CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Shadow
My question hangs in the air as Kayla stares down at me, her eyes large and shining with emotion. It takes her a moment, but that’s all right. She can take all the time she needs. I’ve waited a year. I can wait a few moments more—she’s worth it.
Her hands fall away to reveal the most stunning smile. “Yes.”
It’s such a small word, so simple.
It’s also the best damned word in all the realms.
I surge upward, my arms wrapping around her as my mouth takes hers, hot and insistent, pouring everything I’ve held in check into this kiss.
When we break apart, her voice rasps with want.
“Shadow, I love you. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I love how underneath that gorgeous exterior, you hide the biggest heart, always doing such lovely, thoughtful things for others. I love how much you love your family.” She cups my cheek.
“And I love how much joy you’ve brought into my life.
Yes, I’ll marry you. I want to play with you forever. ”
She loves me! My dearest Kayla loves me.
I hoped I’d won her heart with my year-long courtship game, played first long and slow and then hot and fast. Warmth and happiness and love fill me until my entire body hums with joy.
I kiss her again until she clings to my shoulders and my erection strains against the confining pressure of my jeans.
A door bangs, and we break apart to see Victoria write: “The ring! You have to do the bit with the ring, or it’s not a proper proposal!”
“Ah.” I glance around. The ring went flying when I stood to kiss Kayla, and I didn’t pay any attention…
“I’ve got it!” Dewdrop chirps. He stands on the banister, wings spread for balance, the wooden box clutched in his hands. “I caught it before it could fall.”
“Thank you, Dewdrop.” I slip the ring from the box. “You’ve saved the day.”
Holding Kayla’s eyes, I slide the amethyst ring onto her finger.
Kitchen-cupboard applause echoes down the hallway, and Victoria writes, “I get another wedding! You’re having it here, of course.”
Kayla looks at me, and I tip my head, leaving the decision to her. I’ll marry her anywhere.
“Of course we’re having it here,” she says.
Grinning, I sweep her off her feet in a bridal carry and bound up the stairs as she throws her arms around my neck and gives a delighted chuckle.
Inside her bedroom, I nudge the door closed and set her on her feet. “Now that the marriage contract is complete, we no longer have to worry about the consummation clause.”
Her lips curl as her eyes meet mine, sparkling with shared, secret amusement. We agreed to never speak of the time we had sex in Faerie where Victoria can hear, not wanting to deal with the resulting tantrum. I like having hot water for my showers.
“I need to claim you, Kayla,” I growl, my erection leaping at the thought. “I need to knot you and make you mine.”
Her lips part on a gasped “Yes.”
There it is again: the most perfect word in the world.
As much as I long to claim her, I take my time, licking and savoring every inch of her skin.
I kiss her palms, the insides of her wrists.
My fangs tease across the soft skin of her inner elbows, and my mouth opens wide to suck on the rounded caps of her shoulders.
I nibble her ears and scrape my fangs along her jaw, reveling in every soft inhale she makes.
I suck on her throat, enjoying the feel of her racing pulse beating against my tongue as the rich scent of her arousal perfumes the air.
“Goddess, the scent of you drives me wild, my witchy beauty,” I groan. “I can smell that you’re already so wet for me.”
I peel off her T-shirt and drop to my knees to worship her glorious breasts.
My lips glide down the slope of one breast, then up the other, teasing the soft skin at the edge of her bra.
A twist releases the fabric, and I feast, big open-mouthed kisses sucking on her nipples until she buries her hands in my hair and cries out my name.
I glide my mouth down the soft swell of her stomach, my lips whispering over her skin in a primal promise of love and worship.
Her jeans succumb to my slow assault, and I toss the heavy denim aside and set her on the edge of the bed.
Gripping a foot, I lift her leg to lick the soft divot of her inner ankle, smirking at her moan as I glide my mouth up her calf to tease the back of her knee.
I scrape my fangs across the velvety soft skin of her inner thigh, enjoying her shiver.
If these past few weeks have taught me anything, it’s where my witchy beauty loves to be touched, and I make full use of every bit of that knowledge.
The damp spot on her panties grows, her smell blooming even lusher, and my mouth waters, but I force myself to repeat my attentions on her other leg, enjoying the lush softness of her thigh, and by the time I reach her core, she squirms, her hands tugging at my head as she lifts her hips.
Opening the drawer of her bedside table, I pull out a vibrator and flick it to life. Even though we’ve long since proved she can climax without them, I never want her to worry about bringing toys into bedroom play.
Besides, I’m a cat. Show me a toy I don’t love.
Her beautiful brown eyes watch avidly as I glide the buzzing shaft over her underwear, teasing her until she gasps, “Shadow, please.”
I catch the edge of her panties with my fangs and rip them from her, then plunge my tongue inside her sweet depths, groaning as her exquisite taste fills my mouth. I lap at her, working her with tongue and toy until her thighs tremble, her inner muscles clench around me, and she screams my name.
I ride out her orgasm, then set the toy aside. Standing, I strip off my clothes and climb onto the bed, pulling her up beside me. The movement leaves behind the shredded scraps of her panties, and I toss them from the bed.
She huffs in amusement. “God, you’re flipping hell on my underwear collection.”
“I’ll buy you a hundred, a thousand.” I smirk, teasing a fang with my tongue. “I’ll buy you every pair of panties in the world as long as I can tear them from you.”
Kayla reaches for me, her lush thigh pressing against my cock and making me moan. Leaking seed coats her skin, and her pupils blow wide, turning her brown eyes black as she gasps, “Oh, god, Shadow.” Her strong hands tug me forward, insistent. “Shadow!”
“I’ve got you, my beauty, my dirty girl.
I’ve got exactly what you need.” I move over her, the head of my aching cock trailing aphrodisiac precum across her thigh.
Fisting it, I pump out a handful and lather it over her wetness, using two fingers to push it inside.
“Goddess, you feel so amazing. Going to get this pretty little pussy all ready for my knot.”
My fae form doesn’t have the permanent knot of my werepanther form, but the base of my cock tingles with anticipation, ready to swell upon orgasm, ready to lock her to me for hours on end.
She moans, head tipped backward, body arching as I push another fistful of seed into her.
“Do you want that, my dirty girl? Do you want my knot?”
“Yes,” she sobs. “Oh, god, yes.”
I add another finger, twisting them to hit that spot she loves so well.
Her gasp rings through the room as her muscles clench.
“Goddess, feel how tight you are.” My hips jerk, grinding my cock against her soft thigh, chasing the pleasure of warmth and pressure. “You’re going to feel so exquisite around my knot.”
I keep working her with my fingers until she can take all four and her cries turn even more pleading. “Shadow, I need you. I’m so empty.”
“I’ve got you. Going to give you just what you need.” I pull my hand free and grip my erection, teasing the head over her entrance. “Going to stuff that pretty little pussy so full.”
“So full,” she moans. “Yesss.”
“I love you, Kayla.” I slide the tip into her. “I love you so much.”
Then her long legs wrap around me, her heels hooking into the back of my thighs, and she uses all of her strength to pull me to her.
I can refuse her nothing. A growl rumbles through my chest as I thrust deep. The sudden heat and pressure make my eyes roll back in my head. “Goddess, you feel divine.”
The slow stalk of the courtship game, the long wait to get close to her, then the more torturous past few weeks of play without penetration. Worth it. A million times worth it. I’d wait centuries for one second inside her sweet depths.
I pull almost all the way out before plunging forward again, the contrast between her heat and the coolness of the bedroom air intoxicating.
“Shadow!” She spurs me on, rubbing her deliciously soft breasts against my chest, delighting my skin, so much more sensitive than fur could ever be.
I revel in her, wanting to consume all of my witchy beauty as she tightens around me. “That’s it. Come for me, dirty girl. Come all over my cock.”
She gasps with each thrust, high little pants of pleasure that make my balls tighten.
I speed up, my heart racing, every breath full of the musky scent of her arousal, so rich I can taste it. Arching forward, I cover her mouth with mine in a searing kiss.
Kayla cries out, “I love you, Shadow!”
Her back arches, her muscles fluttering around my cock in a pulse of intense pleasure as my witchy beauty finds her glorious release.