To Love a Shifter: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (17 page)

            The stance alarmed him. Damn! Had he made her cry with all his teasing? “Misty?”

            She looked up and he was shocked to see that she was laughing with tears in her eyes.

            Was she hysterical? “Misty?”

            She kept on laughing. God! She was such an idiot! “I finally figured out why I’m acting like a fool.” Misty took a deep breath and admitted the truth with a helpless shrug. “I’m so nervous and excited about kissing you and doing…those things…that my mind just isn’t working properly.”

            The desire that he had so carefully kept leashed broke free. Without a word, he swept her in his arms and kissed her as he made his way up to the bedroom. She gasped against his mouth, but he didn’t cease the pressure of his kiss. He watched her sigh and surrender, eyes closing, arms going around his neck.

            It was only when he had locked the door and set her down that she started acting uneasy again.

            He quelled her protests and struggles with one look. He crooked a finger. “Come here.”

            She did.

            “Closer.”

            So she did.

            “I’m going to undress you.”

            For the life of her, Misty couldn’t bring herself to speak. Her entire body was heating up and all she could do was stare at him and wait. Her skin burned every time it felt the touch of his fingers. Before she knew it, her shirt was on the floor. Seconds later, it was joined by her skirt.

            Misty’s arms immediately crisscrossed over her chest and panties. She didn’t know which one she should cover first even though Domenico was doing his best to drive her crazy with his kisses.

            Domenico chuckled against her mouth as he pulled her hands away.

            They fell limply against her sides as she felt Domenico unclasping her bra and tossing it to the floor. He started moving them toward the bed until the back of her knees hit it.

            Domenico immediately lifted her onto the bed, skimming her panties down her thighs as she landed on her back. It was so fast that she was naked by the time she blinked up at him.

            “Don’t,” Domenico said hoarsely as she attempted to cover herself again.

            The intensity of his gaze made Misty feel even hotter and she wrapped her arms around her chest more tightly while twisting her legs closed.

            “I was unable to sleep the entire night just imagining you like this. Let me look at you, Misty. Please?”

            She swallowed. “It’s…embarrassing,” she whispered.

            “Don’t be embarrassed with me. Ever. I’m going to be your husband. We’ll be spending the rest of our lives together.” He touched her face and let his fingers caress a trail to her neck. He felt her shiver. “Let me look at you.”

            She slowly let her arms drop to her sides again. Misty watched him watching her and slowly, she got over her embarrassment. It was impossible to stay that way when he was gazing at her so reverently, as if he was worshipping her body.

            “You’re still dressed,” she said shyly.

He smiled. “Undress me?” he invited huskily.

Without a word, she reached for the buttons of his shirt. She wasn’t as graceful as he was, but she did manage to get his shirt and pants off. She only hesitated when he was down to his briefs.

            Domenico grinned at her hesitation even though it was already killing him not to pounce on her.

            Damn, she was sexier than he had imagined.

He quickly got rid of his briefs, not giving her a chance to worry even more. Domenico covered her body entirely with his. He groaned. She whimpered. The feel of her breasts with their hardened tips made him hungrily seek her lips with his.

            Sensations of immeasurable heat licked every inch of her body. She couldn’t believe she was naked in Domenico’s arms, couldn’t believe how his kisses just kept getting better and better, couldn’t believe how right it all felt.

            Then and there, she knew.

            She loved this man. She had only known him for a few days, but there was no denying the truth. She loved him.

            Misty closed her eyes as his lips descended on her body. His weight pressed her down more firmly as his lips reached her collarbone.

            Domenico’s hands began to explore her body and she closed her eyes, doing her best to keep the moans inside her as his touch sent jolts of electricity through her body, one after another. His ministrations were so good that she finally gasped breathlessly at the sheer pleasure of it all.

            When he finally cupped her breasts, she couldn’t help it. She let out a long moan, her body arching as he took one tip into his mouth and sucked. As he sucked harder, she moaned even more. The sounds coming out of her mouth made a small part of Misty mentally cringe, but she couldn’t stop them anymore.

            Everything inside Domenico demanded for release. It was the most intense craving he had ever experienced, making him want to take her in all ways possible. The feel of Misty’s naked body in his arms, under his hands, the sound of her moans and gasps - all of it had a devastating effect on his quickly-crumbling control.

            Misty started to get bold, her hand tentatively moving, sweeping his chest, stroking his back, and moving down.

            He caught her wrist in time. “Misty?” His voice was harsh.

            “Yes?” Hers came out as a croak.

            “I want you to still be a virgin when we marry.”

            “I don’t think I want to be,” she said honestly because her mind was too filled with the possibilities of greater pleasure…especially when he was finally inside her. Just the thought of it made her restless and she shifted under him, trying to search for a satisfying position.

            He bit back a groan. “Misty, stop moving.”

            “I can’t.” She sounded completely bewildered, irritated, and something else that made him want to forget all his honorable intentions.

            But he held on. “Believe me when I say it’s killing me more than you know, but we need to wait. However, instead of getting married in a month, I want you to marry me next week. Agreed?” His voice brooked no argument.

            “Yes.” Then she asked, almost sadly, “We’re not going to…”

            He laughed. It was the first time for him to laugh but still feel out of his mind with desire. She was utterly cute, utterly priceless. As a way of inspiring himself to not to succumb to the temptation of taking her virginity, he vowed to himself that when they did marry, he wouldn’t let her leave the bed for three nights. Maybe four, five…

            He smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead.

            She sighed and pulled him closer, kissing his shoulder. Her body felt so hot and tingly, aching in places she hadn’t known. She moved restlessly against him again.

            Domenico repressed a shudder when Misty’s teeth nipped his neck. In return, he turned her head sideways, nuzzling her cheek before biting her ear and tweaking one tip with his fingers at the same time.

            She gasped and stiffened, pulling him more tightly against her.

            “I think I want to do it now,” she said, unable to believe that she had actually said the words. But she really wanted to! And they were going to be married! What was wrong with doing it now?

            “Stop tempting me,” he gritted out as he held her hips to stop them from moving.

            “But --”

            “We’re not going to do it and that’s final. But I promise you, you’ll still like what will happen and I’ll make you gasp all night long.” He didn’t wait for her answer.

            She wouldn’t have been able to anyway. Because by then, Domenico was kissing her all the way down until --

            “No,” she yelped when she realized what he was about to do.

            “Not --” She gasped at the first lick of his tongue against the folds of her womanhood.

            Her head fell back at the second lick.

            She clutched his head at the third, making him chuckle and kiss her even more deeply.

            She did not stop gasping until the waves of pleasure reached a peak, making her body arch, her eyes rolling back at the sensation. “Domenico,” she gasped and her body shuddered as she came and came and came again, his tongue never ceasing to flay her core with long, wet lashes.

            Domenico lapped every drop of Misty’s essence up, loving how her sleek soft thighs trembled at his touch.

            He couldn’t believe how turned on he was just seeing Misty reach an orgasm. Just imagining what it would feel like when he could finally be inside her made his erection even more painful, but the exquisite pain that came with the anticipation was one he relished.

            He had been prepared to marry someone he might not be attracted to in order to thwart his father’s plans for him, but he had been blessed. Misty was everything he wanted – and more. He would never make her regret choosing him.

            Never.

Dear Diary,

 I never knew I could be such an exhibitionist, but the more time I spend with Domenico, the more I’m sure I would risk almost everything just to have him kiss me. And touch me. I can’t get enough of his touch. Just looking at him makes my breasts ache. It amazes me that I seem to have the same effect on him.

Sometimes at work, we would be in the elevator and he would stand behind me, pressing his erection to my back, teasing my clit into life while everyone has their eyes on the floor numbers. A part of me is dismayed when he does that, but the bigger and more shameful part of me wants to know how it would feel to come with other people around – but without them knowing about it.

          It must be amazing to be as sexy as Domenico.

            The morning after had not been awkward at all. It couldn’t be since Domenico was already gone by the time she woke up mid-afternoon. She had been aghast at the time and would have panicked if not for Domenico’s butler telling her that Domenico wanted her to take the day off and to meet him at a nearby restaurant.

            And now she was here. A receptionist had shown her to a private room. Domenico had been talking on the phone when she had come in, but he had smiled at her so beautifully it made her heart race.

            She remained standing, content just to look at him.

            No matter from which angle she looked, he was just too sexy. No matter what he did, no matter what he wore, he exuded a kind of magnetism that made one stop and just stare. She could stare at him for days without getting tired of him.

            She watched with helpless longing as Domenico took off his shades, placing them on the table before running one hand through his hair. Her mouth dried as he slowly stood from his seat, mesmerized at the way every suit he wore seemed tailored to emphasize the elegance and ruthless strength of his whipcord-lean body.

            Fingers snapped in front of her.

            Misty straightened, surprised to see Domenico already standing inches before her, an odd look in his eyes. “Are you all right, darling?”

            She swallowed, “Yes, sir -- uh, Domenico,” she corrected herself quickly. Dear, dear Lord…why was she feeling so hot? The air conditioning was fine, wasn’t it?

            Maybe
, a sly voice inside her head suggested,
it’s because you’re H.

            H?

            Have the hots for him, horny--

            Snap!

            “Misty.” Domenico wore a puzzled frown this time.

            Oh God, she had been talking to herself.

            She managed a weak smile. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”

            Domenico raised a brow. “About what?”

            “Nothing.” But her blush gave her away.

            Domenico bent down to stare straight into her eyes. “Really?” he asked slyly.

            She took a step back. She couldn’t help it.

He countered each of her steps back with another step forward until she found herself yelping as her back hit the wall.

            Domenico’s hands were suddenly braced against the wall, forming a barrier on each side of her face and effectively imprisoning her in place.

            “I wasn’t thinking about anything important.” But her voice trembled in the end. God, God, he was so near. His lips were so near. And he smelled so good. And God, God…

            He laughed. “Liar.”

            Domenico’s lips touched the edge of her mouth.

            Misty wanted to turn so their lips would meet, but she couldn’t. She didn’t have the confidence just yet, even with everything that happened last night. That still felt like a dream.

            “Tell me,” Domenico whispered, his mouth near her ear this time.

            “I…”

            He licked her ear.

            She jumped.

            “What were you thinking about?”

            He cupped her face.

            And she realized she couldn’t lie. “You.” She couldn’t elaborate, wasn’t allowed to elaborate --because Domenico was kissing her deeply.

            An hour later, they were seated across each other, Misty glaring and Domenico smiling complacently as blushing and giggling waitresses served them their food.

            When they left, Misty burst out, “They knew!”

            Domenico shrugged. “So?”

            “What do you mean so?” she sputtered. “They knew we--w-we---” She couldn’t get the words out, but her red face said what she had to say.

            “I wanted you. You wanted me. We’re about to be married,” Domenico said simply, finally looking at her. “They didn’t see us, did they?”

            “They heard us!” In fact, she could remember the five times she moaned and the particular thud that her back made when he slammed her against the wall and made her come in his mouth – again, with his tongue thrusting in and out of her.

            She closed her eyes in mortification.

And even if they hadn’t heard them making noise, the way Domenico was acting said it all. There was an unmistakable air about him, one that told everyone very clearly he had just been completely sexually satisfied.

            Domenico nearly smiled, but didn’t because he could see Misty was halfway to being seriously upset. “Cara, Lyccans are not like humans. I told you already, didn’t I? We are not as inhibited as most humans are. Passion is definitely not something to hide. I’m not saying we’re ruled by it but we don’t find shame in enjoying it - especially if it’s with the right person.”

            “We’re in a restaurant!”

            Domenico almost smiled again. She reminded him of that cute kid in the Disney movie – the one that the girls had made him watch with them years back.
But it’s a talking dog!

            “No one saw us. So what’s the problem? Didn’t you enjoy it?”

            Misty looked tormented.

            This time he laughed. He knew why she was looking like she was about to have diarrhea. She wanted to be honest but at the same time felt embarrassed at doing so.

            “You’re so hard to understand,” Misty mumbled.

            “Am I?”

            “You were supposed to be cold. Everyone thinks you’re cold.” Misty sounded almost accusing. “But you’re not!”

            And there
, Domenico thought,
is the difference
.

Any other woman would have rejoiced in making him lose his cool. Because Misty was right. He did not normally act like this. Yes, he was Lyccan and yes, his kind was very passionate. But Domenico used to be different from other Lyccans…until now.

            Until Misty.

            But she didn’t know that and he liked it that way.

It was beginning to be clear to him that Misty was going to be more important to him than he expected her to be, dangerously so. It was imperative that she did not realize that. If his own father – his own flesh and blood, someone he had once idolized – could hurt him so deeply, then Misty – who owed him nothing – could do much worse.

            He smiled at her, knowing that his thoughts – unlike hers – were completely hidden. “I promise I’ll never make love to you again until we’re married. Will that make you happy?”

            She looked tormented again.

            He laughed.  “Come on, come on. You know you want to say it,” he murmured silkily.

            How did he know her so well in so short a time, she wondered. Out loud, she said reluctantly, honestly, “No. That’s not going to make me happy.”

            “Great. I wasn’t about to keep that promise anyway.” He suddenly took her hand across the table and brought it to his lips. “Never lie to me, hmm, Misty? Even if it’s out of embarrassment. I despise dishonesty.”

            She nodded, trembling still at the touch of his lips against her skin. She wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t lie to her, too, but under the circumstances, she didn’t really have the right, did she? Glancing at Domenico and seeing the brooding look on his face, she said haltingly, “What about you?”

            Domenico was startled. “What about me?”

            “You didn’t get to--” She blushed.

            Mesmerized at the play of emotions on her face, he drawled out, “Is that an offer to make me come, darling?”

            Swallowing, she nodded.

            He smiled, knowing she was probably mentally squirming by now. “Relax, Misty. I don’t ever want you to think that you have to return the favor every time I give you an orgasm. I like doing it for you,” he said simply.

            Misty’s gaze was earnest when it sought his, making him suck his breath in as she said shakily, “I
want
to pleasure you.”

            His cock immediately rose to attention. “What,” he said slowly, “do you have in mind?”

            Misty gulped at the hunger in his eyes, and his challenging tone made her wonder if she was truly ready for what she was about to do. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I want to take you in my mouth.” She closed her eyes the moment she said it, feeling her cheeks heat up.

            “Are you sure you want to?”

            Her eyes flew open at the mocking doubt in Domenico’s tone. Even though she knew he was only teasing her, she felt defensive. Lifting her chin, Misty said, “Yes.”

            “Then come here and kneel before me.”

            Here I go
, Misty thought, and her panties immediately became wet at the thought of what was about to happen. The thought of making him come in her mouth, of being able to make someone like Domenico Moretti lose control, was enough for her heart to beat madly and her breasts to throb in exquisite pain.

            She got up from her seat and knelt between his knees as he turned his chair away from the table.

            Seeing Misty in a subservient position brought out something fierce and primitive from inside him, and Domenico’s cock swelled even more. “Unzip my pants and take my cock out,” he said, lust causing his voice to thicken.

            With none too steady hands, Misty carefully lowered his zipper, pushing the black briefs to the side so his cock could spring free. Even though it was her second time to see it, the sheer length and girth of his manhood still made her gasp.

            Domenico almost smiled. He would have if he did not have the most painful hard-on he had ever had in his life. He had never been this excited for a blowjob. “Do you think you can take all of me?”