Carly wrapped one leg around his thigh, caressing his calf with her bare foot. She liked how he kissed her, mouth warm, taking but giving, knowing what he wanted and what she wanted. Tiger nipped her cheek, her neck, all the while his body shook as he held himself back.
Carly guided him with one hand on his hip, parting her legs so that he could come between them. His skin was hot but smooth, his ass tight as he moved over her. Carly raised her hips a little, her one leg up and around his, encouraging him with her hands to come on inside.
Tiger’s body heat covered her, and then his body. He brushed her tangled hair from her face, lips coming down in a long kiss as he slid inside her.
And stopped. Carly’s eyes opened wide. She was certainly wet enough for him, slippery and wanting, but she tightened, the sudden ecstasy turning to an aching.
“Wait.” She pressed her palm to Tiger’s chest, feeling his heart beating triple-time.
Tiger pulled out quickly, kneeling back, the look on his face one of anguish. “I’m hurting you.”
“Only because I’m not used to you.”
At least Carly hoped that was the explanation. It would be a tragedy if she’d finally met a man who made her feel like this and they couldn’t consummate their relationship . . . or whatever this was. For once in her life, Carly didn’t stop to analyze her connection with a man. She wasn’t thinking about whether he was going to run off with all her money, or whether he’d dump her after a few dates, or what it was they were building together, if anything.
She liked Tiger and wanted to be with him. Nothing more. No hidden agendas.
“How about we try it me on top of you?” she asked. “That way I can guide things, ease in however much I can take before we go on.”
From the look on Tiger’s face, it hadn’t occurred to him that this position was possible either. Carly seriously needed to work on his education.
She got to her knees. “Lie down.”
Carly pressed her hands to his chest again, and Tiger lay back on the sheets, his gaze never leaving her. The fading sunshine clearly showed the pink marks where Ethan had shot him, and more scars where the other bullets had come through. But the blood was gone, his skin whole again.
She climbed over him, positioning her knees on either side of him. His cock was still stiff and long, Tiger waiting.
Carly pulled off her T-shirt, breathing a sigh as the fabric left her now-itchy skin. She tossed the shirt aside and filled her hands with Tiger’s swollen cock.
Large, but not unmanageable. She drew both hands up its sides, around the head, back down to his firm balls. His hair there was multicolored too—orange and black. She was falling in love with a man who was tiger-striped all the way down.
The thought made her smile. Carly leaned down and kissed the tip of his cock.
Two strong hands closed around her wrists. Tiger pulled her up, his eyes molten gold, his voice a growl. “Now. Do it now.”
Yes. Carly wanted him with every thought, every breath. Tiger wanted her too, she saw, was afraid he wouldn’t be able to contain himself.
Carly felt even sexier knowing he could barely hold it in for her. The fleeting thought of a condom ran through her head, but she knew one hadn’t been made that would fit Tiger. And she’d read somewhere that Shifters couldn’t give humans the illnesses that humans could give one another through sex.
She leaned forward, her breasts brushing his chest, then lowered herself onto the end of his cock. The next fleeting thought was that Shifters could still get humans pregnant. But Carly was taking birth control—at Ethan’s insistence—and the worry about that seemed far away and unimportant.
Then all thoughts about anything fled her head. Tiger was big. Unlike the startled halt when he’d been on top of her, this going-in was eased by Carly’s slowness, her slickness, her burgeoning need.
Oh my God . . . That’s . . .
I’ve never . . .
The words welled up as Tiger slid into her, and Carly heard some of them come out of her mouth. She lowered herself more, Tiger’s cock opening her with blunt, hard pleasure.
Carly’s hips rocked, her body wanting more of him. Tiger’s hands went to her thighs, fingers pressing, and he let out a soft noise.
“Tiger.” Carly’s exclamation came out a groan. “You are fucking marvelous.”
Tiger held her in complete silence. Carly stretched, her breasts feeling heavy and tight. She pressed her arms over her head, fingers flexing, her head going back as she felt him rise inside her.
She went hot all over at the same time gooseflesh rippled over her arms and legs. Her nipples darkened and tightened, one beam of sunshine snaking in from under clouds to bathe her in warmth.
No warmth compared to the scalding heat between Tiger’s hips and Carly’s inner thighs, sweat collecting to slide to the sheets. Perspiration gathered on Carly’s face and beaded on Tiger’s upper lip.
Tiger moved his hands from her thighs to the curve of her waist, holding her steady while he let his hips rock upward. Gently, gently. Tiger’s body still shook; he was holding back, afraid of hurting her.
Carly’s heart ached for him at the same time her inner places swelled and tightened. He was so tender, this man people feared. He’d shielded her body with his and taken what should have been a lethal barrage of bullets so Carly wouldn’t be hurt.
Pleasure seeped through her, joy so hot she was sure her blood was on fire. Tiger watched her in silence, his eyes Shifter gold, his face quiet.
He was a beautiful man, strong, good-hearted, protective. She remembered him with tiny Katriona, how incredibly gentle he’d been with her.
He was as gentle with Carly now. Tiger held her, sweat trickling from under his palms down her skin, the sunlight moving from Carly’s body to Tiger’s face.
Breathtaking. She rested her hands on his chest now, the hard flatness of it dusted with dark hair streaked with gold and orange, his nipples as tight as hers.
The look in his eyes was one of wonder. Tiger marveled at what they did, Carly rocking on him, fire rippling from where they joined.
The fire grew, blocking all thought. The sun continued to slip away, the room changing from sunlit to flooded with red and gold, and then to twilit. She and Tiger rocked together, sealed to each other, Tiger higher in Carly than she’d imagined she could take him.
Tiger growled and clasped her shoulders, tugging her down to him. She went, kissing him while she lay full length on top of him, with him still inside her.
Tiger kissed her in return, licking into her mouth, tasting all corners of her. Carly tasted him too, learning him, loving the texture, the heat.
Their mouths were still together when Tiger’s growl turned to a snarl. A wild darkness whipped through Carly, one that made her cry out, her body tight, so tight. Waves of pleasure so incredible she wanted to weep tumbled over her, and she rocked her hips against Tiger’s, wanting more and more. As she hit the top of the highest wave, shouting his name in pleasure, Carly felt Tiger’s seed flood inside her.
The last of the dusky light died, and darkness quickly filled the sky. Through the open windows, Carly saw stars prick out, but they couldn’t compete with the beauty of Tiger’s golden eyes.
“Shite, I missed the exit again.” Liam stepped on the accelerator and shot down the freeway. He’d have to get off at the next exit, loop around, and try again.
“You should have let me drive,” Spike said from the passenger seat of Dylan’s truck.
Dylan had sent them off four hours ago in the predawn coolness, looking a little satisfied that he wouldn’t be the one dealing with a table of full-of-themselves gobshite Shifter leaders and Dallas roadways.