Cougar's Gift: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance) (7 page)

L
ibby could hear
the sound of a river getting louder. The air in the forest had gotten cooler once they were under the canopy of the trees.

Coming through a break in the brush she saw a beautiful roaring mountain stream ahead of her. There were jagged rocks and fallen trees crisscrossing the water.

Stryker found his favorite spot; it was a smooth wide rock that jutted over the edge of the river. There was a tree on the forest side that was perfect for leaning against and contemplating life. His cat also liked sunbathing on the rock when it was warmed by the sun.

Setting Libby on her feet, he watched as she closed her eyes and take in a lungful of the crisp mountain air. She smiled a small smile and kept her eyes closed with her face tilted up to the sky. She was fucking gorgeous and she was his.

He was glad she liked this spot. It was something he could share with her. On the ride he was trying to figure out how to tell her about himself.

That he wasn’t a simple mechanic. That he didn’t normally live in a cabin in a tiny town. His family’s home was nothing short of a mansion back in California. He’d never moved out because he didn’t see the need to.

Telling her he was a shifter was an impossible task. His cougar wanted to be out and proud. Stryker felt the ever increasing sense of doom at the idea of explaining that he was a shifter to her.

Would she even be able to look at him? Would she think it was great or would she run screaming in terror? Running screaming was not something he could risk. So against his cat’s complaints he’d decided to not tell her anything yet.

Stryker wanted her to like him. Just him, before she had to like his cougar and then his family.

Yeah, his plan was to not lie, but not give her everything up front. Tiny steps to ensure she was happy and content with him just the way they were.

He didn’t care if they lived large in California or she wanted to live above the mechanic’s garage in Port May. He’d go where she went.

“Like it?” he finally asked her. His voice was low and he swallowed to clear his cat’s rough influence away.

She turned around and offered him an angelic smile. “I love it,” she said.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of her and her words. He liked her saying
love.
He wanted her to say it to him. He wanted to shout it into the sky that he loved her. But you didn’t do that with humans.

There was a process that humans had to work through before admitting what their souls knew all along. Shifters could simply accept that the fates had matched them with the perfect partner. It was frighteningly simple.

“Sit with me?” he said quietly, gesturing towards the tree.

She nodded and followed him over to the tree. Stryker sat down and opened his legs. She accepted his invitation by turning and settling herself between his legs. She had a perfect view of the river in front of her and a hot sexy man behind her. His arms came around and pulled her tight against him.

She wasn’t so naive that she wasn’t aware of the firmness at her lower back. He was hard for her, and she was sincerely flattered. Libby was also aware that this mature man was interested in her for more than her charming personality.

She’d avoided the uncomfortable virgin conversation in the past by never ever getting even close enough to necessitate that talk.

Now her mystery man who was still incredibly mysterious was holding her, looking over a river, in the woods. How did this all happen in the matter of a few hours?

How did she explain that her experience with men was near zero. That she had fantasized about him so many times he had better be a rock star in the sack to live up to her expectations. But then she’d also have to actually have sex with him for that to even matter.

Gah! This was awkward and exciting. Maybe she could just play her cards coyly and give herself some much needed time to figure out if this guy was the one.

Obviously her imagination had thought up the possibility or she wouldn’t have masturbated to him dozens of times.

They sat in silence for a while with Libby pondering possibilities and probabilities. Stryker, on the other hand, was contentedly enjoying what he had.

His mate in his arms. Her scent surrounding him. They were sitting in the middle of the forest alone. Just them with no outside distractions. Aside from them being fully clothed, he was pretty damn happy.

As was his now standard operating procedure he took a moment and assessed his mate. She was breathing normally. Her heart rate was normal. But there was an air of tension about her. Not fear, he could smell that on people. She was more thoughtful in her tenseness.

“You okay?” he asked her.

“What? Oh, yeah. Just thinking,” she muttered.

“About?”

“Stuff.”

He grunted, he was going to need to tread lightly. “What kind of stuff? You can tell me,” he tried to sound engaging.

“Hmm, well,… I was thinking that I’m a little concerned with my choice of taking a ride with a virtual stranger and letting him walk me into the woods. No one knows I’m here. I didn’t tell my parents that I wasn’t going to be home right away. And if this was some afternoon TV drama I’d be branded the dumbest girl in the world,” she finished with a little huff.

Now that she’d said it out loud she was the dumbest girl in the world. She was with a man, she didn’t know, in the freaking woods!

“Well, it’s not like I’m some stranger that just blew into town. I do work there and people know me. If you went missing they would probably come after me first. Second, you still live with your parents?” That could put a damper on their spending time together he thought.

“Uh, yeah. Well, after college I came back home and didn’t see the point of moving out. The library is just a short walk from my parents. They kind of need adult supervision.”

Wow, that sounded like she kept her parents locked up in the attic. Which wasn’t a bad idea except that’s where she lived technically.

“Makes sense. I’d like to meet them,” he threw out. It was going to have to happen at some point.

“Ohh, yeah…no, that wouldn’t be a good idea,” she said with a slightly hysterical giggle.

Biker dude, meet mom and dad, hippie and super hippie. Super hippie was a title she transferred between her parents depending on who was being the wackiest at the time.

Her mom usually won out.

“You don’t think they’d like me?”

Stryker said this knowing that most people didn’t like him. But then, he didn’t like most people either.

He found humans especially to be rather frivolous. They let their emotions rule them. They let other people’s opinions rule them even more. That kind of shit didn’t fly with him. Since humans were a lot of work and most shifters found him too…animal. He’d stayed the loner.

“I think they would be freaked I brought a guy home period,” she snorted.

“They’ve never met any of your boyfriends?” He managed to ask this without growling. He didn’t want anyone touching what was his.

“Uh, no boyfriends,” she said casually, picking at an imaginary piece of lint on her skirt.

She felt her body being turned around to face him. She looked up at his thoughtful gaze, dang he was pretty.

“Ever?” he asked softly.

Libby swallowed, dang this was embarrassing.

“Never,” she answered. She really wanted to make up some elaborate lie, but her gut told her he’d see right through it. He watched her too closely and she was sure she had at least fifteen tells when she was lying. She’d suck at poker.

Stryker let this information roll over him. Was it possible that his mate was a virgin? He couldn’t think of anyone he’d met under the age of eighteen nowadays that was still a virgin. He’d certainly never been with one. How did you even go about that? Fuck him.

“
Y
ou’re a virgin
?” he asked calmly.

Inside his cougar was doing fucking backflips. He didn’t even care if it put him in the caveman category. His mate being made for him, only for him and he’d never have to share her with anyone. Not even her past sent him over the moon.

“Uh, yes?” she said, blushing furiously.

“Is that a question?”

“Erm, no, technically I’ve never had sex,” she answered.

“Technically?” He needed clarification on that point.

“Well, it’s not like I’m some raised by wolves and have no idea how babies are made type of person. I’m an adult that has an active imagination and can take care of myself, so to speak. So I’ve yet to meet anyone I’m willing to share myself with.” She tried to say this with utmost confidence.

It didn’t come out that confident.

Stryker let her words soak in. He ignored the raised by wolves comment.

His difficult task of telling her all his secrets was just made infinitely harder knowing his slow pace would now have to slow to a crawl.

How the fuck was he going to slow down when all he wanted to do was kiss her, taste her and lick her skin then fuck her senseless?

Libby could see him thinking, it was a face she was starting to recognize. Would he be angry that he was hanging out with a virgin? Or would he run scared not wanting that responsibility?

It’s not like it was a responsibility really. Her body, her choice. It simply meant she was in control of when and where she gave up her virginity.

It was a second of time, that although important, was still a blip in a person’s lifespan.

“It doesn’t have to be a big deal. I mean, it’s not like you were planning on hooking up with me. We can just be friends or something,” she mumbled. Wow, that sounded so incredibly lame she visibly flinched at her own backtracking.

Stryker again didn’t say anything; his eyes were on her, reading every movement of her face.

Her eyes darting away from him, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip. The blush on her cheeks that had gone from pink to a full on red that crept down her neck. He didn’t like seeing her uncomfortable, she shouldn’t feel that way with him.

He grabbed her hips and lifted her so she was astride his lap. He brought his hands up to cup her cheeks and said, “Look at me.” Her eyes had been flicking around to anywhere but him. They finally settled on his face and he saw tears welling in them.

“Shhh, little mouse. You have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I applaud your self-control. Not many people can make the decision about who their first time will be with and stick to it.

There’s usually some bad teenage choice and/or alcohol involved. Don’t think because you’re a virgin that makes you any less of a woman to me. In fact, it makes me realize just how precious you really are. Also, how strong you are. That’s damn sexy to me.

I’m not going to rush you into anything. I won’t lie and say I won’t be honored and fucking thrilled if you choose me to be your first. I’d cherish that until the day I died.”

He watched her take in what he was saying. Those teeth worrying her lip again. He slid his thumb over her mouth and pulled her lip free rubbing over the bruised spot she’d made.

“I want you, Libby. I think you’re sexy as hell, your body is sweet and soft and just the feel of you sitting on my dick is fucking heaven. But you call the shots, yeah?

You tell me how fast or how slow or you can tell me to fuck off that I’m not worthy. I’ll admit that if you choose that, I will try to convince you otherwise. I don’t give up that easy.”

Libby saw a small smile tip up the corners of his mouth as he spoke. He wasn’t running away and he wasn’t looking at her like she was a freak.

She could still feel the hard heat of him under her and her mind and heart were fighting for a logical next step. Her heart and her pussy were clearly on the same side. Her mind was the one interfering with a potentially good time.

She saw he was waiting patiently for her to formulate a response. She noticed he did that whenever he laid something heavy on her. He didn’t push for an answer; he let her take her time.

But then she realized, she had done the same for him. Man, their individual internal dialogue would probably fill a book.

“I like you,” she finally whispered to him.

She felt a rumble go through his body. That was weird.

“I like you too,” he answered. Leaning forward he brought his lips to hers and she opened under his mouth.

He kissed her deep and slow. He was usually a very aggressive, hard kisser. His little mouse needed coaxing and even his cat was liking this game.

“I want to make you feel good, little mouse. Will you let me?”

Libby drunkenly pulled back from his mouth. “Like what?” She wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to ask, but it’s the first thing that popped out.

“How about I make you feel good. If I do it right, I’ll make you come for me. Clothes on with just kissing and maybe a little touching,” he offered.

He was giving her small nipping kisses as he spoke. Libby was hearing him, but her mental functions were slow on the uptake. Did he say make her come?

“Make me come?” she parroted, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs.

“Sweetheart, that would make my fucking day to see you come apart for me,” he growled.

That sound made her pussy clench and she could feel the heat and dampness on her panties. She made a small mewling noise that she couldn’t hold back.

“That’s my girl. You like that idea don’t you? You don’t even have to move just let me guide you,” he said, pulling her hips higher on his lap before she could protest.

He settled her hot pussy right over his rigid cock. Even with the layers of fabric between them he could still feel her and he sure as fuck could smell her.

“You’re hot and wet for me. I like that little mouse. I’m going to be up front with you. I’m not normally a big talker. I can talk to you, but that’s because I know you’ll really hear me. I like to talk during sex. I want you to know how much I’m enjoying myself so I’m going to ask you if you like what I’m doing. I’m going to use all sorts of bad language that might sound harsh, but it just means I’m way the fuck into you.”

His words were sexy and sincere, which made Libby want to kiss him. Not that she was ready to be that forward.

“I read romance novels, Stryker,” she explained.

“So?”

“Do you know what’s in those? Sex scenes, lots of them. I like reading about other people having sex,” she admitted.

“Heaving bosoms and shit?” he mocked.

“Try hard cocks and wet pussies,” she returned.

She heard his growl and could swear that his eyes changed colors for a moment. But that was probably a trick of the light.

“Say it again,” he hissed.

Libby understood this part of the bantering, her books taught her all sorts of sexy talk. Finally being a book hoarder was going to pay off. And she felt like she could say things to him and he wouldn’t make fun of her. He was into her she couldn’t even deny that for a moment.

“Which part? Cock or pussy?” she teased.

“I like seeing your sweet mouth say cock. I like even more thinking about your pink mouth wrapped around my dick,” he said. Fuck it, he wasn’t going to scare her off if she hadn’t started running by now.

“I’ve never done that,” she whispered back to him. Not in a timid way, in a taunting way.

“Oh darling, I can show you all about that. I’d be pleased as fuck to be the first person to lick that pussy of yours. I bet you taste like candy.”

“Hmm, doubtful,” she murmured. But the mention of it had her unconsciously pitching her hips forward, her clit hitting the hardness of him.

“Now you’re gettin’ it. Use me baby. Rub that little clit against me and come hard on me,” he ordered this and the command made Libby’s nipples tighten and her back arch.

Stryker took advantage and slid his hand up to cup her breast, his thumb rubbing the hard nipple through her shirt.

“Fucking hell, your tits are big and beautiful. Perfect fit,” he said low, his hand flexing around her breast.

“You have big hands,” she reminded him.

“Hell yeah I do,” he agreed. He leaned down and latched on to her neck and sucked at the rapid pulse point he found. He heard her cry out and did it again this time using his free hand to pull hard on her hip, driving her against him.

Stryker could tell by the way she tilted her hips she was trying to make the most contact between her clit and anything hard she could rub against.

“Work yourself on me, baby,” he said into her neck. “Your pussy is sweet and hot and I would love to bury my dick inside you.”

“Stryker,” she whimpered. This was how people got carried away. A little stimulation then someone mentions going all the way and it seems like a brilliant idea. Anything to keep the amazing sensations going.

It felt so good, her clit was swollen and aching and the rubbing against him was abrasive but still sooo good. She didn’t want to pause and think about her dry humping him on a rock. She just let herself have this. Feeling the moment.

“You want me to tell you what else I’d do to you?” he asked, licking up her neck and sucking her mouth into a wet hard kiss.

He felt her nod against his mouth and was pleased as fuck he didn’t have to hold back in this area. Keeping his dick in his pants was taking monumental effort and his cat was complaining at being so close, yet so far away. Getting her wetter would appease his cat, he could bask in her scent.

“If I had my way you’d be stripped naked on my lap right now. I’d take your sweet ass in both hands and run my dick between your pussy lips, teasing you until you begged me to take you. I’d suck your nipples so far into my mouth I’d leave hickeys on your skin.

I’d bite down on your tight nipples and make you enjoy the pain. Then I’d have you suck on my finger, get it real wet, then slide it down your ass crack and push against your asshole just so you’d feel that I had all parts of you in my control,” he purred these words at her and smelled her gush in her panties.

Her hips were moving now without his assistance. She was getting riled up and he kept at her.

“My little mouse who likes to squeak. I’ll make you scream my name. I’ll make you beg me to fuck you. I’ll have you over my bike with your skirts up and will fuck you until your legs won’t hold you. I’ll take you to my cabin, tie you to my bed and make you come over and over again by eating out that tasty pussy.

All night, Libby. I’ll fuck you all night. I’ll make sure you come until you’re limp and pass out. Then I’ll wait. I’ll let you rest, then I’ll wake you up and let you suck my dick hard so I can fuck you again,” he said this, but it wasn’t just dirty talk. It was a goddamn master plan.

“Ssstryker,” she warned. Her climax was coming and it was going to be big.

“Give it to me, mouse,” he ordered.