His Purrfect Mate (9 page)

A low rumble rose from his chest and she
drew harder on the cock in her mouth. “Aida,” he uttered. His voice
made her breasts ache even more. “Aida, baby, stop.”

She didn’t want to, nor did she have any
intention of do so. “Uh uh,” she grunted.

“
Shit!” he
swore.

Aida released his ball sac to grab his legs,
her nails digging into the backs of his thighs. A low groan was her
only warning before he came. His erection pulsed, and she took
everything he gave her. When nothing more came, he withdrew from
her mouth. Aida stared at him; he was still extremely hard.

“
Come here,” Dane ordered
gruffly, tugging on her hair to get her up to him. Aida stared at
him. “My turn,” he said, lowering her back to the mattress. With a
whimper of surrender, she gave herself over to him.

* * * *

Aida stirred and yawned.
Cracking open her eyes, she noticed one, the lantern was still on,
two, it was dark out, and three, a muscled arm lay draped over her
midsection. Her
naked
midsection. Her body flushed as she relived her experiences
from last night. Dane had never slipped his cock into her pussy,
but he made her feel so damn good. Still, Aida found herself
wishing she’d had protection. For the chance to feel his thickness
moving inside her.

Dane!
She gulped.
I need to get out of
here.

The sensation of being watched trickled down
her spine. Turning her head, she found Dane’s eyes upon her. They
still smoldered with untapped passion.

“
Sneaking out?” he asked,
his voice, low and raspy, stroking her body to full alertness with
those two words.

“
Before the whole village
wakes up.” She touched his arm but instead of releasing her, he
drew her in closer, his stiff erection making itself
known.

“
Stay,
solnyshko moyo,
” he murmured,
trailing his fingertips along her upper arm. “Stay with
me.”

Aida hesitated. His touch intoxicated her,
and there was something more in his plea, something which went
beyond the present moment in bed. Almost like he spoke of forever,
and it scared her. “I can’t. I have to go.”

Dane grumbled low but released her. He
kissed her shoulder and asked, “When are you leaving?”

“
Sometime today. I
promised to play football with the kids. You don’t need to come
with me.”

“
Go now, Aida. Go now
before I forget there is no protection.” There was a bite to his
tone.

She swallowed and climbed out of the bed,
dressing quickly in her discarded attire. Brushing a mass of wavy
hair away from her face, she shoved her feet into her boots, not
even bothering to tie them. The sound of a zipper reached her. Aida
licked her lips. Every inch of her skin still highly sensitive.

Without looking at him, she headed for the
door. She didn’t make it. His hand circled her wrist and spun her
back toward him. Eyes wide, Aida stared at him.

“
Not like that, Aida,” he
said, releasing her.

His thick black hair, hung in his face, and
she longed to reach up and smooth it back, exposing the chiseled
masculinity of his features. “Not like what?”

“
No anger.”

Running her tongue over her teeth, she
sighed. “One, I’m not angry and two, even if I was, it’s none of
your biz.”

His eyes flashed
dangerously, colors becoming hard. “We’ll see. And Aida. Next
time,” his gaze seemed to fill with flames, “
next time
.”

He’s so confident there will be a next
time.

“
There will be one, Aida,
so you had better get your protection ready.”

Despite the fire his words gave her, she
glared at him, hands on hips. “I don’t think so. You’re capable of
buying your own condoms.” Spinning around, she slipped out into the
predawn day.

Her dogs were waiting for her when she got
to her hut. “Hey, boys,” she said, sitting on the bed and patting
them. Lying back, Aida closed her eyes and tried to sleep. It
didn’t work. Each breath she took made her clothes move which in
turn made her think about Dane’s touch. How he made her body sing
with the simplest of touches. The memory of the wild scent of his
skin. The deep rasp of his voice which alone could give her an
orgasm. It did, in fact.

Rolling over, she swore and punched the
pillow. A cold nose nudged her. Feeling the muzzle and recognizing
the scars, she muttered, “I’m okay, Ruger. I just…I’m okay. Go lay
down.” He left as quietly as he’d arrived.

Aida couldn’t understand
it.
I knew what it was going into it. So
why the hell do I wish it was something more?
After thirty minutes more, lying there tossing and turning,
Aida got up and left to get some water to heat for bathing. The
dogs at her side, she walked to the outskirts of the village and
watched the sun rise.

“
There isn’t a more
beautiful place in the world to me.” With a contented sigh, Aida
turned and walked back to her hut, getting water on the
way.

She stayed at the village until the
afternoon. Christopher tracked her down where she sat in the shade
of the school’s awning.

“
Hey, Aida.”

“
Christopher,” she said,
wiping the sweat off her brow.

“
So how was
it?”

“
Excuse me? How was what?”
Her gaze picked out Dane and Tau, and she became mesmerized by the
way he listened to whatever it was the child told him. Dane truly
was very good with children.

“
Your trip with Dane.
Didn’t I tell you he was good?”

Oh, he’s good all
right.
“Yes. It was fine.”

Christopher narrowed his eyes and turned her
face to his. “What happened between you two?”

“
What are you talking
about?” she asked looking away, back in the direction of
Dane.

“
You’re fidgety.” His
brows rose. “You knocked boots with him.”

“
Jesus, Chris. I have not
fucked Dane Sidorov,” she hissed in a low tone, despite knowing
he’d see past her declaration. She only called him Chris when she
wanted him off the subject he was on.

Dane raised his head and pinned her with his
gaze. Her heart beat out of control, and she swore his callused
hands were touching her, bringing her yet again to another fevered
pitch. She struggled for moisture in her mouth.

“
Look at me,
Aida.”

Tearing her eyes from the one which held her
prisoner, she looked at Christopher. “What?”

“
Maybe you
should.”

“
I should,” she agreed.
“Wait. I should what?”

“
Knock boots, do the
horizontal mambo, get your oil changed, tires rotated—”

“
Damn, Christopher. Enough
already.”

“
Call it whatever you
want, but you should do it. I’ve seen him watching you. He wouldn’t
turn you down.”

She slapped a hand to her head, not truly
believing they were sitting here having this conversation. “So you
want me to prostitute myself?”

“
Of course not, don’t be
daft. I’m just saying if the opportunity arises, maybe you should
take it.” He kissed her cheek. “That’s all.”

Aida just kept her eyes closed. She could
feel Dane’s angry gaze on her. Deliberately turning her back on
him, she headed to grab her bag from her hut. When she turned
around, Dane was there, filling the doorway.

“
Come on in,” she said
sarcastically.

“
Aida,” he
said.

“
Yes, Dane?” His gaze
seemed haunted, and immediately, she grew concerned. “Are you
okay?”

“
What you do to me,” he
rasped before pulling her tight against his hard body, devouring
her mouth.

Holy hell!
She couldn’t stop the response her body gave, and
she didn’t want to. Dane Sidorov was like a damn drug, and she was
desperately craving him like an addict. Arching into him, she
moaned and kissed him back with all the passion she had within her.
Her pussy gushed and her breasts ached.

With a guttural snarl, he ripped his mouth
off her and stared at her. Aida could see the myriad of emotions
streaking through his beautiful eyes. His chest heaved with each
inhalation he had but it truly was the eyes. Looking into them,
Aida found something primal, wild, deadly, and dangerous. For the
first time since she met him, Aida felt a smidge of fear at what he
could truly do should he wished to hurt her.

His gaze hardened, and he
captured her chin in his hand. “I would
never
hurt you, Aida.”

Okay, that was freaky.

“
Ever,” he reiterated.
When she remained silent, he spoke again. “Tell me you know
that.”

“
I know that,” she said
quietly and honestly, reaching up to cover his hand with her own.
Dane’s eyes gentled. Aida removed his hand from her chin. Bending
down to pick up her pack, she threw it on her shoulder. “I have to
get going. Goodbye, Dane.”

“
Not goodbye,
Aida.”

“
If you say so.” Aida
reached up to lay her hand against his cheek. “Until next time
then. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for to free yourself
from the anguish surrounding you, Dane. I truly do.” With a small
smile, Aida walked out into the late afternoon sun.

His voice followed her. “I have.” The
statement was spoken in perfect assuredness.

Steeling herself so she didn’t turn, Aida
kept heading toward her vehicle. She moved past Tau who played
chess on his new board. He waved but didn’t get up. Tossing her bag
onto the passenger seat, she swung up into the back, resetting the
dogs’ items. Standing tall, she put her fingers in her mouth and
whistled.

“
Sure you won’t stay
longer?” Christopher asked, appearing by the door.

“
No, I have to get going.”
She jumped down and hugged him. In the back of her mind, she swore
she heard growling. Stepping back, Aida looked around and saw her
boys running towards her. Side by side, they thundered up, and with
no hesitation, they sprang up from the ground, over the side to
land in the back.

“
Good boys. There’s water
there, drink up.”

“
Don’t stay away to long
this time, Aida.”

“
I won’t, Christopher.
Take care.”

She’d already said her
farewells to everyone else, yet she still hesitated. Casting a look
behind her, she searched for something.
Not something. Dane.
She couldn’t
see him, but Aida would bet her last dollar he watched her from
somewhere.

Stepping up into the driver’s seat, Aida
started her engine and drove off with a wave and one final peek in
the rearview. She pushed hard to get home. Stopping as little as
possible. Parking before her house, Aida stumbled to bed,
exhausted. Yet the last thing Dane said continued to flash through
her mind.

I have.

Chapter Five

Dane watched her leave, and it tore at his
gut. He shoved a hand through his hair. Until he could no longer
see her vehicle, he remained hidden, then he slipped through the
woods and entered the village from a different side.

Christopher sought him out. “A word,
Dane?”

“
Of course.” He followed
Christopher over to some stumps and sat on one. “What can I do for
you?”

“
Aida told me what
occurred between you two.”

Face impassive, Dane held the inquisitive
stare. “Did she?”

Christopher shrugged. “Well, not totally.
But I want to make sure you won’t hurt her.”

He fought back a snarl at
the insulation he would ever hurt her.
She’s my mate!
But Christopher
didn’t know that. Neither did Aida. Yet. “I would never hurt her. I
promise, Christopher. I’d gladly give my life for hers.”

Christopher seemed taken aback by that
statement. “Why would you say that?”

Dane rose to his full height, and he could
feel his tiger pushing through. No point in ignoring it with this
man. “Because she’s mine,” he announced.

Getting to his own feet, Christopher sighed
and shook his head. “I think you could seriously hurt her, Dane.
And if that day ever comes, you and I will not be on friendly
terms.” He walked away.

Dane watched him leave. His animal wanted to
challenge Christopher right then. Aida and Christopher had some
kind of connection, and he didn’t like it. Neither did his
beast.

“
Mr. Dane! Mr. Dane!” Tau
yelled, running up.

“
What is it,
Tau?”

The boy watched him with sparkling brown
eyes. “Can we play later?”

“
Sure thing. After the
evening meal, we’ll play.”

The boy grinned widely. “Okay. Bye, Mr.
Dane.”

“
See ya,” he said to the
boy’s retreating back.

Tau ran off ahead and Dane followed much
more slowly as he realized something. He had healed. Pausing, he
lifted his head and scanned the village he’d come to consider a
second home and the people she contained. They would be missed.

He could feel his animal’s indecision about
what came next. It wanted its mate, but at the same time, it longed
for revenge on those who had killed his friends.

What about our
mate?!
it roared after he decided to go
make the traitor pay.