GettingLuckyinGalway (5 page)

“I very much would like to visit your council and learn
their methods. Maybe they have suggestions I can bring back to my people. Or at
least something besides death to those leaning to the darker side of their
magic.”

“If I can help, I will,” Calder volunteered. “Honestly, I’m
not very high up in the pride. More of a loner among loners, but my family
knows just about everyone. They are very sociable so I know they’d be happy to
help you.”

“Help with what?”

Calder’s whole body jerked at the sound of Roark’s low
voice. With a pounding heart she slowly turned to face him. Firelight loved
him, lightly kissing the sharp angles of his handsome face while his eyes
glowed in the low light.

“Never you mind, young one,” Nob scolded in a fond tone
before turning back. “Many thanks for your graciousness, Calder. We’ll talk
more later.”

“Absolutely, Nob.” Going with instinct, Calder leaned
forward to press a gentle kiss to his weathered cheek. “I very much enjoyed
spending time with you.”

Nob, to her complete surprise, turned a deep shade of red
and mumbled something unintelligible under his breath before hastily leaving
the room.

“Not much flusters the old guy, but you sure did,” Roark
commented as he slid into the brownie’s empty chair. “What in the name of the
seven dimensions were you two talking about?”

Seven dimensions?
She wondered if she wanted to know,
but thought better. Some things she just wasn’t ready to face and other
dimensions ranked high on the list.

“We talked about history, the fight between good and evil,
and where to get the best homemade fudge,” she said, refocusing on the
conversation. Though she and Nob hadn’t managed to discuss the fudge issue,
Calder knew they could get to it later. Some things were too important not to
discuss.

Dark brows rose at her words either in disbelief or
astonishment “And that’s all you talked about?”

“Are you always so suspicious or is it just me you don’t
trust?”

“I think we need to establish a few boundaries or at the
very least lay our cards on the table.” He leaned forward, elbows resting on
knees, while Calder did her best to ignore the taut stretch of fabric over firm
muscles.

“Age before beauty,” she offered.

“Sassy on top of beautiful. What a lucky male I am!”

“Let’s see if you still feel that way once we’re done with
our discussion.” She wouldn’t go out of her way to piss him off, but Calder
knew few males outside the shifter race and few within it could handle a female
lioness in mating fever. No matter how magical his bloodline, Calder didn’t
think Roark’s slight but muscular build would withstand her demanding heat.

It really would be a shame if she broke him in half during
an amorous bout of lovemaking. Even his cock could be in danger of being broken
in half if her feline self wasn’t satisfied. Better men, shifters, humans and
demons had cried mercy and fled a she-lion’s bed during her heat cycle.

“According to my people, my legends and every freaking beat
of my heart, I recognize you as my
Liaria
, my mate and other half.” The
words hung in the air, ripe with promise and anticipation.

His direct and unvarnished truth settled something shaky
inside Calder. Returning the respect, she gave Roark the honest truth. “And
according to my traditions and legacy, you are my mate, my one. The destiny
fate meant for me alone.” Something tickled her memory and she blurted out the
question before censoring herself. “Wait,
Liaria
, isn’t that a…?”
Oh
shit.

When she couldn’t finish the sentence, Roark completed it
for her. “Leprechaun term? Yes, it is. Fitting, don’t you think, since I am a
leprechaun born, raised and proud of it.”

“Oh shit,” she repeated aloud this time. “I thought your
race was cursed since you pissed off Maeve.”

“Oh she’s still pissed. No one can hold a grudge like the
Queen of the Fae, even though fate had another mate selected for the male she
wanted.” His answer came easy, words tripping off his tongue even as his light
accent disappeared.

“Will she have an issue with you finding your…ah…
Liaria
?”
The last thing Calder wanted or needed was to have the Queen of all Fae after
her ass for breaking some law she didn’t even know she was breaking.

“No,” Roark laughed softly. “Maeve long ago stopped
torturing my people for the perceived fault of one of our own. So long as the
world at large still believes us short, bearded old people with nothing more on
our minds but gold, rainbows and cobbling shoes, she leaves us alone.”

“This is very…well, weird. My mate is supposed to turn furry
and rip heads off innocent but delicious deer. He’s not supposed to follow
shiny objects for days at a time while tricking ignorant humans with fool’s
gold.” Goddess, she’d be mated to the equivalent of a ten-year-old with ADD.
What had she done so bad in a previous life to deserve this?

Strong, calloused hands clasped her own. “I’m over
five-hundred years old, Calder. I’m not prone to childish games or gestures any
longer. My time is spent overlooking my investments, visiting family, traveling
when the whim takes me and dreaming of the day I’d meet you.”

Damn, did the leprechauns have some pheromone she didn’t
know about? Everything about him appealed to woman and cat in her. Strength,
honesty and blatant sexual hunger burned in his gaze.

“I’m a serious meat-eater,” she threw out, hoping to tame
the wildfire burning in his eyes. “I’m talking really rare as in my food might
still be kicking.”

“I’ll be sure to keep wet wipes in my pocket.” He used his
hold on her hands to pull Calder closer. Bare inches separated them before she
remembered to speak.

“I don’t do morning anything. There’s such a thing as being
too close and sharing your morning breath is way past my comfort zone.”

Instead of agreeing with her completely sensible rule, Roark
burst out laughing, evaporating any tension, sexual or otherwise, clouding the
room and their thoughts. “You say pretty much whatever pops into that beautiful
head, don’t you?”

Since he didn’t sound upset or even mildly annoyed, Calder
nodded. “Felines aren’t known for their restraint. We see something we want and
we go after it. The same applies to our thought process. We think it then speak
it. Really no censoring involved.”

“Hmm,” he murmured, closing the last few inches separating
them. “I believe I can learn to love that about you.”

“The morning breath is a deal breaker.” She whispered the
words against his lips, both enjoying and hating the anticipation building
between them.

“I’ll see what I can come up with to prevent such a
catastrophe as I’m sure I’ll desire you as much in the morning light as I do in
the night.”

“Enough teasing,” she growled and slipped a hand around his
neck to pull his head down.

Lighting struck her senses with the first touch and taste of
his full lips. They were warm, shockingly soft for such a strong, solid man.
His taste exploded through her senses, better than a full bowl of sweet cream.
Calder could get drunk on his flavor alone. When his tongue pressed the seam of
her lips, demanding entrance, she eagerly opened for him. At the first fiery
touch they both exhaled then Roark took her, sank into her mouth, tongue
probing deep, stroking and inciting.

She tugged him closer, wanting to banish even the smallest
distance between them. She could simply sink into him and his kisses, they
drugged her in a way she’d never experienced before. The long, languid strokes
of his hand on her covered breast mimicked his tongue in her mouth. He lifted
his head for a second then moved in deeper, tongue diving into her mouth,
seducing her further with each stroke.

Without quite being aware of it, they somehow moved together
until they ended up on the thick carpet in front of the fire. The embrace
brought her close to him, so close her breasts touched the soft material of his
shirt. There was no need for more words. Their bodies understood what nature
demanded.

She was the one who initiated the kiss, but Roark took
control of it immediately, one arm holding her tightly to him, the hand at the
back of her head holding her steady for his plundering kiss. Her breasts were
crushed against his hard chest and she wanted to feel the bare skin of him
warming her flesh.

Quick as a thought, Calder partially shifted one hand, her
gleaming claws breaking out long enough to carefully slice through the thin
material. Returning her hand to normal, she broke the kiss long enough to pull
back and yank the ruined shirt from his chest.

“Like to play, do you, kitten?” he asked before whispering
some lyrical words in a low tone. Seconds later her own t-shirt disappeared
along with her white cotton bra. “Just remember, I like an even playing field.”

Then he pulled her close again, the wiry hairs on his chest
delicately stroking the hardened tips of her breasts. Her clit thumped in
arousal, moisture pooling between her thighs.

Their mouths met again, clung, the kiss long and passionate
as they learned each other at the most basic level. Each stroke of his tongue
pushed her desire higher, made her thighs quiver and her hands shake as she
clutched his firm shoulders.

A hand at the small of her back slid around her waist to
drift over her exposed belly. She tensed briefly, as any shifter would do. The
soft underbelly was a vulnerability any animal did their best to shield, but
this was Roark, her mate. So Calder forced herself to relax. Her actions were
rewarded when his hand moved from her waist to the waistband of her jeans.

Mouths separated long enough for Roark to mumble more of his
magic words. Her pants disappeared as she expected along with her underwear, so
there was nothing to buffer the full impact of his intimate touch. Lighting
struck. She gasped for breath as a finger slowly circled over her clit. She was
wet with need as her hips followed his every movement.

“You’re like wet silk,” he said, keeping his touch light
even as he stroked her labia, gently circling her eager opening.

“Need you,” she panted, pushing her hips harder into his too
gentle strokes.

“No,” he argued, voice low and raspy as he watched his
fingers torture her. “Our first time will not be rough and rushed. I want to
take my time. To love you properly.”

Another finger teased her empty body and her control broke.
She didn’t give Roark time to react as she unsheathed her claws and ripped the
jeans from his body.

Calder offered up a quick prayer of thanks to the goddess
for his lack of underwear even as she moved to stroke and cup his large,
pulsing erection.

“Shit, Calder, wait, woman. I want to taste you, tongue-fuck
you. I’ll hurt you if you don’t come first.”

Holding his monster cock in her hand, she could see where he
was coming from. She couldn’t wrap her fingers around the width of him so Roark
probably had a point, but she wasn’t in the mood to wait for what he wanted.
Later she’d let him tongue her to orgasm, but now she wanted his cock deep
inside her.

“Make me come, then fuck me,” she ordered even as she rode
his fingers.

His touch, no longer light or teasing, stroked her swollen
clit. His calluses were rough, lending the right amount of painful pleasure to
his touch. She loved it. His hand picked up speed and her hips writhed to his
rhythm. Somehow he knew exactly where to touch and the exact pressure she
needed. The muscles in her thighs protested and her stomach clenched as her
body shattered. She cried out, convulsing around his fingers.

Her body still shook with the internal ripples of a truly
outstanding orgasm when Roark lifted her off him. She whimpered at the loss of
his fingers.

“Now, Calder,” Roark said, his voice low and raspy. In mere
seconds he was sheathed in a condom. He opened her completely with two fingers,
holding her open as he thrust inside, the movement fast and hard. He shoved in
to the hilt, so deep in her she could feel the hairs around his pubic bone
brush against the softness of her sensitive flesh.

“Roark!”

“Fuck, you’re tight. So sweet…ahh, don’t move.”

She couldn’t help it. She needed to move, had to move even
as her inner muscles clenched around the strong, thick column splitting her in
two.

Silently they watched each other, their breaths mingling as
easily as their bodies joined.

“Ready now?” His breath came fast while his pupils narrowed
down to small black pinpricks in a sea of green.

“Move,” she demanded, wrapping her legs around his waist,
determined to get him moving before her brain exploded. Just as the
contractions from her first orgasm started to fade, Roark moved, unhurriedly at
first. The leisurely drag of his swollen flesh pulling out sparked nerve
endings to life Calder never knew existed.

Gently he circled his hips, stretching her to accommodate
his larger than normal size. Then there were several shallow thrusts upward.
And Calder saw stars as he managed to reach some spot in her that had her body
bowing. Each following drive set off sparks of pleasure. His movements strung
out her contractions.

“Goddess, how responsive you are. That’s it, love, keep
squeezing me.”

She couldn’t do anything to stop her body from fighting to
keep his cock deep inside her. With every passing second the fireworks grew,
intensified as her breath sawed in and out, her heart pounded, her entire body
stiffened as Roark’s movements sped up.

His strokes were sharp and firm, big hands held her still as
he plowed into her with determined force. Time lost all meaning as Calder fell
into a maelstrom of pleasure more intense than she’d ever experienced. It went
on forever yet ended too soon. His movements were rigid, almost violent, on the
edge of being painful, but somehow flaming her need higher.