Lian/Roch (Bayou Heat) (18 page)

He followed the trail she’d set for him, slipping his fingers inside her panties. She lifted her chin and gasped when he cupped her.

“Oh, Lydia,” he uttered, his skin going tight around his muscles. “You’re bare. Soft.” He ran his thumb over the top of her sex. “I can feel your heat, how wet you are.”

She licked her lips. “It’s you,” she whispered. “It’s all you.”

Her words made his heart expand. Whatever this was, between them, he wanted it. That sounded insane given how long they’d known one another. And yet, he was Pantera, and she was here with him in the magical Wildlands.

He slid one finger through her folds. It was so slick with cream he couldn’t stop himself from entering her pussy. A groan rumbled in his chest and he felt his cock turn steel-hard.

She pressed herself against him and moaned. “More.”

Every inch of him rigid with tension and hunger, Roch eased another finger inside her.

She groaned. “Yes. God, yes.”

Did he want inside her? Fuck, yes. More than he wanted to live, at that moment. But he wasn’t going there. Not now. Tonight was about her pleasure. He needed to see that. See her body writhe under his care. Hear her cries of climax as he stroked her.

“Roch,” she uttered, canting her hips, trying to take him deeper.

“I’m here, Lydia,” he said fiercely, as he deepened his thrusts.

I’m always going to be here. If you want me to be.

He pressed the pad of his thumb against her clit and she gasped.

Want me to be, Lydia. Fuck. Please, want me to be.

Her eyes closed and she gave herself over to his touch. He didn’t rush her. Hell no. He wanted to watch this incredible display for as long as possible. Watch her hips circle and grind, listen to her breathing change as he neared climax.

Her nipples were hard points beneath her tank top, scraping against the fabric as her breasts moved, as her breathing grew rapid.

“Oh, god, Roch,” she cried out softly. “I can’t hold on…”

“You don’t have to,” he cooed. “Come for me.”

It was the sweetest hell, watching her, touching her. Wanting to be inside of her. A wave of heat and cream bathed his fingers as he thrust hard and deep inside her. And when she moaned and thrashed her head from side to side against the pillow, he quickened the pace.

“Come for me, Lydia,” he urged, circling her clit with his thumb.

“Oh, god,” she rasped, her walls tightening and pulsating against his fingers.

Roch couldn’t help himself. Couldn’t stop himself. He dropped his head to her breast and suckled her nipple through the thin cotton.

She cried out, her hips jerking. Come leaked from the tip of Roch’s painfully hard cock, but he could only think of her. He wanted that climax. He owned that climax.

As his thumb flicked her swollen clit, and his tongue and teeth worked her nipple, he pressed hard against the sensitive spot inside her with the pads of his fingers.

“Oh, Roch,” she cried out, writhing and moaning, coming apart under him. “Yes…”

His head swimming and his body roaring with unchecked desire, Roch lifted his head and watched her. Watched her ride each wave of orgasm as she rode his fingers. Watched her lips part and a cry emerge. She was so beautiful, so responsive. And he slowly thrust inside her until those glorious waves receded, until she couldn’t move any more. Until she was so weary, she just stilled, and all he could hear was her rapid breathing.

Then he eased himself from her body. She looked spent, and for a moment he was worried. Was it all right to have touched her, made her come? Had he hurt her, or gods no-his heart seized-had he hurt the baby?

“Lydia.” His voice was heavy with tension. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Her eyes opened and she blinked several times. Then she found his gaze and gave him the widest, most satisfied smile he’d ever seen. “Hurt me?” she laughed softly. “Roch?”

“Yes?”

That smile widened even further. “Hurt me some more?”

The apprehension left his body in a rush. Leaving only an intense hunger and a worrisome affection.

She reached for him, grabbed onto the waistband of his pants and tugged. Desire flooded his blood. But he put a hand over hers to stop her.

“No, Lydia.” His voice was raw with tension. Fuck, he wanted her. Wanted to taste her. Bury himself within her.

She looked confused, pained. “Why? Don’t you want me?” Her eyes dropped to his pants. “It looks like you want me.”

“I want you more than I want to breathe or eat or see the sun set over the bayou for the rest of my life.”

Her gaze returned to his. “Then…”

“I can’t. Not yet.”
Not until I know who you belong to
.

He hadn’t said the words aloud, but she understood immediately, and her face fell.

“But I want to stay here with you,” he said. “I need to. My cat and I are in agreement. But I’ll return to the floor.”

“That’s silly,” she said. “Don’t go. I won’t touch you.”

“Christ, Lydia.” She had no idea. She really didn’t.

“I won’t take advantage of you.”

The teasing thread in her voice made him growl. He should say no. Should just leave the bed and park it on the rug. But he wasn’t that strong. Not where she was concerned.

He lay back against the pillow and opened his arms to her. She went to him at once. And when he pulled her to him, she draped her thigh over his possessively.

“You slay me,” he whispered against her hair, feeling well, healthy and strong in his male form for the first time in days.

“And you make me feel safe.”

His chest constricted. No one had ever said something like that to him. What was he going to do? How was he going to deal with the truth when it came?

He heard and felt her yawn and he pulled her even closer. “Sleep now. I’m not going anywhere.”

He closed his eyes too and tried to calm his breathing. After a few minutes, he thought she was asleep. But then she whispered, “Roch?”

“Mmm hmm?”

“Do you think it’s true?”

Without even a hesitation, he knew what she meant. “That this cub is mine?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know, Lydia.”
But I want it to be. Goddess help me, I want it to be.

When she didn’t say anything in reply, he kissed her hair and stroked her back. And when her breathing evened out, and her limbs grew still, he let his mind go, too. And he followed her into sleep.

* * *

Lydia woke to the warmth of the early morning sun on her face and the feeling of a man’s thickly muscled arms around her. As she opened her eyes and took stock of her surroundings, she blushed with pleasure. Most of the bedding was either on the floor or on its way there. She was completely wrapped around Roch’s side and her underwear was still wet.

Her belly, and pretty much everything south of it, clenched. Last night had been extraordinary, to say the least. Her breath caught as she remembered his hands on her,
in
her. And her heart kicked as she recalled his reticence to make love to her.

Maybe that was a momentary hiccup. Maybe today will be different.

She lifted her head and let her eyes move over him. He was so beautiful, so…male. She reached up and dragged a thick lock of his blond hair away from his eyes. Tan skin, sharp angles, stubbled jaw, hard neck, powerful, wide shoulders.

Yes. Today will be different.

Without thinking, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his neck. One gentle kiss. Then she eased back an inch and swiped at his pulse point with her tongue. Oh, he tasted so good.

It was the only thought she could manage before she heard a growl and was swiftly rolled to her back.

She gasped and stared up at the male who had stolen her heart but had yet to take control of it. He looked fearsome and sexy, his eyes blue pools of sleepy hunger, as he easily held himself just inches above her.

“What was that, Ms. Page?” he said on a playful growl.

Her gaze moved from his eyes down to his lips. “I believe I was overcome with the need to taste you.”

He groaned, then lowered his head and kissed her. A soft, deep, teasing kiss that went on for a good five minutes and inflamed every inch of her.

“How’s that?” he asked confidently.

“How was what?” she said, deadpan.

His brows lowered. “I kissed you, woman.”

“Oh, come on now. I’ll need so much more than that to give my opinion.” She grinned and pushed him off her—pushed him to his back.

Granted, Roch was pretty much built like a slab of iron. He could’ve easily remained where he was. But he let her direct him, let her do what was comfortable for her body. And lord, what was comfortable for her was being on top of him, straddling him, feeling his long, hard muscles—especially the one between his legs.

His gaze moved up her body, then settled on her face. A wicked gleam lit in his extraordinary blue eyes. “Take advantage of me, Lydia.”

It was from their conversation the night before, she realized, grinning. She liked him this way. Playful and sexual, and not too serious. She leaned over and kissed him, her palms on either side of his head—her hair falling around them like a coiled curtain. Roch may have been a gentleman up until that point, trying to keep himself and his hunger under control. But once she started in on his mouth, kissing and licking his lips, nipping and suckling his tongue, he went wild. His hands came around to cup her backside possessively, squeezing the flesh as he groaned.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he uttered against her mouth. “Never enough.”

They kissed hard and impassioned, ground their lower halves against one another, made out like teenagers with only stolen moments in the back of one of their parents’ cars.

Her underwear soaked and her mouth desperate to taste the rest of him, Lydia sat up and pulled her tank over her head. After she tossed it to the floor, she found Roch’s gaze once again. As he took her in, he looked like his puma. Or the male equivalent of it. Fierce, hungry, unable to quell its instincts. As in…if the puma wanted something, he took it.

And lord, she sure hoped he took it.

Her hands went to the front of his pants. She traced the outline of his cock, her mouth dropping open as she took in his extraordinary length. Her sex tingled in anticipation. Oh, she wanted him inside of her.

Roch reached for her then, palming her breasts. Massaging. Giving them a hard squeeze, before gently pinching each of her nipples.

“I want you,” she told him on an impatient moan. “Inside of me. Please, Roch.”

His eyes flashed fire. “I can’t. Fuck, I can’t take you, no matter how badly I want you.”

“Why?” This was madness. What was he trying to prove?

In the soft light of morning, he looked doubly fierce. “You don’t belong to me.”

Was it possible for a heart to hurt and swell at the same time? she wondered. “I decide who I belong to, Roch.” She slipped her hand inside his pants and wrapped her fingers around his shaft.

“Damn you,” he growled, his hips jacking up.

“No. Damn you. Do you think I want to touch anyone else like this?”

That did it. Roch went crazy at her words. Growling, groaning, grabbing her hips and grinding her sex into the base of his cock. Over and over.

Until a knock sounded on the door.

Both of them froze.

“Lydia?” It was Ashe, in her lovely singsong voice. “You awake. I have breakfast downstairs if you’re interested.”

Lydia’s eyes flew to Roch. He looked murderous. Like he might actually turn into his cat and attack.

“No hurry,” Ashe continued. “But there are beignets. They make the best beignets here in the Wildlands.”

With a nearly inaudible curse, Roch lifted her up and placed her down on the mattress. He was off the bed in seconds, running his hands through his hair. He looked wild and gorgeous.

“I’m awake,” Lydia called out, worried Roch would do something foolish. Like snarl at the woman to get lost. “Sounds good. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“Okay, great!”

Lydia waited for the sound of the woman’s footfall to disappear before she turned back to Roch.

“Don’t go,” she said to him. “Stay and have breakfast.”

“That wouldn’t be wise,” he said, jaw tight. He wasn’t looking at her. Anywhere but at her. Playful Roch was gone.

“Why not? You were here for dinner.”

“I’m in no mood to be sociable. Besides, I’ve got to get home, shower and change before work.” He turned to her then and stilled. For several long seconds, he took her in. Her eyes, her mouth, her naked torso. “You truly are the most beautiful woman, Lydia.”

Her heart melted like a damn ice cream cone in the sun. She reached for him. “Stay.”

“I can’t.” But he went to her anyway and kissed her. It wasn’t a hungry, desire-filled kiss. It was more like a goodbye.

When he pulled away, Lydia couldn’t help herself. She had to ask him. “Do you want to know, Roch? About the cub?”

Dread glistened in his blue eyes. “Of course I do, but—”

“You’re scared?” she finished.

“Fuck, Lydia, of course I’m scared.”

She scooted to the edge of the bed. “I’m scared too. Everything’s changed for me. In the blink of an eye. My whole life. Where do I belong? What do I do?”

He sighed. “You will always belong here if that’s what you want.”

“What do you want?”

His jaw looked so tight Lydia was afraid it might crack. “You don’t understand. The ways of a Pantera male are very different than that of a man. We have honor. A code we live by. But more important than that is the fact that our kind can finally, after fifty years, reproduce. We can continue.” He took a deep breath. “This cub…”

“Is very important,” she said.

“Yes.” He was silent for a moment, then, “I have to go.”

She didn’t put up a fight this time. She understood the gravity of the situation. Love didn’t or couldn’t always trump practicality and allegiance. She may not have liked it. But she understood it.

“How are you planning to get out without anyone noticing?” she asked.

“Same way I came in.” He gave her a small smile. “Have a beignet for me?”