Micah (23 page)

“
Nolan said that had there
been any family that they would have been responsible for the
children. But as everyone died in the accident, they were wards of
the state. Grandda said that their lawyer, a man he’d gone to
college with, had heard that you and I were married and approached
him about it. Grandda said that he’d nearly told the man no. But I
think he’s glad now that he’d asked.”

“
I am as well.” The
children would know that they were adopted. They had already
decided that they’d never keep that from them. It was for the best,
too, since they were human children and would eventually see their
parents as cats. Maybe growing up in this sort of household, they’d
become more tolerant of their kind. “I want to do something for the
girls, if you don’t mind. I’d like to have some of their parents’
things put into storage for them. Just in case they want to see it
later.”

“
I can have Garth do that.
He said that the house will be sold soon. Do you want to buy it as
well?” She shook her head. The girls wouldn’t have any memories of
the house, but they could have some of the things their parents
might have treasured. “Anything else for them? I know that this is
important, not just for them but for us as well.”

“
I don’t know yet. I’d
like for them to see Boyd someday, but not just yet. He is much
better, but they’re so tiny.” Nodding, he took Alexis to the bed
and laid her in it. When he came for Anne, she kissed her downy
head and let him take her. They slept in the same bed for now. And
they had had to scramble to purchase a second set of everything
they had gotten for the one of them. “I don’t want to dress them
alike. They might be twins, but they will have their own
personalities. I don’t want them to get tagged as the same
person.”

“
I like that.” They went
out of the bedroom and turned off the light. The pretty nightlight
that had been Micah’s when he was a baby danced little panthers all
over the wall above their heads. There was soft music playing as
well,
Brahms Lullaby
, that would play for eight hours for them. Reggie had read
somewhere that the music, any kind, would keep them from hearing
strange noises.

They took the monitor with them out on
the deck. Micah told his grandda that they were going on a run, and
the great-grandparents were thrilled to watch over the girls while
they did. As they walked hand-in-hand out to the woods behind their
home, Micah told her about the nanny he had looked into.

“
We can’t be here all the
time. And even if we can be, I think we should have a little help.
Like when I’m on a case and you’re all alone. I want to know that
you can call on someone when you need them.” She smiled at him,
agreeing with everything he said but keeping quiet while he worked
through it. “She’s really nice. You’ll just love her. Mom even
liked her. Like you said, Grandma and Grandda need to go home at
some point and this way we’ll be—”

“
Micah?” He snapped his
mouth closed. “When does she start? As much as I love your
grandparents, I’m ready for us to be with them by
ourselves.”

It had only been a few days—six as a
matter of fact—but they were doing well, she thought. Gracie even
said they’d picked up on it better than anyone she’d known. Reggie
had been looking up books on the Internet and had decided that she
would rather mess up on her own than depend on a few books. One of
the authors hadn’t even had any children yet seemed to be full of
advice. Gracie had also told them that the children would help them
as well. They only had a few needs and if it wasn’t that they were
tired, hungry, wet, or wanting to be held, then they could ask her.
But she thought they’d do fine.

~~~

It was getting colder now.
Thanksgiving was in two days and Micah knew that his mom, along
with the rest of the family, was getting ready for a big family
dinner. Boyd was coming for the day with a nurse, and even Fred had
agreed to come. They were going to have a houseful by the time they
sat down. His mom was in heaven.

“
I’ve been thinking about
Joey and his farm. I think it’s just what he needs.” Reggie said
she agreed. “And the horses will be a good way for him to relax and
enjoy the outdoors more. He’s inside a lot.”

“
He told me the other day
that he’s been indoors more this year than he had the previous
five. I love it outside.” Micah nodded. He was enjoying not going
to work in an office as well. “I have a question about
changing.”

Micah stopped her and pulled her into
his arms. Lowering his head to hers, he savored the way her breath
moved over his lips, the hunger he could see in her eyes, and the
way her body fit so well against his. He kissed her slowly,
thoroughly until she yanked his head back by pulling his
hair.

“
Love, you have a way
about you that makes me think you should have been born a panther.”
She growled at him. “I was listening to you. I just get distracted
by how lovely you are.”

“
Sure you did. You just
want to get me naked.” Which was true, and he wiggled his brows at
her. “I want to ask you something.”

“
Okay.” She pulled away,
and he felt his cock ache to be back where it was. Or better yet,
to be deep inside of her. “What is it, Reggie? The sooner you ask
me, the sooner I can get you naked.”

“
Is that all you think
about? Sex?” He nodded. He wasn’t going to lie to her about it.
“You are such a man.”

For some reason that made him laugh.
“I am. And I’m hard enough to break the zipper in my pants for you.
Come here, I want to taste you.”

“
What’s it like for our
cats to have sex?” Micah stumbled. He would have fallen on his
face, too, had he not grabbed onto the tree next to him. “Is it
different than the sex we have?”

“
Yes. But not a great
deal.” Micah pulled his shirt up and over his head. “I would very
much like to show you. Right now.”

Her tee-shirt came off and joined his
shirt on the ground. As he unbuckled his belt, he thought of her
question. Christ, this woman could turn him inside out faster than
anyone he knew. When he was naked, his cock straining from his
body, he fisted himself while she finished undressing. He wanted
her now, not when she was finished undressing. Letting his cat take
him, he lunged at her and took her to the ground.

“
Micah, stop that.” He
growled when she tried to get out from beneath him. “What are you
doing? I thought we were both going to go for a run.”

My cat is going to eat
you.
She moaned as she stilled under
him.
Lay back, love. He’s not going to be
gentle with you.

She did as he asked and spread open
her legs. Her panties were wet and the dewiness of them dampened
her thighs. Licking a path from the elastic on her thigh to her
knee and back up the other side had his cat panting, and Reggie
quivering with need. Micah tore her panties from her body, and
Reggie sat up on her elbows and watched him as she slid her hand
down her belly.

“
I want to feel you here.”
Her nimble fingers slid into her pussy and came out wet. She
offered it to him and his cat licked them clean. “Are you going to
eat me, Micah? Let your cat fuck me with his tongue while I come
over and over?”

His cat snarled at her and moved
forward. When he was settled between her legs, Reggie opened them
wider, using her fingers to open her nether lips for him. As soon
as his cat licked her the first time, Reggie curled her fingers
into his fur and held him to her.

She came twice more before he even
slid his tongue into her heat. She tasted of honey and sex. Reggie
cried out his name every time she came, making his cock hurt more
and more. When his cat leaned into her leg to bite her again, mark
her, she told him to do it and the cat, not the least bit gentle,
tore into her leg and shook his head. Reggie screamed so loudly
that his ears ached from it. As soon as he licked the huge wound
closed, she let her own cat take her and took off running into the
woods.

He could have found her so many times.
Her scent was strong and she was leaving so many clues it was
almost as if she wanted him to find her. He was reasonably sure she
did, but he wanted to enjoy this for as long as he could. When he
saw her the next time, she was laying down on her belly watching a
group of deer play. She didn’t even turn when he came up behind
her.

They’re out here a lot. I
see them almost daily
. He moved over her,
his cat protecting her even from the deer.
Micah, I don’t tell you this enough, but I do love you. Very
much
.

And I love
you
. He leaned down and nipped at her
shoulder.
But right now, I need to be
buried deep inside of you. As my cat and me
.

Yes. Oh yes
please
. She raised her hips up for him and
his cat snarled at him. The deer looked in their direction and then
took off. Her giggle had him asking her what was wrong.
They’re not sticking around for the show, I
guess
.

Growling, he put his paws on her
shoulder and entered her from behind. Christ, she was hot and
tight. As he fucked her, taking her as hard as he could, he knew
that she wasn’t enjoying this as much as she’d thought she would.
When he released, filling her cat with his cum, he pulled away and
ordered her to shift as he did the same. The change was
quick.

Micah moved over her, but she wrapped
her hand around his cock and stroked him over and over until he was
fucking her hand. As he tried to pull back, to fuck her pretty
pussy, she took him into her mouth and he grabbed onto
her.

“
Come in my mouth. Then
you can fuck me if you still want.” Growling at her teasing, he
slammed his cock as deep in her as he could. She was taking it,
holding onto him with both her hands until she reached between his
legs and gave his balls a firm but quick twist. Micah cried out his
release while still emptying himself in her. Pulling her back, he
picked her up by her ass and pulled her over his cock. She rode
him, lifting her body up and down on his as he took her to the
tree. Pressing her against it, Micah fucked her over and over until
she came four times before he released inside of her again. Biting
her deep in her throat, tasting her blood as it filled his mouth as
he was her pussy, he growled low, knowing that he’d marked his
mate. Still, he held her.

“
I’m thinking you might
have needed that as much as I did.” He nodded, unable to move just
yet. When she kissed his chin, then his mouth, he lifted his head
and looked down at her. She was so beautiful that she took his
breath away.

“
We’re going to be so
happy together.” Nodding, she kissed him again. “I love you so very
much, Reggie. More than I ever thought was possible.”

“
I love you as well.”
Leaning her head back against the tree, she closed her eyes. “We’re
going to have to go back soon. I have several interviews in the
morning for someone to take over the diner. Then we’re supposed to
help your mom set up the tables at the meeting hall for dinner
tomorrow night. I have about two hundred pounds of potatoes to peel
and cook for said dinner too.”

“
Did you get the guys at
the shelter to help you?” She nodded as he let her go. He was
watching her dress again, bending over to pick something up, and
missed what she’d said to him. When he asked her to repeat it, she
looked at him, frustrated. “You have the loveliest ass. I can’t
help but stare at it.”

“
I said that there are
more than enough workers at the hall to help, but most of them have
no idea how to use a peeler, much less a knife. I was hoping you
and your brothers could help me—” When she tensed up, so did he.
“Micah, don’t move.”

He held his breath and had to count to
ten three times in an effort not to turn. Christ, she was looking
over his shoulder like there was a big monster there. And he just
realized he was butt fucking naked.

“
Reggie, I swear if this
is a joke I’m going to beat your ass.” She shook her head and took
a small step to him. “Fuck. Just tell me what it is.”

“
Snake.” His entire body
felt like she’d dumped ice over him. Micah was afraid of very
little, but snakes were…he was sick with fear now. “Tony told me
that you were bitten once.”

“
I’m going to take a step
to you and when—” Something touched him on the shoulder, and he
whimpered. He knew that at any moment he was going to get bitten
and die a horrible death because no one would help a naked
man.

She giggled, and he frowned at her.
How could she be so…? Then the thing on his shoulder moved over his
jaw and he turned and looked. Tony was standing there with a long
feather in his hand, just about to touch it to his face
again.

“
You fucking bastard.” He
leapt at his brother, but in his anger he’d forgotten about his
nudity again. When he rolled his brother over, he nearly cut his
dick off on a twig that seemed to leap out and grab him. Lifting a
large tree limb to pound Tony’s head in, he turned when someone
whistled. Both of them stilled when they turned to look at
Reggie.