Protector of the Pride (Lions of Pride Island Book 3) (5 page)

L
ucy looked suspiciously
at the blob on her plate. It was a color no one should have to behold, and it was littered with little bits of black.

She touched it with her fork and then looked over at Axel, who was watching her.

She didn’t want to blow it with her reaction. He’d been so sweet when he’d come to pick her up from her room, extending a hand like an old-fashioned escort, being every bit the prince he was.

She’d loved the feel of her hand on his bicep, firm and strong.

And he was dressed differently than she’d ever seen him. In an outfit that was casual but dressy at the same time and, above all, attractive.

A fitted jacket rolled up to his elbows over a form-fitting white tee shirt and dark jeans that hugged his ass and thighs.

He had a perfect body, and she was already eager to taste it again. Maybe tonight.

But would she get to taste him without tasting his food? And if she did taste his food, would she live long enough for them to get it on?

He poured her a glass of wine and then sat down across from her. His blond hair was perfectly tousled, his straight jaw relaxed as he looked over at her.

He was the exact same man she’d worked with for months, but there was something different about them now. The way they were together.

He was starting to open up to her.

“Um, usually for a date, you take a girl out,” she said, looking around at their regular table.

He flushed. “I didn’t know. After all, I cooked here.”

“We could have done a picnic,” she said, knowing she was just stalling so she didn’t have to put the toxic concoction in front of her in her mouth.

“Why don’t you try my casserole?” he asked. “I have a feeling you’ll feel better about us staying in together once you see what I can do in the kitchen.”

Her stomach gurgled, and he grinned at her. He looked so pleased with himself that she didn’t know how to say no to him. He was usually so worried about everything, but tonight, he seemed completely confident in his cooking.

She pushed it with her fork again and nearly gagged at the way it quivered.

Still, he’d been so sweet today. With the flowers and the cooking, and she couldn’t disappoint him.

Plus, she wanted to be with him tonight. Wanted things to keep moving between them.

Maybe above all, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

She knew she was falling in love with him as she cut a small bite off the blob and raised it to her mouth. Only an infatuated person would risk something like this.

She stuck it in her mouth, and her eyes immediately watered as she chewed.

He stood abruptly and knocked the fork out of her hand. Then he took the plate in front of her with a huff and marched out of the dining room.

She blinked and tried chew the bitter food in her mouth. It was worse than she’d ever imagined. Bitter and raw and slimy at the same time. It was some kind of achievement that he’d made something so terrible.

Unable to resist, she picked up her napkin, spit the remainder into it, and then went looking for him.

She found him in the kitchen, cursing and dumping the casserole in the sink.

When he caught her staring, he sighed. She gave him a hesitant grin, and he returned it.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve already called for takeout. We can go eat it on the lawn.”

She bit back a laugh. “It’s okay. You look nice tonight. And you do get points for trying to cook. Just don’t do it again, please.”

He groaned. “You know what? My brother tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. I wanted to show you my domestic side.”

“I’ve seen it,” she said. “You take care of all the domestic business on the island. That’s good enough. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart.”

“Can you cook?” he asked.

“Gosh no,” she said, walking forward to thread an arm through his. “So we’re even.”

“We’ll starve,” he said.

“We live in a castle.” She blinked. “At least for now. And as you said, there is always takeout.”

“Right,” he said, tucking her arm in against him. They walked out onto the front steps and sat down. The sun was setting and it was a beautiful purple twilight color outside. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”

She felt tingly just sitting next to him. Suddenly, it all just felt so right. Staying by his side. Watching out for him. Supporting him. Eating with him. Coming out here in the evenings after a long day of work on the kingdom and sharing thoughts as night crept up on them.

“Anyway, you like Chinese food, right?”

“Yeah,” she said. “The usual place we get for lunch?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sorry.”

“No big,” she said. “I always love the food you order in. You’re a good boss, you know.”

“Even though I’m trying to date my employee?” he asked, looking down at her.

“We both know it’s a different situation,” she said. “Not the norm.”

He sighed and leaned back on his hands. He was so much taller than her, even when they were both sitting. “I guess so.”

“Wait, did you say you called your brother?”

“I did,” he said. “For help with the date.”

She was oddly touched by that. He really was trying. If he was just trying to learn from her, would he be putting in that much effort? But her heart told her that was a dangerous train of thought. Their relationship had an expiration date, unless the slim chance of her being named his mate came to fruition, which she doubted.

She’d never really pictured herself having a mate after all. She had no ties and she felt she never would, and that suited her,

He scooted a little closer. “Thanks for trying the food. I appreciate your bravery.”

She laughed. “It was pretty brave.” She nudged against him so he would lift an arm and she could scoot under it. She loved the feel of his body against her.

Loved how relaxed he seemed in her arms.

“I’m sorry I screwed up our first date,” he said. “The food will be here soon. That’ll fix it.”

“You didn’t screw up,” she said, resting her head against his shoulder. “I think it was perfect. After all, you saved me from actually eating it.”

“That’s because it was going to make you cry,” he said. “I never want to see you cry.”

She laughed. “Good call. A woman crying is always a sign something has gone wrong in the courting department.”

“Hey, even I knew that,” he said, putting up a hand and running it through her hair. “Hey, Lucy?”

“Yes?” she asked.

“Let me try again tomorrow? I’ll make it up to you.”

“Nothing to make up,” she said. “You still get an A for effort, and I’m looking forward to Chinese. And the night isn’t over.”

He stared at her, tilting his head, and then a grin spread across his lips. “Okay. Not over, then. Got it.”

She bit her lip and tried not to smile like an idiot as she enjoyed snuggling against him.

It was just so nice.

* * *

A
xel tried not
to be humiliated by the failure of his cooking to impress her.

He checked his watch with the arm that wasn’t around Lucy. The Chinese food would be here, fully ramming home his folly in thinking he was capable of cooking for her at all.

Still, if this was what resulted, him sitting beside her, watching the quiet evening, enjoying the fresh spring breezes moving through, then maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

He could really see doing this with her forever. He wished there wasn’t a time limit on what was happening between them. Because from the moment he’d leaned into it, it had just felt perfect and right.

Still, maybe that was just infatuation. It was hard not to be infatuated with Lucy. Her curvy, feminine shape, the soft clothes she wore, her curly hair that always waved around her face, driving him crazy.

She was perfect. Of course he could fall for her. He’d been resisting it for months, and that kiss had been the last straw. In kissing her, he’d pulled his finger from the figurative dam and let the deluge come through.

He sighed and looked over her. She was wearing a soft red sweater over tight black leggings. Red lipstick and minimal makeup on her tawny skin. She looked just perfect next to him. He saw a van pull up at the gates and stood up to go get the food. He motioned for her to stay where she was.

Lately, his protective instincts with regard to her had been nearly uncontrollable, and he was as aware as anyone that anything could happen when it came to someone approaching the castle. No matter how much security they had, something could possibly get through.

He wasn’t willing to risk that. Not with Lucy. At least while she was with him, he’d make sure she was safe. It kind of rankled him that he couldn’t just keep doing it forever.

He walked back with the Chinese food after closing the gate, putting out an arm to escort her into the garden off to one side of the castle. There was a little iron wrought table and chairs there where it would be nice to eat, surrounded by lilacs and wild shrubs.

He pulled out her seat and then put the food on the table. She helped him serve it, and it was comfortable and warm between them, despite the refreshing night air moving around them.

When they were done eating, she leaned back, patting her stomach. “That was wonderful, thank you. See? Cooking not needed.”

“My bad,” he said. “I was just trying to impress you.”

“You did,” she said. “By admitting you were wrong. Not every man can do that.”

“I can’t afford not to, with my responsibilities,” he said. “I have to accept help and advice wherever I can. After all, I’m only one man.”

She nodded. “Well, you have me now.”

“True,” he said. But did he? Or was he just borrowing her on loaned time?

“What do you want to do now?” she asked.

He scratched the back of his head. “I guess I should have planned something.”

“If you didn’t, it’s fine. I can think of something.”

Hm. She shouldn’t have to do that. He was already failing at this.

“Don’t do that,” she said.

“Do what?”

“Look all stressed out and self-tortured,” she said.

“Oh,” he said.

She stood, taking his hands. “I have an idea. Follow me.” She let him go and started jogging out across the wide lawn to the side of the castle, in the direction of the woods where many private trails crisscrossed.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “We should probably get back. I have work tomorrow, and—”

She looked back at him, eyes glowing warmly, hair whipped by the wind, and grinned. Then she began to pull off her clothing.

“Wait,” he said, putting a hand over his eyes. He looked around them desperately.
No one better be seeing this.

He heard her pulling clothing off quickly, and then he turned back to see she had shifted into her lioness.

How long had it been since he had done that?

It wasn’t that I wasn’t tempted,
he thought as she paced languidly, stretching on the grass in a way that looked luscious.

He just hadn’t made time. During the day, he’d often look out on the grounds and picture himself running across it in lion form, but then he’d look at everything he had to do during business hours and tell himself maybe tomorrow.

But tomorrow never came.

“Come on,” she said, able to talk in her lion form. Her lion was beautiful, light golden and sleek and strong. Her feline hips swayed as she walked in a circle and stared at him. Her eyes were gold now instead of their usual green.

How interesting.

“I showed you mine; now you show me yours.”

He grinned and transformed, realizing belatedly as he heard tearing noises that he’d just shredded Cain’s clothing into ribbons with his transformation.

But he’d just been so eager to see his mate.

She laughed and took off toward the woods, asking him to chase with a swish of her tail. He gave the torn clothes one look, promising to pay Cain back, and took off after her.

F
eeling
the night air on his fur was electrifying as he ran after Lucy into the darkening night.

The moon was rising and would be full tonight, which was oddly romantic.

He wanted to be in the moonlight with her.

He doubted either of them was thinking of this as a fake courtship anymore. As his lion chased hers in the dark, he was pretty sure whatever this was, it was real.

She looked over her shoulder and laughed as she took another sharp turn through the woods.

“You do this often?” he called after her.

“Sometimes,” she says. “When I’m going crazy indoors.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?” he asked.

She snorted. “Obviously, because you would have said no. You’re uptight, and I wasn’t going to mess with that. Until now, I guess. Things are different.”

“They are,” he said, catching up to her as they reached the edge of a pool of water surrounded by cattails swaying in the wind. She sat on her haunches, and he joined her, two big cats sitting together in the darkness.

“It’s so beautiful out here,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect, coming to work for the royal family. But I didn’t expect to fall in love with the grounds more than the castle.”

“My dad designed them,” he said. “Because my mom loved to run as her lion.” Pain swept through him at that, and he wished he hadn’t brought up the topic.

“What were your parents like?” she asked. “I mean, I read news articles growing up. Obviously, I’ve seen pictures.”

“They were very much in love,” he said. “To their own detriment.”

“What does that mean?” she asked. “How is that a detriment when you are married?”

“Things aren’t easy in our world,” he said. “Sometimes I think it would have been better if my mom didn’t love my dad quite so much.”

“Don’t you hope for a love match, though?” she asked. “Isn’t that why we’re doing this?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were teaching me how to win over a girl, not how to fall in love with her.”

“Well, I think you should do both.”

He was sort of falling in love with her. Had been since he first met her. But that worked out, because in all likelihood, he wasn’t going to be allowed to be with her.

“I just think it should stay more business when you’re running a country.”

She gave him a sad look. “So you think you’ll just stay distant with whomever you mate? That’s really sad if you ask me.”

“Not the saddest thing that can happen,” he said. “And besides, I’m getting my romance now.” He gave her a toothy grin and she gave him a small half smile in return and went back to looking at the pool.

“You want to go for a swim?” she asked.

He was grateful for the change in topic, but he didn’t know about the swimming. “Cats hate water.”

“Not this kitty,” she said, leaping forward into the water. She was under long enough that he stood to pace uncomfortably. If she didn’t come up soon…

When she surfaced, she looked like a mermaid, back in human form. Her bare shoulders glistened in the moonlight, the tops of her breasts rounded and gorgeous. Her hair was drenched and waving back from her face. Her eyes were almond, catlike. Green again.

He paced once more.

“Join me?” she asked.

What to do? The night had taken a sexy turn that he hadn’t expected on the one hand. On the other hand, Lucy was naked in the pool and asking him to join her.

Lucy. Naked. Asking.

He jumped into the water, immersing himself in the cold. The shock of it made it easy to shift, and he felt his human hands stroke to the surface. As he broke it, shaking water off his hands, he locked eyes with her, just a few feet away. He swam straight to her, his body awake now, wanting her with everything he had.

She easily fit in against him and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her warm stomach against his felt awesome, and she looked up at the moon and sighed. “Beautiful night, right?”

“Right,” he murmured. But he wasn’t looking at the moon at all. Instead, he was looking at the woman in his arms, feeling his heart yearning for her in a way that shouldn’t have been possible.

So beautiful in the moonlight. “Lucy…” he said, feeling lost in the moment.

“Axel,” she replied, looking at him with clear, calm eyes.

How could she be so calm when his heart was hammering? But then he listened closer to the sound of her breathing and could tell she was just as affected as he was.

“I don’t… I…”

She ran her hands over his slick shoulders and then the muscles of his arms. Did she like them? He’d always worked out, hoping when the time came, he’d be a good protector for his mate. And he’d known as the oldest son, he’d have challengers when the mate was named, so he needed to be able to fight.

But now, being with Lucy, he was glad for his muscle for other reasons. To protect her. To hold her. His strong legs treaded water, and he supported her fully as she looked up at the moon, her breasts lifting slightly out of the water.

It was a moment he could have held on to forever. But then she pushed out of his arms and swam closer to shore, motioning for him to join. When he reached her, able to touch the bottom, she launched into his arms again, her arms wrapping around him, her toes pushing off the lake bed, her lips taking his.

He melted into the kiss. Screw trying to plan this. He’d give her whatever she wanted and deal with it later. Just for once, he didn’t want to worry. Just for once he wanted to just do what he wanted. What she wanted.

Just for once, he wanted to relax and let the cares of the world slide off his back.

And kissing her was the only thing that seemed to allow him to do that.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

* * *

A
xel’s lips
were searing against Lucy’s, his skin still cool from the water around them, his breath hot and fervent as he kissed her senseless.

What had started as a simple frolic through the moonlit night was quickly becoming a sexy midnight rendezvous. But even though she hadn’t planned for this, she certainly had no complaints as Axel’s tongue enmeshed with her own.

She felt weightless in his arms, supported by his strength as he stroked and thrust inside her mouth, a promise of more to come to hopefully fulfill her unfulfilled desires from the previous night.

In the meantime, she would join him for whatever ride he took her on.

And deal with the consequences as they came.

His tongue ran along the inside of her mouth, and a shiver went down her spine, further intensified by the cool water that seemed to make everything stronger.

With surprising grace and speed, only barely disturbing the water around them, Axel moved from her mouth to the side of her neck. Each passionate kiss he placed made her skin tingle with pleasure, made her hold on his shoulders a little bit tighter.

She was grateful the grounds were abandoned, the trees bordering the small lake standing as silent sentinels awash with white hues as they waved slightly in the gentle breeze. The feeling of solitude, of seclusion from the world around them, only made the experience that much sweeter.

“I always wanted to come out on these grounds, but I never get around to it,” he said lightly as his lips grazed and then bit down on her earlobe, pulling a moan from her throat as he repeated the process on the other side of her neck.

“Never found time on the schedule?” she asked, barely able to breathe as he continued kissing over her shoulders.

“No,” he said. “But if this is any indication, maybe that was a mistake.”

“Shall I put it on the agenda?” she asked, using words she had many times in the office but with a much different meaning to them. What would it be like to actually do this on a regular basis? She could almost picture it, a life like that.

But then she knew she should stay grounded in reality. But that was hard to do with a handsome ruler holding you weightless in a beautiful private lake in the moonlight.

“Never mind the agenda,” he said, and she could hear the grin in his voice. “I’d rather focus on other things right now. Like this.” She felt a little thrill as he picked her up higher in the water, lifting her breasts out of the lake and into his waiting mouth. Instantly, she felt sizzling pleasure shoot through her, making her unable to think about any sort of retort she might have otherwise had.

The more she saw of this dominant side Axel had to him, the more she wanted to coax it out of him.

Because whenever it did come out, it meant good things were happening. And it also felt like he was freer than ever before.

He moved from one breast to the other, suckling and licking on the cooled, hardened tips with his hot mouth, the welcoming warmth enveloping her nipple and making her entire body light up with arousal. As he did, she could see the reflection of the moon coming off the water and lighting up his scorching, golden gaze with flecks of silver.

Looking into his eyes did something to her. Something she couldn’t control. So all she could do was let her body simply ride the wave of pleasure that he was taking her on and see where they ended up.

As his mouth worked its magic, his hands squeezed her hips, pulling their bodies together and sending shocks of pleasure running up her frame. Instinctually, she locked her legs around his midsection, feeling his taut abs and hard back against her skin.

Her hands ran through his hair, still wet and dripping with tiny drops of water that caught the faintest hint of moon glow as they fell.

She marveled at how thick and satisfying it was to hold on to, all the while trying to hold back the rising sensation in her body that responded to every touch and every kiss from this overwhelming man.

Then she felt Axel’s hand come between them, his finger deftly stroking over her clit, and the sparks really began to fly.

He started slow, so gentle it was teasing, inviting, making her almost want to beg for more. And as her body’s awareness of his touch heightened even further, he moved more intently, more focused. Every little touch, every centimeter of his finger was euphoric, sending twinges of what felt like lightning through her.

And as Axel did this, he moved deeper into the water, lowering Lucy so she felt weightless, floating and adrift, yet anchored to the source of her pleasure by his powerful arm supporting her and holding her close.

Maybe it was the way that all of his attention was focused on her, centered on her in a dominant, possessive way that made her feel like the only person in the world. Maybe it was the way his finger glided over her in the water like like a flame in the cold night, searing heat in the midst of the cool, aquatic sensation surrounding her. Maybe he was just so damn good at this that it surpassed her limits of self-control.

Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to last long.

To add on top of that, his mouth found her breasts, cool again from the water and more than happy to have his warm lips over them.

Everywhere she felt alive, so aroused that her muscles were quivering from the pressure inside of her. Around them, the grounds were still silent, punctuated by the sound of the faintest whisper of a whistle as the wind passed through the reeds around them.

Suddenly, her body came at his touch, releasing all of the tension that had been building since the moment she first saw him this evening. Her back arched as she tried to muffle her body’s desire to scream in pleasurable agony, making the back of her hair dip into the water, cooling her even as white-hot heat coursed through her every cell.

And as she orgasmed, Axel was there, attentive and sexy, his commanding gaze watching her every movement with satisfaction, turning her on even as she went.

Gradually, the powerful shocks ebbed and became tiny aftershocks that continued for several seconds, leaving her relaxed and thrumming with pleasure.

When it was finally over, all she could feel was Axel next to her, along with a deep need within her. A need to have him inside, to feel what it was like to be one with him.

Instinctually, she began to grind against him, his thick arousal next to her in the water teasing her and making her eager for more with each passing second.

“We should probably head back,” Axel said, his voice husky and clearly trying to hold back and keep control of the situation.

“You can’t get me all hot and bothered like that and then leave me hanging,” she said, trying to not sound desperate.

“I don’t have protection on me,” he said, probably referring to the fact that their clothes were back at the castle, hers in a neat pile and his in disheveled tatters.

“That’s not a problem since I’m not in heat right now,” she replied. The longer he waited, the more she wanted him. “You of all people should know cat shifters can’t get pregnant when it’s not the right time.”

“Still, if we’re going to do this, I’m going to be careful,” he said, his golden gaze locking with hers, sending a shiver of anticipation through her, as she could feel her body getting warmer just at the thought of it.

“Whatever you want, just so long as you’re in me,” she said, wrapping her arms around him.