Over and over again, he takes my mouth until I’m so wet that I feel like I’m going to die. Finally, just before I start grinding against him like I’m in heat, he pulls back and looks down at me.

  “Cassidy,” he says. “Let’s go home.”

  “I’ll drive,” I whisper.

  We climb in my car and instantly, he reaches for me, kissing me again and again. I don’t know if we’re going to make it back to his place at this rate. We certainly aren’t going to be making love at my house. Not with Grandpa lurking around. Oh, I don’t get the impression that my grandfather would mind if I brought someone home, but I’m not interested in pressing my luck in that department.

  Besides, I want some privacy with Matthew. I want to be able to be as loud and as wild and as carefree as I want. I don’t want to be worrying about waking anyone up.

  Fortunately, Matthew seems really, really into me.

  Maybe it’s the drinking. Maybe it’s just because we didn’t get together before. Maybe it’s because we both have high stress jobs. I don’t know. All I know is that right now, I don’t want him to ever stop touching me, and I get the feeling that he doesn’t intend to. His hands slide down the top of my dress as he kisses me. He fondles my nipples, twisting and pinching them.

  “Tight little nipples,” he murmurs. “They’re so hard, honey,” he looks at me and smiles. “Are you turned on, Cassidy?”

  “Yes,” I whisper, because my mouth can’t seem to form any other words.

  Yes, this is the hottest thing I’ve done, oh, maybe ever. Of course, my nipples are hard. Every part of me is aroused and excited and filled with need. My entire body is pulsing, coursing with desire, and I don’t know if I’m going to survive much longer without him inside of me.

  “Matthew,” I pull back, but he reaches for me, chuckling, and kisses me again.

  “We have all night, Cassidy,” he strokes my hair. “Don’t be in such a rush to get home. Enjoy the ride, pretty girl.”

  “But, we’re in the parking lot.”

  “You’ve never made out in a parking lot before?” He asks. “I didn’t take you for the shy type.”

  “I’m not shy, but I haven’t made out in a parking lot since I was about sixteen.”

  “Tonight’s the perfect night, then.”

  “I want more.”

  “Slow down, princess,” he says. “I’ve got to sober up a little before I ravish you, anyway.”

  “Why?” I whine, and I hate how needy my voice sounds right now, but I can’t seem to control the need inside of me. He woke something deep inside of me: a desire I had long ago forgotten I had.

  “Because I want to enjoy every moment with you, Cassidy. You’re fucking perfect, princess, and I’m going to show you that.”

  “How?” I whisper, and he smiles. He takes my hand and starts kissing my fingers, drawing his tongue over each one. Then he nips at me and looks up. His eyes meet mine, and he starts to tell me exactly what he’s going to do to me once we’re alone at his house.

  “First, I’m going to strip you, Cassidy. You’re wearing entirely too much clothing.”

  “I’m hardly wearing anything.”

  “It’s still too much.”

  “So, you’re going to take it off.”

  “Yep. That dress can hit the floor and stay there where it belongs. I want to see those pretty nipples out and free.”

  “Fuck, Matthew,” I whisper, and my core tightens in anticipation. What’s he going to think when he sees me without my dress on? Is he going to like my panties? My bra? Is he going to like the way I look standing there before him like a feast?

  “Then I’m going to walk around you, baby. I’m going to circle you like you’re my prey because tonight you are.”

  “I am.”

  “Yeah, you are,” he growls, and he nips at one of my fingers. “I bet you look fucking lovely in your panties,” he says.

  “I’m sure I look okay.”

  “Better than okay, but it won’t matter because you’re going to lose the panties next.”

  “I am?”

  “You are,” he tells me. “I’ll take your bra off and throw it to the side. Then I’ll slip a finger under your panties.”

  “Good,” I whisper back, finally finding my voice. “Because I want to feel your fingers in me, Matthew.”

  “Is that right, baby? Are you wet for me?”

  “Yes,” I whisper. I don’t even blush now. I’m way too excited for that.

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes.”

  “Show me,” he says, and he motions to my dress.

  “You want me to show you?”

  “Oh, yes, princess. Show me how wet that pussy of yours is for me.”

  I don’t know what to do. I’ve been with plenty of people. I’m no wilting flower, after all, but I’ve never been with someone who just tells me what they want the way that Matthew does. He doesn’t hold back at all. He seems to have no trouble just telling me what my next steps should be. I kind of like that. I kind of like how he takes control. I kind of like the way he dominates me in this way.

  So, it’s with excitement and anticipation that I slide my panties off in the car and hand them to him. He doesn’t even look at them. He just shoves them in his pocket and waits for what I’ll do next. I don’t want this moment to end. I’m having so much fun being naughty with him. I lean deeper against the seat, close my eyes, and start touching myself.

  “That’s it, pretty girl,” he says. “Play with that sweet pussy. I plan on it. You look so fucking hot in the moonlight, Cassidy. I love the way your entire body relaxes when you close your eyes. Right now, it’s just you and me. It’s just the two of us and nothing else matters, okay? No work. No boss. No stress. Just you and me and your fingers.”

  I slide one finger inside of me and then another, stroking myself. It feels so good to be relieving my stress in this way. It’s just like he says: it’s just us right now. I really don’t have to worry about anything else in the world. All I have to do it listen to his voice and his commands and see what he says next.

  “Now let me taste.”

  I stop touching myself and look over at him.

  For a brief second, I think he must be teasing. I’ve never let a guy taste me like that before, but the look of excitement on his face is matched with dark passion in his eyes, and I slide my fingers out and reach for his lips.

  He sucks on one finger and then the other, tasting all of me, and I watch as he does. This is dirty, and we both know it, but we both want more. Matthew licks and sucks on my fingers until he’s satisfied and when he’s finished, he bites me gently and pulls my fingers out.

  “You are so fucking delicious,” he tells me. “And I want more. Let’s go.”

  I look at him and realize that this is the moment I have a choice to make. I can go with him. I can take him home. I can spend the night worshipping his body, but I can also run the risk that tomorrow morning is going to hurt: really hurt. I don’t date shifters. Hell, I don’t date anyone. I especially don’t date the CEOs of companies my boss hates.

  But, tonight is about me.

  It’s about Matthew.

  It’s about us.

  And I realize that when it comes to tonight, there’s only one decision I could possibly make.

  Reaching for the keys, I start the car and pull out of the parking lot. I turn away from the bar and start driving down the empty road. The sound of crickets fills the air as I drive farther and farther from the bar, farther and farther from my chance to say no. I drive until he tells me to turn, and then I drive a little bit more, but I don’t regret this at all. I’m not going to.

  I refuse to.

  Tonight is all about us and I’m ready to have an adventure.

  I’m ready for everything else he has to offer.

  I’m ready for Matthew.

  Chapter 10

  Matthew

  By the time we reach my house, I’ve sobered up considerably. That’s one of the nice things about being a shifter. Yeah, I can get drunk, but I can sober up almost as quickly. Now I’m glad that I had a nice buzz going when I met up with Cassidy, but I’m even more glad that I’m going to be at the top of my game when we get to my place.

  We pull up to the driveway and she parks. Then we sit in the car for what feels like an eternity.

  “So,” Cassidy drums her hands on the steering wheel.

  “Hey,” I reach for her and place my hand on her leg. “You don’t have to come inside if you don’t want to.”

  “You don’t want me to?” She seems surprised and a little sad.

  “I definitely want you to, sweetie,” I cup her face. “But there is no pressure here, okay? We can do whatever you want tonight. If that means cuddling on the couch, then that’s fine. If it means ordering a pizza, that’s okay, too.”

  “What if I want more than that?” Her eyes darken a little and I smile.

  There’s my minx.

  There’s my wildcat.

  “Yeah, sweetie, we can do more than that.”

  “You know I mean sex, right?”

  “Oh, Cassidy, you’re about to learn an incredible lesson.”

  “What lesson is that?”

  “When it’s with me, baby, it’s never just sex.”

  Her eyes widen and she steels herself, trying to play it cool, but I know my words are turning her on. Good. They need to. I want her to be turned on and aroused. I want her to be happy and excited. I want her to be anxious, wet, and ready when we get inside.

  Because tonight, I’m not going easy on her.

  I’m taking this all the way.

  “I’m going to spread you out and taste you, Cassidy. I’m going to fucking devour you.”

  “You kind of already did.”

  I laugh. Is she serious? Something tells me that despite her strength in the workplace, Cassidy hasn’t had many lovers. I don’t mind at all. I’m happy to show her everything I know. I’m happy to show her how to play by my rules.

  “I haven’t even gotten started, sweetie. I haven’t even touched you. You touched yourself, remember?”

  She blushes, and I grin.

  “Come on,” I tell her. “Let’s go inside.”

  We get out of the car and head toward my house. It’s a smaller one I designed myself. It’s got two bedrooms and a great view of the hillsides that Lyon County is known for. A forest backs right up to my backyard, so I can easily shift and run through the woods if I want to. There’s nothing holding me to the house. I can leave anytime I like. I can run and be free and wild if I want to. Perhaps most importantly, the forest being so close enables me to shift easily and discreetly. As a lion in a county full of tigers, it’s important to be discreet. I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to poach their land or move in on their territory.

  But I do have to eat.

  We reach the front door and I reach for my keys, open the lock, and motion for Cassidy to lead the way in. I left an interior light on, so there’s a soft glow when we step inside.

  “Wow, this is lovely,” she says, looking around at the woodwork in the front hallway.

  “I chose it all myself,” I tell her.

  “It’s really nice.”

  “Not as nice as you,” I say. “What do you think, Cassidy? Is the bad girl ready to come out and play?”

  There’s a naughty girl deep inside of Cassidy. It’s buried in there somewhere. She’s a little timid and shy on the surface, but Cassidy is anything but. She wants to be wild. She wants to be able to play and have fun and be naughty, but maybe she’s never had the chance to do these things. Maybe she’s never had the opportunity to be just a little bit feisty.

  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with the way you express your sexuality. For some shifters, that means mating while in animal form. For some, it means sleeping with multiple partners. For others, expressing yourself means withholding from it altogether.

  For Cassidy, I’d venture a guess that she wants to explore, even just a little, but she isn’t quite sure how to get there. Luckily for her, I’m just as feisty as any lion and I’m more than ready to help guide her along the way.

  She looks up at me and her lips part just a little. I take the opportunity to claim her mouth, dominating the kiss, and showing her exactly what I think of little Cassidy tonight. I run my hands up her sides and over to her breasts, but I don’t touch her there. Not just yet.

  She groans against my mouth and the sound shoots right to my cock. Oh, those pretty little moans are going to be my undoing. Cassidy makes noises like she’s hungry and needy and anxious, and I just want to show her how much better it can get. We’re only getting started and the night is still young.

  I kiss her over and over, moving my mouth to her neck. She grips my shoulders, holding on as I lick and tease her skin. I make my way down her neck to her clavicle and kiss, lick, and nip at her. Finally, I reach her cleavage. She stills and I look up at her.

  “You can tell me to stop at any time pretty, girl.”

  She shakes her head hastily.

  “I don’t want you to stop.”

  “No? What do you want, Cassidy?”

  She doesn’t say anything. She just bites her lip.

  “Cassidy, tell me what you need, princess.”

  “I want...”

  There’s a huge difference from accepting something you’re enjoying and demanding your lover give you want you want. Making love with someone who is playful is perfectly fine, but having your needs met is even better.

  That’s what I’m going to do for Cassidy tonight.

  I’m going to make her totally mine and it all starts with a question.

  What does Cassidy want?

  I want, patiently, my hands on her hips. I let her think about the question for a few seconds, and finally, she answers me.

  “I want you to take my dress off.”

  “Good girl,” I murmur, and I grab one of the straps with my teeth. I yank, tugging the strap to the side of her shoulder. Then I repeat this movement with the opposite shoulder. The strap falls to the side and a gentle tug on the dress brings it down. The fabric falls to the floor, unwanted, unneeded, and she stands before me in her strapless bra. Her panties are still in my pocket. She looks fantastic.

  “Perfect,” I say.

  “Don’t you mean purrfect?” She asks, giggling.

  I smile and kiss her.

  “Yes, of course,” I tease. “You just beat me to my own joke.”

  I love that she’s playful even when she’s dripping wet with arousal and need. Soon she’s not going to be making jokes, though. Soon she’s going to be grinding down on my cock, gripping me with her tight body, and running those nails down my chest. I want the beautiful tigress. I want all of her: claws and everything.

  “But you’re still wearing too many clothes,” I say. “Take your bra off.”

  I take a step back and watch, anxious to see what she’ll do. Will she be utilitarian? Will she reach back and unclasp the bra? Will she toss it to the floor? Or will she tease me? Will she make this seductive?

  She considers for only a moment, and then she turns around. Now I have a lovely view of her pretty little bottom, and I bite back a groan of my own as she wiggles it at me. She reaches behind her back and unclasps the bra. Then she slowly, slowly, slowly, pulls it away from her body and drops it to the floor.

  She runs her hands up her sides and over to her front. Then she turns around with her hands over her breasts. Cassidy looks at me and smiles, and then she drops her hands. Her breasts bounce perfectly, and I realize that maybe I’m the one who’s in over my head here. She really is fantastic, and I can’t wait to be inside of her.

  Chapter 11

  Cassidy

  The look on his face says he knows exactly what I’m doing, and he doesn’t care.

  He doesn’t seem to mind that I’m teasing him, playing with him. He doesn’t mind that I’m toying with him right now. In fact, if I had to venture a guess, I’d say that Matthew actually likes this.

  Likes me.

  Likes what I’m doing.

  He likes the way I’m touching myself, playing with my own curves. He likes watching, and actually, I kind of like showing off for him. I’ve never really been particularly into exhibitionism, but with him, I can’t seem to stop myself. He got me wound up in the car and now he’s going to have to deal with the beast he’s unleashed.

  Because that’s what he’s done.

  He’s unleashed something wild in me.

  Something feral.

  I don’t know if I can ever go back to the way things were before this moment. More importantly, I don’t know if I want them to. I kind of like the way he’s looking at me right now. I love how he’s devouring me with his eyes. He’s hungry, and his inner-lion is nipping at his self-control. I can see the fight going on inside of Matthew. He wants to release everything. He wants to break free. He wants to dominate me in this moment.

  He wants to conquer me.

  And I’ll let him.

  I am totally, completely, and wholly willing to let him do whatever he wants to me tonight, and more than that, I want to play, too.

  I take a step toward him, and then another. I reach for him and move close until my breasts are pressed against his chest. My nipples are hard and peaked, ready for his mouth or his hands, and he smiles down at me.

  “You’re fucking beautiful,” he whispers.

  When he says these words to me, I feel like he means it. He really means it. It’s not something he’s saying because he’s horny or because he wants to get me into bed. Obviously, that’s already happening. No, when Matthew says that I’m beautiful, I really believe him because it feels like the words hold a certain weight to him.

  He says that I’m beautiful, but what I hear is, “You’re enough.”

  I’m enough for him.

  I don’t have to be perfect or tiny or flawless.

  Who I am is good enough, and he sees beauty in me regardless of any perceived imperfections or flaws.

  I lean up and kiss him again and again. We make out standing up, touching each other, teasing each other. He tastes like whiskey and fire all rolled into one unbelievably sexy package, and I know that no matter what happens, everything is going to change after tonight.