A Tiger's Destiny (Tiger Protectors Book 3) (5 page)

For too long, she’d been doing that.

Somehow, this man made her want to feel alive again.

Before Kel could respond, Sofia brought one hand behind his impossibly thick neck and pulled herself up to him, taking his lips in a long kiss that ignited a bonfire of emotion and sensation inside her.

Show me how to feel again, Kel.

K
el felt heated
desire wash through him as Sofia’s lips met his in a surprise kiss that caught him completely off guard. They were soft and full against his, and though it was pretty obvious she wasn’t the most experienced kisser, she made up for it in pure, unadulterated energy.

Kissing her was even better than he’d imagined, a thought that had been running through his mind every other second for the past hour.

But then whenever his mind became set on showing her all the pleasure he wanted to give her, he remembered he was a hired gun. That he had a duty to fulfill, not only to his employer, but more importantly, to her.

However, as she held her lips against him, he felt his barriers and defenses melt away. Felt at peace, like fate had brought them together, if for nothing else than this moment.

He wrapped his arm behind her neck and returned the kiss, holding her against him as they embraced. For a long moment that felt like forever, they let their actions speak for themselves, let all the unspoken words between them be said through a language older than speech itself.

When Sofia finally released him, she rested her head back down on the couch, looking up at him with wide eyes and heavy breaths.

“Was
that
the kind of punishment you had in mind?” she said, sounding satisfied with herself. Her eyes were burning with lust, accentuated by the light of the fire as her gaze roved over his body.

“No,” Kel said.

But just as Sofia started to open her mouth in either protest or offense, he came down to her again in a powerful kiss, this time owning her, claiming her mouth with his own. She gave out a light moan and granted him entrance, allowing him to delve into her mouth with his tongue. He stroked and searched out her most sensitive spots, teasing her and tasting her all at the same time. And as he did, her body writhed beneath him in a delicious way that made him instantly hard, her curves calling for his touch.

“More like that,” he replied as he left her mouth, leaving her breathless.

“You need to show me more. I’m not sure that was enough,” she said, her intentions plain in her remark.

“Are you sure?” he asked. One or two wonderful kisses were one thing. The kind of pleasure he had in mind was an altogether different request. “Sofia, I don’t want to take advantage… Your godfather—”

“Doesn’t get to decide what I do as a grown woman!” she proclaimed. “I said I want you, and I do. I make my own decisions.”

“Yeah, but—”

“And you wouldn’t be taking advantage of me.” She continued. “If anything, I’d be taking advantage of you. So stop hesitating and give me what I want.”

Kel shook his head and just laughed. This kitty cat was far from the wilting flower he’d initially thought she was when they’d first met. This was a woman who was strong and went for what she wanted.

He loved that.

And she was right. She had a say in this just as much as he did. And if they both wanted it, well, then…

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said, as he came down to the base of her neck and licked a light trail up the soft skin to the bottom of her ear. When he reached it, he laved her lobe with his tongue, caressing it, then biting down gently, making her gasp.

“How does that… feel so good?” she said between breaths as he kissed along her neck, following the signs her body gave him to where she would gain the most pleasure.

“Don’t think. Just sit back and let me take care of everything,” he said gently against her neck as he dipped lower to her collarbone, the sight of her generous cleavage tempting him,

He ran his hands up her sides, enjoying the feel of her curves as he pulled her shirt up slightly, just enough to grant him access to her stomach. As his fingers caressed the softness there, he kissed her belly and moved higher. Grabbing her shirt with his teeth, he pulled it high enough he could see her bra, then higher until he could see the soft swells of her breasts hidden behind silky black fabric.

Damn. Hot.

He pulled off her shirt and bra but, not wanting her to get cold, quickly wrapped one of the blankets around her shoulders, despite the heat of her body right now. Then, grateful for his large hands, he massaged the soft flesh of her breasts, the feel of them beyond description as her breath hitched with each touch. Then he kissed her delicious, wanting nipples, starting soft and then working into a smooth, circular motion with his tongue as they became tortured tips.

As he did, he could see the ecstasy in Sofia’s eyes. Could feel her body tighten in pleasure and then relax as he pulled back, only to come at her again with increased intensity, suckling and squeezing.

Kel could do this for hours, pleasing her slowly like this.

He also couldn’t wait another second to make her come. He needed to see her lose control as her body came apart with pleasure.

His hand came down her body and untied the string of the flannel pajamas she had changed into after dinner and ran his fingers over the soft satin of her panties. She moaned and writhed as he touched her intimately, holding her and caressing her. Then he laced his hands beneath her underwear, intoxicated by her heat and wetness, and explored between her soft folds for a moment, drunk by the sight of her half-naked body beneath him and the feel of her at his fingertips.

He would do anything to keep this moment forever. Somehow, all of this felt so right that it defied description.

Then a low voice whispered in the back of his mind, his tiger.

Mate
.

Kel quickly put it out of his mind, not knowing what to make of it and not wanting to be distracted from his goal. He stroked one finger slowly up and against her clit, and Sofia’s entire body clenched tightly, her hands grasping his body like a cat afraid to fall off a ledge.

“What the…?” she said, wide-eyed with surprise.

“First time?” Kel asked, pleased at her cute confusion from such intense, impending pleasure. For some reason, knowing he was the first made him oddly pleased.

“Maybe,” she replied.

Kel made a mental note to ask more about this woman when he got the chance. Somehow she’d gone her whole life devoid of this, and he wanted to know why that was the case.

“Then it’s your responsibility to just relax and focus on how good it feels,” he said, coming down to her neck and kissing her there, covering Sofia’s body with his and keeping her warm as her muscles loosened again and she sighed soft signals of satisfaction with each touch.

When Kel was satisfied that she was ready again, he stroked against her center, this time more delicately and slowly. For a moment, she tensed, then relaxed slightly as her body responded to the smooth motion of his finger. Then, as he stroked again, she groaned with pleasure as her hands held on to his shoulders and she closed her eyes to take in all the sensation.

He’d make this kitty purr for him.

As Kel kissed her body in every place possible, beside himself with how hot she was, he went into a slow rhythm. And as he stroked, her body moved in time with his hand, savoring the pleasure he wished he could give her in limitless amounts.

A few more times he ran his finger along her clit, feeling her body get closer and closer to the brink. And then, with one final flick, Sofia’s body clenched tight as a coil, then released as she let out an oath and climaxed, hard. Kel held her close as she came, her body rocking with overwhelming pleasure and satisfaction.

So beautiful. So much better than he could have ever imagined.

The more he saw of her like this, the more impossible it would be to handle if this had to end.

But for now, he would just focus on the present.

It took several seconds for her body to relax, and even as it did, Kel could sense her increased sensitivity with every touch.

“How was it?”

“Mind-blowing,” she said, still breathing heavily from the exertion.

“This is only the start,” he said as he pulled the blanket covering them high over her and moved lower down her body. While he did, he could see Sofia go wide-eyed with curiosity as he proceeded to pull off her panties, baring her to him.

He was completely covered by the oversized blanket, only a hint of light from the warm fire penetrating through its thickness. But he didn’t need to see his mate to please her. He could feel her, scent her, taste her.

Kel spread her legs slightly, allowing him access, and then kissed the soft mound at the apex of her hips gently. She gasped lightly as he did, and he kissed her again and again, running his lips over her and breathing warmth over her heated center.

“Kel, what the—” she said, her words interrupted by her body’s own response to the pleasure overtaking her.

He didn’t respond with words, but instead used the tip of his tongue to tease at her clit, first barely touching it, then flicking it lightly. Each time, he ratcheted up the intensity by a fraction, knowing her body was hypersensitive and if he went straight for what would be the most pleasuring, it could be too much for someone so new to this.

Given enough time, though, he could make her go with one long stroke of his tongue.

The thought of doing this over and over again with her made Kel happier than perhaps any other had in his entire life.

He couldn’t contain himself any longer. His tiger was so near to the surface. He started to lick more determinedly at her center, taking in the euphoric experience that was Sofia, first running the entire length of his tongue slowly over her clit, then deftly making small circles around. And each time he did, her body rocked with the pleasure of it, her hands digging into the sides of the couch, her hair, anywhere she could hold on to try to contain herself.

But Kel saw every mission to completion. He was relentless, unstoppable when he wanted to be.

And Sofia was all he wanted. Her pleasure, her safety, all they could experience, if even for this small moment in time.

Sensing she was close, so very close, Kel held Sofia’s hips as he stroked one final time over her clit. As he did, her voice tore into the quiet night, screaming his name as her body arched against the couch in sweet release. He held her as she came, committing this sacred experience to memory so he could forever have this supernal moment to covet.

Again and again her body spasmed with all-encompassing pleasure, until finally it ebbed, leaving her breathless and exhausted.

Whether she wanted to or not, she was definitely done for the night. Between the long drive, the near-death experience, the freezing temperatures, and presumably the first two orgasms she’d ever had, Sofia needed rest now.

Kel came back over her as she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace, the soft feel of her breasts against him still tempting him.

“What about you? I want to see you now,” she said, her breaths labored. The heart was willing, but her body was clearly spent.

Tamping his tiger down and trying to ignore how impossibly hard he was from seeing Sofia go, Kel gave her a kiss and responded, “No, not tonight. You need rest.”

“But…” She let out a harsh breath, pushing hair off her forehead in an exhausted motion.

“I know. I know. Just give yourself some time to recuperate, okay?”

Sofia frowned in dissatisfaction, but Kel kissed her neck, making her shiver lightly and sigh, a reminder of what he could do and a promise to not let her down next time.

If there was a next time.

And Kel really hoped there would be.

“Fine, you’ve made your point,” she said as he helped her put her clothes back on. “But next time, if I ask, don’t go controlling the situation or making decisions without me.”

Kel just chuckled at the thought of him needing to be asked. “Next time, I’ll have you begging for me, kitten.”

Her eyes lit up at that, and she covered herself with the blankets he’d piled on her, hiding her embarrassment. He pulled out another blanket and put it on the floor next to her and lay down. It was best if they slept in the same room, and Kel could only guess how cold the upstairs bedrooms would be, so this would be better.

“Good night, Kel,” Sofia said, her speech already slurred from fatigue.

“G’nite, Sofia,” he said, lying on his back as memories of the evening flashed through his mind.

“And, Kel?” she asked, sounding ready to fall asleep at any second.

“Yes?”

“Thank you… for that.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

A moment later, he could hear Sofia’s breaths become long and satisfied-sounding as she drifted off. Kel just put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

A
n hour later
, Kel still couldn’t sleep. At first, thoughts of Sofia’s beautiful, naked body and the sight of her climaxing made it impossible. So he got up, checked the perimeter sensors and the camera to make sure they were still working, and got a glass of milk, hoping it would help.

He’d never been unprofessional with a client before. He’d never come on to a female client.

And he’d never had a night like that, where he’d felt so close to another person, just really shared things from his soul and felt listened to. And he’d enjoyed listening to her, getting to know her. Comforting her and sheltering her.

Mate.

The word echoed back from when he’d been pleasuring her.

The thought was tantalizing. He’d always assumed when he quit this job, he would find a mate and settle down, but he never thought he’d find a mate through his work.

And how did he know it wasn’t just wishful thinking?

A guy like him, a hired gun, probably wasn’t worthy of someone like her. High class, clearly, and sought after and family to someone in high places. He wanted to know even more about her. But all he really knew was in only one night, he’d fallen for her.

He scratched his head as he thought about what to do next.

He knew what he would tell his brothers to do. He’d helped both of them with their mates. But Kel wasn’t dumb enough to not see a good thing when it was right in front of him. And perhaps because he’d spent a lot of time alone, he was very in touch with his tiger.