The Purrfect Plan (2 page)

He struggled to hold back a groan when she ran her tongue over her plump bottom lip, leaving a thin trail of moisture. Damn, he wanted to take a bite out of this little cookie.

By the gods, he'd never seen so much innate beauty on a woman; the way her face shone with shy innocence and at the same time held so much sensuality. She had curves, which made his lust burn white-hot. He wanted to hold her in his arms and worship every inch of her with his hands, mouth and body.

His lips curved up, giving her his most seductive smile. "Cookie, I think you're the safest person in this whole town. I would never let anyone harm you, ever." It was a serious heartfelt vow. "So, what brings you to my town?"

Chapter Two

The gods had fallen off Olympus.

Storm stared at the big, powerful man seated next to her in the bar's booth. Standing, he towered over her. Even sitting down didn't diminish his dominant presence. Glassy, emerald green eyes gazed at her, desire and lust made obvious.

His skin, deeply tanned, appeared Latin American in origin. A soul patch under his bottom lip, strong long nose, five o'clock shadow over his angular jaw and oh, those full masculine lips just added to his raw sexuality.

Overwhelming attraction to a man had not featured in Storm's plans. Her body responded despite her mind screaming for her to run from this obvious predator. He looked at her as if he wanted to devour her. What shocked her more was she wanted to be his next meal.

She'd heard of women being aroused at the mere sight of a man, but never had she actually experienced it, well not until now.

Her lower stomach clenched when he smiled. His voice, a deep sexy drawl with a hint of an accent, sent shivers down her spine, cantering on her clit, and making it pulsate. Moisture gathered in her pussy; her breasts suddenly felt amazingly heavy and her nipples hardened in apparent painful need.

The predator was clothed entirely in black: jeans, shirt, leather jacket and boots. It matched his pitch-black hair, combed back, hanging about his ears. The saying, "tall, dark and handsome" just didn't cut it. River Black stood tall, dark and devastatingly sexy.

Hamish Brown had been an excellent candidate to father her child, but River Black's DNA would produce a strong, healthy and handsome child, just like his father. Hamish, forgotten, the bar had just been raised; Storm doubted she'd ever find a man as perfect as River.

It was better to run with the feeling than fight it. If the man wanted to seduce her, she would let him.

"So what brings you to my town?"

She cleared her throat, moistening her dry lips before answering. "I, um, was driving home from Sydney and thought I'd take the scenic route then got a little lost. I guess it's best not to drive in the dark."

"Smart decision. The roads can be dangerous when driving late at night. Where you headed?"

"Um, just home, over the border." Storm needed to avoid giving direct information. Her donor didn't need to know where she lived.

Her already rapidly beating pulse, almost impossibly, got even faster at the smile.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me today. I assume you have a room over at Black's Motel."

She nodded, her grip tightening on her beverage to stop her hands from shaking, at the same time trying not to squirm in her seat as her clit pulsed and her panties grew even damper.

"Good, I'd be devastated if anything happened to you."

Okay, that was a little odd
. She couldn't help but frown.

"Why? You don't even know me." Damn it, why couldn't she shut her mouth and just take his strange comments with a passive smile.

He reached across the table, taking her hand in his. It felt like sticking her hand in a live electric socket, as currents raced through her body on contact with his skin. She wanted more of his touch. Storm glanced down and saw how small her pale hand was in his larger, tanned one.

"I know enough to know you are special, and I want to get to know you."

She didn't miss the suggestive undercurrents in his tone. She knew he was just playing his best pick up lines. Still, the question lingering at the back of her mind was,
why
?

She couldn't help the blush rising into her cheeks, warming them. The man was good. No doubt he could get any woman he wanted.

Who cares as long as he gets you. You're not looking for a relationship, just sex.

"I…I would like that." Even to her own ears she sounded breathless, eager. Truth be told, she was.

River smiled seductively, holding her gaze captive in his deep green depths. He slid in closer, slipping his arm around her waist. She felt his strength as he pulled her in close. Damn, he smelled good; a mix of leather, spice, and deep dark male. She wanted to bathe in his scent, peel off his clothes and trace every contour of his powerful, muscled body with her tongue.

"You feel it too, don't you, the pull between us?"

Strangely, he seemed to be holding his breath in anticipation of her answer. She wanted to open her mouth to deny the overwhelmingly strong attraction to this huge sexy man.

The thought both shocked her and turned her on even more. Even if she was unprepared to be so turned on and openly perused by a man, she didn't want to appear too willing to get him alone and tear his clothes off. But hell, she was.

"Yes, I…I think I do."

His triumphant smile made her wonder if the man was completely sane. "Oh, sweet cookie, I've been waiting my whole life to meet you, and here you are." He brushed a stray hair away from her face in a gentle, surprisingly reverent gesture, confusing the hell out of her.

River glanced around the bar; Storm followed his gaze and noticed the rather rapt audience of bar patrons.

He lowered his head to whisper close to her ear, sending shivers skating down her spine. "Would you like to go somewhere a little more secluded to talk?"

Was it getting really hot in the bar?
How can I be insanely hot, yet still have the shivers?

She nodded, trying not to appear too eager. Within the span of a few heartbeats he'd gripped her hand firmly in his, pulled her from the booth past the onlookers, out of the bar and into the cooling night air.

~ * ~

Getting Storm alone was either a really bad idea or the best he'd ever had. The moment they were away from curious eyes, his need to touch her overtook his rational mind. He slipped his arm around her shoulder, pulled her to him, lowered his head and slammed his mouth down on hers. From the instant he tasted her, she dominated his every thought.

Sweet. Soft. Silken.
His
.

She made a little muffled squeak of surprise, but after a moment, she started to respond. He didn't hesitate, dragging his tongue over the seam of her lips then invading her mouth. Everything in him wanted, needed her. He turned her further towards him, running his arms down the wonderful curve of her body. He gripped her hips and hoisting her up against him, pressing her back against the wall of the bar. Her lush body and soft breasts felt so good cushioning the heated, hard length, of his body.

His entire life he had heard the love stories between mates, his own parents had been a testimony to such a union. Until now the thought of ever holding his mate in his arms had been a dream, but nothing prepared him for the sudden intensity or reality of how right it felt. She was light to his dark, fuel to his fire. She called to his very soul; he wanted her with every fiber of his being.

Unable to control the urge, he found the edge of her shirt, tugging it upward. He wanted, no
needed
, skin on skin contact. At his first touch, she whimpered, struggling in his grasp.

River froze, his mind regaining some ability to remember where they were. Her frailty as a human brought him back to his senses. He didn't want to scare her by coming on too strong. Yet, she had responded and didn't appear afraid. No, quite the opposite.

He pulled back, keeping a tight grip on her. He didn't want to release her, but would let her, if she asked it.

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry, cookie."

He felt his eyebrows raise in surprise at her breathy little giggle.

"No, it's not that. I want you, I want this…" Her cheeks, already a beautiful shade of crimson, deepened in color. "I, um, wouldn't usually ask this, but could we, um, take this to my room?" She nodded to across the street.

Joy spread through him at her easy acceptance. She wanted him. "Oh cookie, you don't know how glad I am to hear that."

In a caveman move, he hoisted her over his shoulder, carrying her across the road, his walk a little stiff due to his painful cock. Soon enough he would sink it deeply into his mate and claim her. He grinned broadly at the promise.

She squeaked and struggled in his arms. "Put me down, I must weigh a ton!"

"Not in the least. I've got you now and I'm not letting go. Which room?"

"Um, twelve. The key's in my purse."

She un-wedged the small key attached to a credit card sized piece of black plastic. River marched, with hasty determination, wanting to get her laid out naked and under him.

Black plastic dangled before his eyes as she reached back to give him the key. With a snarl, he ripped it from her fingers, opened the door and walked into the darkened room before slamming the door shut with the heel of his boot.

Panther vision in the dark, even while in human form, was excellent. Storm bounced once as he tossed her onto the mattress. She drew in a startled gasp, her eyes widening, her body tensed in alarm as he crawled up over her like the predator within.

"Your eyes, they...they...are glowing." Her soft voice held a tremor of fear.

"It's a genetic anomaly, passed down through my family. It's nothing to fear, I swear." River knew it was way too early to be springing the whole '
Hey, honey, I'm a panther shifter, that's why my eyes glow and you're my destined mate'
speech on her just yet.

He hovered above her; gazing into her beautiful soft brown eyes and holding himself in check, when all he wanted to do was tear off her clothes and rub his body over hers, mark her with his scent.

Soon. First, though, he needed to make sure she was okay.

Lifting her hand, she touched his cheek. "I admit they're unusual, but they're also unique and beautiful."

He doubted she could see his smile in the dark.

"Thank you, my sweet. I admit, too, I've never met such a uniquely beautiful woman."
The one destined to be mine.

She nibbled on her lower lip. "I thought…I thought we would be doing more talking, or something, first."

"Do you want to talk first? Cookie, it would kill me, but I would if you wanted to."

A flicker of emotion he couldn't read crossed her face. "No, I guess we could talk after."

Unable to control the urge any longer, he lowered his head and took her lips in a soft kiss.

"I promise we can talk until we both turn blue. I want to learn everything about you, but right now I need you too damn much."

"Okay then."

The feel of her fingers sliding through his hair broke the last of his thin control. With a firm grip on her top, he tore open her blouse, making her gasp.

"I will pay for anything I ruin," he said absently, his gaze fixed on the sexy black lace bra contrasted against the milky pale of her gorgeous breasts, making his mouth water with need.

"Gods, cookie, you're beautiful."

She sucked in a sharp breath, letting it out in a soft moan as he traced the lace with his fingers and cupped the flesh in his large hand. They fit perfectly. River couldn't wait to push them together and slide his cock between these beauties. There were so many things he would soon do to her, with her, but right now there was only one place he wanted his cock.

"How do you know, can you see?"

Damn his mouth. "Special genetics, remember."

To cover his tracks, he reached over, switching on the bedside lamp, illuminating her even better for his perusal.

He took her mouth, kissing her deeply, until they were both panting, and erased the questions and doubt he witnessed in her eyes. Sliding his hands down her oh-so-soft skin, he worked his hand beneath the waistband of her sexy little black and grey patterned skirt and shoved it roughly down her legs, sweeping away her panties in the process.

River felt like an untried youth instead of the Alpha of his community. He drank in every curve, dip and hollow of his mate. He licked his lips, seeing the neat, light brown triangle of hair glistening with her honey. He wanted to taste her.

"I know I'm not thin..." she started, averting her gaze in embarrassment, as he began to strip off his own clothes, tossing them haphazardly behind him.

River frowned, tugging off his boots.

"...or pretty..."

"Damn it, woman." River bent over her, capturing her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Do I look turned off to you? I've seen a lot of beautiful, skinny women in my time, but nothing compares to your beauty. I won't stand for you belittling yourself. Do you understand me?"