Jaguar On My Mind: Book Two - Bridenapping Jaguars Page 14

  The detective left and Mary allowed Tomas to take her hand.

  “Let’s go,” he rumbled.

  “Home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Our home?” She looked at him expectantly.

  Tomas took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking. I could come and live in Los Lobos.”

  “Oh.” She glanced down, and he sighed. “Because I was thinking of moving to Honey Blossom Mountain. But if you’re not there… Eep!”

  Tomas whooped and swung her into his arms. “You mean it?” he asked excitedly.

  Mary giggled until she started to feel a little nauseous. “The only real objection I had to living there was my stalker – I didn’t want to bring him there with the kids. Now, I guess I don’t have an excuse, so I’m going to have to come live with you.”

  He nodded eagerly. “That’s true.”

  Mary grinned. “Yep, I’m powerless to say no.” Though that wasn’t true. She had the power to say yes or no to living with Tomas, it was just her pleasure to say yes.

  His beamed smile dipped a smidge. “I should probably tell you something.”

  Mary held her breath, fearing what he was about to say. Had this all been a wonderful dream?

  “My mom ruined your brown cardigan,” he admitted in a strained voice. He looked like the world was ending.

  “Is that it?”

  “Uh, yes – thought you’d be upset, you seemed to love it.”

  She shook her head in relief. “Nah, it was ugly and old.” Her eyes dipped shyly. “Besides, I’m guessing you prefer me without clothes.”

  “Damn right,” he rumbled.

  Tomas gave her feverish kisses as she laughed and cried with happiness. Yes, it was sudden, but she was done with waiting – it was time to be happy, and she knew deep down, that happiness could be found with Tomas.

  Who knew being kidnapped would be just what she needed?

  Twenty-Seven

  “This is very sudden, Mary.”

  Elise completely disapproved of Mary’s sudden relocation to Honey Blossom Mountain. Course, it was easier to take the news over the phone than in person.

  Elise came back from her honeymoon to find that Mary had organized for all her stuff to be moved into Brick’s apartment, while all Mary’s stuff was in her new home on Honey Blossom Mountain. She and Tomas had moved into a small bungalow – a little starter home for just the two of them. No brothers allowed.

  “It isn’t like you at all,” complained Elise.

  “Exactly, it isn’t like me which is why I’m enjoying it.”

  Elise was torn between being happy for her and being annoyed – Mary could tell. Though, she was sure the happiness would win.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, you know if it doesn’t work out you can always come and stay with Brick and me.”

  There was choking in the background – Brick no doubt. He had been thrilled to come home and find that he and his wife were finally living together – so much so that he sent Mary so many flowers she almost developed an allergy to them.

  Mary smiled as Tomas pulled a pan of muffins out of the oven. He had approached the prime about changing jobs – he wanted to try his hand at being a chef. Roberto was surprised, but he didn’t stand in his way. In fact, Roberto suggested that they consider taking over the old pizza restaurant in town – the place had been shut and on the market for six months. Apparently, the leap had a lot more money than they realized now that the leap second was no longer stealing all the money.

  She smiled as Tomas concentrated on the muffins, gazing at them thoughtfully.

  “I think we’ll be fine.”

  “But you barely know him!”

  Elise had yet to meet Tomas, and honestly, Mary wasn’t sure what she would make of him. Elise liked men like her – confident, outgoing, lively, and she thought that was the kind of man Mary should want, too. Tomas wasn’t any of those things. No, he was perfect she thought dreamily.

  “We’ll come and visit soon,” said Mary trying to placate her.

  “You better.”

  “I love you,” said Mary, and when Tomas looked up sharply, she added, “Elise. You’ve taken care of me for so long, just saying thank you doesn’t seem enough.”

  Elise huffed. “You’re my best friend; you don’t have to thank me for that. I just… don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

  Mary grinned. Apparently, Elise needed someone to care for as much as Mary needed someone to care.

  “You have Brick – spoil him rotten.”

  Elise giggled. “Sure.”

  They said their goodbyes, and Mary happily skipped over to Tomas who was flashing a muffin at her.

  “Mmmm, it smells delicious.”

  “Peach and raspberry.”

  “Mmmm – gah!”

  The warm muffin was meltingly wonderful. It almost beat out lemon and coconut as her favorite flavors. Almost.

  “I’ll be twenty pounds heavier by the end of the week if you keep this up.”

  “And still gorgeous,” he mumbled, patting her rear.

  Mary was about to suggest they go to bed – an early night would do them good, even if it were only four in the afternoon. Well, they did have a lot of years of combined celibacy to make up for. But sadly, she was interrupted as Tomas’ father burst through the door.

  Tomas started growling, but he lost his fizz as he noticed the disheveled state of his father. The guy looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backward.

  “What happened?” asked Mary.

  Ray looked at Tomas. “Your mother left me.”

  Twenty-Eight

  After a week, life in Tomas’ family home returned to normal. Well, better than normal. Apparently, Julia on seeing how happy Tomas and Mary were, decided she couldn’t take it anymore and left Ray. If Tomas could be kind and considerate to Mary, then so could Ray and her sons for that matter.

  It was enough to jolt Ray into being a better mate, and to jolt her younger sons into being a little more active around their house – like setting the table, doing their own dishes and picking up their own dirty laundry off the floor.

  Tomas was proud of his mother for standing up to his father. It was about damn time he thought as he watched his father leaping to get his mate a refill on her ice tea.

  Julia smiled at her mate adoringly. He just hoped his father didn’t backtrack into his old bad habits. Though, his mother could just leave him again. It took Ray ten minutes to realize he couldn’t survive on his own – not with his mutant offspring.

  As Tomas walked home with Mary, holding her hand, he pondered what would happen when they had their own children. Hopefully, by then he would be working full-time as a chef, while Mary had already reopened the library. Perhaps she could take their son to the library with her. Though that was a long way off.

  He had sat Mary down and explained the reason why the jaguars had taken to bridenapping females in the first place – because so few females were ever born in the leap. Couples were lucky if their daughters survived infancy. She had been suitably sympathetic, but she took it in her stride that the likelihood of her ever having a daughter was slim to none. That and her own sons would probably have to kidnap their own brides.

  Their sons. Their cubs. His jaguar roared at the thought.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” cooed his little mate.

  “Just thinking about when we have kids.”

  “Not quite yet though, right?” she giggled.

  “No, plenty of time.”

  “I mean, there’s just so much I want to do first.”

  “Oh?” he asked a little nervously.

  He hadn’t considered her to be a woman of extravagant tastes. What if she wanted to run around the world, and go on exciting adventures? The most excitement he could offer was date night in town once a week. Kind of a letdown considering all the exciting things her best friend had been up to on her honeymoon.
>
  “Yeah, I mean, there are so many places I want to visit first,” she said with a tiny smirk.

  “Ah, Mary…”

  “The kitchen, the living room, who knows? Maybe the attic…”

  Tomas frowned as they found themselves at their back door.

  “But those are rooms in our house,” he said slowly.

  “Ummm hmmm.” She started unbuttoning her jacket.

  “You’ve been in them before.”

  “True.”

  He followed her into the living room, and she skipped into the kitchen.

  “So… what are we talking about?” There was no answer. “Mary? Mary?”

  He stormed into the kitchen to find his little mate sitting on the table, wearing nothing but a bashful smile.

  “Mary,” he breathed. His beast purred as his arousal soared.

  “I’ve never been very adventurous, but I thought we should perhaps, you know, make love in all the rooms.” She bit her bottom lip and gave him a naughty look.

  His little mate was insatiable – it was amazing. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of her wiggling on the table.

  “C’mon, Tomas, I’m getting cold over here, and I’m starting to lose my nerve.”

  He wiped the dazed look from his face and pulled his clothes off. Mary held out her arms, and he gratefully stepped into them. He pushed her back on the table, climbing over her. He was grateful the table was so well made – though perhaps this was not the use his leap mate made it for.

  Mary ran her hands up and down his back as he took a few moments to enjoy nuzzling her breasts. She wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to angle him to her, to hurry. He teased her, his hardness kissing her drenched entrance but not pressing inside. She lifted her hips, trying to entice him, but he kept her on edge, letting her desire rocket sky high.

  “Tomas!” she exclaimed, quivering with anticipation as he nipped her shoulder.

  He chuckled and pressed himself inside, reveling in the ripples as her velvety tight sheath gripped him in the most exquisite way. His beast let out a lazy roar as he thrust to the hilt. Mary gasped and her body let out a tremor, tightening around his manhood even more.

  He paused and looked down at the beauty in his arms. She was the sweetest creature in the world, and she was his – all his. She was his mate, and he would never let her go.

  Mary gazed up at him with adoration – the same look he often saw on his mother’s face. But he would never take Mary for granted. He was lucky to have her, and he wouldn’t forget that.

  “I love you,” she said. Her lips twitched in a slight smile.

  Mary was a lot more confident than when they first met, particularly when it came to sexy times. But she was still bashful and still nervous about a lot of things. Her feelings for him shouldn’t be one of them.

  “I love you too,” he crooned. My mate. Mine. Rawr.

  Her cheeks turned pink with pleasure, and she bucked her hips, making him groan.

  “Then don’t keep me waiting,” she teased.

  Tomas took a moment to kiss her and rubbed his nose against hers. His sweet little sex crazed mate; she was perfect for him.

  He pulled back and thrust inside of her, thrilled at the way her face lit up in ecstasy. He rocked in and out of her as Mary cried, whimpered and trembled around him. His animal howled in delight as pleasure rocketed through him. The table creaked and squeaked adding to the symphony of their moans.

  Before long he started taking her harder, faster. Mary writhed beneath him, her hands sliding over his body, scratching his back as her inner muscles clutched at him, nearly strangling him as she neared her completion. Just a few more thrusts and the two of them harmonized their climaxes with screams and growls. It was as perfect as their first time; every time was perfect.

  Tomas collapsed on her body, resting his head on her breasts, feeling the rampant thud of her heart as she slowly climbed back down from her peak.

  “Don’t get too comfortable,” she murmured. “There’s still the living room, the attic, the laundry room, the second bedroom, plus the garage. Then, of course, there’s the library…”

  He chuckled, kissed one of her breasts and enjoyed his moment of relaxation. That all sounded pretty damn terrific.

  The end

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