Chapter 7
Frank didn't know what to do when he changed into his green pajamas, and Florence was already under the covers in reindeer pajamas.
He joined her in bed, not sure if she wanted to cuddle or sleep apart, but he moved in to kiss her, and they were sliding their hands over each other's bodies underneath their PJ shirts. He felt like a young man all over again. He loved this with her.
She was kissing his mouth and seemed to be just as wrapped up in the moment with him. When she went to loosen his pants, he was more than surprised, but perfectly willing to go further.
She began stroking him, and he was easily becoming aroused. He ran his hand over her full breasts, loving their softness and fullness, his thumb brushing against her firm nipples.
Adrenaline surged in them, setting every surface of skin humming with urgency, their breathing gone ragged and feral, as if they'd both been running for miles in the dark as cougars on a mission.
Even the air between them seemed to thicken with the tang of sweat and musk, with the primal, almost animal perfume of their desire—her hands clutching at his back, his fingers working frantically at the drawstring of her pajama bottoms.
He groaned when he finally released the bottoms, when the bare skin of her hip came free, and the heat beneath her clothing smacked him like a fever.
He was shaking, not with nerves but with a wild, unfamiliar need, his body overtaken by a single imperative.
She continued to stroke him with firmness, just the right tightness sending him to the precipice.
His own climax came so fast it was almost an embarrassment, like a randy lad who couldn’t last, but for once he didn't care, could only laugh hoarsely into the hollow of her throat as pleasure bucked through him.
Now it was his turn to pleasure her. He began to caress the area between her legs, drenched curly hairs, a swollen feminine nub eager for his touch.
It took her more time to come, but he was patient and determined.
She finally tensed so hard, he could sense her coming, her heart pounding frantically.
She came with a spasmodic clenching of her channel, a low, almost bestial growl in her chest as her whole body seized and then went boneless.
“Ohmigod,” was all she said, breathing hard, staring up at the ceiling with wide, incredulous blue eyes.
He lay beside her, lightheaded and spent, his forehead sticky with sweat, and for a long moment neither of them spoke, the only sound the ragged catch of their breathing and the blowing wind outside the windows on this wintry night.
He chuckled, running his hand over her tummy in a loving caress. "Shower?"
"Yeah, let's do it." She climbed off the bed, and he hurried to join her, tossing aside his pajamas on the way to the bathroom.
Once they were in the large master bathroom, he unbuttoned her pajama top and tossed it back into the bedroom to keep it from getting wet. Then he removed her pants and dropped them on her top while she started the hot water and climbed into the shower.
The sight of her lathering body wash across her chest left him breathless.
When he reached for the soap and began tracing circles on her skin, she met his eyes with a smile that made his pulse quicken.
Without a word, she took the bottle, squeezed a pearl of soap into her palm, and returned his touch with gentle, deliberate strokes of her own.
He never thought he would mate again after he lost his mate, but Florence had rekindled that love all over again. He was glad she had worked with him at the FBI, which gave them common ground. He was excited to spend the rest of his life with her.
They finished their shower and dried off. He didn't know if she would feel more comfortable with putting her pajamas back on, but when she climbed into bed naked, he did too. And then he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.
He thought of declaring his love for her at the dance, but he could be rather impulsive, just like she could be. He ran his hand through her hair, loving the softness. "I want to commit to you."
"Oh?" she asked, her blue eyes wide with interest.
"Yeah. There's no time like the present, as they say. I love you."
She laughed. "I thought the same thing. I love you too, and I invited you to my bed because I didn't want to wait."
He snuggled with her. "I’m so glad. Do you mind this? Or do you need your space?"
"I love this. The snow is falling outside. It's nearly Christmas. It couldn't be more perfect."
"My thought also."
Then they closed their eyes, and he thought he was the luckiest man in the world. They just needed to take Timothy out so their lives could return to normal, and they wouldn't have to have a police escort all the time.
In the middle of the night, she began caressing his back.
Yeah, he was ready to mate her. Though from what he had learned about wolves, it wasn’t the same.
With them, after consummating a relationship, they were mated for life.
Cougars, like other cats, didn’t have that mindset.
But the human part of them tempered their wild cat instincts, and for shifters, they could divorce, but they often didn’t.
Florence loved that Frank was proposing to her in a cougar's way and knew they would be happy together.
He climbed on top of her, and she felt terrific, safe, and comforted.
Then he entered her tight sheath, and she loved it, loved making love to him when she didn't think she would ever do that again with a man she really cared about.
He thrust into her like a young man, their hearts pounding like crazy, their pheromones circling the wagons.
He kept pumping into her, kissing her breasts as she rubbed his back.
Everything he did made her feel like a million bucks.
Then he was climaxing and groaning out loud.
He rolled off her, and she cuddled up next to him.
"You are everything I knew you would be in bed," she said.
"I feel the same way about you." Then he wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"They're going to do it, you know," Rory told Lacy as she joined him in his room at the bunkhouse. It was time for them to be a couple, or else Sexy Santa Wyatt might think he still had a chance with her.
They had decided that it would be better to stay at the bunkhouse so Hal's and Tracey's kids didn't hear them. Though they still had the other ranch hands who would. But they were all adults.
"You mean my grandfather and Mrs. Fitz?"
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"The way they kept kissing, holding hands, and whispering to each other, I know it's going to happen sooner or later."
"Maybe after the Christmas dance?" Lacy asked, stripping out of her clothes.
Rory hurried to remove his, nearly falling when he pulled off his jeans.
She laughed. But then, perfectly naked, they began kissing and running their hands over each other.
He knew that the first time he'd seen her at the coffee shop, she was the one for him.
That's why he'd taken charge of introductions, proving he was an alpha.
So were the other ranch hands, but they hadn't been as quick to make their interest known, which worked for him.
He kissed her mouth in a deliberately slow and seductive way.
She responded, kissing him back with as much conquest. He loved how affectionate she was and how much she was into him, like he was her.
He ran his hands through her long, silky hair, and then they fell on the bed. Thankfully, it was a double, not a twin bed, though they would have made do.
He figured they would tell her grandfather they had decided to mate when they saw him at the dance tomorrow, and hope he was all right with them doing it so soon after meeting.
Then they were on the bed, writhing in the throes of passion, breathing in each other's musky scent, and enjoying every minute of it. This was the first time they had been able to do it in the comfort of a warm bedroom.
"I love you and everything about you," Rory said, then kissed her breast.
"I never expected to fall in love with a handsome ranch hand who would come to my aid when I needed a man in my life the most."
“I just wish you hadn't had to deal with your ex."
"I agree."
Then they pressed against each other, body to body, rubbing, gyrating, kissing each other deeply. Then he moved his body off hers to pleasure her before he entered her, wanting her to feel as much joy in the union as he would.
He brushed his hand down her belly, smelling her intrigue, her need. She put her hand on his neck in an endearing way, kissing him, as he started to move his questing fingers through her curly hairs and found her clit. He began to stroke her, soliciting delightful moans from her.
Then he dipped a finger into her wetness and began to stroke again, pressing harder. She arched her back with delight, eyes closed, as if lost in her emotions. He smelled her happiness and intense pleasure. He kept stroking, kissing her, and then she cried out.
He caught her mouth to stifle her cry. He knew the guys couldn't help but hear them making love because of their cougar hearing, but he didn't want her to feel embarrassed.
"Ready?"
"Yeah, past ready," she murmured.
He began to press his advantage and pushed deep inside of her. Then he began to thrust. He kept thrusting, kissing her, loving her, knowing that this was the perfect time for two cougars in love.
He came and growled. She laughed and kissed him again. Then they just cuddled together, and she said, "I love you."
"I love you too."
She sighed. "I wish we could run as cougars."
"I know, I do too. But we would have to take a bunch of cougars with us to run."
"Yeah, I hate Timothy for ruining this for us."
"We can do it. Just not this late at night. Everyone needs to get up early to work."
"Except for me."
"You can fix meals since you make such great dishes. All of us ranch hands cook, take turns, but it would be nice to have some of your home-cooked meals when we come in after a hearty day of work."
"I would love to."
"Ted taught us all to cook. None of us had a clue, so we'll definitely step in and help or make meals too."
"It'll be fun."
Rory was wondering if Hal and Tracey would give them some land to build on. That's what they had done with Ted when he and Stella mated. But he was the foreman.
That would be the icing on the cake if Hal and Tracey did. Rory would need to be near the ranch in any event so he could get there early enough to work. Then again, Lacy would have more of a drive to get to Yuma Town.
They would have to talk about it.
She was cuddled against his chest as if she were ready to go to sleep. But he was still so wound up about mating Lacy that he couldn't sleep. He was so happy. A cougar run would have helped.
Then Lacy licked his chest, and he realized, though it was dark out because of the time they always got up and that it was wintertime, that it was time to rise.
"You sleep in," Rory said.
"No way. I'm fixing breakfast." She kissed Rory and then slipped away before he could hug her.
Then he was out of bed, naked, and hugged her, kissing, not wanting to let her go.
She chuckled. "Maybe you can come in and have lunch with the others, but then linger a little longer before you join them to work.”
“I’m sure that we can do that.”
“Good.” She then made everyone light, golden crepes filled with zesty orange cream and tart cranberry sauce.
Rory made side dishes of bacon and hash browns.
The guys all started joining them in the kitchen, checking out the crepes. Wyatt shook his head. “You sure got a bargain with capturing the filly’s attention.” Wyatt put out the silverware and napkins.
“We all do. We’re getting a gourmet breakfast.” Blaze set out plates. He chuckled when he saw the old-world Santa napkins. “Napkins? We just grab paper towels.”
“We have a lady in our midst,” Wyatt said.