CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Claudia~
It might be cowardly of her to fall into bed with Ryan instead of hashing out their relationship. But what if he informed her that they had no relationship, that their bond was all in her imagination? How could she make him see that they were intimately linked if she provoked the father and mother of all arguments tonight?
Besides she had no clue how she would begin to explain the profundity of their connection to him if he didn’t feel it. She might as well enjoy this moment of bliss in his arms. If she was doomed to heartache, at least she would have some lovely memories.
She just wished she knew some hot moves that would impress Ryan while she waited for him to awaken to their connection. Unfortunately, her experience was limited to his cousin, and Dominic had made it plain that she wasn’t exactly nympho of the month.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Are you too tired to play?” Ryan’s finger toyed with her ear even as he posed his question.
Did he mean that she wasn’t doing it right? That he was bored already? She wished she could recapture the ease she had felt in his arms before his cure.
“You’ve had a rough few days,” he continued. “We can just cuddle, if that’s all you’re up to.”
Cuddle? When his boner was trying to escape from his jeans?
His hands kneaded her shoulders. “You’re really tense. What if I give you a massage and you try to get some sleep?”
Her brain refused to function.
“Hey, Claudia.” He kissed her forehead. “Come on, don’t leave me guessing.”
“You just want to go to sleep?” she demanded. Even to her own ears, her voice was shrill.
“Nope.” He kissed her long and lingeringly. “I want to have hot, sweaty monkey sex with you. But you seem preoccupied, or tired, or something.”
“I guess I have had a lot to process,” she responded lamely.
He didn’t seem to notice. “Hey, it’s okay. We have a lifetime to have hot monkey sex. Let’s just enjoy being close to one another.”
“What about you?” she waved an embarrassed hand at his crotch.
He laughed. “Around you I feel like I never fully complete my shift to human. But I’m a grownup, I can deal.”
“Huh?”
“Little mountain cat humor, sweetheart.” He kissed the line of her jaw and the sensitive tendon that ran to her collarbone.
She shivered and angled her jaw so he could do it again. “I don’t understand.”
He ignored her protest. “Where is your nightgown?”
“Under my pillow.”
He tugged her T-shirt off and admired her breasts before popping the catch and stripping away her bra. “Cats have a penile bone,” he confided. “They’re erect twenty-four seven. The way I am around you.” He unfastened her jeans and knelt to remove them.
Her nightie descended over her head. He smoothed it down over her hips, giving her bottom and thighs a squeeze. Ripples of pleasure moved through her whole body. “You’re kidding me.”
He was always turned on around her? That was good news. Wasn’t it? She could work with that. Couldn’t she? Between his attraction to her and Robin’s spell, there was probably enough to make him stick.
“Nope.” He went to the other side of her neck and nibbled that tendon. “It’s the truth. Most species of mammal have a bone in their penises. Humans are mammalian outliers.”
He kissed her ear through her hair and lifted her into bed as he had done with Jimmy, although he didn’t cover her up. “Want to know what’s the wildest thing about cat equipment?”
His humor was relaxing her. She looked up into his teasing face. “Sure. What’s wilder than a permanent erection? Other than that cats get more blood to their brains than human males?”
He chuckled and kissed her again. She kissed him back. Their tongues slid together in gentle exploration, before he pulled away. “Sorry. I was explaining about cats.”
He folded his jeans and shirt as he took them off. Peeled down his boxers carefully so she could see his cock standing upright with drops of semen oozing down the purple cap. He winked at her and drew his finger around the edge of the cap.
“Right there,” he said as her pussy began to pulse, “Cats have a set of spikes.”
“Spikes?” she clenched her legs together. “On their cocks?”
“Yup. Hard, sharp spikes. Every time they have sex, when the male withdraws, the poor female gets jabbed and scraped right where she’s most sensitive.”
“You’re making that up!” And making her hot. She pressed her thighs together.
“Nope.” He laid a hand over his heart and climbed into bed beside her. His arms pulled her against him. “The experts say the pain triggers ovulation. All I know is that every single time the queen slashes the male across the face with open claws.”
“And yet he comes back for more.”
“So does she! It’s the only game in town. Mind you, I’m grateful you have short nails.” He kissed her fingertips and a sweet sizzle spread through her arms to her heart.
“Not into pain?” she teased. She was grateful his dick was unarmed. Like her undefended heart.
“Not in the least. What about you?”
“Me? No. I’m more into pleasure.”
“Good.” He kissed her ear. “You ready for that massage?”
“I think I’m in the mood for something a little more vigorous,” she said.
“I live to serve.” He smiled wickedly.