The following evening, Kristin finished her three-way internet call with Dina and Lauren and stepped out of her apartment. They’d just given her the pep talk of her life, reminding her how smart and beautiful and sexy she was. And, right now, she almost believed them. She was wearing a black, cotton jersey wrap dress with a low neckline, and olive-green high-heeled pumps. Her long red hair was up in a chignon, and she wore light eye make-up and a slick of rose-hued lip-gloss. She carried a small purse, containing only her keys, phone and pocketbook.

She turned left onto the sidewalk, and strode along the street until she reached Roman’s apartment block. There was a pretty garden in front of the building, with two benches on either side of a little rockery. She sat down on one of the benches and waited. The light evening breeze lifted the skirt of her dress, reminding her that she was little more than half-naked, and it drove her pent-up arousal, chasing ghosts of fantasies through her mind.

Five minutes passed. She planned to wait fifteen. If he wasn’t home, well, she’d come back another time. Six minutes passed, then seven. Suddenly, a tall, well-built guy burst out of the front door and sprinted in her direction.

“Kristin!” Roman shouted, coming up close to her. She stood up and he lightly touched her shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks. He looked adorably damp and tousled. “I was just in the shower. Have you been here long?”

“No,” she said, with a grin.

“You look so beautiful,” he said, gazing at her with wonder in his eyes. “Please tell me you came to invite me for a drink?”

“I did,” she said.

“Great! There’s this little bar, right around the corner, a couple of blocks away. It does a great martini. We could go get a table in the little outdoor area, hang out for a while – ” He broke off, looking at her with such intensity. “I want to kiss you so badly right now,” he whispered. As if hypnotized by his glowing green stare, Kristin took a small step forward. Roman dipped his head towards hers, and their lips met. Wow. His lips were incredibly soft and full. Kristin restrained a sigh of pleasure, but a small sound, like a purr escaped his lips, and he began to kiss her deeply, taking her breath away. She kissed him back, savoring the overwhelming sensations. She was lightheaded and tingling all over. His hand went to the back of her neck, lightly stroking the skin just below her hairline, while his other arm curved around her waist. He was a great kisser, his mouth soft and searching, and the tip of his tongue skillfully seeking out hers. The arousal that had been bubbling inside her all day long rose to the surface, making her nipples harden and push against the lace of her bra, and her clit burn for his touch.

After what felt like a long time, he drew back and looked into her eyes.

“Oh, Kristin, I feel like I’ve been waiting all my life for this moment,” he said. “You’re my mate. I knew it before, but now we’ve kissed, I’m more certain than ever. I felt like our bodies were melding into one, the bond between us beginning to be formed.”

“I think I know what you mean,” she breathed. “I know I’ve never had a kiss like that before.” She stopped, overcome with emotion. He reached out and touched her face, running a finger along her cheekbone, her jawline. She shivered. It was unspeakably erotic.

Just then, a couple walked past them, heading in the direction of the road. Roman shook his head, as if he was forcing himself back into reality.

“I’m sorry. I’m probably coming on way too strong, out here in front of my apartment,” he said, with an embarrassed laugh. “Shall we go to the bar?” Kristin bit her lip. She imagined sitting at a table with him, politely talking about their lives, when all the time desire would be running through her body like fire.

“I – I think I’d rather go into your apartment,” she said, looking at him levelly. Delight flashed though Roman’s eyes.

“Are you sure about this?” he said in a low voice. She nodded, smiling up at him. “This is the last time I’ll be capable of asking you,” he growled. Kristin took his face in her hands.

“Roman, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” she said.

“Good,” he said, and gave her a hard kiss, his incisors grazing her lip thrillingly. “Let’s go inside.”

They took the elevator up to the third story in silence, the tension between them too high to speak. Kristin discovered that she was already a little wet, and it wasn’t the first time that day. During the afternoon, the thought of him had been so overwhelming that she’d been unable to concentrate on her work at all. She’d been forced to take a little break in the restroom, locked into the cubicle, touching herself and thinking about what she wanted this big sexy tiger to do to her.

Roman showed her into his apartment. She leaned against the wall in the hallway, watching him closing the front door. Watching him. She’d longed for this moment ever since she first saw his profile, and now she wanted to stretch it out for as long as possible. She felt heady with anticipation and desire. As soon as he turned back to her, she threw herself on him, pressing her mouth against his. He backed her against the wall and returned her kiss with an equal passion. His body was hard against hers, pressing on her as he ran his strong hands up and down her waist, feeling the ripe curves of her hips. She slid her hands underneath his t-shirt, hungry to feel his bare skin. They kissed more and more deeply, their tongues lashing each other, and Kristin made little moans of desire. As she began to pull at his clothes, he moved onto her neck, kissing and nibbling at the sensitive flesh there.

“Christ, Kristin, you’re a fierce woman,” he muttered. “The perfect lover for a tiger.” With a satisfied sigh, she tugged at the hem of his t-shirt. She succeeded in lifting it up to his pecs, and he assisted her, drawing back and pulling it over his head. His photos didn’t do him justice. His torso was incredible. Every muscle was perfectly honed, his stomach perfectly flat and rippling with bands of muscle, and his chest was so broad and deep. She had an urge to lick his flat brown nipples, and she did just that – the right and then the left, gently nibbling at the same time. He drew in a sharp breath through his teeth. His hands went to her waist and he felt for the tie on her dress. Finding it, he pulled on the bow and it unfastened. The dress fell completely open, revealing a flame-orange lace bra and brief set. Kristin held her breath, fighting down the panic that always accompanied men seeing her body for the first time.

“You’re so sexy,” he whispered. As he gazed at her body, she watched his pupils dilate, the irises turning dark. Now she knew he liked what he saw, she forced herself to relax, and to allow her more positive feelings to rise to the surface. She felt sexy and wanton standing in his hallway like that, in her heels, with her dress open, exposing her sexy, dirty lingerie. She felt the heat of Roman’s hands on her waist as he touched her bare flesh, hesitantly at first, but then more confidently, moving up, up, over her ribcage, and sliding over her bra, cupping both of her breasts at the same time. She sighed as his thumbs grazed her nipples.

Then his hands slid down, past her hips, and onto her ass, his fingertips making light circles on the fabric of her panties. He moved lower, onto her thighs, and leaned into her. And, before she knew what was happening, he grasped her thighs firmly, and lifted her right up.

“No! I’m too heavy!” she protested, as he held her ass in both his hands, raised up as high as his waist.

“You’re as light as a feather, baby,” he growled. She registered that he did seem to be holding her remarkably easily, gently propping her against the wall, with most of her weight supported by his huge biceps. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, only a flimsy scrap of lace separating the tender aching place between her thighs from his bare abs. She also wrapped her arms around his neck, and once again, they lost themselves in each other’s mouths. Their kisses were becoming increasingly heated. Roman’s lips were soft and luscious, and his tongue probed deeply into her mouth. Kristin sucked on it lightly, loving the sensation of having him insinuating himself into her body. She wriggled, trying to intensify the contact between them. She wanted more of him inside her. Her pussy was crying out for his touch.

Suddenly, he lowered her ass by six inches. Now the rough material of his jeans chafed against her thighs. He was hard, rock hard. The bulge of his erection pressed into her cleft, and, as his pelvis made a little jolt, she gasped. She dug her nails into his back. She badly wanted him to take her right there, to push her panties aside, unzip his jeans, and slide his cock into her. She squeezed him tight with her thighs, holding his hips in a vice grip, and kissed him more and more fiercely. Roman pulled back with a chuckle.

“Not so fast, baby,” he said. “I want to explore every inch of this beautiful body of yours before I claim you as my own. Regardless of what my tiger’s telling me right now!”

“Oh,” Kristin replied, an expression of disappointment mingled with delight.

He lifted her off the wall and carried her along the hallway and into a room. She couldn’t see much of it until he bent down and gently deposited her on his bed. It was an attractive, masculine room, with dark wood and jungle-green walls. The lighting was low and flattering. She sat on the bed looking up at him, propping herself on her arms. Her thighs were a little open and her lips were parted. As he looked down at her, she could see the animal in his eyes, and, right now, he looked like he wanted to eat her alive. She fought an urge to close her dress and conceal her body from his burning gaze.

“Don’t be scared, little tigress,” he said, in a crooning voice. “I won’t hurt you, and neither will my tiger. I want to give you more pleasure than you’ve ever had before.” He sat down beside her and pulled her into a soft, tender kiss, stroking her jawline with a fingertip. Immediately, she relaxed, trusting him. He caressed her thighs, moving upwards from her knees, to a spot a couple of inches below the lace edge of her panties, before sliding away again. She was aching so bad inside, and every part of her being willed him to place his hand on her throbbing clit. But he was intent on teasing her. His long tongue flickered into her mouth, dancing around hers, while his strong, agile fingers made little circles all over her thighs.

He hooked his hand under her knees and pulled her onto his lap, so she was sitting across him, sideways. He took the clips out of her hair, allowing it to tumble around her shoulders in curls. Then, he slid her dress off her shoulders, and it fell down, leaving her in just her bra.

“Kristin, you’re so beautiful,” he breathed. “Your curves are incredible.” He leaned forward and buried his face in her full cleavage. His tongue snaked out and licking the valley between her breasts, and heard him sigh softly. He cupped her left breast in his massive hand, kneading it gently. Wow, he was a boob man. Most guys got excited by the size of her breasts, but then didn’t really know what to do with them, beyond a few cursory pinches and tweaks, which was always a disappointment to her. They were really sensitive, and she loved to have attention lavished on them. It felt like the tiger was worshipping them, layering little licks all over the soft skin of her décolletage. And he hadn’t even taken off her bra yet. At last, he pulled her left bra strap off her shoulder and eased the cup down, freeing her breast. He made a sound of desire at the sight of her pale pink nipple, before dipping his head and taking it into his mouth.

“Oh my god!” Kristin hissed. The sensation made her dizzy, and her clit sparked as if it had an electric charge running through it. Roman looked up, flashing her a wicked glance, before beginning to suck on it, gently at first, and then hard, taking more and more of it into his mouth. It felt like he was feeding from her body – a heady, blissful sensation. She ran her fingers through his golden brown hair, willing him not to stop, ever. After a while he paused, lifted his head, and possessed her mouth again, with deep, hungry kisses, while he unfastened her bra. She bit her lip as the bra fell completely off, once again self-conscious at being so exposed. Roman adjusted her position on his lap a little, and she became aware of how big and hard his erection was; a huge bulge straining against the denim of his pants. She longed to free it from its constraints, but she knew that this would come later. Instead, he took her breasts in both his hands, feeling their weight and fullness, caressing them all over, before he took her other nipple into his mouth, and gave it the same attention that he’d given to the left. As she wriggled on his lap, she could tell that her panties were soaked, but somehow the urgency she’d felt before had been replaced by euphoria, and she wanted to sit there forever, having her breasts worshipped by this sexy tiger-man. As he licked and sucked at her nipples, she ran her hands all over his back, luxuriating in his bulging muscles and soft skin.

After a long time, he lifted his head, his eyes soft and dreamy.

“Kristin, I can’t believe how beautiful your body is,” he said. “You’re so stunning and voluptuous.” His hands grasped her hips, pulling her closer, so her thigh bumped against his erection. She reached out and placed her hand on it, and his pelvis jerked. A wild look came into his eyes.

“If you do that again, I’m not going to be able to control my tiger,” he growled.

“Roman, you don’t need to control your tiger. I want you to take me.”

“Kristin, there’s just one problem with that,” he said. She stared at him confused.

“Which is?”

“You’re fertile right now. Extremely fertile. I’m scared that I’ll get you pregnant.” Kristin’s eyes opened very wide.

“I am?” she breathed.

“Yes,” he said with a grin. “You’re at the exact point in your cycle when you’re most likely to conceive.” She stroked his face, overwhelmed at his words.

“I’m happy to take that risk,” she said. Roman laughed.

“Not so fast,” he said. “I want us to enjoy a little time together before I plant my seed inside you, and you grow our beautiful cubs in your belly.” He laid a hand on her soft stomach. “Right now I want you just to be mine, all mine,” he growled.

“Ok,” she said, her head spinning. “Does that mean we can’t have sex today?” Roman’s teeth flashed in a grin.

“No, of course not, he said. We just have to be careful. Very careful.” Kristin’s eyes lit up.

“Great,” she said, and reached for the button on his jeans. He placed his hand over hers.

“But I want to take my time with you,” he whispered, running a thumb across her lips.

“We can do that later,” she said, with a smile. “But right, now, I need you inside me.” As she spoke, she unfastened the button on his jeans and eased the zipper down. His cock sprang out, big and rock hard. Kristin wrapped her hand around it and he let out a sound, half way between a groan and a growl.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he said, his voice thick with need. “So please don’t blame me for being rough with you.” He lifted her off his lap and stood up, stripping his jeans off quickly. Kristin looked up at his naked body, her eyes wide. The rest of him was as hot as his torso. His thighs were thick and strongly muscled, and his cock was huge with his desire for her. She kicked her shoes off and stood up to allow him to slide her panties off. He crumpled them in his hand, inhaling her scent, and a purr escaped his lips. He clasped her against his body, and they kissed for a long moment, Kristin so taut with anticipation that she thought she was going to explode. Then, he lifted her and threw her back on the bed. She gasped in surprise and her legs fell wide apart, exposing her to his view. In a second, Roman was on her, his long tongue landing a lick the length of her pussy. Then he held her thighs firmly in his strong hands, and began to explore her with his mouth. He feathered light strokes along her sensitive labia, running up and down, from side to side, before moving closer and closer to her clit. As his soft, wet tongue flicked across her over-sensitized little bud, she let out a small scream and pulled at his hair. He looked up at her, his eyes full of fire, while he fastened his lips around it and began to suck a little. Kristin fought to keep her eyes open, wanting to lose herself in the sensation, but the gaze of the tiger was too fierce, daring her not to watch him pleasuring her. Every flick of his agile tongue wound her arousal up tighter and tighter. Was she going to come like this? It felt incredible, but she wanted to come with him inside her, filling her completely. She squirmed around in frustration. There was an ache deep inside her that could only be satisfied by his big cock.

Roman seemed to pick up on her mood. Keeping his hands on her thighs, he climbed up her body until he was level with her face. She trembled, aware of the size and the power of the body that arched above her.

“I’m going to take you now, Kristin,” he murmured. “I’m going to claim you as my own, as my tiger has been begging me to since the first moment I laid eyes on you. I hope you understand how significant this is. Once we mate, there will be a bond between us that can’t be broken. You’ll be mine, and mine only; you, and this beautiful body of yours.”

“And you’ll be mine,” Kristin whispered, hardly able to believe what she was saying.

“Yes,” Roman said with a grin. “Are you ready to be my mate, Kristin?”

“Yes,” she said, eyes shining. With that, the tip of the tiger’s cock brushed against her labia. Her hips jerked, and his cock slid up and down, running from her clit to her burning entrance.

“Please,” she whispered. “I need you now.” He gave a snarl, and thrust the tip of his cock inside her. She gasped. He was really big, and he’d only given her the first couple of inches. Her pussy muscles fluttered as he eased himself into her, inch by scorching inch. He glided on her wetness, taking his time until he’d filled her completely. She lay still, waves of euphoria coursing through her body. Roman took her head in his hands and kissed her gently for a long moment, and then he began to fuck her.

She cried out at the first real thrust. He was so big and so hard, and her nerve endings were sensitized like crazy. He went all the way in, and it almost hurt to have him so deep inside her core, turning her pussy to liquid heat. He slid back and forth, in long, expert strokes, almost coming out entirely, before filling her up to the hilt again. She was clenched tight around him, hardly daring to yield to this huge beast who seemed capable of breaking her in half. But as he built up the rhythm, the blissful sensations took over, and her pussy muscles relaxed, accommodating him, spasming around his cock with every thrust.

She spread her thighs wide, letting him go deep. And, in this new position, his pelvis butted her clit as he pumped in and out of her, sparking delicious sensations. Wrapping her arms around his back, she gasped and moaned, aware only of Roman, and the way his cock was skillfully fucking her. He gazed into her eyes, then kissed her on the mouth, his tongue probing deeply, lashing hers in time with his thrusts. Now and again, he pulled away from her mouth, and sucked and nibbled at the side of her neck.

“You feel so incredible, baby,” he muttered as he kissed her neck and caressed her breasts. “Your body is so sweet and curvy. I want to make love to you for hours.”

But she could see in his face that he was holding back. The muscles in his jaw were flexing with the effort of restraining himself.

“You don’t have to hold back with me though,” she whispered. “I can take it. I want to take all you have to give.” Her words excited him, and he began to fuck her harder and faster.

“Oh my god,” she gasped. The faster tempo was sending her nerve-endings into a spin. His cock was like a hot rod inside her. He lifted one of her thighs to allow him to go deeper, and she obliged, wrapping her legs tight around his waist.

“Yes, like that, baby,” he snarled. “I want to feel totally surrounded by you.” He put more of his weight on top of her, and she felt blissfully helpless, at his mercy. Now, when she looked into his eyes, she could see his animal, without any doubt. The eyes that bored into hers were the ones that had stared at her from the tree in the forest. She quivered in awareness of his awesome power. His hands were like claws kneading at her flesh, but she felt no pain, only the euphoria of being possessed so completely by him.

“I want to take you from behind,” he said. Her lips curved into a smile. She loved this position; it was so hot and primal. He pulled out of her and knelt back, looking down at her, smoldering. Eagerly, she drew herself up and flipped onto her front, balancing herself on her hands and knees.

“You’re so sexy,” he whispered, as his fingertips circled the globes of her behind. “Such a beautiful ass.” Instinctively, she raised her ass towards him, and he slid inside her in a slow, fluid movement. Before long, she was full of him, and she could tell he wasn’t yet all the way in. Her pussy walls were spasming around his cock in little ripples, clenching him tight, begging him to go in deeper. Another sharp thrust took him all the way in, and she drew in a sharp breath as his pelvis made contact with her ass. Roman held still, allowing her to get accustomed to the new angle, before he began to move again, gently at first. Wow! The first few thrusts made her feel like the top of her head was going to blow off from pure pleasure. There was something about this angle, the way his cock was rubbing against the front of her pussy wall. Placing a steadying hand on the small of her back, Roman thrust in and out of her. She could hear his breath coming sharp and ragged, but his movements were calm and measured. She was making all kinds of yelps and cries. It was crazy; she was so full of him, yet she found herself wanting more, knowing that he wasn’t giving her his all. She arched her back even more, laying her head down on her arms, and, suddenly another inch of him shot inside her.

At that point, he lost control. His fingers bit into her hips, his weight bearing down on her, and he began to fuck her hard, pumping in and out of her mercilessly. Her insides felt electrified as he plunged her depths, the essence of her being. His teeth sank into the back of her neck, and, as his movements became faster and less controlled, she collapsed, no longer capable of supporting her weight on her hands. Roman pulled her up, easing her back into a sitting position. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around her breasts, holding her tight, as he continued to thrust in and out. She’d never had sex in this position before. It felt both wild and tender, being held so close in his arms, while being taken from behind. The hand that had been around her waist moved lower, and Roman began to circle her clit. At the first touch, her pussy clenched tight around his cock, and he gasped.

“Wow, that’s incredible,” he breathed. His pelvis jerked, and he increased his tempo, making quick, sharp thrusts. Kristin closed her eyes, and let her head loll back on his shoulder, abandoning herself to the bliss of having her clit and vagina pleasured at the same time. The heat inside her was building and building, and little vibrations were running all through her insides.

“Kristin, I want to possess every inch of you,” he whispered right into her ear, his voice rough and husky. “I want to make you fully mine; to plant my seed in your belly and impregnate you. I can’t wait for that day when I come deep inside you, and we make our first cubs together.” Kristin shuddered, and the shudder turned to a violent spasm. And before she was ready for it, she exploded into an intense orgasm, gripping his cock tightly as her mind filled with shooting stars. Her vision darkened, and the only thing keeping her upright was the tiger’s arms as her body was consumed by waves and waves of euphoria.

The moment her orgasm had faded away to little tremors, Roman pulled out of her. Dazedly, she looked over her shoulder at him, eyebrow raised, questioning.

“I can’t take it any more,” he said, between clenched teeth. “Another thrust, and you’d be pregnant.”

Quickly, she flipped around, bent down low, and took him in her mouth. She didn’t pause to tease him, but took him in deep right away. Normally, she hated doing this, and nearly always refused to try it, but now it felt so right. She desired every inch of this sexy-tiger man’s body. She wanted to taste him, to lick the part of him that had made her pussy feel so good. She’d badly wanted him to come inside her, to feel his seed mingling with her wetness, seeking out her womb, but this would have to do for now. Roman gave a gasp of surprise, and, as she began to move her lips up and down his shaft, it became a sigh of pleasure.

“Baby, your mouth, feels so – ” he began. But he didn’t get any further than that. His hips jerked back and forth of their own accord, and she had to use her hand to hold him back so he didn’t go too deep. He felt so good filling her mouth. He thrust three, four times, and just when she thought she couldn’t cope any more, he came, with a wild snarl. His hot seed hit the back of her throat and she swallowed him down quickly, and didn’t let him go until his body had stopped shuddering.

Roman wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down onto the bed. They lay together until their heartbeats had slowed and their breathing had returned to normal. Kristin felt so sexually sated, and so emotional at his words, that she could have cried. Roman stroked her face, as if he was trying to get to know each feature: her nose, her lips, her eyebrows, even her eyelids.

“Mine,” he whispered, over and over.

“Are you wishing you’d got me pregnant?” she asked drowsily, as he continued to rest his hand on her belly.

“Mmm,” he said. “It was on my mind the whole time we were mating. I couldn’t help it. The scent of your fertility was driving me insane. I almost lost control of my tiger, as it tried to force me to impregnate you. You can’t imagine what a struggle it was.” Kristin turned from her side onto her back so she could see his face.

“Well maybe you should stop struggling, and let your tiger have its way,” she said, with a wicked grin.

“In time, baby,” he replied, his smile no less suggestive.

They lay and talked together until the early hours of the morning, chatting about anything and everything. Kristin couldn’t believe how intimate she felt with him already. They shared their life histories. He told her all about the journey that had brought him to Hope Valley. He said that he’d been travelling most of his adult life, full of a thirst for discovering new places, but always hoping that he’d find that one place where he wanted to settle. And Hope Valley was it. He’d visited it as an afterthought after spending time in the national park, but he’d been struck by how friendly and genuine the people were, and how pretty and well kept the town was. Making the decision to live there had been a no brainer. He still loved to travel, but, instead of being a vagabond with no real home, Hope Valley was the base he always returned to. Kristin’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She mainly traveled alone, as her friends were all homebodies. She was fine with that, and loved the independence of putting on her backpack and going off by herself, but she’d always hoped that one day she’d find a man who wanted to share those experiences with her.

Kristin told Roman about her career – how much she loved being a journalist because she got to learn all about the world, and to keep the community she loved informed about what was happening in the town. She told him about the amazing friendships she had with the girls, and how happy she was that Lauren and Dina had found their perfect matches. She even told him about how her PCOS had affected her. She’d never told a guy about it before, always feeling like she needed to keep a , up and not show that her body made her feel vulnerable. Roman listened to her attentively, asking intuitive questions, looking stunned when she said that the weight she’d gained made her feel unsexy sometimes.

“But you’re so perfect,” he whispered, his voice full of astonishment. “You’re so ripe and sexy, with these amazing curves. I’ve never seen a body like yours before. You’re every tiger’s dream. But they’re all too late.” He leapt up and jumped on top of her. “Because I’ve got you now,” he said, in a growly voice into her ear. Kristin giggled in delight.

Roman didn’t mate with her again that night. He said that the effort of restraining his tiger was too exhausting. But he made her come twice more. The first time, he used his long, strong fingers, curling them skillfully inside her, seeking out the tender spot that drove her to a power shuddering orgasm. And the second, he used only his tongue. His tongue was deft and agile, seeming to know instinctively where her most sensitive spots were, and sliding inside her further than she would’ve thought possible. The final orgasm brought tears to her eyes, which Roman wiped away with his fingertips as he snuggled in behind her to sleep.