Page 45 of Purrfectly Outfoxed

“We’ve never taken our time making love.” I trail kisses down her neck. “Always been stolen moments. Spare bedroom. Couch. Bathroom counter.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Not complaining. Just...” I lay her down on the bed and cover her body with mine. “Just appreciating that we have this now. Time. Space. No one listening.”

She smiles up at me, her fingers tracing my jaw. “Make love to me then. Slow. Like we have all the time in the world.”

“We do have all the time in the world.”

And I do. I take my time undressing her, kissing every inch of skin I reveal. She does the same to me, her hands gentle and reverent, like she’s memorizing me.

When I finally slide inside her, we both sigh like we’re coming home.

We move together slowly, savoring every sensation, every connection. Through our bond, I feel everything she feels—the stretch, the fullness, the building pleasure. And she feels me too—the overwhelming rightness of being inside her, the love that threatens to choke me.

“Jasper,” she gasps, her nails digging into my shoulders. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” I bury my face in her neck, breathing her in. “So fucking much, Tabitha. You’re everything.”

We come together, slow and sweet, and afterward I hold her close, neither of us wanting to break the connection.

Eventually, we move to lie side by side, her head on my chest, my arm around her shoulders, and I find myself actually thinking toward the future—something I’ve never allowed myself to do before.

“What are you thinking about?” Tabitha asks eventually. “You’re blocking me a little there.”

“It’s nothing serious. Just the future. Us. This life we’re building.”

She props herself up on one elbow to look at me. “That is kind of serious, you know?”

“I suppose it is.” I run my hand down her arm.

“Are you worried?”

“No. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“That maybe we should make it official at some point.”

“Official?”

“Married. I know we’re already bonded, but humans do the marriage thing. And I think Bea would like to see that. So...” I meet her eyes. “Marry me, Tabitha. For real. Not just becausewe’re fated, but because I want everyone to know you’re mine and I’m yours.”

Her eyes go wide. “Are you... are you proposing right now? Like this? Naked in bed after sex?”

“Is that bad?”

“It’s very you.” She laughs, then her expression softens. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, you ridiculous fox.”

I pull her in for a kiss, deep and claiming. “I’m going to get you a ring. A proper one. And we’ll do it right.”

“I don’t need a ring.”

“I know. But I want to give you one, anyway.” I trace her cheekbone with my thumb. “I want to give you everything, Tabitha. A home, a family, a life. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”

“I want this,” she whispers. “This life we’re building with Bea. I want to take care of her as she gets older. I want us to have jobs and pay bills and be normal people who happen to turn into animals sometimes.”

“We can do that.”