Wicked As He Comes: BBW Tiger Shifter Paranormal Romance (Tiger In Her Bed Book 3) (7 page)

She wanted to say something but her throat was too dry.

He kissed her on the lips. Gently this time. “Only pleasure,” he reminded.

Her new husband had delivered just that.

*  *  *

“A date?”

Jane found herself rather stupefied to be repeating the word, but John only smiled coyly across the breakfast table at her while they ate.

“Why not? Mom took the twins out shopping about half an hour before you got up, so we’ve got the whole day to ourselves. They’re overdue for a little spoiling, and I know you’ve earned more than a little of it yourself.”

Jane blushed, watching the light play in those fierce eyes of his, memories of last night still warming her insides as she twirled a spoon around in her breakfast. “Alright, what did you have in mind?”

About an hour later, Jane was watching him pace around the room, talking with twinkles in his eyes to the wedding planner they’d paid a visit to.

“...it needs to be in Aspen. My mother will have a fit if it doesn’t follow suit with my brothers. And really, I can’t stress how little an issue money is.”

The planner beamed as if she could already see dollar signs on the horizon. Jane had to restrain herself from giving a smile. John was making both of their days.

“But I want as much of your input as we can manage, babe,” he said to her, smiling. “There are a few things that I’m afraid, will be out of either of our control, but I want this to be your dream wedding. Anything you could possibly want.”

Jane blinked, stupefied for a few moments as John and the wedding planner looked at her. “I... well, to be honest, I haven’t even really thought about it after our first time. I kind of thought that was, you know, it.” She smiled sheepishly, rubbing the side of her arm. “My job doesn’t give me a whole lot of time to think about fairy tale weddings.”

“Well, let’s find out what your matrimonial fantasies are,” the wedding planner took the opportunity to chime in.

As the three of them discussed wedding details, Jane put in a suggestion or two where she wanted, but she hadn’t known she’d be getting a proper wedding until a day ago, so this whole affair was kind of a dizzy dream to her. She’d fantasized about things like this, sure, but to have unlimited money and resources available to her on a whim… it was really kind of overwhelming. Before long, though, the inspiration began to flow.

She managed to decide on some of the details that had been important to her for a long time. The gold and green color scheme, the style of dress, what she’d be looking for in the arrangement of the tables, what kind of music would be played at what times, but before long, the whole thing became a little much, and John decided it was time to take her to lunch.

They sat at an upscale Italian place, where Jane picked at pieces of fresh cantaloupe and honeydew wrapped in thin, delicious prosciutto. John ordered a platter of pasta bolognese with meatballs.

“Not a vegetable kind of guy, are you?” Jane teased as she enjoyed her food.

John hummed his agreement. “They say a man can’t live on meat and potatoes alone, but I’m going to try my damnedest. Tigers are carnivores.”

Ah. Of course.
“You ought to try gnocchi next time instead, it’s made with potatoes. Potatoes come from plants so technically it counts as a vegetable; Gnocchi and meatballs. They won’t give you a weird look or anything!”

“No, no, totally normal.”

They laughed together.

The food was absolutely delicious, and the two of them conversed and ate through the rest of it as if things had never been more natural. Jane didn’t know what it was about John that made her feel so comfortable, so relaxed around him as they joked and talked. It had hardly been a week since she’d confronted him at a Vegas cafe, and after all that, he’d spent the entire time making her, her of all people, feel like a queen.

“So your brothers married in Aspen?”

John took a sip from his glass. “Yeah, I’ve never been big on the family traditions like everyone else, but I figure I kind of owe it to them. I mean Mom, and Quinn and Trent.”

“Oh yeah? What for?”

“They never thought I’d settle down,” John chuckled. “I’m the youngest, but I guess I was also the wild child. None of my old relationships felt like this.”

Jane tilted her head. “I can see how people could feel a little insecure around you.”

“You don’t know how spot-on you are. But you’re different.”

“Different how?”

“In that you were destined to be my mate,” said John, peering at her with a striking confidence, “My instincts. They never fail me.”

“Well, John,” she drawled, her foot brushing up against his leg under the table, “I guess I can admit there are some parts of that I don’t particularly mind.”

His smile broadened, and Jane wondered how much of her emotion he could detect with those feline senses of his. She wanted so badly to ask about that side of him, but in public, she knew it was a risk.

“You’ll be happy to know where we’re going next, then,” he said.

“Where?”

“You’ll see.”

He trailed off teasingly, and she narrowed her eyes at him as she bit into the last bit of fruit on her plate.

*  *  *

“My God, you’ve got to be kidding me. This place is amazing,” Jane said as they headed past the grand lobby of The Plaza.  She looked in awe of the opulent surroundings.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never been here before?”

“Once, I think, when I was a kid. But that was before they did a massive renovation.” Jane turned to him. “I hope you didn’t spend too much money on this,” she whispered.

He gave her a look.

“Sorry. My frugal radar just went haywire.”

He was amused. His new wife would faint if she knew how much he spent on the Fitzgerald suite he reserved. He wanted to make an unforgettable memory with her. “I thought you’d like a little more privacy this time,” he explained. He leaned and whispered conspiratorially, “I can’t make you scream when we fuck at home.”

She covered her mouth under her hand, laughing in secret.

“I’m starting to think that we should get our own place—a place we could call home,” he continued. “I’m sure you’re looking forward to decorating the house in your own style.”

“That would be nice but I’m sure your mom doesn’t want you to move out.”

He sighed. “I’m a married man now, she’ll understand.”

The floor butler greeted them and showed them to their room. A few minutes later, they stepped into the luxury suite. A welcome bouquet of champagne and two dozen red roses awaited them.

“This. Is. Insane,” Jane marveled, turning in slow circles and staring up at the high, vaulted ceiling of the hotel room. She turned back and gave John a stunned, contagious grin.

“I hope you like it.”

“Like? I freaking love it.”

He loved seeing that look on her face: amazed and in awe. She was beautiful, always, but there was just something so deliciously innocent about her when she smiled that way. She totally deserved it after the hard life she had, providing and taking care of the twins. She needed to be spoiled.

Jane stroked the lush petals of the red roses that exuded an intoxicating aroma. Jane checked from room to room, then settled on the king-sized bed. It seemed to melt away under the slightest pressure, it was so downy and soft. She ran her hand across the fine, plush silken sheets.

Looking at her happy like that brought joy from within him.
My mate
, he thought. Who would guess that he met his mate in a small café in Vegas? And being blackmailed as well, which turned out to work in his favor. One thing was for sure; he would never let her go. He couldn’t fight the overwhelming desire that drew him to her. They would have a lifetime together to spend in and out of bed, finding new and exciting ways to love each other.

He leaned by the doorway, watching her. “You’re beautiful.”

Her eyes flicked over to him instantly, her cheeks going a lovely shade of pink. She was still so modest, so unassuming. She had no idea how intensely he desired her, how deep his attraction to her truly ran. She didn’t know how far he would go for her. What he would give to keep her and make her blissfully, wildly happy.

“You’re too sweet, John.”

He stared hungrily as she bit her lip and crossed her legs at the ankles. As she sat there, so modest and demure, he wanted nothing more than to run to her and ravish her over and over until they were both too exhausted to move. His tiger was impatient to mark her as his own. He didn’t want to do it at home, risking question from her little brothers. Besides, George was so damn sharp.

He shrugged off his sport jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. “Do you want some champagne?”

“Later, maybe. After that big lunch, I’m stuffed.”

Hmm. She didn’t know yet that he planned to make her stuffed in a different way.

“I’ve been looking forward to a moment like this.”

“Privacy, you mean?”

“The twins are very well-behaved, but I want you to myself. Selfish, I know. But you’re my mate and there are a hundred wicked things I want to do to you.”

“To me?”

“With you,” he clarified. “And to you.”

She flexed her long limbs. “More bondage?” she hedged.

“That and other things. But not now. Today, I want to make you mine.”

“Aren’t I yours already?”

“Yes, but I haven’t marked you yet.”

“You didn’t do it last night?” She absentmindedly touched her shoulder, “Of course not, or I would have noticed.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Afraid?” She shook her head. “No, John. The only thing I’m afraid of is that I can’t provide for the twins. I’m afraid that they’ll go hungry. I’m afraid if can’t pay the heating bill, they’ll go cold. I’m afraid that I can’t clothe them or put a roof over their head. But you, Mr. Big Bad Tiger, I’m not afraid of you.”

The beast inside rattled its cage, getting excited.

His blood stirred, waking his cock. “Good.”

He began unbuttoning his light-blue, pressed linen shirt as he walked to her. The temperature suddenly felt a few degrees hotter. His skin was blazing, burning for her. He bent down and caressed the back of her neck, gently anchoring the base of her head, his fingers tangling in her chestnut hair. Then he leaned down to press his lips to hers, his tongue softly probing its way into her mouth.

She moaned huskily. He found it incredibly sexy.

“Take off your clothes,” he commanded. “All of them.”

A tiny smile blossomed at the corner of her mouth. Without breaking eye contact, she pulled her green sweater over her head. Her blouse soon followed.

John hummed his approval as he traced a finger over her cleavage. She wore a cotton bra, nothing fancy. Even then, he found her tantalizingly delicious. Her breasts were spectacular. Buxom and firm. And she had pretty nipples, as he remembered from last night. He couldn’t wait to suck them hard in his mouth.

She unclasped the hook of her bra and slid it off.

Ah
. He smiled privately as he drank in the magnificent sight before him. Those pretty raspberry nipples that tasted sweeter than any ripe summer berries.
Fuck.
His cock felt like granite under his pants. He picked up her bra and tossed it over his shoulder. “Take off your jeans. Everything.”

She obeyed him like a good little girl.

As if she wanted to put on a good show for him, she peeled off her jeans slowly. Button and zipper. The rustling sound of denim against her skin. The way she slid her panties to her ankles. John didn’t realize he was holding his breath in anticipation. A growl rumbled in his throat.

Mine. My mate.

His eyes feasted on the sumptuous banquet before him. She let out a sexy kitten mewl when he cupped her breasts and buried his face in her neck. He inhaled her intoxicating scent by the lungful. The urge to shift started getting the best of him. His beast thrashed in its mental cage. His cock hardened to the point it hurt.

“John . . .” she whispered his name deliciously.

He liked the way she sighed it on her tongue as if she were tasting an expensive confectionary. His body hummed with desire, wondering if this was what it meant to mate with
the one
. He had never wanted a woman in his life like he wanted her right now.

Her body quivered with anticipation when he flicked out his tongue and sucked her pretty nipple. She bit her lip. Her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and shock as if this kind of pleasure was new to her.

John swore silently.
Where have you been all these years, my love? I didn’t know you even existed.
But now, he had her right where he wanted, the way he wanted, and he’d never let her go ever again.

He moved to her unmolested breast and sucked her deeply. She shivered to the core, trembling with pleasure. He grazed her soft skin with his teeth, leaving his mark on her. She was his, from now until the end of the world. “Baby,” he said with a growl. “You smell so fucking good.”