Page 38

That night Evie and Jace made fried chicken, biscuits, and sweet corn for everyone.

Somehow the whole group fit around the kitchen table.

Evie took in the hard-eyed soldiers bantering with one another as they downed her fried chicken, and felt like pinching herself.

Two weeks ago, she hadn’t even known Jace existed, and now he had his hand on her thigh under the table, his pinky teasing the edge of her shorts—and the Baltimore alpha was seated a few chairs down, grinning at something Kyler had said.

She wanted to gather up the day like the gift it was and hold it close so she’d never forget it.

But the best part was yet to come. This time, Jace didn’t even wait for Kyler to go to bed, just stood up as Adric and Marjani left, pulling Evie to her feet along with him.

“Good night, everyone.” He nodded to his den mates, who were sprawled around the room, Kyler in their midst, watching the basketball playoffs. Even Tigger was watching, curled up on Suha’s lap.

Kyler just gave them a wave before turning back to the game. “Night, you two.”

Jace set a hand on the small of Evie’s back and steered her down the hall. The moment they were in the bedroom, he backed her up against the door, framed her face with his hands and kissed her, hard and deep.

Evie’s head swam. She gripped his waist and hung on as her heart pounded in her ears. He moved his mouth to her neck and nipped the beating pulse, sending a jolt straight to her sex.

“Goddess, I want you.” A harsh growl against her skin.

She drew a serrated breath. “Me too.”

“Show me.”

He didn’t need to ask twice. She slid her fingers into his hair and dragged his mouth down to hers. Kissing him with all the hunger in her heart. Sucking his tongue into her mouth. Nipping his lips. Sliding a hand down his back to squeeze one of his firm buttocks.

His breath sped up. His hips moved, pressing into her belly. She could feel him, thick and ready.

He removed her arms from his neck and pressed them against the door, her hands on either side of her head. “You’re mine, Evie.” His eyes seared into hers, dark gold touched with the green of his cat.

She wet her lips. “You said we don’t mix.” But a part of her cried, yes .

“I’m an ass. Now say it.” He nipped her jaw, and pleasure jolted straight to her clit. “I want the words. Just for tonight.”

“Or else what?” Her chin jutted.

Because that had hurt, what he’d said about the two of them not mixing. She might have her own doubts, but not because he was a fada.

But you agreed , a little voice reminded her.

He lifted a single black brow. “Are you teasing a cat?”

She moistened her lips, but she was damned if she’d back down. “Yes.”

“Oh, baby,” he crooned in a dark voice that made her inner thighs clench.

“Then you better be ready to play.” He captured her wrists in one hand and held them above her head, while with his other hand he undid her shorts.

“Or else what?” he repeated. “Maybe I’ll keep you against the door until you beg to come. ”

She slid him a look from under her lids. “Maybe I’d like that.”

He chuckled and skimmed his fingers under the waistband of her panties. She was wearing her only sexy underwear—black satin with a touch of lace and a bra to match.

His heated gaze took in the black lace against her cream-colored skin. “Did you wear these for me?” When she nodded, he murmured, “Good girl. Now say it, Evie.”

But as soon as she opened her mouth, he covered it with his as if afraid to let her speak.

Her heart lurched as she realized he didn’t expect her to say it.

He kissed her as if he were aching as much as she was, his tongue curling over hers, taking her deeper by slow degrees.

Meanwhile, his fingers slid deeper into her panties, teasing her sensitized flesh until she was breathless and aching.

She wanted to touch him. Her hands jerked in his grip but he wouldn’t let her go. He kept them pressed to the door above her head and continued kissing her until she was dazed, her legs like limp noodles.

He lifted his head, his expression hard and a little wild, and she knew his cat was inside, looking out.

He squeezed her bottom. “You’re a bad girl to wear these tight little shorts.

All day, I kept looking at your ass and picturing what I was going to do to you when we were alone.

I swear my cock was hard the whole fucking day.

And this shirt…” Long, work-roughened fingers stroked her belly.

“The way you keep flashing me. It’s enough to drive a man insane. ”

She laughed up at him, but God, he was making her hot. “I wasn’t flashing you. All you could see was my stomach.”

“You think that isn’t bad?” He released her wrists and jerked up her T-shirt to expose her breasts.

“I wanted to taste you, lick you, and then move up your stomach to your hot tits.” He pinched her nipples through the black satin…

and then his mouth was on her and he was sucking the points to hardness.

She cupped his head, holding him close. His mouth was warm and wet. Each hot suck shot straight to her womb.

She moaned, and he gave a sexy rumble in response. From her breasts, he moved his way lower, trailing a searing line of kisses down her abdomen until he reached her mound.

“Mine,” he growled against her panties. He pursed his lips and blew a hot stream of air into the satin right above her clit. “Say it.”

She whimpered and pressed her palms against the door, her body straining to him. “God, yes. Please.”

He stilled. Slowly his eyes turned up to hers, so that she felt like prey. Sexy, not-even-going-to-try-to-run prey. Then his lips curved in a wicked smile. “But I’m still going to tease you…because we both like it.”

He came to his feet and swung her into his arms. The world spun and Evie nipped his shoulder. “I do. Like it, I mean.”

His answer was a fierce kiss. When it ended, she was on the bed with him kneeling over her.

The first thing he did was to strip off her clothes.

He dropped them next to the bed and sent his own after them.

“That’s better.” His gaze stroked down her body where she lay with one knee bent up, lingering on her nipples, which tingled eagerly, and then continued down to the tuft of dark blond hair between her legs.

“You’re darker here.” He traced a fingertip through her curls.

“Because I’m a natural blond. This—” she touched the hair on her head—“gets bleached by the sun. That doesn’t, unless I sunbathe naked.” She slanted him a wicked smile.

“Damn.” He pressed her bent leg down and straddled her. “Now I’ve got a picture in my head of you spread out naked in the sun like a fucking sex goddess.” He traced a finger around her nipples and then down her breastbone. “Would you burn?”

“No—I don’t burn. I just get a little darker.”

“Beautiful,” he murmured as he stroked her flank. “This afternoon in the sun, you sparkled like someone sprinkled silver dust on you. I wonder if you have some sun fae in you. You should talk to Queen C about it.”

“Sure. I’ll just drive up to Rising Sun and knock on her door. If she even has a door…”

“Adric knows her. He could talk to her.”

She shook her head. “If the sun fae wanted me, they’d have done something a long time ago.”

“Maybe. The fae have their own way of looking at things, though. And time moves more slowly for them. She may be planning on doing something, but by the time she gets around to it, you’ll be fifty years old.

You should think about it—the sun fae can help you train your Gift, if you don’t want to ask Leesa. ”

“All right—I’ll think about it.” She trailed a finger down the hard muscles of his abdomen. “But right now, I have better things to do.”

“I like how you think, woman.” His eyes glinted with his cat: golden brown with shards of green radiating out from the pupils.

She slipped her arms around his neck. “You promised I’d see your jaguar again.”

“Mm.” His chest rumbled, and she grinned.

“Are you purring?”

“Yeah,” he said with a sheepish smile. “The cat likes you.”

“So I can see him?”

“Sure.” He backed off and crouched on the mattress. Color cascaded over his skin, bright bits of green and gold and copper that reminded her of the inside of a fae light. They spread out until his body glittered, indescribably beautiful.

And then suddenly, his form was more cat than man, and then a black panther stood on the foot of the bed.

He was big and brawny, with powerful legs and long, sharp canines.

This close, she could see the roseate pattern on his pelt—large, irregular black spots surrounded by a dark walnut that blended in to make him appear all black from a distance.

She drew in a breath, awed and the tiniest bit afraid, even though she knew it was Jace.

He settled next to her and nudged her with his head.

“You want me to pet you?” He rumbled and nudged her harder, so much like Tigger it was impossible to be afraid.

“Okay,” she said with a chuckle and smoothed a hand over his head.

His fur was velvety soft over the hard bones of his skull. “You’re beautiful.”

He pushed his head harder into her hand, and then crept even closer so he could rub against her jaw. Marking her with his scent.

She turned her head and their eyes met. His irises were a pure green now, but she saw the man there too, his gaze alive with intelligence.

She stroked a hand over his jaw. This time his purr was loud and clear.

He came up over her, and rubbed his head over her chest. Her already sensitized nipples hardened. Her breasts felt achingly full.

Then he moved down her body and rubbed his head against her mound, too. Her breath sucked in. “ Jace .”

He gave a badass growl and came on top of her again, a paw on either side of her head. His fur glittered, and she watched as he changed back to man. This time it was a quick shift—less than thirty seconds.

“I want you,” he said in a gravelly voice that was half cat, half man. “Now.”

“Yes.” Her arms were already around him. Her hips rocked off the bed, touching his erection where it hung, hard and heavy.

His fingers speared into her hair, holding her still as he trailed love-bites over her neck. Her insides clenched. Something unexpected in her liked being held down like that—firm and yet gentle at the same time. His to tease however he wished.

His other hand went to her pussy. He dipped a finger into her, and then trailed the moisture around her tender nub. Pleasure swirled through her. “Yes. There.”

“That’s it, angel. Take it.” He continued to play with her, but when her sex tightened, he took his hand away.

She moaned his name, and he said, “You can come when I’m inside you.”

“Get on with it then,” she said between her teeth.

His cheek creased. “You’re so damn cute.”

For answer, she reached down and squeezed him. His smile disappeared. She worked her hand up and down him, toying with his balls, learning the feel of him. His cock spurted with pre-cum and she rubbed it over the slick cap, enjoying how his eyes slit with pleasure.

His hips gave an involuntary jerk and she squeezed harder.

“Fuck,” he muttered. He removed her hand and grabbed a rubber from the night table.

He worked it over his erection, and then crawled back on top of her.

She reached between their bodies and guided him to her entrance.

They both watched as he slowly entered her.

Her breath hissed out. He paused, and she met his eyes. She knew what he wanted.

“Please. I want it. I want you.”

He slid in another inch. “That’s it, Evie. I love it when you beg me.”

“Please,” she said again.

He slid deeper, and then withdrew again. He continued moving in and out in tantalizing increments until at last he was fully seated in her.

She rotated her hips in slow circles, pleasuring them both.

His jaw clenched. “That’s it. Take me, baby. Tease me.”

His hand was in her hair again, the other hand on her ass as he began to move in her, holding her in place for his firm, perfect thrusts. From somewhere far off, she heard herself making sounds of arousal, soft at first, and then louder as her pleasure increased.

It was so good. Her chest constricted. Because she’d found him, but she couldn’t keep him.

“Mine,” he said, and she nodded, throat tight.

Because she was Jace’s, for as long as he wanted her. It was crazy, but it felt right .

But even if she waited until Kyler was grown up, they were from such different worlds. How did she know it wouldn’t just be her mom and Fane all over again?

Sensation stormed through her, searing her nerves. And then she was convulsing around him in an explosive orgasm that both shot her high—and cracked her heart.