Page 13 of Foxer Upper (Harmony Glen #8)

MAGGIE

After dinner and the world’s most delicious cake, I clear off the coffee table and dump out the puzzle.

“Is it okay if I use your restroom?” Gabe asks.

“Of course. But use the upstairs one. The one down here is a mess. In fact, there’s something I wanted you to look at. I took one of the walls down to the studs and I have some concerns about the wood. Will you tell me what you think?”

“Absolutely. I’ll be right back.” He disappears upstairs for a few moments, and then follows me to the bathroom when he returns. I show him the wall in question.

He examines it and hisses through his teeth. “Yeah, this isn’t good. There’s some serious dry rot happening here.”

“Damn, that’s what I was afraid of. I’m gonna have to replace all the wood. That’s going to be so expensive.”

“Well, if that’s what you want to do, I know someone who can get you a discount on lumber,” he says with a wink. “But I have another idea. A way to fix what’s already here.”

“Dry rot can be fixed? I had no idea.”

“That’s not a surprise. It’s a technique humans wouldn’t have been aware of five years ago.

Something dryads taught me years ago, when I first started woodworking.

Way more effective than chemical treatments.

I’d say it saves the wood about ninety percent of the time.

It involves grinding a lot of botanicals into a paste.

I’ll make up the salve for you next week, if that works. ”

“That would be fantastic. Thanks so much. Again. You’re my personal handyman hero. Now, how about we tackle that puzzle and prove to Poirot we’ve got detective chops!”

We spend the next two hours working on the puzzle and snacking our way through leftovers. Eventually, though, we need a break from both thinking and eating.

I move over to his side of the coffee table and cup his cheek, enjoying the feel of his soft fur against my palm.

“Vixen?”

I lean in and place a soft kiss on his lips, nuzzling him. “I think I’m done with the puzzle for now.”

“Oh?”

I pull back and meet his gaze, pleased to see the desire stirring in his eyes.

After that first incredibly sexy kiss, we’ve made out a few more times, but that’s it.

We haven’t seen each other naked or, you know, gotten each other off.

I’m determined to change that tonight, and based on his reaction to my quick kiss, I doubt he’ll object.

On the contrary, it’s Thanksgiving and I fully intend to give him something to be thankful for.

I stand up. “Come upstairs,” I invite, extending a hand to him.

He rises and takes it. “You’re sure?”

I nod and lick my lower lip, sucking it into my mouth. “Never been more sure of anything,” I say, leading him up and into my bedroom.

I left my corner lamp on when I went downstairs, and fortunately, it casts a very soft, dim glow.

I sit on the bed and look up at Gabe, suddenly nervous. “I’ve never, um, done this with someone who wasn’t human,” I confess.

He gives me a soft smile. “That’s okay. It’s not all that different, mechanically speaking. Though I do need to know: Do you know what a baculum is?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

His smile turns wry. “Well, it’s…a dick bone. Very common in foxes and other carnivores, as well as many primates. Though not humans.”

I blink as I absorb that information. “You’re saying you have one of these bones?”

“Yep. Nothing like putting the bone in boner, eh?”

“What exactly does that mean, like, sex-wise?”

“I’ll feel harder than human men and stay harder longer, mostly.”

“Oh.” I chuckle. “I don’t think I’ll be complaining about that.”

“Yeah, I didn’t figure you would. There is one other thing. The tip of it swells during sex and creates a sort of…lock.”

That gets my full attention. “What do you mean, lock?”

“I mean, we’ll be physically tied together until it goes down. But don’t freak out. It doesn’t usually last more than twenty minutes or so, and those minutes are always fun.”

Seems kind of crazy, but in for a penny, in for a pounding. “Okay. I’ll take your word for it.”

He reaches behind his head and yanks off his shirt, revealing his chest and tattoos to me for the first time.

I have no idea how he managed to tattoo his arms when they’re covered in fur, but I guess there must be monster techniques for that sort of thing—ink that dyes fur, scales, stone, etc.

His right arm features a sort of nighttime forest scene, as well as a few solid bands.

His left arm is inked in leafy vine designs.

As for the rest of his torso…well. The fur is lighter, thinner, and silkier on his chest and stomach, revealing an impressive set of abs. I have to admit, I’m curious about the rest of him. What will be revealed when he peels off those jeans?

“You okay with everything so far?” he asks.

“Are you kidding? You’re beautiful. Keep going,” I encourage.

He raises his brows, but doesn’t say anything.

Instead, he shucks his jeans, boxer briefs, and socks.

He’s truly gorgeous, all muscles and fiery fur, and yes, a very hard cock.

It’s bigger than any I’ve personally dealt with, but not ridiculously so.

I’d guess about ten inches in length, and a very impressive girth.

It’ll fit, but I’ll feel it. The shape is mostly human, which is a relief, and it’s covered in very fine fur.

“You’re staring,” he murmurs.

“Sorry. You’re just so pretty.”

“Thank you.” He smirks. “Care to return the favor?”

I nod and stand, tugging off my jeans and sweater, standing before him in my matching bra and panties, as well as the fuzzy socks.

He exhales a long breath. “And you said I was the beautiful one. You must have never looked in a mirror.”

Keeping his gaze, I unhook my bra and let it fall, then slip my panties off. I suspect he can see the glisten of moisture between my thighs, and my hard nipples were obvious even before I took off the bra.

“C’mere.” He steps forward and pulls me to him, kissing me hard. My nerves melt away as heat spirals through me. “Tell me what you want. Slow and easy? Hot and hard? Fast and frenzied?”

My mind is swirling as arousal suffuses my entire being. “I don’t know. Any of it. All of it.”

He steps back, falling backward onto the bed and pulling me on top of him.

Quick as a fox, he rolls us so that he’s on top, his hands and mouth everywhere.

Kissing my neck. Licking at my nipple. Caressing my thigh.

Nuzzling my jaw. Nibbling my lip. Sucking, teasing, stroking, sending a million pleasurable sensations crashing over me.

His lips fasten over my nipple, sucking hard and making me gasp. And then his fingers are slipping between my folds, dipping into my moisture and using it to stroke my clit in lazy circles.

A low moan escapes me and he increases the pressure and pace of his finger, making me throb against him. “Oh, god,” I groan.

He chuckles, sending more tingles through my nipple, and then switches sides, licking and nipping the other one. His finger never stops, stoking my pleasure higher and higher, until I’m teetering at the brink.

I gasp, ready to tip over, but he must sense it, because he pulls his hand away and focuses solely on biting and laving my nipples, making them harder and more sensitive until I think I might lose my mind.

“Gabe, please,” I pant.

“Please what?”

“Make me come.”

“Oh, I will. But you have to tell me where. Do you want to come on my fingers, my tongue, or my cock?”

“Yes.” I gasp the word out.

He chuckles. “Greedy girl.”

With a final nip, he abandons my nipples and shoves my thighs wide with his hands, diving between them. I can feel the exhale of his breath as he shoves his snout between my legs. “Holy hell, vixen. You smell good enough to eat. I think that’s what I’ll do.”

My entire body jolts when his tongue slides across my clit, licking and flicking, making it even more wet and swollen. His tongue is slightly rough, a little like a cat’s, and the extra stimulation is intense.

I open my thighs wider and lift my hips, pressing against him, demanding more contact. He groans, and once again, the vibrations roll through me. Lost to the pleasure, I grind against his tongue again and again, chasing the orgasm that he’s keeping just out of reach.

Finally, when tears are rolling down my cheeks and I’m mewling in desperation, he slides a finger deep inside me and crooks it, stimulating my most sensitive internal spot. At the same time, he sucks down on my clit, hard, and stars erupt in my vision.

“Fuck, I’m coming!” I cry out as my clit throbs hard and the shattering waves of an orgasm pulse through me, making me tremble and moan. Gabe keeps going, rubbing at my G-spot and sucking on my clit, and my hips have a mind of their own, repeatedly pressing into him to prolong the pleasure.

When he finally relents, I’m shaking and gasping, covered in goosebumps and wetter than I’ve ever been. It was the most intense orgasm of my life, but I don’t feel sated. Instead, I’m desperate for more, craving the sensations he just gave me.

With a growl, Gabe climbs back up the bed, turns on his back, and flips me over him. “Ride me,” he demands.

Even with as wet as I am, his cock is big and even harder than before, so I slide down slowly, taking him inch by inch, reveling in the way he grunts and curses as I take him in.

I ride him slowly, grinding up and down, and as promised, I can feel the tip of his cock growing bigger, locking inside me. The way the new shape drags across my inner walls makes me shiver and gulp, and he notices.

“I told you you’d like it.” He sounds both aroused and smug.

“You were right.” I moan as I drag myself up and then down again.

“Fuck, vixen, you’re killing me,” he grits out.

Taking pity on both of us, I drop my hands to his shoulders and pick up the pace, riding him hard enough that my tits bounce in his face. He leans up and licks at them, and then, no longer content to let me be in charge, starts thrusting his hips from below.

We manage to match our rhythms and the next orgasm hits me suddenly. I scream as I detonate, and he grabs my ass and holds me down on his cock, pushing himself as deep as he can go. With a shout, he comes, his liquid heat merging with my own.

I collapse onto his chest, still vibrating with the orgasm, and try to catch my breath. After a moment, the tension eases from both of us and he strokes my back.

“That was incredible,” he says.

“Mmm, agreed. I might never move.”

“Well, you can’t, at least for a little bit. We have to wait for my lock to release.” He shifts us so that we’re lying on our sides, facing each other, cocooned in warmth and the aftermath of pleasure. I feel myself growing drowsy, and with a goofy grin, let myself drop into sleep.

MAGGIE

Two hours and several orgasms later, Gabe is putting on his boots and gathering his stuff while I pack up some leftovers for him. I bring him the Tupperware and find him at my front console table, frowning.

“Vixen, I hate to say it, but I’m missing a glove again.”

“Dammit, Jasper.” I sigh. “Hang on.” I hurry upstairs, and sure enough, the missing glove is on my pillow, a proud Jasper sitting next to it, ignoring the messy tangle of sheets.

When I go to pick it up, he pounces, sinking his teeth into one of the fingers and pulling, forcing me into a tug of war with him.

“Jasper, give me the glove.”

He makes a rumbling noise in his throat. Not quite a growl, but a sound designed to let me know that he strongly disagrees with my plan.

I finally let go before the glove gets ruined and sit down on the bed. “What is this about? Are you trying to keep Gabe here?”

He chirps and gives me a slow blink.

“Jasper, are you…matchmaking?”

Chirp.

Okay, wow. This is not a normal cat.

“It’s okay. Gabe is just going home for now. I promise he’ll be back, all right? We need to give him his glove so his paw stays warm.”

Jasper grumbles again, but he releases the glove and I take it back downstairs, where Gabe is waiting patiently.

“Sorry,” I say, handing it over. “I think this is Jasper’s way of playing matchmaker. He wants us to be together, and he gets concerned when you leave.”

Gabe’s dark brows shoot up. “Uh…hmm. That’s one interesting cat you have.”

“Yep. He’s strange, but awesome. And despite his initial reaction to you, he’s really changed his mind about having you around. You should feel special,” I tease.

He grins. “Oh, believe me, I do.” He leans in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “But not because Jasper chose me.” He kisses me soundly, making my head spin. “Good night, vixen.”