TherianPromise (19 page)

Glancing at the tub, he made sure he had time before he
asked, “May I undress you as well?”

“Not until you’re naked.” She pointed to the front of his
jeans.

Desire rolled through him, fueled by the challenge inherent
in her attitude. They’d barely begun and already he wanted to regain control,
to rip the clothes from her body and press her up against the wall. Instead, he
lowered his zipper and slowly removed his pants. Her gaze followed the descent
of his hands until his shaft sprang free then her focus locked into place.
Their positions the night before had kept her from seeing more than an
occasional glimpse of his cock. Her rampant interest now only made him even
harder.

He stroked himself with one hand, drawing heat and urgency
into his groin. “See what you do to me. Would you like to touch it, sunshine?
It’s all for you.”

She immediately reached for him, but he caught her wrist.
“Not until you’re naked.” He used her words as a sensual taunt. So much for
being passive.

Her gaze narrowed for a moment then she ripped off her shirt
and tugged on one of her boots. The stubborn footwear wouldn’t budge.

“Would you like my help with that?”

She sat on the edge of the tub and he removed her boots and
then her socks. Pausing long enough to turn off the water, she stood and
unfastened her bra. Her enthusiasm thrilled him, but it also compromised his
efforts to keep things slow and easy. He unzipped her jeans and she shoved them
down then kicked them aside.

Before she could touch him, he pulled her against him and
covered her mouth with his. Her hands moved up and down his back, pausing from
time to time to squeeze his ass. Her lips parted and her tongue lightly touched
his, but he wasn’t ready for a deep, breath-stealing kiss. Instead he eased her
back and motioned toward the tub.

“Get in.”

She laughed. “I thought I was in charge tonight.”

“You’re right. I apologize. What would milady like next?”

She circled him, boldly running her gaze up and down his
body. “Are Therian males fitness junkies or are you naturally lean?”

“It’s not just males.” Her distraction allowed him to
scrutinize her body as closely as she was scrutinizing him. “Your body is sleek
and toned. Do you live at the gym?”

“Good point.” She stopped behind him and pressed her breasts
against his back. “I’ve always kept really busy, but I’ve never paid much
attention to what I eat.”

Her eager hands stroked his chest and sides as she rubbed
against his back. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the heat of her soft body and
the light stroke of her fingers. His cat tossed his head, restless and ready to
pounce. He tried not to rush her, wanted her to explore and indulge all of her
impulses.

She caressed her way around to his chest and bit her lower
lip as her gaze zeroed in on his cock. He expected her to swoop down and fist
his hard shaft. Instead she stroked his chest and squeezed his biceps while his
cock bobbed between them, desperate for her touch.

Pushing up to the balls of her feet, she whispered in his
ear, “Would you like me to touch you?”

He fought back a groan as desire constricted his balls. “You
know I would.”

“Then say it.” She leaned in and his tip brushed against her
soft belly. He caught her wrist and tried to bring her hand where he wanted it.
She laughed and twisted out of his grip. “Now you have to say please.”

How had she turned this around? Each time they’d touched
before she’d seemed uncertain, almost afraid. Why was she so much more
confident now? Jake and Ian. The thought made Kyle tense and his eyes stung as
Therian light erupted in his gaze. Jake flirted with every female on the
planet. Ian had been more subtle, but his desire for Ava had been easily
interpreted. And she’d obviously enjoyed the attention.

He’d put a stop to this right now. Slipping his hand into
her hair, he formed a loose fist and slowly tilted her head back. “I want your
hands on me and only me. I want your lips so accustomed to my taste that anyone
else is repulsive. I want—”

She placed her fingers against his lips as he had done with
her. “Where is this coming from? I told you I don’t want Ian.”

“What about Jake?” He eased up on her hair but didn’t remove
his hand.

“Let go of my hair.” Her tone was cold and precise, her gaze
rapidly cooling.

He pulled his hand back and took a deep breath.

“Let’s get one thing perfectly clear.” She took a step back
and snatched a bath towel off the rack, holding it in front of her as she went
on. “You don’t own me. No man ever will. It was only after my mother stopped
depending on men and stood on her own two feet that she had anything resembling
a real life.”

“I’m sorry I upset you.” Her gaze narrowed and he braced for
the coming storm. That had obviously been the wrong thing to say.

“You’re sorry
I’m
upset? How about being sorry for
acting like a possessive asshole?”

He grappled for the right words while his cat roared,
objecting to any compromise. She was his and his alone, challenging that fact
only made him more determined to prove it. With any other female, he would have
kissed her into submission. He’d have accepted the challenge and demonstrated
his superior strength and the depths of his hunger. But Ava had been reared
human. She didn’t understand Therian ways. No matter how loudly his cat
objected, he had to be patient with her.

“I don’t want to own you, but the thought of another man
touching you is…upsetting to me.”

For some reason his explanation made her smile. “If this is
you upset, I’d hate to see you get jealous.”

“The only weapon affective against jealousy is trust.”

Her momentary amusement evaporated and she was glaring
again. “You don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust anyone,” he admitted. “I’ve been repeatedly
betrayed by those I considered friends and more than a few lovers. I try not to
expect the worst in people, but experience has taught me to be wary.”

“That’s sad.” She draped the towel back over the rack and
climbed into the bathtub. “Is there no one in your life you can relax with, no
one who’ll support you no matter what?”

“My mother and Quinn.” He remained beside the tub, not sure
if she’d welcome him in the water.

“I thought you were going to wash my hair.”

Suppressing his relief, he climbed into the tub and settled
against the molded end, facing her.

“Why have so many betrayed you? Are you that poor a judge of
character?” She softened the question with a playful smile and sank to her chin
in the water. Even though he could still see her clearly, the barrier seemed to
make her feel more secure.

“My ancestors for six generations have held the position of
network Prime. Both my father and grandfather resisted proposed changes to the
Charter and stood in the way of much-needed changes. Suffice it to say, my
family has many enemies.”

“What’s the Charter?”

He relaxed against the tub and spread his arms along the
rim. Even keeping his gaze fixed on her face was doing little to curtail the
hunger building inside him. But he needed her to understand the forces that
shaped him. It would allow them to connect on more than a sexual level, and he
sensed that she wanted that as much as he did. So he ignored the pressure in
his groin and fought the urge to drag her back into his arms.

“It’s a set of rules and policies governing the behavior of
Therians, rather like the humans’ Constitution.” A nod was her only reply, so
he went on. “Many of the alphas voiced their frustration with rules they
considered obsolete or antiquated. My grandfather insisted there had been a
concrete reason for each word entered into the Charter and gathered supporters
who shared his view.”

“And your father continued the fight?”

“Yes. The reformers—or rebels as they like to call us—grew
in number, but the Prime council dug in their heels and refused to budge on
even the most obvious changes.”

“But you’re one of the rebels, aren’t you? That’s what you
said when we first met.”

“I absolutely agree that the Charter needs to be updated,
but the situation is more complicated than my beliefs. My mother comes from a
long line of Historians. They are responsible for our historical relics and
maintaining the journals containing our history.”

Understanding narrowed her gaze and her shoulders gradually
relaxed. “And these Historians have disagreed with their husbands’ position?”

“My grandmother tried to remain neutral and concentrate on
her responsibilities. My mother is too much like her father. Neutrality is just
not in her character. She has distinct opinions and she’s not afraid to voice
them. She’s been the driving force behind the rebellion for the past twenty
years.”

“That must have made their marriage harmonious.”

“Their union was established by the rules she is trying so
hard to eradicate. Father wasn’t abusive, but theirs was not a love match.”

She fiddled with the bottles on the shelf beside the tub
until she found one that pleased her. “The history lesson is fascinating, but
I’m not sure what it has to do with your unwillingness to trust.” She poured
some of the blue liquid into the water then reached over and activated the
jets. The tub buzzed to life and water swirled all around them, rapidly forming
fragrant bubbles.

“I’m the youngest network Prime in recorded history.”

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-four. But my father’s illness incapacitated him four
years before he died, so I was barely thirty when I began acting in his place.”
He had to raise his voice to be heard over the motor, but she appeared to be
attentive and interested. “My mother’s supporters were thrilled to have another
voice on the Prime council, but Father’s allies expected me to continue his
positions.”

“
Another
voice on the council? Who else supports the
changes?”

“Ian.”

“So the Rocky Mountain cats and the Minority Network are for
changing the Charter while the Canines and the Southern cats want things to
stay the same?”

“Exactly. Canine Prime is Nate Fitzroy, father of the wolf
who tried to abduct you.”

“I see. And the Southern Prime?”

“His name is Fredrick. Ian and I have some hope for
converting him, but Nate is hopeless. He has a massive chip on his shoulder and
he’s unwilling to compromise on anything.”

“So you never know when someone is genuinely interested in
you or when they’re trying to further some political agenda?”

“Basically. I’ve learned to search for ulterior motives and
expect the worst. Unfortunately, people seldom disappoint me.”

She pushed to her knees then crawled toward him, the bubbles
clinging in the most distracting places. “What ulterior motive could I possibly
have? You came after me, not the other way around.”

“I never said you deserved my suspicion. I’m trying to
explain why I reacted so strongly, even though you’d done nothing wrong.”

“Careful.” She straddled his hips, her warm ass cheeks
lightly resting on his thighs. “That sounds precariously close to a genuine
apology.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.” He placed his hands on her
hips, not wanting to risk the progress they’d made yet unable to go without
touching her another minute. “You’ve given me no reason to doubt your…” He
wasn’t sure how to end the sentence. He didn’t want to put words in her mouth.

“Attraction to you?”

He accepted the suggestion with a stiff nod. He felt far
more than simple attraction to her, but this was a good place to start. She
wasn’t glaring at him anymore.

“I’m not attracted to Ian or Jake.” She pressed her hand
against the side of his face and smiled into his eyes. “I only want you in my
bed and in my body. Are you okay with that?”

Rather than reply with words, he drew her head down and fit
his mouth over hers.

Chapter Eight

Ava parted her lips at the first touch of Kyle’s tongue. She
ached for him, needed his fullness inside her core and his blazing presence
inside her mind. Their bond strengthened and expanded each time they made love,
yet she didn’t feel encumbered by the connection, she felt protected and whole.

The kiss was slow and gentle. Their lips slid and pressed
while their tongues tenderly stroked. His taste spread through her mouth and
his scent filled her nose, more appealing to her senses than the expensive
bubble bath.

She pushed her fingers into his hair as his hands drifted
across her back and teased the outer swell of her breasts. His erection bobbed
in the water between them, brushing against her belly as she began to roll her
hips.

“I was going to wash your hair,” he murmured against her
parted lips.

“After.” She nipped his bottom lip. “I want this more.”

He chuckled then bent to her breasts as he whispered, “I’m
at your command.”

His lips fastened on to her nipple and sparks of pleasure
zinged from her chest to her core. She arched her back and combed his hair with
her fingers, noticing each texture and relishing each sensation. His hands were
so strong, yet he touched her with such care. She felt special and adored in
his arms.

She’d sensed desire smoldering in him, threatening to boil
over and control his actions, but he’d restrained his need and shared more of
himself with her. She rewarded him with open responses to his caresses. Not
that she’d been able to hide how much she wanted him in the past, but now it
was a conscious decision to bask in the heat of their desire.

Shifting back far enough to make room for her hand, she
reached between them and found his cock. The shaft rose hard and thick, nearly
breaking the surface of the churning water. She carefully squeezed him near the
base then stroked from base to tip, sliding up and down with steady pressure.