Jaguar’s Mate Read online

  Eli nudged her side gently with his nose and she yipped at him, glad to have a partner to go running with. Even if it was with the male who was making her crazy. And holy cats, he was gorgeous. He was a black jaguar with gorgeous amber eyes, and was pure, sleek predator. She could stare at him all day and not get tired.

  Turning away from him, she stared at the forest beckoning them. She’d been living at the beach for so long, and while she loved it and her pack, a change of scenery was always nice. Especially scenery like this. The trees rose high into the sky, starting to lose their leaves and giving her a good view of the stars above. The scent from their campfire lingered in the crisp, chilly air, making this the perfect evening to go for a run.

  She made a jumping, playful motion at him once and then took off, daring him to race her.

  He was so silent she didn’t hear him behind her so when he jumped down in front of her from the trees five minutes later, she laughed inside. Jaguars were so playful. Hell, cats were playful in general. She was glad that Eli was no different.

  And not so deep down, she wished things were different for her. That she wasn’t cursed. Because Eli was wonderful. No doubt he’d make someone a perfect mate.

  Another part of her really considered getting naked with him as soon as they got back to the campsite. But that was just inviting trouble. She shoved off those thoughts and sprinted through the woods, her paws quiet against the fallen leaves and dirt.

  The two of them ran for an hour straight, looping around the giant lake and back. Even though it was dark, they’d heard a couple people traipsing through the woods, just taking a walk, so they’d avoided them completely, not wanting to scare some random humans.

  As they reached their original spot, she rubbed her nose against Eli’s side and was pleased when he nuzzled his face against her own. This wasn’t sexual, just the way shifters were when they played.

  Double dammit. He was so adorable and wonderful. Why couldn’t things be different?

  Once they shifted back to human form, she didn’t bother grabbing her clothes. No, she needed a very cold dip in the lake right about now.

  “What are you doing?”

  She glanced behind her. “Jumping in the lake.”

  His eyes widened. “It’s freezing.”

  “Thanks, Captain Obvious.” She snickered as she made a break for the lake, completely naked. The moon was nearly full tonight and all the illumination they needed. But the stars were twinkling too and everything was brilliantly illuminated. If she’d been in the right frame of mind, it was kind of romantic.

  She let out a short yelp as her feet hit the water. But then she just went for it, diving completely under. After the day they’d had she was taking a quick dip to rinse off. Because his camper didn’t have a shower and she didn’t feel like trying out the facilities right now.

  When she came back up, she was surprised to find Eli sitting at the edge of the water, fully clothed. “Not brave enough to come in?” she asked. Both her human and wolf side loved this, loved the water in general. Ocean, lake, it didn’t matter.

  “Hell no. I always knew wolves were crazy.”

  She grinned. “You have no idea.” It was on the tip of her tongue to say something flirty about him getting naked and joining her but she held back. It was probably a good idea that he was keeping some distance right now. At least one of them was thinking clearly.

  Lord knew, she wasn’t. Not when it came to the very sexy jaguar right in front of her.

  Chapter Four

  Sapphire stretched out on the double bed, her legs kicked out as she combed through her damp hair. “You really weren’t kidding about decking this place out. I love the wood floors.” He’d done an incredible job on the interior of the camper. Everything was sleek, with new appliances, white and gray colors, and grayish wood floors. There were little splashes of color though, with turquoise throw pillows on the small couch, and the bedding was a paisley pattern of blues, greens and yellows. Everything was masculine but comfortable. If he’d done all this himself, it would have been incredibly time-consuming.

  “Thanks. I love tracking down rogues, but I don’t love some of the crappy motels I ended up staying in. It’s easier to travel with this. It soothes both me and my jaguar to have some sort of familiarity to come home to at the end of every day.”

  “Have you ever thought about settling down?” The traveling life wasn’t for everyone, but she knew that jaguars could be more solitary than wolves.

  He nodded as he pulled out a bag of marshmallows and chocolate bars. He’d told her they were going to make s’mores. “I have. And I’ve been asked to join various packs and prides.”

  “Packs too?”

  “Is that surprising?”

  “Definitely not. I just know that not all packs are like mine.” Her pack was very integrated.

  “Times are changing, thankfully.”

  She was pleased that he’d said that, because some shifters could be really weird about same species only living with same species. It made no sense to her. They were all shifters. Hell, shifters or human, it didn’t matter to her. Even vampires. “Oh, have you ever met Rex? He’s a vampire. He was a bounty hunter before settling down with my pack.” And she figured that a bounty hunter and tracker were kind of the same thing.

  “Yes. We’ve run across each other a few times. He’s all right as vampires go,” he said dryly.

  She laughed lightly and slid off the bed. “So what’s the plan? Grab a couple of hours of rest, then head out?” she asked as she started plaiting her hair into two long braids.

  “I figured you’d want a couple s’mores. I know how much wolves like to eat dessert. Then we should get at least three hours of sleep before we can hit the road again. Even if your friend’s mate comes back early, we’ve still got plenty of time. And I want to be functioning at full capacity if we do have to take on some of her packmates.”

  Three hours would be plenty for them since they were shifters.

  Nodding, she smiled at him. He definitely wasn’t wrong about wolves and dessert. Or just food in general. And she was glad that her friends were his priority too. She really could get used to this jaguar.

  But of course as soon as she did, as soon as she let him into her heart completely, he’d move on. Because of that stupid curse.

  She shook the thought away, forcing herself to enjoy the here and now with him. Though it was getting harder and harder to suppress her desire for him.

  * * *

  “I can just take the floor,” Eli said after they’d packed up everything. He’d gone to take a quick shower in the public showers after they’d eaten s’mores. He’d wanted to try to cool down from being cooped up with Sapphire. He wasn’t sure how the hell he was going to sleep, but somehow he would try.

  “That’s ridiculous. We’ve literally slept together before. We’ll just share the bed. It’s small but I don’t mind.”

  She might not mind, but being pressed up against her like that was going to affect his dick. He’d been so damn aroused when she’d jumped in the lake earlier, naked, with that freezing water rolling down her supple skin. Her nipples had been rock-hard, definitely from the water, but damn, the picture she’d painted had been insanely erotic.

  And he was pretty certain that the cold water wouldn’t have done anything to make his erection go away. Because Sapphire was stunning.

  Yep, there was no doubt about it. The funny, sweet female was definitely his intended mate. His jaguar knew that without a doubt. He wasn’t even sure how, but he knew on a bone-deep level that there was more than simple chemistry between them. But given what he knew about her, he didn’t want to tell her and scare her off. He already knew she was commitment phobic, so he had to play this right. That meant getting her addicted to him first.

  “I’ll probably just shift to my cat and sleep,” he said neutrally.

  “Oh, okay.” There was a hint of hurt in her voice and he didn’t like it.

  “Y
ou deserve to have the whole bed.”

  “Okay, thanks.” She frowned slightly but slid onto the mattress and curled up on her side.

  Feeling like a jerk even though he’d done nothing wrong, he said, “If you really don’t mind, I’ll join you.” Because this isn’t a stupid idea or anything.

  “Okay.”

  He inwardly berated himself even as he slid into bed with her. Maybe he was secretly a masochist. Because lying next to her would be torture that might kill him. But what a way to go.

  She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a soft smile. Her long blonde braids fell down her back and onto the pillow as she settled in. He had the insane urge to pull the little ties out and run his fingers through her hair while she rode him. Or hold on to her braids as he took her from behind. Something they’d done over the two days they’d basically been chained to the hotel bed together.

  Flashes of their time together flipped through his brain like images from a camera. Sapphire naked. Her on top of him. Underneath him. Her blonde hair flowing around her breasts as she slowly rode him. Him wrapping his fist around her long hair as he pulled her back against his chest. Fuck. What the hell was he thinking?

  He wasn’t, that was the problem.

  Lying on his back, he stared up at the ceiling. He’d turned off all the lights but some moonlight streamed in through the sheer curtains. Maybe if he counted sheep it would help. He nearly snorted aloud at the ludicrous thought.

  Ten minutes later, he realized nothing was going to help. Nothing but Sapphire.

  Or maybe he could go for another run and tire himself out. Because the last thing he needed was to get no sleep and be off his game later. He wasn’t sure what exactly he’d be walking into, but according to Sapphire’s friend Luna, Leslie’s mate had wolves from their pack keeping an eye on her.

  Wolves that wouldn’t want to let her leave the territory. And if that wasn’t some backwards bullshit, he didn’t know what was.

  When Sapphire suddenly turned over, clearly wide-awake, he said, “You’re awake.” Way to state the obvious, dumbass.

  “We need to sleep. I know that. But I can’t seem to turn my brain off.”

  “We’re going to get your friends out of there,” he said quietly.

  She cleared her throat. “I can’t sleep because I keep thinking about you and all the time we spent together. About those two days.”

  He sucked in a breath at her admission. “Tell me the real reason you left,” he murmured. He wanted to understand, to know exactly why. Because he needed to know what he was up against. Asher had seemed to think she was against relationships, but didn’t know why. Maybe a male had hurt her in the past? His jaguar snarled at the thought, already plotting the pain and suffering of this imaginary male who might have hurt Sapphire.

  She opened her mouth once then snapped it shut. “You won’t understand.”

  “How about you tell me, and find out whether I do.”

  “No. Because I know how crazy it sounds. But it doesn’t change the fact that…” She trailed off and rolled onto her back. “I don’t want to confuse things between us. But…”

  “What?” he pushed.

  She turned her head slightly, looking at him again. “Maybe we could have a little fun, exhaust ourselves and get a couple hours of sleep?” Heat simmered in her bright blue eyes.

  Ah, hell. “I don’t want to have sex with you just because we need to sleep.”

  “Fine, how about you have sex with me because we both know it would be amazing?”

  He wanted to. He really, really wanted to. “No sex. Not until you tell me why you ran out on me. The real reason.” When she started to protest, he grinned wickedly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.” He moved fast in the way that only supernaturals could, and straddled her long, lean body. He slid his fingers under the material of her yoga pants, skimming against her soft skin. “Can I?”

  She nodded, breathless. “Yes. Definitely yes.”

  He grinned again, loving everything about her, especially her enthusiasm. She’d been like that when they’d been together as well. Since they’d been separated, he felt like he was missing part of himself. Which he knew was stupid since they barely knew each other, but that was just the way it was with shifters sometimes. He’d always heard what it was like when you met your mate, but he wasn’t sure that he’d actually believed in the intensity of it. Now he did. Because he wasn’t walking away from Sapphire.

  It didn’t take long for him to slide her yoga pants off, and he wasn’t surprised that she had on nothing else underneath. She’d been commando when they’d met as well. Something that was insanely hot. A little tuft of fine, blonde hair covered her mound. As he tossed her pants to the floor, she quickly tugged off her shirt.

  He really hoped he could show some control and hold off on thrusting deep inside her. He had no problem getting her so addicted to him and desperate for him that she would tell him the truth. Because maybe once they got past that wall she had up, she would finally trust him. And once she trusted him, maybe they could have something real.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said quietly.

  “I’ve missed you too,” she whispered, almost as if it was a confession.

  That was what he needed to hear. Stretched out on the little bed in his camper, with only the moonlight filtering around her, she looked like a goddess. She was even better than his dreams. Hell, before meeting her he never could have imagined a female like this.

  He leaned down between her legs, inhaling deeply, her scent wrapping around him like a lover’s caress. But before he took exactly what he wanted—and gave her what she deserved—he started kissing a path of featherlike kisses along her tight stomach, over her breasts and neck until he finally captured her mouth.

  She wrapped her arms and legs around him, kissing him back with a passion he felt all the way to his soul. Everything about her was wild and sensual. There was no holding back with Sapphire. Not in the bedroom anyway.

  He teased his tongue against hers, savoring the sweet taste that was all her—and the chocolate she’d had earlier. Watching her eat that dessert had been an exercise in control. She’d made those little moaning sounds he’d felt all the way to his dick.

  In that moment he wished he had more than two hands because he wanted to touch and caress her everywhere. He cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples into rock-hard points until she was arching against him, her legs squeezing around his hips as she silently begged for more.

  Next time he would give her a little more foreplay, but for now, he wanted to taste her climax on his tongue.

  Though he hated to stop kissing her mouth, he trailed right back down her body, kissing her all over as he made his way back between her legs.

  She let her thighs open for him as he leaned forward. “Fuck,” he murmured before flicking his tongue along her slick folds. The wild scent that was all her was stronger now, filling the entire camper with pure, unadulterated Sapphire.

  She arched her hips into his teasing strokes, impatient as ever.

  With his thumb, he began teasing her clit even as he continued stroking her folds with his tongue. Over and over he teased her, savoring the erotic sounds of her gasps and moans of pleasure. And when he slid two fingers inside her slickness, she arched off the bed.

  If their past was any indication, he was fairly certain that she was close to coming.

  Her inner walls tightened around him and he remembered how tight she’d felt when she’d been wrapped around his cock as he’d thrust into her.

  Control. He swore he had it. Maybe.

  He began moving his fingers in and out of her in a rhythm he knew would drive her crazy. It didn’t take long for her to surge into climax, her orgasm rippling through her as she cried out his name.

  It was music to his ears.

  She came with her entire body, arching off the bed as her orgasm seemed to pour through her in wave after wave.

  Eventually she coll
apsed against the bed, a sated smile on her beautiful lips. He knew she was a wolf, but in that moment she looked like a pleased feline. The proverbial cat that had lapped up the cream.

  “You’re seriously the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he breathed. He was harder than he’d ever been, his erection heavy between them. It was taking all his self-control not to pin her to the bed and thrust inside her.

  She seemed to not know what to say to that and instead she reached for him. When she shoved at his jogging pants, he didn’t stop her as she pushed them down his hips. He definitely didn’t have enough control to stop that.

  He finished kicking them off and as he knelt back on the bed, she was right in front of him on her knees. His cock swelled even more, throbbing with each heartbeat.

  Smiling at him, their bodies inches apart, she wrapped her fingers around his cock and began stroking.

  “I want you to come all over me,” she whispered, making his balls pull up impossibly tight.

  Fuck. His plan to hold out for a little longer died when she talked like that to him. He crushed his mouth to hers as she continued stroking him, her fingers tight and her rhythm incredible.

  Cupping her breasts, he continued stroking her nipples as she stroked him, memorizing everything about her.

  This woman completely owned him and likely had no idea.

  Over and over she continued until he couldn’t take it anymore. And he did exactly as she’d ordered him to—he came all over her stomach. When she actually rubbed it on her skin, he felt as if he could come all over again.

  Knowing that his scent would be all over her—that others of their kind would know he’d claimed her—did something to his most primitive side.

  Even as she pulled him down to the bed with her, he forced himself not to read too much into it.

  “That was incredible,” she whispered, brushing her lips over his. This time her kisses were softer, sweeter.

  He liked both the wild and sweet parts of his Sapphire. He shouldn’t think of her as his, but it was too late to stop it now. Because she was his. She just didn’t know it yet.