Mating Instinct (The COMPLETE Ridgeville Series) Read online

  “You’re the perfect size, Maya. You’ve got a body made for loving, and if you say that again, I’m gonna spank this lush ass of yours until it’s shining red for me.”

  That should’ve made her cautious, but it didn’t. Instead, her pussy tightened, silently screaming to be possessed. Then there was the spanking…

  He tightened his hold on her rear, fingers digging into her ass cheeks. “Would you like to get spanked, Maya?”

  Biting her lip she finally nodded her answer to his question.

  “Maybe after I take the edge off.” Again, his eyes flashed a deep yellow. He was definitely turned-on.

  Alex carried her a half-dozen steps through a doorway, and then dropped her in the middle of a bed. She didn’t want to know why he had a bed in his office. Really, she didn’t. And she definitely didn’t want to know how many other women he’d banged on the mattress.

  Maya lay sprawled before him, legs spread wide, showing off her well-loved pussy and her breasts still bared from his mistreatment of her dress. She’d come to the club looking for action—no strings—but now she had a hard time imagining being with anyone but Alex. Not when he looked at her like she was the second coming of Aphrodite.

  Maya was transfixed as her one-night lover stripped before her eyes.

  Alex whipped his skin-tight shirt over his head and tossed it aside, revealing all those lovely muscles she’d imagined beneath his clothes. God help her. His biceps were thick, pecs were rock-hard, and those abs of his… She nearly moaned in delight at the beautiful sight of his perfectly sculpted stomach.

  One, two, three… She counted ripples until she stopped at eight. Then, there were those lovely lines at his hips that pointed down to the promise land. She wanted to lick and trace them with her tongue, follow them beneath the cloth of his jeans.

  His hands went to the button on his pants, immediately gaining her full attention. She didn’t spare a glance at his face. No, all she wanted was to see Mr. O’Connell’s package. In a blink, the pants were unsnapped, the zipper lowered. Good lord, the man wasn’t wearing anything beneath the woven cotton.

  That only made her prize easier to grab.

  Alex nudged the waist of his jeans and they slid easily over his hips to his ankles.

  His dick… Oh, damn… His cock was long and thick, definitely looked as if he could fill her to the hilt, and then some. Pre-cum formed at the tip, and she wondered if the pearly drop of fluid would carry the same cinnamon-citrus flavor. She ached to lean forward and taste him.

  He wrapped a hand around his shaft, stroked himself from root to tip and back again, repeating the gesture as she watched intently, forcing more of his seed to gather over his small slit. “See something you want, Maya?”

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

  “Maybe after I’ve had you a few times.”

  She risked a glance at his face. If he didn’t look like he wanted to eat her alive, she’d demand a sample now. But his eyes flickered between a fiery gold to nearly black, and his face had more than the five o’clock shadow she’d seen earlier. Golden fur peppered his cheeks.

  Alex took a step toward her and stumbled, falling on top of her, and she let out a squeak in response to the sudden weight holding her down.

  He, of course, growled. It seemed her lover was a growler. She wanted to make him roar…

  Giggling, she nudged him, encouraging him to stand once again. “Alex? I think you forgot something.”

  He glared and cursed low before he crawled off her. He sat on the edge of the mattress as he yanked off his boots and she thought she heard him mutter something about mates asking for spankings.

  Maybe he’d meant bedmates…

  While he was busy with his clothing, she wiggled and yanked off the remnants of her dress, before reaching for her shoes. Of course, she didn’t even get a chance to touch them.

  A furry hand grasped her wrist and she stared into a pair of narrowed eyes. “The shoes stay.”

  The closer he came to fucking her, the more he looked like his inner beast. Oh, well. She supposed his well-defined muscles, along with his ridiculous hotness, could easily make up for a little extra body hair. As for her, she was totally in a new category of one-night stand slutiness—a fur loving one-night slut.

  All thoughts of Queen ’o Slutdom vanished when her new love turned his attention on her. Completely naked, he shoved his way between her thighs, chasing her to the headboard as she scrambled to keep up with him.

  * * *

  Alex’s lion couldn’t decide between diving between her thighs for another taste or pushing his cock into her silken heat and claiming her.

  Spread before him—and still wearing her shoes—Maya showed him a sea of pale curves. He wanted to lick and nibble every inch of her, discover her darkest secrets, and then ferret out even more.

  He palmed his cock, moved across the mattress on his knees, shifting their bodies until she was positioned exactly as he desired. Her golden-blond hair spread across his pillows. His goddess rested against the soft surface of his bed, her knees bent and feet planted on the comforter, giving him a perfect view of her pussy.

  Kneeling between her thighs Alex stared at this big, beautiful woman… his mate.

  Yes. His mate. The cat wanted her to be his. After that first taste of her essence, the man in Alex wanted more, too. Neither one of them were sure that a single night with Maya would ever be enough. Maybe after a hundred years or so, he thought, the two would have their fill. But not a minute sooner.

  He squeezed his dick right below the head, teased the underside beneath the crown. Damn, he couldn’t wait for her to milk him, draw the cum out of his balls and deep into her.

  Alex licked his lips, panting like a dog. The woman before him was a voluptuous, sensuous playground, and he couldn’t wait for recess. The curve of her breasts, the dip of her waist and flare of her hips, called to him like no other woman before. Which made sense since she was his true mate. Maya didn’t know it, but she would soon enough.

  She kneaded her abundant breasts, plucked her nipples, and writhed beneath his gaze. All the while her attention remained focused on his hand stroking his cock.

  “Temptress. Are you ready for me?”

  Her small, pink tongue danced out to wet her lips before disappearing again. He wanted to chase it and search out more of her taste. This woman was a drug to both him and his lion.

  She nodded, spread her thighs wider, showing him more of her moist pinkness. “Yes. Please?”

  God, another growl built in his chest. The woman tested his control like no other.

  Alex shifted his weight, leaned over her, and rested his bulk on one arm. Still gripping his shaft he rubbed the tip of his dick along her soaking slit, instantly shivering on contact.

  “You’re so hot for me, kitten.” Yeah, his kitten. He barely recognized his voice, and pretended his beast wasn’t stretching his skin thin, almost to the point of revealing itself. He knew fur sprouted over his body and his canines half-descended.

  Maya wrapped one of her thighs around his hip, pulling herself closer, scratching and clawing at his shoulders. “Need you… now.”

  “Soon…”

  She whimpered and fell back onto the bed, hair fanning around her, exposing the delicate line of her neck. The move highlighted the smooth skin he couldn’t wait to nibble, sink his teeth into her, and mark her as his mate.

  Alex kept up the slow, gentle rubbing of her pussy with the tip of his cock, gathering more and more juices with every pass of his dick along her swollen lower lips. Each time the head skimmed her hole, he had to fight his beast for control, resist the urge to slam into her heat. No, he wanted to savor his first possession, at all cost. He wanted to tempt and tease her, before satisfying his own need.

  Maya flexed her legs, as if trying to force his entry, but he was a lion, the pride’s Prime. Head lion in charge. No way would she be able to move him along, hurry his pace.

  “Damn it, Al
ex.” She tightened her thighs again, and had the nerve to growl at him, bare her teeth. Shit, that was hot.

  “When I’m ready, sweet.” He took great care while he lowered his body over hers, the muscles of his arms straining to be gentle with his human mate. He swept down, captured her lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth, fucked the moist cavern in the same rhythm as his cock toyed with her pussy.

  He rolled his hips, slow and easy, giving her just another inch, a slightly deeper penetration, but still withheld his entire shaft from going all the way in. He wanted her to beg, to cry with need, to be willing to accede to anything he demanded.

  Like… becoming his mate. Or, at least, agree to be his. He could always work on the “mate” thing later.

  The damned beast rode him hard, snarling and snapping and demanding Alex let it take control, sink its canines into his mate and claim her. Now.

  Maya moaned into his mouth as she fought for dominance, making his lion puff with pride at the fact its mate could hold her own against him. Alex pulled away from her inviting mouth in increments until their lips were barely a hairsbreadth apart, forcing them to share each other’s breath.

  “Please, I need you.”

  He couldn’t hide his smile. “How bad?”

  “It hurts. So bad.” She leaned up, nipped his lower lip.

  Alex rained gentle kisses along her jaw, and was pleased when she tilted her head to the side, granting him better access. He licked and nibbled a path to her ear, caught the lobe between his teeth.

  “Are you mine, Maya?” He bit the spot below her ear and reveled in her quick, indrawn breath. It was followed by a shudder and she tightened around his shallow invasion.

  “Yesss.”

  “You belong to me, don’t you?” Alex laved at the spot again, traveling south along the column of her neck.

  “God, yes.”

  The cat was pleased, and her admission eased the painful scratching and clawing inside his body. “I’m going to keep you, and your luscious body in my bed. I’m not gonna let you go.” She nodded against him, but he wanted to hear the words. “Say it, Maya. Tell me you agree.”

  “Fuck. Yes. You’re keeping me in your bed.”

  Prickles of pain came from inside his mouth, and Alex knew the beast wouldn’t be denied any longer. He opened his jaws, placed his teeth against the soft, tender skin of her shoulder, and sank his sharp canines into her flesh. At that exact moment he shoved his cock deep into her, sheathing himself to the hilt. Maya arched into him, head tilted back and a soft whimper escaped her lips.

  A growl formed in his chest and the lion snarled and roared, reveled in the taste of its mate’s blood as it slid over his tongue. He drank the fluid, his saliva slipping into her body to mingle with her blood.

  Then the man emerged… Alex froze, fully seated in her cunt, a bolt of pleasure overtaking him with each tremor that traveled through her silken heat.

  Now claimed, and the transition unfolding at the DNA level, Alex was free to take her as he desired. He gently withdrew his teeth from her shoulder and lapped at the wound to start the healing process, and all the while he kept his hips moving, pistoning his cock in and out of her sweet cunt.

  Wound now taken care of he turned his attention to pleasing her, his true mate. Alex pushed himself up so he could stare into her eyes, watch as her pleasure unfolded.

  “Alex, Alex, Alex…” she chanted, and he picked up the rhythm, timed the flexing of his hips, the thrust and retreat of his cock, to punctuate her words.

  Maya dropped her feet to the mattress, and met each of his thrusts, the sound of flesh on flesh filling the room, mingling with the heavy panting of their ragged breathing. He kept up his tempo, hard slams of his cock into her quivering heat, her pussy milking and massaging his shaft.

  “Fuck, Maya. You’re perfect.” That earned him a tight squeeze of his dick, her mouth opening on a gasp. “I want you to come on my cock. Then, I’ll come deep inside you.” Her walls gripped him tightly, eyes glazed with passion.

  Fuck, just watching her got him nice and close to coming. His balls drew tight against him, aching to let go.

  Observing her reaction he increased his pace, angled his hips until he got the response he was waiting for. A tilt, a swivel, and then…

  Her entire body trembled, eyes fluttering shut as Maya cried out, “Alex!”

  There it was. He’d found the sweet spot inside his mate once again. In time he’d be able to find her G-spot without a problem, and he’d enjoy every minute of learning exactly how to pleasure her. Each entrance was greeted with a tightening of her pussy, a tantalizing rhythm begging for his cum.

  He panted with effort, sweat coating his back and brow as he tried his best to please her. His beast was totally onboard with that plan, wanted to make sure its mate was fully satisfied.

  Her short fingernails dug into the skin of his arms and shoulders, pushing his arousal higher, lion and man both loving the fierceness of their mate. Alex wanted more of her marks, wanted her to scar him, as he’d just scarred her. He couldn’t take her bite just yet, not with her transition still incomplete, but the scratches and gouges would do for now.

  “That’s it, sweet. Come for me…” Alex panted the words, the effort to hold back his own orgasm increasing with every thrust.

  She tossed her head back and forth, babbling, sobbing, and begging all at once. Her petite hands released his shoulders and moved to fondle her breasts, fingertips playing over her nipples. It was too much temptation.

  He lowered his head and pulled one nipple into his mouth. Every suck was mimicked by a tightening of her pussy as if the two were connected. She dug her nails into his scalp and the lion roared inside him, rejoiced in its mate taking what she needed, holding him in place as she desired.

  Alex nibbled, bit, and teased her, hoping to yank her orgasm closer with his every move. He expected her to explode for him at any moment, her breath increasing with each slide of his cock, his mouth and teeth on her nipple, lightly grazing the sensitive nub.

  “G-Gonna…”

  He released her breast, captured her gaze with his. “Do it, Maya. Come for me.”

  Beneath his focus, she came apart. Her eyes widened, back arched, and mouth dropped open on a scream. She clamped around him, and his dick responded in kind, throbbing and twitching in her canal, balls high and ready to shoot his cum.

  Her orgasm seemed to go on and on and he worked to keep his pace, drawing out her pleasure while taking his own.

  With a shift of his hands he grasped her unbitten shoulder, held her steady while he prepared to force another orgasm from her. His body was ready to come with his pleasure gathering by the moment, each ragged breath drawing his climax closer.

  He increased the speed and strength of his strokes, her pussy still responding to his fucking. The slaps of their bodies turned into fierce slams, his mate passionately meeting each thrust, compelling him to increase the power behind his moves.

  “Fuck, yeah. Take it, Maya.”

  “Yes, yes, yes…”

  His balls smacked against the bottom of her ass while he pounded into her, and his climax was there, teetering on the precipice. The pleasure, the ecstasy of being inside his mate, rose with each second, hurtling him over his own precipice. Alex couldn’t quiet his lion’s growl if he wanted to, the animal taking control, as if he were trying to somehow pleasure Maya even more.

  His fulfillment was in reach, and the beast propelled him over the edge. He trembled and spasmed with the force of his overdue orgasm. Breathing took a backseat to the ecstasy he felt, the joy of being inside his mate while rolling in utter bliss. He bucked and jerked, cock mimicking his body’s motions while he came. His hips kept moving, but without any rhythm. The jerky movements were spurred on by his orgasm, overtaking his every move.

  With Alex’s hips still sealed to his mate’s, he felt the tremors ease and slow, as did his breathing. Eventually he simply lay panting over her, his body resting and align
ing with her abundant curves, cushioning him with her warmth.

  “Mmm…” Maya sounded sated, happy.

  His cat was damned cocky about that fact.

  Turning his head he lapped at the nearly-healed bite, pink scars the only reminders of his claiming.

  Maybe she wouldn’t notice until he had time to explain. Maybe he’d get a year leeway or something. Wishful thinking.

  Holding tight he rolled them until his lazing mate covered him like a blanket, his cock still comfortably inside her. She squeaked at his move, but quickly settled, and buried her face in his neck.

  Alex stroked her back, soothed and petted her, his lion at ease now that its mate was fully claimed. The damned thing was purring.

  “That was,” she breathed against his neck, snuggled closer, “amazing.”

  “Mm hm.” He was afraid to say anything else, not quite sure how he was going to explain his earlier actions. His beast finally relinquished control, teeth and hair receding, until Alex was pretty sure he looked human once again.

  He slid his hands farther south, kneaded and squeezed her ass, enjoyed the feel of her heavy globes in his palms. She was made for him, plump and soft in all the right places. The perfect woman to carry his cubs, to nurture them, to mother them. Purrfect.

  “Thank you.” She shifted, pushed up as if to leave him.

  Never! He shifted his hold, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

  “You said you were mine, sweet.” He worked very, very hard at not sounding psychotically possessive.

  “I… But… That was just…”

  “That was just me saying you’re not leaving my bed. Ever.” Okay, he was being psychotically possessive.

  She fought his grasp, and he eased his hold a little, letting her raise her chest, but still keeping a firm grip on her waist. “Look. This was fun, but—”

  Alex placed a finger over her lips. “But you loved every minute. Tell me you’re not attracted to me. Tell me this doesn’t feel right, and that you truly want to walk out that door and never see me again.”