Denying Dare (8 page)
"Tattoos?" Dare leaned back to look him in the
eyes. "I'm ready to ravish you and you want to discuss
tattoos?"
"I don't want to discuss them. I was wondering if
you were opposed to getting one."
"What did you want me to get? Property of
Steven?"
That thought glowed like a shining star for one brief
moment but it quickly dispersed it when he got a glare from
his mate.
"What? You brought it up?"
"I was kidding! You started in with the tattoos."
Steven could feel the blush rising on his cheeks. "I
want something to symbolize the fact we're together."
Dare's sea green eyes widened with surprise. "You
don't think the fact that we're mated is special enough?" He
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pulled out of Steven's arms, pacing the small living room,
his distress evident in his every motion.
"No! No, that isn't what I meant." Steven grabbed
Dare, holding him still. He knew this misunderstanding was
all his fault. If he hadn't tried to deny their bonding in the
beginning, his mate would have more confidence in him
now. "I wanted something that will tell other people we
belong together. I didn't think you'd go for a ring."
"So you thought tattoos." Dare finished for him. A
wide smile crossed the weretiger's face. "That's so sweet."
"I'm not sweet," Steven growled. He was positive of
that fact. He'd certainly never been accused of sweetness
before, and he definitely didn't want Dare spreading that
around. "I'm practical. It will save me time having to kill
your groupies if I have my mark on you."
"Groupies?" Dare frowned at him like he was the
one with a legion of fans.
"Yeah, you know, those people who come and fawn
all over you every night."
The weretiger laughed. "I call them customers."
"Trust me, half of them don't even know what
they're drinking." He'd seen the looks the club babies gave
Dare. He would've done something about them if anyone
had crossed the line. He might not have wanted to claim the
tiger at first, but his wolf wouldn't tolerate others touching
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his bartender.
Just the thought made his fangs twitch.
Dare was still looking at him, amusement shining in
his beautiful eyes. "If it will make you feel better you can
have a tattoo put on me. What were you thinking about?"
The word 'taken' stamped across one cheek was a
tempting thought, but he resisted the urge. He didn't want
his tiger to think he wasn't taking this idea seriously. He
wanted a permanent mark on his lover more than he wanted
his next breath. "How about a wolf paw on your neck,
above your collar. I want everyone to know you're
claimed."
"I don't know, Steven. If I decide to change jobs I
might need to cover it up. How about on my upper arm and
I'll wear sleeveless shirts to the bar?"
Silver's stupid ring idea was starting to have merit.
"Fine. I don't want to narrow your future career choices.
Did you have something else you wanted to do?"
"Nope," Dare said cheerfully, "but you never know
what might happen tomorrow."
"If you get a job where you need to cover up, we'll
think of something else then."
"Deal. I want a tiger paw on your arm, too."
Steven nodded. Fair was fair. "Deal. I think we
should fuck to seal the deal."
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"Handshake not good enough?" Dare asked, peering
at him through his thick sable lashes.
Steven smiled. "Handshakes are so last year."
"Ah, I'll keep that in mind."
He grabbed the weretiger and slammed their bodies
together until a piece of paper couldn't slide between them.
"Only keep it in mind with me. It's a mate thing."
"I'll remember that." Dare nipped Steven's lip
between his teeth. "I want you." His voice was low and
growly, much lower than his normal voice.
"Excellent. I want you back." In fact, Steven could
barely concentrate on their conversation. His cock was so
hard it was pressing at his fly. Good thing he put on
underwear that morning or he would have the impression of
a zipper on a very sensitive part of his body.
"Let's go and be mates," Dare whispered against his
lips. Feeling the tiger's breath against him made his gums
tingle, his fangs itching to burst out.
With a growl, he pulled out of his mate's arms,
grabbed Dare's hand, and dragged the weretiger down the
hall.
"In a hurry?" Dare laughed.
"Yes. If I don't get inside you right now, my dick is
going to explode."
The tiger's body shook with laughter as he
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obediently followed. "That would be a tragedy."
"Yes it would."
Reaching Dare's bedroom was an exercise of
remarkable control. At the end of his patience, Steven lifted
the weretiger up and tossed him onto the bed. Steven
quickly stripped off his clothes before turning his attention
to his still clothed lover.
"I didn't know this was a race."
"Now you do." Steven turned his attention to
removing Dare's clothes. The sound of ripping filled the air.
"Oops." He tossed the weretiger's pants over his shoulder.
"Hey, I liked those pants."
"I'll buy you new ones." He didn't care how
expensive they were. It was worth any cost to see that big
body naked as soon as possible.
With hungry eyes, he looked Dare up and down.
"You're gorgeous," he said in awe. His mate was truly a
beautiful man. A beauty that went far deeper than the
surface. "I was an idiot."
"True." Dare gave him a wicked smile.
Steven barely had a chance to let out a yell before
he found himself pinned by his sexy, laughing mate.
"Do you want to top or bottom?"
"I usually top but I'm willing to be flexible." Hell he
was willing to be anything if it got him inside Dare's ass or
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fucked by him. The need to bond with his mate was
clawing at him as his wolf snarled his disapproval of the
wait.
* * * *
Dare couldn't stop smiling. True, he'd spent the day
ripping apart mutant werewolves, a memory he was trying
hard to forget, but now he was home with his mate. A home
he hoped would be theirs for many years to come.
"Choices, choices," he teased his desperate mate.
Steven's cock hardened against his stomach and the rapid
beating of his mate's pulse lured him like a siren song.
Leaning down, Dare licked a long line from collarbone to
ear, savoring the taste and smell of the man below him.
"Will you stop that?" Steven groused.
"Nope." He did it on the other side.
"You have the roughest tongue, even when you
aren't in your tiger form," his mate complained.
Dare pressed his nose to the nape of Steven's neck.
The smell of sweat and arousal filled his nostrils. "It doesn't
smell like you mind."
"Cheater."
Laughing, he nipped at Steven's neck, enjoying the
spike in his lover's pulse. "I'm going to take you and
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everyone will know you're mine." For the first time,
possessiveness filled him. When he had watched Steven at
the bar it was with a gentle kind of longing. Now it was
with a fierce need to claim this man as his own.
Steven was his and he challenged anyone to try and
take his mate away.
He didn't realize he was snarling until soothing
hands tried to pull him back from the brink.
"Easy, love, I'm fine. I'm right here."
Dare blinked to bring his eyes back into focus. He
hadn't realized they'd gone tiger until that moment. "Sorry.
I was thinking about how I almost lost you today."
Steven's fingers clutched him painfully. "I know. I
don't know what I would do if anything happened to you."
Leaning down, Dare took his mate's mouth in a
possessive kiss. Pressing hard against the other man, he
slipped his tongue inside and tasted all the complex flavors
that made up his mate. Damn he tasted good. No one had
ever felt so right beneath him.
Fumbling with the drawer, he pulled out a container
of lube. His hands felt clumsy as he struggled to pop open
the cap. Warm hands covered his. "Easy, baby. You don't
have to be nervous. We have years to get this right."
Dare didn't want it to take years. He wanted it to be
right the very first time. They were mates, shouldn't it
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always be perfect?
"You're thinking too much." Steven's amused voice
snagged his attention. "Don't put so much pressure on
yourself. We will always be together."
Dare took reassurance from his mate. Taking a deep
breath he coated his fingers with lube and took his time
circling Steven's hole.
"Fuck me now!"
"Patience." He couldn't hold back a smile. The man
writhing below him was everything he'd ever wanted. He'd
had dreams about Steven that weren't half as hot as the
reality.
"Now!" Wow, that guttural growl was extremely
sexy.
Sliding in one finger, then another, he stretched his
lover until he was certain Steven was loose enough to take
him. Lining up, he slid into paradise.
"Ahh." Feeling the werewolf wrap around him
soothed something deep in his chest. Home. This man was
his home. Never had he felt this close to a lover, and he
knew no one else would ever make him feel this way. For
him, this man was it.
"Show me who I belong to." Steven's blue eyes
speared him with his need.
Leaning close, Dare breathed in his mate's scent.
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Growling, he moved in and out of the man who was
quickly becoming his entire world.
"Harder," Steven gasped.
Dare nipped at his lover's lips before sliding his
tongue in, imitating with his mouth the motions of his
body. The whimpering against his lips was all the hotter
because he knew the man below him wanted him as much
as he wanted Steven.
"I'm going to mark you, fuck you, and make you
mine," he said, locking gazes with his mate.
"Do it," Steven urged. "Make me yours."
With a roar, Dare wrapped his hands around his
lover's hips and pounded into his mate. Knowing he
couldn't harm the other shifter gave him license to be
rougher than he ever would be with a human lover.
When he felt Steven getting close, he licked a spot
on his mate's neck before plunging his fangs into the
werewolf and marking him as taken. His tiger half was
pleased when he lifted his mouth to see a large mark
marring the man's smooth skin. The smell of spunk filled
the air as Steven came from Dare's bite.
"You are mine," he declared, looking down into
those beautiful blue eyes.
"I was yours before."
In that moment he understood why Steven would
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want a more permanent mark. "I'll get that tattoo as long as
you get one also."
"Deal." Steven gave him a loopy grin, his eyes
sleepy with satisfaction.
"Deal." Dare cuddled his mate close. They would
have to get up soon and shower and check with Silver
about what to do next but for now he was happy lying there
snuggled up to the most important person in his world.
The End
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About the Author
Amber Kell is a dreamer who has been writing stories in
her head for as long as she could remember.
She lives in Texas with her husband, two sons, two cats and
one very stupid dog. To learn more about her current books
or works in progress, check out her blog at
http://amberkell.wordpress.com. Her fans can also reach
her at [email protected].
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Also by Amber Kell:
Available at
Silver Publishing:
Blood Signs
Xavier's Xmas
Soldier Mine
(Sept 17)
Blood Signs 2: Samhain's Kiss
(Oct 15)
A WIZARD'S TOUCH
Jaynell's Wolf
Kevin's Alpha
(Apr 30)
Kellum's Wizard
(Sept 9)
HIDDEN MAGIC
William's House
DRAGONMEN
Mate Hunt
(June 25)
Mate Test
(July 23)
Mate Dance
(Aug 20)
FAE
Heart Connections
(Oct 1)
MOON PACK