The Mating Season: Werewolves of Montana Book 6 (28 page)

Everything whirled around her: sensation upon sensation, the slickness of their fevered bodies pressing together, the mingling of his warm breath upon her flushed skin, her trembling fingers pressing against bone and hardened muscle.

Tristan swept her into his arms and laid her gently upon the turned down bed. The soft golden glow of lamplight shone upon his naked skin.

He drew her to the bed’s edge and parted her thighs, staring intently at pink flesh made wet, not by oil, but her own arousal. Then he put his mouth on her.

She went rigid, shaking with pleasure, screaming out his name as his tongue swirled and licked over her clit, then slowly stroked between her wet slit. The ache became pummeling tension with each delicious caress. Niki gathered fistfuls of sheets in her hands and arched her back as his teasing strokes became more urgent. And then the tension riding low in her loins increased and she shattered, crying out and arching her back.

Dark gaze glittering, he raised his head and wiped his mouth with the back of one hand. “You taste more fragrant and sweeter than the most honeyed fruit, like sweet nectar sliding down my throat.”

He gently pushed her fully back upon the bed As she scrambled back to lie against the pillows, he moved over her trembling body, stretching out her arms and lacing his fingers through hers. This was it, then, no going back.

She never wanted to go back, not into their past. This moment was exquisitely theirs, here and now.

Tristan edged his lean hips between her thighs. Bracing his weight on one elbow, he took his rigid penis in hand, guiding it to her sleek heat. Breath tore from her throat as he pushed gently at her swollen, soaked folds.

“Look at me,” he told her softly.

And then he was inside her, joining them fully. She winced at the slight stinging pain. Tristan raised his head, his smoldering gaze locked to hers. Amid the primitive possessiveness there swirled such tenderness that her breath hitched.

“Are you all right, my sweet?” He pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

Niki reached up and cupped his cheek. “I am, my love.”

He smiled and his expression grew intent as he began to move, his thrusts taking on new urgency. Blood sang through her veins as the pleasure intensified. A bead of sweat gathered on his forehead and then dropped upon her breast, as sparkling as a tear in the sunshine.

Erotic pleasure gathered low in her loins as he plunged into her over and over, and she felt another orgasm claim her.

He collapsed upon her trembling body. Emotionally overwrought, Niki stared over the taut curve of his muscled shoulder, tasting the salt of her tears, breathing in his rich, cedar and pine scent, feeling the cooling breeze through the windows dry the sweat on their joined bodies. His head dropped into the curve of her neck as he panted, his chest rising and falling.

Awash with pleasure and sensual lassitude, she stroked his damp hair. Tristan, her greatest love. Bonding with him in the flesh had proven erotic and given her a sense of belonging she’d sought all her life.

But she knew it would not last. For in less than ten days, she must return to the mortal realm.

And he would remain here, forever.

Chapter 16

Tir Na-nog was like a fantasyland where all her dreams could come true, except for finally meeting her mother, and she’d set aside that disappointment. For twenty-five years, Nikita had lived life as a shadow in a basement, and now Tristan showered her with attention. He seemed determined to make her happy.

All the adventures she’d always longed to experience were at her fingertips, made possible by the wizard who made her burn with desire. He took her water skiing at a blue lake, expertly maneuvering a fast little boat as she skied. Pearl-colored dolphins leapt out of the lake as she passed, and peacock blue fairies skimmed the water, leaving glistening trails of fairy dust in their wake. She and Tristan went hiking in mountains that resembled the jagged peaks of Colorado she’d always longed to visit. They explored and traveled, all within the boundaries of his world. They even sipped chicory coffee at a small outdoor café in a city just like the French Quarter of New Orleans, but for the fact the coffee was served by a pink-haired ballerina who danced her way over to their table, coffee and beignets in hand.

On their fifth day together, they went to a beach in his home territory. It was complete with a turquoise ocean, a hot yellow sun shining in the blue sky and a Tiki Bar. Fairies, acting as waiters, flew back and forth to serve tropical drinks with little yellow umbrellas.

Lounging in a lavender bikini (her favorite color) on a beach chair next to Tristan, she read an historical romance novel that had long gone out of print. Tristan had a library bigger than the lost one at Alexandria, and anything she desired to read he could find. She poured through science journals she had never been able to access and biology papers about Lupines and their cell structure, and the magick within them.

Yesterday they had spent a quiet afternoon at the cottage. He read the writings of Socrates while she indulged in Hawking’s A Brief History of Time.

Once in a while he would look up and talk about a passage, and they’d argue about philosophy. Each time she brought up a point, he’d counter expertly.

For each point he won, she had to lose a piece of clothing.

And when she was fully naked, he stripped as well. He took her by the hand to the bed and they made the headboard slam against the wall as she clung to him and screamed.

One could not win a philosophy argument with this ancient wizard, but the penalty for losing was very sweet.

Nearly as sweet as the view of him now. In navy swim trunks, his muscular torso bared, his shoulder-length hair gleaming blue-black in the sunshine, he sat in the chair beside her, reading a stack of papers. Once in a while he sighed and shook his head.

They had only ten days together and he still had his mind on the job? “I thought you were on vacation, wizard.”

He studied her through his mirrored sunglasses and she could see the reflection of her annoyed expression. Tristan set down the papers on the sand. A sudden breeze blew at them and the fairies tending to the bar flitted off, frantically trying to catch each one.

“I was catching up on routine reports. They can wait.”

Feeling a stab of guilt, she had been reading, after all, she smiled to make up for her bitchy look. Niki set down her novel. “The job never ends, does it?”

“No. But I wish to make you happy, my sweet. Tell me if anything I do displeases you. I wish to be your lover, more than that, I wish to be your friend again.”

Deeply touched by this flash of humility from the powerful Silver Wizard who could obliterate a city with the flick of his hand, she touched his hand. “I could use a friend. I don’t have girlfriends. I have only Nia.”

He swung his trim, muscled legs over the lounge chair, and sat facing her, bracing his hands on his knees. “Tell me about your childhood. What did you like to do together?”

Again, he touched her. Tristan could have diverted the conversation away from her sister, knowing the choice ahead of her.

Stay—and never see her family again.

Or see her family again—but never be with him.

For a few moments, she talked about how she and Nia learned to swim in the pond at dusk, guarded by their brothers and their father. At night when they grew older, when they could, they would shift together and run through the woods, twin wolves loping through shadowy glen and thick forest, as the silver moonlight lit their way.

“Then we’d return to my apartment, change in PJ’s and eat chocolate puff cereal while watching movies. Nia always preferred romantic comedies and I liked crime dramas, especially the parts where the CSI team analyzes the crime scene.”

“Ah, your love of science.” He removed his sunglasses and picked up her abandoned book. “Is this about the science of love?”

Grabbing the book back, she playfully swatted him with it. “It has great love scenes in it.”

A forest green fairy with midnight wings zipped over, bringing him an elegant silver and black envelope. He opened it.

Tristan handed her a black and silver invitation. “My people, the ones here, are giving a fairy ball tonight in your honor, to welcome you here.”

She read the delicate script. “I thought we couldn’t leave the bubble shield encasing your home territory because we’re mortal.”

“We can’t. They’re holding it at the ballroom of my mansion on the far reaches of my territory.”

She dropped the invitation into her violet and white striped beach bag. “You have a mansion?”

Tristan reached into the cooler at their feet and withdrew a shiny red apple. He bit into it, munched and held the fruit out to her. She sighed with pleasure as she sampled it. The fruit was sweeter here. Everything tasted amazing.

“A small one. Only one hundred rooms.”

“What?”

“You should see Gideon’s mansion. His is larger than the state of New York.”

“That’s a whole lot of cleaning staff,” she murmured.

“As you’ve seen, my sweet, my home is vast. I warded it with magick to enable you to have anything your heart desires, including a formal ball.” He leaned forward, his gaze twinkling. “I remember how well you enjoyed such gatherings in our past.”

“And how do you know what’s your territory and what infringes on another wizard’s?”

“I’m a wolf. I know every inch of what is mine.” He took the apple from her. Holding her gaze, he slowly licked the spot where her mouth had touched. “I enjoyed tasting you last night, my sweet. And perhaps after the ball, we shall enjoy a different sort of dessert.”

She flushed with sensual anticipation and sipped her rum runner. It wasn’t alcoholic, but tasted just as sweet. She didn’t need rum to get drunk here on Tir Na-nog. All she needed was to gaze at Tristan to feel intoxicated, all her inhibitions lowered.

But she couldn’t have him longer than their ten days together if she wanted to see her twin again. She felt stricken at the thought. He leaned forward.

“You look distressed. Do you wish to attend this ball? If you do not, let me know.”

“I’m fine and the ball sounds lovely. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to attend a formal gala and wear a long gown and pretty shoes.”

“I want to know what makes you happy, Nikita.” A shadow crossed his face. “We have so little time together here, I want to make it as special as possible.”

Her throat tightened. “You’ve already made it very special.”

For a moment they gazed at each other, and in his dark eyes she saw shadows of the past that still lingered. Niki wished she could erase that pain, those memories.

Sex drove them away. She kissed him, feeling his mouth move under hers. Then he drew back and beckoned to the fairies. A rainbow-colored fairy zipped over to him and hovered.

“My lady Nikita and I wish to be alone.”

Nodding her tiny head, the fairy zipped away. Dozens of fairies left the Tiki Bar, darting away on gossamer wings.

Tristan stood and tugged at her hand. He led her over to the thick blanket on the sand where they had stretched out earlier after swimming.

His gaze burned as he tugged her down and kissed her, running his long fingers through her hair. Beneath the bikini bra, her nipples hardened.

He kept kissing her, and then with his right hand, skimmed the bare flesh of her belly until reaching her bikini bottom.

Suddenly shy, she looked around. “Tristan…”

“Hush. It’s all right.”

Tristan pulled aside the fabric and slid his fingers lightly across her sex. Niki moaned as he stroked in long, teasing caresses.

“You’re so wet,” he murmured.

The exquisite friction of his hand against her soft, moist cleft made her body tense with anticipation. He increased the rhythm.

Niki pumped her hips upward, desperate for release. She stared up at him, his mouth curling into a tender, yet very male smile.

“I need you.” She took in a deep breath. “Tristan…”

“No.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “This is only for you. My pleasure can wait.”

Crying out as orgasm seized her, she arched upward as he caught her mouth in a tender kiss.

Tristan kept kissing her as he withdrew his hand. He pulled away, his gaze dark, his look intent.

“I love watching you come,” he said softly. “Your eyelids growing heavy and your sweet little mouth panting, and that flush upon your soft skin.”

Nerve endings still pulsing with pleasure, she glanced at the impressive tent in his swim trunks. “It was rather one-sided.”

His gaze gleamed. “I am saving my strength for later. Sometimes the anticipation of a moment is almost as sweet as the moment itself.”

“Then you’ll need a cold hosing in the ocean to tame that monster.”

He looked down at his erection and gave a dramatic sigh. “It is most eager to be with you again, and does not like the word ‘no.’ I shall have to douse it a while.”

Standing, he tugged her upright and ran toward the water. She followed him into the ocean, laughing as he splashed her. Being here with this wizard made all her dreams come true. Each moment rolled into the other with blazing swiftness, until the joy inside her made her feel full to bursting.