Sixteen hours later…
Ridge paced the room.
He watched as Andi twisted and turned in her sleep. He winched every time she screamed out her discomfort. He had no idea what was going on in her head, but it wasn’t good.
He’d tried several times to wake her up, each of them unsuccessful.
When he’d first gotten her back to the house, Andi had been burning up. Stripping her down, Ridge had stood with her in the cold shower until her skin started to finally cool. It was only then, that he’d brought her to their bedroom and laid her softly on the bed. Since then, he’d been like a sentinel, watching over her. Protecting her.
Andi moaned again in her sleep.
Ridge moved over to the side of the bed and laid a hand on her chest. The moment he touched her, she went silent. This is how it had been since they arrived home. His presence brought her comfort. Or at least that’s what he hoped.
Walking around to the other side of the bed, Ridge pulled back the blanket and climbed into bed. The chaos of the last few days was starting to catch up to him. He situated himself and pulled Andi against his side. Holding her, he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to blissfully pull him under.
Ridge startled awake.
“Shh,” Andi said. “Relax.”
He felt her mouth wrap around him, and he sucked in a breath. “What…”
She looked up at him, and Ridge could see the heat glowing in her eyes. “Just enjoy.” She smiled.
She didn’t have to tell him twice.
Ridge watched as she took him into her mouth, again. The silky smoothness of her tongue playing over his cock caused his balls to tighten.
As she bobbed up and down his shaft, Ridge closed his eyes and savored the moment. He didn’t know if this was the aftereffect of the bond, or what. But the things she was doing with her tongue would have brought him to his knees if he were standing.
Her grip tightened as she jerked him off, her mouth and hand moving in perfect unison. The soft, wet, tightness of her mouth as it glided over him felt like heaven.
“Fuck, baby,” he moaned.
She smiled around his dick.
Building back suction, Andi worked him over until Ridge just couldn’t take it anymore. Reaching down, he grabbed her arms and pulled her up and over him.
“I almost ended this way too soon,” he said, bring her head down to his.
Their lips locked.
His tongue dipped into her mouth, tasting her. Caressing her.
He felt Andi reaching between them and wrapping her hand around his dick, rubbing the head through her wetness.
They both moaned.
And as she lined his cock up to her entrance, they both moved toward each other, coming together completely. Ridge had no idea what in the hell happened to the quiet, reserved Andi, or who in the hell this minx was that took her place, but at the moment – he didn’t care.
He had his mate. And all was right in his world.
26
Andi
She had no idea what had gotten into her, but as Ridge’s cock slid deep inside, she didn’t care. All that mattered was him. And her. And this moment.
She rode up and down his length. Slow and steady. Gliding and rotating her hips.
The way he filled her, stretched her – was unlike anything Andi had ever felt before.
It was… perfect.
As she slid back down his length, Andi started to move faster.
Harder.
Deeper.
Bouncing her ass, racing towards an orgasm that was just barely out of reach. Ridge wrapped his arms around her, pulling her breasts against his chest. Pressing his hand down on the small of her back, adjusting the angle.
And that was all it took.
Andi’s climax hit her hard. Her back arched as she screamed out her release. But Ridge wasn’t finished with her, yet. And that was perfectly fine with her.
He flipped their position, coming down on top of her. Lifting a leg over his forearm, he straddled the other as he entered her. Leaning forward on his hands, he pounded into her.
Their bodies, slapped against each other.
Her hand splayed over his chest. Her nails dug into his skin.
Ridge was building Andi up for another magnificent fall over the edge.
Faster.
Harder.
Deeper.
Their bodies moved as one. In and out.
Together. Apart. Together. Apart.
Andi felt the build, low in her stomach. The tingles of pleasure raced through her body until she couldn’t take it any longer.
Her orgasm hit and suddenly, Andi wasn’t just Andi anymore. She and her animal, for once, shared the same presence of mind.
Animal instinct took over.
She reached up and wrapped her hand around Ridge’s neck. Yanking him down to her, Andi’s teeth elongated seconds before she sunk them into his shoulder. Her nails clawed the other.
Inside her head, her panther chanted. Mine. Ours. Mine. Ours.
Andi felt a slight burn over her left breasts. Releasing her hold on Ridge, she sucked in a breath and looked down. Just above her heart, were two small claw marks.
Her eyes shot to Ridge’s, shocked.
“Well, hello, mate.” He smiled.
“Hi.”
“Can you tell me what that was all about?” He asked, still grinning.
“I was horny?” Andi shrugged.
“Well, okay.” Ridge chuckled. “Feel free to wake me up that way, any time.”
“Duly noted.” Andi smiled.
Ridge moved off the top of her and pulled her against his side. She didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t how she expected their relationship to be. There was still so much that Andi didn’t know about him. About life. But for once, her panther was silent.
Happy. Content.
Andi could mentally see the animal curled on its side, head tucked, sleeping soundly. She didn’t know if it was the blood bond or the mating, but for the first time in Andi's life, she and her cat were one.
And in some weird way, she had Lux
