19 – The Mating
Life at the resort held hard work and much joy. Mungo, along with the lads from the Grantlach clan were constantly open-mouthed at the antics of the guests and their propensity for nudity. Yet the Scothage newcomers agreed amongst themselves this place was fun, and they embraced the opportunity.
“You deal with this guest,” Scarlett whispered to Mungo.
Mungo smiled at the next woman in the line before glancing at the compuscreen. “Welcome to Middlemarch Resort. Do ye have yer check-in disk?” The newly arrived guest came from the planet of Tigrus. She bore pretty golden stripes on her skin while her smile contained jagged white teeth.
All part of Mungo’s cycle. She worked with Joe and Sly and the herd of coos in the morning. In the cooler part of the day before they began resort duties, they tended their grapes and other crops. The rest of the cycle, she spent with Scarlett on reception and researching the incoming guests.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Joe approached her during a quiet moment on reception. “You look pretty. Your trews and flowing tunic make me want to take a bite.”
“Joe! Ye cannae say that in front of yer sister.”
“Too late,” Scarlett said. “He already did.”
“Are you off now?” Joe asked.
“Go.” Scarlett made shooing motions with her hands. “Go before the pair of you scandalize the guests.”
Mungo wrinkled her nose. “Not possible.”
Scarlett chortled along with Joe. “You’re learning that a proportion of our female guests are shameless.”
“Aye,” Mungo agreed. “I dinnae enjoy the way they ogle Joe’s backside.”
Joe laughed and, taking her hand, led her from reception and outside into the colorful resort gardens.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Away from resort guests. I filled in at the swimming pool and delivered drinks and food for three hours. The current guests include a group of green ladies. The ones that pinch in appreciation. My backside is bruised.”
Mungo giggled, kenning that Joe had no interest in any of the women at the resort, apart from her. “I love ye, Joe.”
He stilled, his eyes doing a partial shift, which Mungo understood meant his emotions were running high. “Hell of a time to tell me.”
“We’re returning to our bungalow, aren’t we?”
“Yes,” he said and increased his pace.
Mungo ran to keep up, pleased with her easy-to-wear trews and her comfortable flat shoes that fit her feet perfectly.
They arrived back at their bungalow quicker than usual, Mungo laughing and joyful as Joe towed her inside and slammed the door behind them. She squeaked as he lifted her off her feet and strode to the bedroom.
She tweaked his ear. “What is the hurry?”
“You told me you loved me.”
Seconds later, she bounced on the comfortable mattress, but only once since Joe dived on top of her.
“Ye tell me ye love me.”
“And it’s the truth,” Joe said. “But this is the first time you’ve told me. No! You can’t take it back.”
“I dinnae want to,” Mungo said. “I mean the words with my heart.”
Joe peeled away from her and disrobed, keeping his gaze on her face. “Clothes off,” he ordered.
A shiver sped through Mungo. One of happiness and delight.
“Will ye bite me? Harder than normal?”
“Yes,” he said in a tight voice. “My feline… I can’t wait any longer.”
“Will everyone ken?”
“My family and friends will since our scents will mingle. I think everyone wonders why we’ve waited.”
“Because ye’re a sterling man, Joe Mitchell. Ye think of others and put their needs in front of yer own.”
“You’re making me blush.”
Mungo stood and removed her footwear and clothes. Her shoes clomped to the floor while she folded her trews, tunic and underthings and placed them aside with neat precision. As soon as she was naked, Joe seized her and tumbled them to the bed. Their lips came together with urgency and passion. Arms curled around each other. Happiness bubbled inside her along with the blissful enjoyment of Joe’s talented hands and mouth. He kissed her neck, teeth grazing what she now kenned was the marking spot for feline shapeshifters. She steeled herself for the pain of a bite, but he continued with his touching and teasing until her entire body sizzled with yearning.
She’d become close with Eva, Casey, Betrys, and Cinnabar. They’d told her the bite hurt but the sex afterward was amazing. Frankly, she dinnae understand how the pleasure could improve since Joe made her toes curl.
“Part your legs for me.”
Joe took possession of the space between her thighs and lifted her to his mouth. His raspy tongue hit the perfect spot, and she sighed, coasting on the path to climax.
“You taste sweet. Perfect,” Joe murmured.
“And ye’re perfect for me, Joe Mitchell. I love ye.”
Joy blasted across his face. His eyes did the weird narrowing that allowed her to glimpse his feline.
“Mungo. Don’t push me. I’m trying to pace myself.”
“Go faster. I trust ye with my life. I ken ye’d never hurt me on purpose.”
Joe surged up her body, and slid into her, joining with her. “I love you, Mungo.”
She grinned up at him then pulled his head down for another kiss. This was a gentle kiss. Tender and sweet, and it meant everything to her. Part of her now understood her father’s love for her mother and his distraught behavior toward his daughter.
While life experience might tell her otherwise, she preferred to trust in Joe’s love, his inner goodness and his family. “Marry me in truth,” she whispered. “Give me a ring as a symbol of yer love.”
“A proposal.” Joe pulled back and drove into her, using the perfect angle to bring her pleasure. “I spoke my vows to you a month ago.”
“Ye did.”
Joe nibbled at her throat and a delectable tension slid down her body. “I could speak the same before my family, but the truth is the instant I bestow the mating bite on you, that is when my family will consider us mates. Wedded.”
“Aye. Scarlett explained this.”
“You’re not fleeing from me. A feline enjoys a chase.” Satisfaction slashed his sensual mouth.
“I’ll run another cycle,” she promised. “Right now I’m exactly where I want to be.”
“Me too.” Joe’s husky voice promised everything. He retreated and invaded her body again in a smooth stroke.
Hunger grew in her, pleasure unfurling like a fresh bloom opening to the sun. Joe changed the angle of his thrusts, increasing the friction. Her hips strained upward while fire and chills warred within her body. A groan slipped free, and then she was flying, writhing in her lover’s embrace.
Joe increased the speed of his strokes, his big body trembling. He nuzzled her neck, and when she expected yet another nibble, he bit down harder. Pain roared through her, swiftly followed by such pleasure she wondered if her body might explode. Then, he released her and used his tongue to lick the wound.
To Mungo’s surprise his lick speared excitement and enjoyment through her, and another mini climax tore from the point at which they joined, flinging exquisite pleasure through her. She groaned, and he laughed.
“One thing I didn’t tell you is that your mark will heal fast. The enzymes from my saliva aid with that, but that spot will always be ultra-sensitive to my touch.”
“I feel different,” Mungo murmured. “It’s hard to explain. Connected. Whole. It’s almost as if I’m experiencing yer love.”
“My feline is purring right now. All I can think about is making love to you again. It’ll be a long afternoon until we have privacy again.” Joe caressed the spot with his lips before he sank into a kiss. They were both breathing heavily when their mouths parted. “Want to have a shower before you head back to reception?”
“Aye. I’d better. Some visitors have strange habits. One sniffed me this morning. Gidget was on greeting duties and shrieked when the same woman sniffed her. Luckily, Saber was there and took the lady and her friends for a tour and drinks.” Mungo grinned at the memory of Gidget dancing around in her favorite red scarf and red shoes.
“You’re happy.”
“Aye,” Mungo said. “I have a home, lots of friends who dinnae treat me as if I’m peculiar and I’m learning new things. And I have my coos.”
Joe growled, and she giggled. She clapped her hand over her mouth, having never imagined that sound coming from her.
“And best of all, I have the most handsome and sexy and kind and charming mate a woman could ever need. Did I tell you I love ye?”
“Tell me again,” Joe said. “I enjoy hearing the words.”
“I’d much rather show ye,” Mungo said with a wink.
So she did.