Free Shadow Mated (Ouachita Mountain Shifter Book 5) by P. Jameson Page B

loving the way his lighter skin looked against her darker tone. He was honey and she was deep bronze, and his hands looked so damn good touching her like no man ever had before. Like she was cherished.
    Wrapping one arm around her waist, he hauled her close and lowered his tongue to her taut nipple. His mouth on that tender spot felt like a sensual fire, and it was spreading. Over her chest where it branched off, one side zapping heat to her cheeks while the other arrowed straight between her legs.
    Bailey moaned, unable to help herself, and Gash pulled back to draw in a deep breath.
    “Aw, Bailey. You smell like miracles and desire, and I never want to forget this.”
    She curved a palm around his cheek, the scarred one, letting their bond relay her feelings. “You won’t. Because this is just the beginning.”
    His cat flickered behind his eyes and Bailey wondered if her tiger was doing the same.
    “I’m going to mark you, Bailey. If you don’t want that, you have to tell me now because once I’m inside you, I don’t know if I can keep my cat from going all the way. I can’t imagine not making you mine for good.”
    His words sounded like a threat, but Bailey wasn’t scared. Her tiger had been waiting for this, and she was ready. All she’d needed was his assurance that he was in this for the long haul. There would be details to work out in the future. Threats to deal with and hurts to heal. But not going forward now, when she knew how strongly Gash felt for her, how strongly she felt for him… well, it seemed wrong .
    “I want that very much,” she whispered, tracing the scar on his cheek with her thumb.
    With another soft growl, he captured her lips and twisted her around to land on the bed beneath him. His body was solid, anchoring her to the mattress for his attention. Her tiger writhed inside, anxious to feel all of him. Hungry open-mouth kisses made the trail across her jaw and down the column of her neck, between the valley of her breasts, and ended with a lick circling her belly button.
    “Beautiful,” he breathed. “So beautiful.” He wasn’t talking to her though. More like he was mumbling to himself, unable to hold it back. “Have to see more of you.”
    Rising up on his knees, he hooked his fingers in the waist of her leggings and tugged them over her hips, stalling with the fabric around her thighs. Underneath, she wore only a cotton thong—to avoid panty lines of course, but now with Gash staring down at her like she was a goddess, it made her feel sexy.
    With one finger, he traced the edges where they dipped into the crease of her thighs. Stealthily, he tucked one finger under the fabric to touch her, his eyes fluttering shut when he felt the wetness he’d caused.
    Bailey gasped, biting her lip to contain a moan, her hips pushing up to feel more of his touch. Jerking his hand from her panties, he brought it to his mouth and sucked.
    “Yes,” he murmured, nodding like he’d come to a grave decision. “That’s mine, and I’m going to lick the fuck out of it.”
    In the next breath, he’d ripped the thong away and peeled her leggings down to her ankles. It all happened so fast, Gash’s words had barely registered by the time he’d settled between her legs, shoulders braced under her thighs. His hands spreading her wide, his hot breath on her most sensitive parts, it was enough to drive her wild.
    And that was when she heard it. The urgent purr vibrating her chest. Her tiger was so close, wanting her mate. Rabid for him.
    Gash stared up at her from between her legs, his eyes going all cat for a brief moment. He let out a warning hiss, and then lowered his tongue, giving her a long lick up her center.
    Bailey yelped at the sensation, and his mouth curved in a satisfied grin. “My tigress likes that,” he murmured.
    “Yes, yes.”
    Holding her quivering legs, he licked and sucked until she was breathless and straining for release. Then he surged up, taking her mouth again, his