When an Alpha Purrs (5 page)

Roar.
He stifled the sound but only barely. Arik could have easily and happily killed the waiter who cleared his throat and interrupted his kiss with Kira.

“Are you ready to order?”

Ready to order a can of whoop ass.
Breaking the lip lock, Arik glared at the young man who stood at their tableside, pad of paper in hand.

Beside him, Kira panted softly, looking much too lovely with her flushed cheeks, bright eyes, and swollen lips. She recovered more quickly than he liked.

“I’d like a martini please. A big one. I’ll start with a Caesar salad, extra garlic. Loaded baked potato, and twelve ounce porterhouse, rare.” As she ordered, studiously ignoring him, Arik leaned back against the leatherette seat. He draped an arm over her shoulder, a possessive gesture that went against his speech to Kira earlier.

Yes, he might have stated he didn’t want anything permanent. He didn’t need the headache a steady relationship would bring—like expectations of him showing up on time or buying gifts. Sometimes a man just wanted something easy and uncomplicated. Sometimes he just wanted sex. In this case, he really wanted Kira as a lover. Problem was, a part of him, a slim part, possibility wanted her more than just naked in his bed.

Keep her.

Totally crazy and against everything he knew, everything he was taught. Arik knew what his pride would ask him to do, the women at least. They’d tell him to end it. Now. Just get up and walk away. Reinforce her belief he was an arrogant jerk.

He was, and with any other woman, he might have done it. But this was Kira. And, for some reason, Kira was different. The various layers to her intrigued him.

Must find out her secrets.
Must find a way to chisel through her shields, which were fully engaged at the moment as she sat there, prim and innocent with her hands laced in her lap. A concentrated attempt to pretend as if the kiss hadn’t happened.

He let his fingers tickle her nape, and she shivered, unable to hide her reaction to him.

“And you, sir, what will you have?”

Was that idiot still there, ruining his pleasant thoughts? “I’ll have what she’s having, times two.”

Magic words that saw the waiter finally leaving. “Where were we?” He purred the words, something his lion form just couldn’t do. However, make no mistake, this wasn’t the contented purr of a housecat getting a treat. This was the purr of a predator buttering up his conquest.

Buttered her so well, she slipped away and feigned indifference.

“So what do you think of the décor?”

Wood. Lots of it, and he didn’t mean just the walls. “I think you’re avoiding what just happened. I think we should discuss it.”

“Discuss what? It wasn’t a big deal. You kissed me.”

“It was more than a kiss.”

“If you say so.” As she replied, she continued to studiously ignore him.

So stubborn. He went silent and stared at her, knowing it wouldn’t take long to drive her nuts.

She lasted longer than expected, but finally, she snapped. “What do you want from me?”

“I thought I made that clear. You. Me. Somewhere private.”

Tilting her head, she glanced his way. Her lips pursed. “You’re very stubborn.”

“I know. Are we continuing the alphabet of my attributes, such as handsome, impressive, jocular.”

“You’re not that funny.”

“Says the woman who was snorting a moment ago.”

“Conceited.”

“That doesn’t start with a K.”

“No, but kookoo does.”

“We made it to L. Lover.”

He grinned as she rolled her eyes. “Good grief. You won’t stop trying to seduce me until you get what you want, will you?”

“No.” Firmly stated.

She heaved a heavy sigh. “Fine.”

“What do you mean, fine?”

“We’ll eat dinner and then have sex. But don’t take too long would you with the humping and grunting. I’ve got to work in the morning, and I’ll need a shower.”

That didn’t sound exactly seductive. He frowned. “You make it sound like a chore.”

She angled her head sideways so she could smirk at him. “I guess that depends on who’s doing all the work. In this case, that would be you. So you’d better make it good, or no amount of begging and big, pleading eyes will get you seconds.”

Begging? Did she think he begged her? Fur ruffled, he slid back to his seat across from her so he could better read her expression.

She, of course, misunderstood his strategic move.

“Did I prick someone’s ego?”

“We’ll see who gets pricked,” he muttered ominously.

She caught the innuendo. The blush brightening her cheeks brought some of his cockiness back.

She’s not the only one who can verbally tease.

But she made eating a whole new form of torture.

He’s going to pounce.

It sure seemed that way to Kira. She’d thought once the food arrived that the sexual tension between them would diminish. Sure, the thrown verbal challenges kept the lid on the simmering pot, but it wasn’t enough to douse the fire.

The man plain fascinated her. He took her rebukes and teasing with mock anger, sometimes affront, oftentimes laughter. Then he retaliated in kind, not tossing false flattery her way but, instead, tossing out outrageous suggestions.

She had almost reached the point that she needed to fan her flushed skin when the food arrived. Lots of it. Arik had ordered double her meal, which wasn’t small. They started with the salad. Not a sexy food, anyone would agree.

And yet, when she licked some of the creamy Caesar sauce from her bottom lip, she could have sworn Arik groaned. He definitely inserted a foot between her legs. He’d slipped off his shoe under the table, and his toes, more agile than she would have expected, wiggled their way up her leg. She caught it before it hit the apex of her thighs.

“What are you doing?”

“Who me? Nothing.” A man of his bearing shouldn’t have the ability to look innocent and devilish at the same time.

She tried to budge his foot. It didn’t move. Actually, it wiggled higher. “Don’t you dare.”

“I was just looking for a warm spot. Their air conditioning is set a touch too cold for me.”

“I am not a toe warmer.”

“You’re right. You’re more than that. Personally, I’d much prefer to have you wrapped all over me.”

And that was the way the small talk went during the salad. As for his foot, she kept it from pressing all the way, but only because he didn’t insist. She, on the other hand, found herself hard-pressed to not slide on the bench and let his toes press against a certain aching part of her body.

The man took foreplay to a whole new level—while they were both still clothed!

However, she’d discovered his weakness. Licking her lips was one. How avidly he watched the swipe of her tongue. Yet it was her groan of enjoyment at her first bite of the perfectly seasoned, flame-kissed steak that had him making the oddest growling sound.

She finished chewing and swallowing the succulent hunk of meat before asking, “Are you all right? You seem to be a little tense.”

“Nothing little about my tenseness, mouse.”

“Men! Always so concerned with the size when it’s all about the tongue.” She could have crawled under the table when the words—loosened by a very delicious martini—spilled from her lips.

“No worries, mouse, when it comes to licking, I am a master.”

To that, there was no reply—because she sure as hell wasn’t going with the one that popped into her head of, ‘Prove it.’

Their verbal foreplay during the main part of their meal was nothing compared to dessert. It seemed he’d tired of sitting alone. Once again, he crowded her, sharing her bench.

“You’re in my space.”

“I am. Get used to it. I like to cuddle.”

His claim had her gaping. He took the moment to spoon a mouthful of dessert into her mouth. Caramel-topped cheesecake. Her favorite.

She groaned. Loudly. With great pleasure.

Something growled. Softly. And then he kissed her, to her pleasure.

It proved a short kiss. She protested, and another spoon of sweetness was fed to her. Followed immediately by another embrace. Sugar goodness. Hot kiss. Ooh, some tongue. Some groping.

A voice asking if he could get them anything else—the waiter seriously wanted to die.

As if sharing one mind, they both snapped, “The check.”

Arik tossed bills on the table, much more than needed for their meal. His haste to get them out of there proved quite flattering. They made it out of the restaurant and around a corner before he pushed her against a wall. His hard lips claimed hers in a torrid kiss, which sucked all reason from her mind. His large hands cupped her bottom, pulling her against him, outlining the evidence of his arousal. His very large arousal.

She clung to him, fingers gripping the muscles of his broad shoulders. Forget her earlier determination to stay away. He was right about one thing; she wanted him. Wanted a night of passionate and wild sex.

A no-strings, pleasurable event just for the hell of it.

But she’d prefer it not be in public.

“I know of an empty bed,” she whispered brazenly against his mouth.

“A bed would be nice, but I don’t know if we’ll make it,” was his reply.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see.”

Why did his ominous words make her channel clench and quiver in pre-orgasmic delight?

There were times Arik thanked the fact he didn’t always follow trends. Times like now.

Unlike many men of wealth, Arik didn’t much care for tiny sports cars. For one, he was a big man who liked his space, and for another, he wanted something with substance protecting him when on the road, hence his purchase of a fully equipped Escalade, and he meant fully equipped. Buttery-soft leather seats, tinted windows, a kick-ass sound system, and his favorite part, which all felines coveted, heated seats.

He had another reason to thank his foresight in buying a big vehicle, given the very spacious interior and custom-crafted wide front seat that made it easy for him to haul Kira onto his lap.

“I thought we were going to my place,” she protested.

“We will. In a minute.” Or two. Or three. Right now, he had no interest in driving anywhere. All he wanted was to continue their kiss.

Lips clinging, hands stroking, they made out in the front seat of his truck and steamed the windows.

It was her choice to turn in his lap and straddle him. An excellent choice because it pressed her heated core against him. They both moaned at the contact. A few layers of clothes made the teasing rub only more arousing.

His hands slid under her sweater, and he felt her shiver as he stroked the smooth skin of her back. Of course, he had an ulterior motive in his roaming. It took but a second to unsnap the closure on her bra.

“What are you doing?” She recoiled from him, eyes at half-mast and her lips swollen from his kiss.

“What’s it look like I’m doing? Getting to second base.” Her breasts, freed for his touch, weighed nicely in his palms. The stroke of his thumbs over the peaks had her sucking in a breath.

How he wanted to lift her shirt and taste. Yet even he knew better than to denude her in public. Someone might see her,
and then I’d have to kill them.

Mine.
And this lion didn’t want to share. Just like the man didn’t want to stop.

A rational part of him said he should pause in his seduction for a few minutes and drive them somewhere with a bed, but need drove him at this point, not logic. A need to have this woman. Now.

A desire she shared.

She threw herself forward, hair flying in a dark arc, her hands grabbing his jaw on either side, drawing him close for a searing kiss.

How hotly she burned.

He couldn’t help but let one hand leave the tempting swell of her breast and span the indent of her waist. How he loved her voluptuous hour-glass shape, so womanly and desirable. He wanted to explore every inch of her curves, with his fingers, his body, his lips…

For the moment, he had to content himself with what he could reach, given their position. He ran his fingers along the waistband of her yoga pants. Stretchy fabric, perfect for his hand to dip farther. He encountered a naughty panty line, a G-string by the feel of it. So mouse liked sexy underthings. Nice. Very nice. He’d have to remember to remove it with his teeth later. For now, he let his fingers quest under the scrap of lace, moving from the rounded swell of her buttocks around her hip. He wanted to feel her molten core against his fingertips, but their position was too awkward for him to cup her properly.

So he moved her. Manhandled her to suit his needs. He didn’t ask or explain, just grabbed her and spun her on his lap until she faced away. She might have protested had he not immediately sent his hand questing down the front of her pants.

He cupped her mound, and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure.

Hot. How hot she burned against his hand, and wet, too, the cream of her arousal moistening his fingers. She enjoyed his touch. He could tell by the way she leaned back against him, head resting on his shoulder, her throat exposed, a long white expanse of temptation.

How he wanted to bite. Lions did so love a good nibble during sex, especially when they wanted to show a claim.

For a moment, rationality swam to the surface, overriding his desire, reminding him that Kira was human. Kira wasn’t his mate. Kira was squirming against his hand, which, in turn, meant her luscious, round bottom squirmed against him.

Rational thought sank as need overpowered and drowned it.

Just a little taste.
He pressed his lips against the tender column of her throat and sucked at the skin as his fingers pressed against her sex. She let out a small cry, and he felt the reaction in her sex. Moist heat honeyed his digits, rendering them slick, perfect for sliding against her swollen pleasure button.

Her breathing became even shorter, more ragged. She made small noises as she squirmed. He anchored her in place, the torture of her rubbing against his erection from her spot on his lap not as bad as the torture from feeling her cream on his fingers but unable to take a lick.

Since Arik couldn’t bury his tongue into her sex, he contented himself by penetrating her with his finger. He inserted one. Two. The walls of her channel clung tight to him, and his shaft grew even harder in reaction. How he longed to bury himself in her welcoming sex. How he wanted to feel the walls of her channel fisting his cock.

For once, he didn’t let his selfish desires rule him. In this instance, her pleasure came first. He intended to bring her to climax, and enjoy every moment of it.

As he sucked on the soft skin of her neck, he pumped his fingers in and out. A slow, steady penetration. He savored the tenseness invading her limbs. He groaned at the suction of her sex.

He almost roared when her orgasm hit, the ripple of her pleasure squeezing his fingers and coating them in erotic cream. He barely held back from nipping her neck, instead humming his appreciation against her skin.

As her shudders subsided, and his cock throbbed, anxious for its turn, he withdrew his fingers from her quivering sex and brought them to his mouth for a lick.

Delicious.

And to think, that was just an appetizer to the main course.

He couldn’t wait for round two, in a bed.

He placed a dazed Kira in the passenger seat and buckled her in. Pride suffused him at her sated expression. Desire pulsed through him as he imagined what would happen next.

Impatient, he started his truck and tore out of the parking lot, tires squealing in his haste. The quicker he moved, the faster he’d get her naked and have her making sweet, pleasurable sounds again and ease away the crease forming on her brow.

Alas, fate conspired against him. The bitch. She was probably in cahoots with the female members of his pride.