Cat's First Kiss Read online

  She was so angry at him. Angry at the situation. And generally pissed off at everything.

  And still she wanted to run her fingers through his shaggy black hair that trailed just above those dark eyes and brushed against the dark stubble on his jaw.

  Wanted to press her lips against his and force him to acknowledge what had always been between them.

  “Catene.”

  Her dad’s voice ripped her attention away from Ty and the tools discovered gravity again and fell with a clatter all around them.

  Her dad didn’t say anything for several seconds. She knew he wanted to say the perfect words. But nothing would ever be right again.

  “Guess I won’t need to have the lift fixed after all,” Kyle finally said. “When I need to change the oil in the cars, I’ll just have you hike them up.”

  Her mouth dropped open in shock at her dad’s deadpan delivery.

  Then Ty snorted, as if trying to contain his laughter.

  Even her dad’s expression lightened and she felt her own lips curve upward.

  Which made her dad smile in return as he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “I love you, baby. I think I’ll go see if Tam needs help with dinner. We’ll be eating soon.” He gave Ty a pointed stare. “You’re staying.”

  It wasn’t a question but Ty nodded anyway and Kyle walked out with a nod.

  Silence descended as they stared at each other until finally Ty sighed. “I’m an ass. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

  Her expression must have shown her shock because his mouth twisted in a wry grimace.

  “Yeah, I know. Amazing, right? That I know how to apologize.”

  “Not that you know how. That you did.”

  He stared at her, smile completely gone. “Only for you.”

  The ice around her heart melted and the power calmed, as if he’d thrown a blanket over it and muffled it.

  “Where have you been?”

  She should’ve been embarrassed by the break in her voice, by the naked emotion. The plea.

  Instead, she realized she would have done anything to get him to talk to her. Even beg.

  “Cat…” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the inky black strands and making her want to put her fingers there. “Vaffanculo, this is not your fault, Cat. This is my fault.”

  “What I am is not your fault.”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it.”

  No, she knew exactly what he was talking about. She also knew there were no easy answers.

  She steeled herself for him to pull away, to retreat.

  Instead, he took another step closer, close enough that if she took a deep breath, her breasts would brush against that broad chest.

  She held her breath, waiting…

  One more step and he’d closed the distance between them. She tilted her head back to look into his eyes and gasped when she realized he was closer than she’d realized.

  He put his mouth on hers, barely pressing against her lips, as if he didn’t want to scare her. Which wasn’t at all what she wanted.

  She took a deep breath, let his scent fill her lungs, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her body to his. Thighs, hips, chest. Hard. Hot.

  He groaned low in his chest and his arms tightened until she could barely breathe.

  Desire spread, his warmth seeping into her as his lips moved over hers. He lifted one hand to cup her face, his fingers gentle against her cheek even as his lips began to demand more.

  Instinctively, she gave him what he wanted. Her body softened, relaxed. She melted against him, tried to show him, without words, how much she wanted to give him.

  She kissed him back with all her pent-up longing and swore she felt him tremble against her.

  His tongue teased against the seam of her lips and she opened for him, knowing instinctively what he wanted from her.

  When his tongue licked into her mouth, she let hers tangle with his, tasted him for the first time and knew this was the exactly what she wanted.

  He was what she wanted.

  She felt each breath he took, her breasts tightening until they ached. She tilted her hips into his, felt the proof of how much he wanted her against her mound and burned. If he wanted to strip her naked right now and lay her down on the dirty garage floor, she would have thanked the Blessed Mother Goddess.

  Instead, the arm at her hips jerked her closer for a few, brief seconds before he slowly drew away.

  She tried to hold him close and he let her lips cling to his for moment before he finally lifted his head. Pressing her cheek against his chest, he kept her close. She heard the almost frantic beat of his heart and knew hers echoed it.

  Would he pull away now? Would she not see him again for months?

  She didn’t think she could stand that. Even as she thought it, his arm tightened around her and he slipped his hand from her cheek into her hair, as if he thought she might try to get away.

  As if.

  “Cat.” His voice sounded harsh, a little angry then he sighed.

  She held her breath, almost fearful of what he’d say next.

  “You want to go for a run?”

  The question was unexpected. And so was her smile. She’d missed her wolf but with Ty here, she knew nothing bad would happen.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  He smiled down at her as he pulled away. “Then let’s go.”

  In a flash of blurred reality, he shifted into his wolf. He yipped at her, shook his head then shot out the door.

  Stripping off her clothes, she blanked her mind to everything but the thought of wearing her pelt. And running.

  In one pain-and pleasure-filled moment, she welcomed her wolf and set off in search of Ty.

  Author’s note

  Cat and Tivr have been supporting players throughout the Lucani Lovers, Darkly Enchanted and Forgotten Goddesses series. If you’re interested in reading more about those series, check out my website www.stephaniejulian.com

  Then check out the books

  Ty makes an appearance in SPELL BOUND, Darkly Enchanted Book #1

  Cat and Ty have both appeared in the Lucani Lovers series.

  KISS OF MOONLIGHT

  MOONLIGHT MÉNAGE

  EDGE OF MOONLIGHT

  MOONLIGHT TEMPTATION

  GRACE IN MOONLIGHT

  And in the Forgotten Goddesses series

  WHAT A GODDESS WANTS

  HOW TO WORSHIP A GODDESS