Free Prowl the Night by Crystal Jordan

around him. He kept stroking her, kept thrusting into her ass. Her body heaved each time he flicked a finger over her clit. “Don’t stop moving until I tell you to. Come for me again.”
    Her hair fell forward as she bowed her back to work herself harder on his cock. The movement revealed the mate mark on her nape—the only scar that a Panther could keep. Sleep healed them of all other wounds. The magic of their race didn’t grant them longer life than a regular human, but it did guarantee them extraordinarily good health for the years they had. Ciri’s back arched, and possession swamped him. His. She wore his mark. She was his in the most fundamental claiming of their kind.
    The thought made him explode. His body locked in a tight line and he jetted come into her ass. He pinched her clit hard, and she sobbed, shaking as another orgasm thrummed through her. The clench of her muscles around his cock just dragging the sensations out for him. It was perfect. Being with her like this was the only time in his life when everything felt right, when he didn’t have to fight to prove himself.
    Unfortunately, it didn’t last beyond the time it took reality to return and all the problems to resurface and begin nagging at the back of his mind. He sighed as his high crashed. Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his forehead between her shoulder blades. “Are you okay?”
    â€œYes, that was good.”
    He chuckled, kissed her soft skin. “I’m glad you liked it.”
    â€œDidn’t you?”
    Purring softly, he repeated her own words to her. “You can’t tell?”
    Whatever she might have said was drowned out when the cell phone in his pocket blasted out a loud samba. He released her and dropped his head back against the couch. It was a repeat of earlier. “Shit.”
    â€œDon’t pick up the phone.” The soft plea in her voice broke his heart.
    â€œI won’t.” He sighed, stroking a hand down her naked back. “But you know Father will just call back.”
    â€œI know. Just forget I said anything. I’m sure whatever he wants is more important than this.” She lifted herself off of his lap as the phone stopped ringing. The silence would only be temporary. He pushed to his feet, tossing aside what remained of his clothes.
    Twirling her into a dance as the phone began the samba again, he spun her into the bedroom. “I’m not going to forget about it. We’re going to talk. After we have a shower.”
    â€œArgue, you mean.” She clutched at his shoulders when he dipped her backward over his arm.
    â€œIf that’s what it takes.” Better than her being upset and hiding it behind a wall of insufferable calm. He rolled his hips in a dance move, then swung them both around until they reached the bathroom. The tiles were a cold shock against his feet. “Let’s get cleaned up first, then we’ll worry about other things.”

    She didn’t want to fight.
    They stood under the hot spray of water, washing away reminders of the sex they’d had on the couch. What she wouldn’t give to go back to that uncomplicated moment. That seemed to be all she wanted—less complication. She didn’t see why that was so wrong.
    The water ran down her body, and she couldn’t help but recall this was her third shower of the day. After she’d left Tomas in his office, she had run into Isabel, who noticed something was wrong and dragged her into the kitchens to have tea. Isabel’s domain was always a comforting place to be, and the other woman had a quietness that Ciri liked. While they were sipping tea together, Ben had joined them. Neither of them mentioned that she smelled of sex and fear. Instead, Isabel filled them with tea and sweets while Ben pulled out his laptop to show them the pictures he’d taken. It wasn’t as odd as she would have expected to have a non-shifter spend time