Perfect Mate by Jennifer Ashley Read Free Book Online Page B

her female spaces responding with answering
     fire.
    Nell’s mouth opened for him, her lips shaping to his. Cormac swept his tongue into
     her mouth, continuing the dance. He licked behind her teeth and under her tongue,
     tangling with her, tasting her.
    He gently pulled back, taking away his talented mouth, leaving Nell bereft.
    “Now
you
kiss
me
,” Cormac said.
    “What?” Since when did her voice shake so much? “I have been.”
    “No. I kissed you. It’s your turn.”
    “We aren’t cubs,” Nell tried.
    Cormac’s laugh was soft and low. “Do you see anyone here who cares?”
    They were alone. Quite alone. Up here on the mountain, shielded by a blanket of snow,
     there was no one to see them, no one coming. Eric, the rat, had probably warned everyone
     in Shiftertown to stay away.
    Cormac waited. He had laughter in his eyes, which crinkled in the corners. Nell read
     loneliness in those blue eyes, remembered how he’d described being left brutally alone
     as a cub. But she also saw that his loneliness had not defeated him.
    Nell drew a breath, put her hands on his shoulders, and kissed him hard on the mouth.
     Cormac’s lips firmed under her brief assault, and he chuckled when she drew back.
    “That the best you can do?” he asked.
    “Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet, honey.”
    Nell wrapped her arms around his neck. She opened his mouth with hers, darting her
     tongue inside. She licked him, tasted him, played with him, nipped him. She slanted
     her mouth across his, taking him in, their lips meeting and parting, the soft sounds
     of kissing blending with the crackle of the fire.
    Cormac’s large hands pressed the small of her back then moved down to her buttocks.
     He scooped her up to him, his mouth strengthening on hers, as she kept on kissing
     him.
    More sliding of lips, tangling tongues, biting, kissing. When Nell started to back
     off, Cormac pulled her closer, his mouth commanding.
    Something changed in that kiss. The playful Cormac became serious, a Shifter male
     commanding a female. Nell felt the change, scented it . . . wanted it.
    If she knew what was good for her, she’d push him away, storm back to the truck, and
     drive it down the mountain, leaving Cormac behind. If he and Eric were so chummy,
     Eric could come and get Cormac.
    All right, so Cormac probably had the truck’s keys in his front pocket, and Nell digging
     into the pocket to take them out would be dangerous. Good thing she knew how to hot-wire
     a pickup.
    She shivered. His pocket would be a warm place, and his cock would be just within
     reach.
    Nell broke away, struggling for breath. “Kissing only.”
    Cormac’s eyes held less laughter and more desire. “Was anyone doing anything else?”
    “You were thinking about it.”
    “Of course I’m thinking about it. I’m here alone with you, and you’re wearing that
     sexy dress. I want to peel it off you and lick every inch of your body. I want you
     down on that soft rug in front of the fire, so you and I can do what Shifters were
     meant to do.”
    “Fight off the enemies of the Fae?”
    “Yeah, funny.”
    “If I give in and make love to you, you’ll use it to persist with this idea that you
     want me as your mate.”
    Cormac shrugged. “I’m going to persist anyway, so we might as well have some fun.”
    “I can’t have sex with you!” Nell’s words rang up to the high ceiling of the cabin,
     circled around the balcony on the second floor, and came back down.
    “If you’ve forgotten how, I’m happy to teach you. You put your arms around me . . .”
     Cormac demonstrated.
    “Will you stop joking? I have full-grown cubs, for the Goddess’s sake.”
    “Why should I stop joking because you have full-grown cubs? They both have good senses
     of humor. Shane, in particular.”
    “I barely know you.”
    “Nell.” Cormac slid his hands under her hair, closing the few inches of space between
     them. “I know I scared you. I know I upset you. I should