to get the smell of grass, moss, trees, and sex off me before meeting your friend. And don’t forget to go into the wine cellar to see what types of wine we have, if any. When I get out of the shower, we can talk about what else we might need.”

  Declan nodded and squeezed her hand, “Agreed. And before I go to the store, if needed, then I’ll take a shower. I want to get all those smells off of me too. Christian isn’t going to be over until around sevenish, so we have some time. Not as much as I know you’d prefer when you prep and cook a meal, but time in any case. Have I told you how much I love the winter season and the fact that it gets darker so much faster?”

  She laughed, her face almost glowing, “I had a feeling. Now let’s get inside before the sky opens up and drenches us. Even I can smell the rain now.”

  He opened the door and ushered her in, “Consider it done. Go on up and get showered. I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”

  Tamara walked in the front door, stripping as she went, “You know, we can always do the inventory together, me going through the food while you go through the wine. What time is it right now?”

  Declan looked at the clock above the fireplace as he shut the door behind him, “It’s just now six. Why? What do you have on that naughty little mind of yours?”

  She sashayed over to him, placing her hand on his chest as she stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, “My naughty little mind is thinking that since we both need to get cleaned up before your friend arrives that maybe we should conserve water and shower together.”

  He grinned, pulling her toward him until there was no space between their bodies, “Is that so?”

  Tamara ran her hand through his hair, gently tugging on it to make sure she had his attention, “Yep. What do you say?”

  Declan wrapped his fingers in her hair, pulling it until her neck bent back so that she was looking into his eyes, “I say, if we shower together we won’t have a whole lot of time to get everything together for my friend’s visit. But if you’re game, then I’m completely on board.”

  She pulled back just enough to give him a wicked grin them claimed his mouth with her own before leaving his arms completely and leading the way up the stairs to the bathroom.

  He stood at the bottom of the steps and watched her climb them for a few moments before following her. His gaze traveled up her long legs to her ass, where it lingered the longest.

  Declan almost wished that he could remain at the bottom of the stairs to enjoy the view, I love to watch her strut that ass as she walks away. I wonder if she does that for my benefit.

  Declan could hear the shower running as he took the last step into the upstairs hallway and his cock stirred in his eagerness to have his mate again. Tamara was like an addiction that he never wanted to get rid of. Declan would bet money that he would never get tired of her.

  Tamara placed her hand under the running water, making sure that the temperature was just the way she wanted it before she called out to her wayward mate. “Are you coming or not? I might just be forced to start without you. You’re well aware of my lack of patience.”

  He chuckled as he came around the corner and leaned against the doorframe, “Oh start without me. That’s something I would love to see. You know how much I love to watch. Is the water as hot as you like it?”

  She smiled as she watched him walk into the spacious bathroom, the steam from the shower swirling around them and fogging up the mirror, “Nope. I made it cooler than I usually like it becau
se you’re going to be in the shower with me and I know you don’t like your water too hot. I’ve said it before, and I have no problem saying it again, you are such a wuss when it comes to heat. I will never understand it.”

  Declan laughed, “Yes, well you are a masochist since you like to burn your skin off with the hottest water possible. I still don’t get why you do that. Do you like looking like a lobster? Why not lie out in the sun all day and get a sunburn?”

  Tamara stepped into the bathtub, looking over her shoulder at Declan, “Because, my love, sunburns hurt as they heal, not to mention that they hang around for a few days, whereas turning lobster red due to having a hot, hot shower is only temporary. Besides, you’ve never tried it so how would you know how bad it is?”

  He followed his mate into the tub and waited until she was under the spray of the water before stepping in himself.

  Declan laughed as he picked up the bar of soap, getting his hands sudsy, “I’ve stepped into the bathroom while you were in the shower, my heart. I find it hard to breathe with the steam and heat. Now turn around, my love, so I can wash your back. We should at least attempt to get washed before we give in to our desires.”

  Tamara did as he asked, looking over her shoulder as she placed her hands on the tile in front of her, “Why? When we’re only going to have to clean up again after we give into our desires? I think you should just hand me the soap, my love.”

  Declan laughed, giving her a quizzical look, “Oh that naughty mind of yours is working again, I see.”

  Holding out the soap he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Go ahead and take it, dear heart. Show me what your naughty mind has thought up now.”

  She took the offered soap from his hands and worked up a nice lather, reaching for his hardening cock, “I think you’re going to like what I have in mind, my heart.”

  Declan’s head fell back as Tamara stroked him to life. Her soft hand mixed with the slickness of the soap felt so good that he couldn’t stop the moans from escaping his lips. Each stroke sending tremors through him, and the next stronger than the last.

  She leaned closer to him and whispered, “Does that feel good, my love?”

  He nodded his head slowly, afraid to speak as if that would somehow break the spell that was being woven in the bathtub under the pulsating water. When Tamara stopped suddenly and let go of his throbbing cock, Declan moaned in protest.

  Letting out a sinister laugh that displayed her delight in his protest, “You really liked that, didn’t you?”

  He didn’t answer her, instead he began stroking under the spray of water as he continued to stare at her. Watching her gaze move from his face to his moving handmade Declan slow down his movements, every stroke deliberate as he tightened his grip slightly when he reached the tip. Declan enjoyed the sensation of his hand moving for a few moments longer before reaching out and gripping Tamara’s shoulders to turn her around in front of him.

  He pressed her against the tile of the shower, the heat from his body a stark contrast to the coolness of the tiles of the shower wall. Bringing his lips close to her ear, he let out a low growl, “I’m going to mark you, Tamara. You. Are. Mine.” Pausing to give her a nip on her ear lobe, “I want the world to know it.”

  She leaned her head back against his chest as she pushed her ass back into him, feeling the hardness of his cock resting between her ass checks. Her voice soft and sultry, “Then claim me, Declan. Claim me so there is no mistaking who I belong to.”

  Declan felt a warmth start from his chest, then begin to spread throughout his body as the words of his rang in his ears. Her desire for him to claim her overwhelmed his primal desires, and a low growl escaped his lips. Feelings her slick skin under his fingers as he ran his left hand down her back, he pulled back slightly before smacking her ass playfully. As the water sprayed over her rump, the pink outline of his hand bright against her pale skin. When Tamara arched her back and let out an encouraging moan, Declan let out a hungry growl as he slid his right arm around to palm her right breast roughly, “Let me know if I hurt you and I will stop but I can’t hold myself back any longer. I have to give into my animal side and mark your body as mine.” The growl was present in his words, and more pronounced as he continued to speak, “By the time I am done with you, every Were who comes within three feet of you will know that you are my mate.”

  Moving his left hand to his cock, wrapping his fingers around the shaft as he pressed closer to his mate, he paused to take in the sight of his woman pressed against the shower tiles waiting on him to make his move. Declan let go of Tamara’s right breast and slid his hand down her body to reach between her legs, his digits in search of her clit as he pressed her even closer to the shower tiles. Finding her pleasure button, he began stroking it, enjoying the lewd mewls escaping her lips.

  When Declan was sure she was slick enough to enter her without causing too much pain, he leaned into her, pinning her to the shower wall, before poising his cock to enter her, “So ready. You’re always so wet for me, dear heart.” He sucked in his breath as he entered her slowly, her pussy gripping his cock like a vise as she met his thrust with one of her own. When she moaned her encouragement, Declan quit holding back and took her the way he had wanted but had been afraid to. He took her with every ounce of primal need that had welled within him; fast, hard, and rough. Leaning into Tamara, Declan pressed his lips against her shoulder a moment before sinking his teeth into her skin, breaking skin enough to taste blood. The flood gates opened as Tamara lost hold of the control, she prided herself in, and the waves of pleasure swept her away.

  Chapter 3

  Tamara was grinning like the Cheshire cat as they got dried off.

  “What are you grinning at?” Declan asked her as he pulled his T-shirt over his head.

  She shook her own head, a satisfied smile on her lips, “Nothing. Nothing at all. You just took me by surprise, is all.”

  He pulled his pants on as he watched her, trying to gauge her tone, “Was it bad? Did you not like it?”

  Tamara grabbed his hand as she let the towel drop, “Oh no! It’s just you’ve never taken me that way before. I was beginning to wonder if you even knew how to be rough. Make no mistake, I loved it. You know, a girl likes to change things up a bit.”

  Declan let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, his body sagging with the effort, “That’s good because I have a feeling there’s more where that came from.”

  He walked into their bedroom across the hall and glanced at the clock, “We’d better hurry. It’s six-thirty already and we still need to figure out what you’re making for dinner.”

  She walked into the room behind him and straight to the closet, flicking through the clothes hanging there, “You go on down to the wine cellar and see what we have while I find something to wear. I’ll be down in two minutes.”

  Declan gave her a knowing smile as she continued to go through her clothes, “Yeah, sure you will. I might as well go through the food while I’m taking inventory.”

  Tamara turned around and gave him a glare, “I’m serious! I’ll be down in two minutes. Now get.”

  She could hear him laughing as he went downstairs. What’s he thinking? That it’s gonna take me twenty minutes just to slip on this dress? Puh-lease.

  He made his way down to the wine cellar and looked over their choices of wine. He flicked the cork on the bottle of wine closest to him in frustration. It looked like he was going to have to take a trip to the store whether he wanted to or not because the only wine they had on hand was white and his mate had said that a red wine would be a better match for red meat.

  As Declan emerged from the wine cellar, he was pleasantly surprised to see Tamara going through the food in their pantry, “We only have white wine in the cellar so I’m going to have to go to the store after all. Is there anything else we need?”

  She turned from the pantry shelf she had been studying to give her mate a considering look, “If you can get us some pot
atoes that would be good. And the only steaks we have are completely frozen so you’re going to have to pick up some more of those so I can get to cooking.”

  He moved to the pantry, blocking her in with a crooked grin on his face, “So you’ve decided what you’re going to make.”

  It was a statement not a question, so Tamara nodded as she looked around the small room she was being pinned in, pulling things off of shelves as she found them, “I sure have. Steak with baked potatoes and all the trimmings with a side of corn on the cob. We have some ears of corn in the fridge that need to be used soon so I figured it would work with this throw together meal. And for dessert I was thinking strawberry shortcake. How does that sound to you?”

  Declan took the onions and mushrooms out of her hands and set them on the counter next to the stove, then turned back to his beloved, “That sounds amazing. My mouth is already watering.”

  He pulled her to him and gave her a passionate kiss, curling her toes and almost making her change her mind about sending him to the store.

  She returned the kiss with just as much passion before pulling away and laughing, “If you keep kissing me like that, nothing productive is going to get done and there will be no food cooking when your friend arrives. Now, get your ass to the store and pick up those ingredients. I’ll start what I have here while I wait for you to get back. And don’t forget the wine.”

  Declan laughed with her, letting her go reluctantly, “All right, all right. If Christian gets here before I get back, which is starting to look pretty likely, just invite him in and make him feel comfortable. He’s a great guy. A little warning though; he may want to talk your ear off about our animal science class or our zoological expedition.”

  Tamara moved out of the pantry and made her way to the living room to grab a pen and some paper, an excited look on her face, “You mean the expedition that you refuse to talk about?”

 

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