The Wallflower Read online

“It’s not a crime to be one, you know. I’m not the Oldest Living Virgin, or anything. It’s not like I’m in the Guinness Book of World Records,” she babbled. “Besides, I’ve done other things…oh!” His hands had started moving again, with a swiftness that startled her. Her camisole was toast as he ripped it literally from her body, his claws barely scrapping her skin, sending shivers of need once again down her spine.

  Claws?

  Emma had barely registered the fact that Max had used his claws to ruin her favorite shirt when he started working on her jeans. “No! Bad kitty!” She slapped him on the top of his head, determined to save at least some of her wardrobe.

  He lifted his head, his eyes golden and burning, a rumbling sound emanating from his throat as he pinned her hands above her head. Emma thought about struggling, but something about the way he looked had her lying passively. “You’re a virgin.”

  Emma blinked, unsure how to respond. “Duh.”

  Max stared down at her, his eyes narrowing as he studied her features as if seeing her for the very first time. “No man has ever touched you.”

  She thought about telling him about the make-out sessions her one and only boyfriend had talked her into, the oral sex they’d indulged in a few times, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor. Jimmy was a nice guy, and deserved to live. “Again. Duh.”

  “No man will ever touch you again.”

  Emma studied granite-like features above her. “Even you?” The growl deepened. She sighed, inexplicably happy to hear that sound. “Okay.” She rolled her eyes. “Duh.” She grinned. “By the way, Lion-O, that was my favorite shirt.”

  He looked down. “Damn, Emma.”

  “What?” She looked down, expecting to see something odd, like very dried alfredo sauce decorating one boob or something. Instead she saw the pale pink lace bra she’d put on that morning, the one that was completely see-through. It helped give her confidence to feel the sexy lingerie against her skin, so much so she’d replaced all of her old undies with the lacy stuff.

  From the look, and feel, of things, Max definitely approved.

  Max switched her wrists into one hand. The other trailed down her body to her jeans, undoing the snap and zipper with ease. “Lift your ass, Emma,” he commanded. She obeyed without thinking, shifting so he could ease her jeans down her legs.

  He hissed out a breath at the sight of the pale pink lace panties that matched the bra. Underneath, she was hairless. “A full Brazilian,” he sighed.

  “Uh-huh.”

  He moved his hand and began petting her over her panties, cupping her intimately. “Mine,” he sighed. His golden eyes bored into hers, a silent command in them. “Keep your hands where they are.”

  “Why?” Emma complied as Max moved his hand slowly from her wrists, trailing down her arm to the side of her breast.

  “Because I’m not ready for you to touch me yet. I want this first time to be yours.”

  “I’d rather it was ours.” She gasped as his hand gently embraced her breast. His thumb strummed gently over her nipple, causing it to peak under the pink bra.

  “Trust me, Curana. The pleasure will be ours.” Slowly, oh so slowly, Max lowered his head. His tongue snaked out and licked over her nipple through the lace, watching her reactions as she gasped softly. “I’m going to get you naked now, Emma.” He lifted his head from her breast. “Leave your hands where they are. Remember, Emma.”

  Max gently pulled the cups of her bra down, resting her breasts on the lowered cups until they looked like an offering laid out on pink lace. He bent and suckled one nipple into his mouth, stroking it with his tongue until she writhed against him, panting and moaning in need. He switched to the other nipple, suckling and nipping with such force it was nearly painful. Emma panted, damn near coming from the sensation.

  He pulled away from her. “Uh-uh, little Emma,” he purred. “No coming unless I’m in you, remember?”

  She groaned as he moved down her body. His hands went to her lacy panties, thumbs hooking under the band. With slow deliberation he pulled them from her body, slowly exposing her to his hot gaze. “You were right, Emma, to stop me before.” He looked up with a grin that made her moan. “I’d forgotten how much fun it is to play with my food.”

  And with that, Max began a sensuous torture that had her writhing with need.

  He began by slowly nibbling his way up her left leg, starting at her ankle and ending at her inner thigh, right next to her pussy lips. He then switched sides, once again kissing and nibbling his way up her leg until she was practically begging him to eat her.

  When she felt the first hot swipe of his tongue on her pussy she came, screaming his name. With a purring rumble, he continued to lap at her until her orgasm subsided, the vibrations making the orgasm that much more intense. “Naughty, Emma. I wasn’t inside you.”

  “Whoops.” Emma looked down at him with a lopsided grin.

  “I’m pleased you’ve left your hands in place, though. So maybe, this time, I’ll forgo punishing you.”

  Emma blinked. “And once again, Captain Caveman rears his ugly head,” she gasped. Max had started rubbing her clit in oh-so gentle circles, bringing her arousal back to near peak. “Max,” she sighed, her hips moving in time to his hand.

  “Do you want to come, Emma?” Max asked, the heat in his gaze damn near burning her.

  “Yes,” she sighed again, licking her lips as she stared down at him. “Please, Max.”

  He shivered slightly. Then his rough tongue was once again on her clit, licking and nibbling as she gasped and moaned beneath his mouth. His finger had moved to her opening, circling slowly until finally settling inside her. He stroked her gently, matching his rhythm there to the movements of her body. His finger curved slightly, and Emma saw stars.

  “Come, Emma,” he whispered, using his thumb to stroke her clit as his finger picked up speed. She didn’t even mind when he inserted a second finger; she was too busy seeing stars as her climax hit her with the force of a freight train.

  When she came down from it, Max was gently stroking her soaking wet pussy. She opened her eyes to find he’d moved so that he lay next to her. With a satisfied smile, she pulled him down, kissing him lovingly. She could taste herself on his lips, and it added an element of eroticism she’d never felt before.

  “I’m going to take you now, Emma.”

  Emma shivered. She licked her lips, her body tensing slightly with nerves. “Okay.”

  “Shhh.” He kissed her again, gentle and loving as he moved his body between her thighs. “I will never willingly hurt you, Emma.”

  “I know,” she whispered, awed. This was Max, the only man who’d ever held her heart, and he was claiming her for his own. She gently clasped his shoulders as he began to slowly invade her body, his cock stretching her open. The slight burning pain caused her to dig her nails in. She bit her lip and forced herself to relax as much as humanly possible while slowly being invaded by a red-hot iron bar.

  “So tight,” he gasped as he finally seated himself all the way inside her.

  “Were your parents psychic?” Emma asked, gulping a little at the sting of his invasion.

  Max frowned down at her confused. “No, why?”

  “Are you sure? I mean, with a name like Max Cannon—”

  “Emma!”

  “Sorry, but from the feel of things that can’t be a small caliber you’ve got shoved up there, boyo.”

  Max leaned down, resting his forehead against hers as he started to laugh shakily. “I love you, Emma.”

  “Oh boy,” she breathed as he slowly began to move.

  “Is that all you can say?” He was grinning down at her knowingly, as if he had no doubts as to what her answer would be.

  Emma felt all her old insecurities come to the fore, even as his cock had her gasping in pleasure. “Are you sure?”

  He stopped, leaning down to kiss her thoroughly. “I’m sure.”

  She stared into his face, reading the l
ove there, the heat, the need. With deliberate slowness she raised her arms above her head and grasped the headboard. She lifted her head out and to the side in an instinctive show of submission, giving him her throat, accepting him fully. “Fuck me, Max.”

  Max lost control for the first time in his adult life. His teeth bit into his mark as he began pounding into her body with little finesse. He fucked her into the mattress, and she loved every minute of it. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life as he once again sent her over the edge, her climax so strong she nearly passed out. The clenching of her body was enough to bring him off, his semen pouring into her in a tidal wave of wet heat. With a gasp that was almost a sob he collapsed on top of her, his breathing harsh and uneven, his heart pounding.

  “I love you too,” she whispered, cuddling him close as he began to purr.

  Chapter Five

  Max woke with the most incredible feeling of well-being he’d ever experienced in his life. Emma was curled up against him, his arms around her protectively as she slept. Her luscious backside was nestled firmly against his morning erection, a situation Max totally approved of. Her scent was all over him, as his was all over her. His hips bucked forward involuntarily and he moaned as her hot, slick flesh stroked the head of his penis. God, he hoped she liked morning sex. And afternoon sex. And evening sex…

  “Morning, Max.” Her voice was amused, rough from sleep and sexy as hell.

  “For the love of God, please tell me you aren’t sore,” he whispered, practically begging.

  Emma leaned up on one elbow, twisting around to stare at him. She wound up partially on her stomach, and Max’s eyes immediately zeroed in on that incredible ass of hers. “Not much, but honestly, other…issues…need to be taken care of first.” She blushed slightly.

  Max looked at her uncomfortable face and grinned. “Bathroom’s that way.”

  She was up and out of the bed before he’d finished pointing, sprinting naked across the room. Max leaned back and enjoyed the brief view he was given before the bathroom door shut behind her. He snickered when he heard her sigh of relief. He was grinning as he climbed out of bed and snagged his jeans.

  “You want coffee?” he yelled through the bathroom door just as she flushed.

  She opened the door, peeking around the edge. “You have tea?”

  He thought for a moment, frowning, running a mental inventory of what his mother may have left behind on her last visit. “I have Darjeeling, Earl Grey and Spiced Chai.”

  “Spiced Chai, sweet, with cream?”

  “Coming right up. Borrow my toothbrush; we’ll pick up your stuff from your apartment later today.” He ignored her sudden frown and walked out of the room. He slipped his jeans on once he was in the hall and made his way to the kitchen. He whistled cheerfully as he began making her tea and his coffee, setting both machines to working as he contemplated what to make his prickly little mate for breakfast. He pulled out the eggs, knowing he could at least make scrambled eggs and toast without looking like a total idiot in the kitchen.

  “You owe me a shirt, Lion-O.”

  He turned, his cock hardening as he saw his shirt on her. It practically swallowed her whole, and she looked damn fine in it. It didn’t hurt that she wasn’t wearing anything beneath it. Her tousled hair and kiss-swollen lips completed the just-fucked look.

  Then he looked into her eyes and nearly dropped the eggs.

  Her eyes gleamed gold, full of heat and passion. He felt his own flare in response, his gaze raking her from head to toe as he prowled towards her, the eggs left behind on the counter. “Emma,” he purred, wrapping his hands around her waist.

  “Hmm?” She stroked his chest with her small hands, fingers tangling in the hairs on his chest.

  He leaned down and lapped at his mark, groaning when she bared her throat. “You’re changing.”

  “What?” she asked absently, her hands moving towards the snap of his jeans. “You taste so good,” she whispered, licking his neck with a tongue turned raspy.

  Max shivered. “Emma,” he groaned as her teeth nipped at his neck. Her canines had grown in. “You’re changing, sweetheart.”

  “Thought you said I had two days,” she muttered as her hand worked its way inside his pants. With a happy sigh she stroked his shaft, pulling it out of his jeans to run her thumb over the head.

  Max moaned, ready to push her down on the table and take her swift and hard. That could be a problem if she shifted before they were done. “Emma, you have to stop.”

  “Who says?” She knelt in front of him and took his cock in her mouth, sucking lightly on the head, her tongue rasping along the slit. “Mmm, you do taste good.” She licked her lips, teasing and seductive.

  Max stared down at her, fighting his own instincts. He wanted to thrust between her lips, hold her head in place while he fucked her there, make sure she swallowed every last bit of him.

  But she was changing. It was up to him to act responsibly He was Alpha, it was his job to protect her, and…

  She’d wrapped her lips around his cock again, licking up and down the shaft, her head bobbing in a steady rhythm that would soon have him coming down her throat. With a snarl, the Puma took over as he grabbed the sides of her head and held her in place for his pleasure.

  “That’s it, baby, use your tongue,” he growled, watching her pleasure him as his hips moved slowly, sliding his shaft between her lips. She curled that wicked tongue slightly, rasping it against the throbbing vein, catching the flared edge.

  One of his hands moved to the back of her head, gently bunching her hair in his fist in a show of dominance as the Alpha in him took over. He could feel chills run up and down his spine as his climax neared, but he kept his rhythm steady, trying not to choke her while forcing her to take everything she could. He crooned to her, telling her how wonderful her hot mouth felt against him, how beautiful she was to him.

  He moved the hand not holding her hair to just under her chin as he felt her incisors turn sharp. “Suck, Emma,” he commanded, his power flowing free as he lost control, his climax almost on him.

  She gave him a teasing flick of her tongue before she obeyed, her cheeks hollowing out as she sucked on the head of his cock, pulling the orgasm out of him as she increased her purr at the same time. He erupted into her mouth, back arched, head thrown back as his cry of completion came out more like the primal snarl of his Puma. His mate took everything he gave her, swallowing him down as he held her head in place.

  With a final, rumbling purr, she licked him clean then stood. She gently tucked his softening cock back into his jeans, zipping and snapping them shut before she gently patted his chest.

  “You still owe me a shirt, Lion-O.” With a wicked grin, she sauntered off to the bedroom, her ass swaying beneath his shirt. Max grinned, eggs forgotten, and followed her into the bedroom.

  Emma felt edgy all day. She’d had yet another fight with Max, insisting on going to work that afternoon and giving Becky her allotted evening off. She could feel the Puma crawling under her skin, trying to break free; Max had warned her what could happen if she allowed the change to occur without him present. Like she wanted to change into a mountain lion in the middle of her store! He’d grumbled all the way to her apartment, the entire time she changed clothes, and all the way to Wallflowers. By the time he dropped her off, she was ready to bite him, and not in a good way. She felt caged, pacing the storeroom when she wasn’t waiting on customers. She’d managed to keep her eyes from changing, a trick Max had taught her quickly when he realized she wouldn’t give in. He’d also told her he would be picking her up after work. She agreed with him that she was in no condition to drive.

  She barely made it through the day, closing an hour early and leaving the receipts for Becky. She needed more room to pace, more room to…run.

  Emma walked the six blocks to Max’s office. Both Adrian and Max were there, as was the receptionist, Lisa Pryce. Emma waved hello to a puzzled Lisa before sitting i
n the waiting area, tapping her foot impatiently.

  Adrian Giordano walked out of one of the examination rooms, talking quietly to Livia Patterson. She looked thoroughly disgusted, completely ignoring the hunky doctor as he tried his best to get her to pay attention. Adrian spoke to the receptionist as Livia, without even a glance at Emma, flounced out of the office.

  “Emma?”

  “Hi, Adrian.” Emma smiled tightly. “Was Livia upset she got you instead of Max?”

  Adrian grinned. “So Max told you about her attempts to get to him?”

  Emma had a hard time not baring her teeth. She wanted to rip Livia’s heart out. It took all of the self-control she had to keep her eyes brown instead of gold. “Yup.”

  Adrian coughed, turning away abruptly. “Max? Emma’s here.”

  “Emma?” She could hear his muffled voice from behind one of the examination room doors. It opened abruptly and a frowning Max stepped out, followed by the elderly Mrs. Roman. “Why didn’t you wait at your shop for me?”

  Emma grinned at him, her expression tight, her body strung out. Her foot jiggled impatiently. It felt like the worst caffeine high she’d ever been on. Her skin itched and crawled, her gums ached, and her eyes hurt with the effort to keep them brown.

  “Oh.” Max sighed and turned to Mrs. Roman. “Here’s your prescription, and a copy for your records, Lena. Why don’t you have Lisa help you pick out a pair of frames? We can see to it that they’re sent off to the lab first thing in the morning.”

  Mrs. Roman grinned wickedly. “Hot date, Max?” She waggled her eyebrows at him when he merely smiled smugly. “Taking Emma out, eh?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Max smiled and winked at Emma, who had to bite her lip to keep from snarling.

  “Well, you take good care of her, you hear? From what Jimmy said, she’s a keeper.” Max’s grin froze on his face. “You mark my words, if you haven’t snapped her up by the time he gets back this way, he’ll steal her back out from under you.”

  “Who’s Jimmy?” Max asked. His tone was pleasant, his expression wasn’t.