Kitten Around (Shifting Hearts Dating Agency Book 3) Read online

Her cat snorted at the thought.

  Smothering a smile, she cleared her throat and tried to focus on what was happening in front of her.

  The first girl was called. She pranced onto the stage, her mass of brown ringlets cascading down her back like a princess from a fairy tale. If she had been wearing leather, that is.

  “And here is Riki. She loves to do yoga and is terribly talented with her hands. This submissive is just what the dominant ordered for his or her needs. Can we start the bidding please?”

  “One thousand!”

  Paige turned her head only slightly and caught a paddle going up in the middle of the audience.

  “Going once! One thousand dollars for Slave Riki. Come on, folks, who wants to have their dishes done tonight by a sexy submissive in a leather corset?”

  “Three thousand!”

  Another paddle went up and the fray began. One by one, the slaves paraded out and were received by an adoring audience.

  Paige stood alone, waiting. When her turn finally came, it took a quick prayer to whoever was listening to make her legs respond to her commands. It was one thing to stand still and blend in, but quite another to have everyone’s eyes on her all at once.

  “Okay, everyone. We are on the final candidate for the evening and I must say, a delectable and curvaceous morsel, at that. I myself have had the pleasure of watching her very succulent backside turn pink under my paddle. Can we get a warm welcome for Paige, one of the owners of the highly successful Shifting Hearts Dating Agency?”

  The auditorium was filled with clapping and Paige bowed, her face flaming as a draft shot up her very tiny skirt. She wanted to kill Manuel for insisting she wear no panties. Forcing her lips into a smile, she sauntered across the stage and gave what she hoped was a jaunty wave.

  “Paige and her organization have also donated their services to one deserving bidder on top of her service here this evening. A true boon to the shifter community. Paige is also handy in the kitchen, and I’ve been the recipient of her blueberry muffins more than once. Come on, who wants to make this kitten purr tonight?”

  The lights were hot, and she was unprepared for the volume of the crowd. Hoots and hollers greeted her, and she almost forgot to stop midway through her trip back toward the stage and bow. As she did, her eyes found a familiar face staring back at her from the sea of onlookers.

  Goddess. It was him.

  Master Blackburn stood, paddle in hand, a roguish expression on his ruggedly handsome face. She froze, taking in his powerful form. Clad in a tuxedo, rather than leathers, he appeared even more dangerous than he had before.

  And he was bidding on her.

  Blood rushed through her veins and she fought for control of the panic reaching up to take hold. Her nose itched and she gasped.

  Not again!

  The hint of a whisker tickled the underside of her skin and she held on to her human side, white knuckled. Not here. She couldn’t lose control now. Not on stage for everyone to see.

  Oh, fuck!

  She strode woodenly to the edge of the stage, Master Reginald’s voice going into auction mode.

  “Can we start the bidding, please. Let’s end the night with a bang, shall we people?”

  “Five thousand dollars.”

  Paige’s eyes locked on Master Blackburn’s and her cat went wild. Purring and twisting beneath her skin, she sucked in a breath as the bidding took off. His gaze held her captive as he worked the paddle, each bid higher than the next.

  “Ten thousand dollars. Do I hear a second?”

  The crowd hung on Master Reginald’s words with bated breath.

  “Going once, twice, and three times. We have a winner. Master Blackburn please come up and claim your slave for the night.”

  Her stomach fluttered as his gaze left hers and she sagged like the very force of him had kept her standing.

  Hands guided her to the other edge of the stage, and a piece of paper was pressed into her palms. A collar was fastened around her neck. She heard the click of metal as something tugged her forward.

  Did she want this?

  If she hadn’t, she never would have allowed herself to take part in the auction. But why him? It could have been anyone of the glittering throng of guests. Why had he of all people bid on her? He didn’t even like her.

  Then he was there in all of his swarthy, tuxedoed hotness. Her core went molten imagining all the wicked things she’d wanted him to do to her since she’d first taken in his Alpha presence on the stage. Lust and anger warred within her as her human side and animal battled for dominance.

  She tried to keep up with him in her borrowed heels, but it wasn't easy. He spoke to an attendant and pried the paper from her hand. He led her up the stairs and then up another flight to a third floor. They walked down the hallway, her heels clicking on the polished wooden floor until they finally reached their destination.

  Master Blackburn opened the door and urged her inside, closing the door behind them. He tugged the leash, holding up a hand for her to stop, and Paige waited, unsure what to do. She saw nothing of the room, only him. His scent, the waves of his dark hair as they fell across his brow. The tuxedo that draped his muscular frame.

  “Paige.” Her name was a whisper on his lips, and she trembled beneath the power of it.

  “Sir.” She watched him, still half dazed from the merging of her two worlds. She’d known he might be here, but to see him like this was still unreal. She felt like Cinderella at the ball and it was a little unsettling.

  “Little kitten.” He sighed and tugged her toward him, using the leash. With a click of metal, she was released, and his warm and steady fingers found the clasp of the collar and removed it as well. “It’s taken me a long time to find you.”

  “But you did. I never thought I’d see you again…” She stammered, her pulse loud in her ears.

  “Any collar you wear will be one of my own.” His eyes narrowed as they took in her appearance. “Why are you here?”

  “I...”

  “No, I know why. I just didn’t believe you actually had it in you to do it.”

  “I didn’t recognize you. Not at first.”

  “I gathered that.” He replied dryly.

  He moved into the room, and she was able to see it was merely a bedroom furnished with an ornate honeyed oak sleigh bed and matching dresser. There was a large cabinet to the rear of the room and a bathroom off to one side.

  “Sit on the bed.”

  Paige did as he bade her, keeping her eyes lowered. Master Blackburn sat on the bed next to her and patted his leg.

  “I want you to lie over my lap.”

  Paige swallowed. Her mind swirled with the heady reality that this was really happening. She leaned to the side and maneuvered her body so she was draped over him. The firm strength of his thighs and the bulge growing between his legs made her weak. Moisture began to pool between her legs.

  “Your instincts were right to call me ‘sir.’ You will do that through our session tonight, is that understood?”

  Paige nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Excellent.” His hand touched the small of her back. “I want you to do something for me.”

  “Yes, Sir,” she breathed. Her nipples tightened, and a dribble of fluid dampened her inner thighs.

  “I want you to forget everything else. Just be in this moment. Not wanting more, but only existing here for my touch. Right now. Can you do that?”

  “I can try, Sir.” Paige trembled and wondered how she could ever stop wanting more of him. Every second in his presence meant reining in the desire to pin him against the wall and fuck him until he came, screaming, inside of her. Being submissive when she wanted to pepper him with questions was taking its toll on her, but a part of her wanted this. To be his. Just his for the night. She’d agreed to it and the shock of him donating ten thousand dollars to be with her was still ricocheting through her brain.

  Paige firmed her resolve and stared at the bedspread. She shook herself men
tally, trying to focus on her master’s hand as it moved from the small of her back to the hem of her skirt.

  The rough warmth of him was a pleasant shock, and as he let his palm caress the curved flesh of her backside, she drowned in the sensation.

  “No panties? How daring.”

  Suddenly his hand left her ass, only to come down hard in a powerful slap against one of her buttock cheeks.

  Thwack!

  “Ow!” Paige jumped, feet kicking up reflexively.

  Master Blackburn secured her with his powerful legs. “Stop.”

  His palm came down with another pop, this time to the other buttock. Then another blow to her already flaming ass.

  Paige gasped. The pain was sharper than she’d been expecting, but so was the rush of pleasure. This was the real thing. Not like when she’d posed for him on the spanking bench a few years ago.

  “You deserve much more than that for being late for class and then leaving, don’t you think?”

  “Is that why you bid on me?”

  He ran his hands over her stinging flesh and gave her ass a pop. “No talking.”

  Frustration ground at Paige but she let herself relax against him.

  “Yes, Sir.’’

  His hand caressed her fiery flesh and, without warning, his fingers plunged between her thighs, pressing into Paige’s hot center.

  Moaning, Paige writhed against him. He felt so good inside of her, and she didn’t want it to stop. Her cat stretched, mewling for more.

  “Mmmm. Nice and wet. I like that. Our animals scent each other. I think we both agree that mating is not in our best interest.”

  Wait.

  What?

  Paige sucked in a breath. She moaned as her flesh heated up under his expert ministrations. His fingers plunged in and out of her eager pussy. He reached down to flick her clit and then withdrew his fingers.

  The bereft feeling had her crying out and grinding against his lap in frustration.

  He tangled his fingers in her hair and jerked her face toward his. “I want you to admit you wanted me just as much as I wanted you from the moment you stepped in that classroom. You’re going to say it. And you’re going to agree that tonight will purge us both of whatever this is.”

  His words sunk in and she trembled. Her cat hissed, determined to make him a liar.

  “Yes!” Tears stung her eyes as Paige grappled for control. She scrambled off his lap, almost falling to the ground.

  A pensive expression on his face, he helped her to stand.

  Hands shaking, she wiped at the tears. “You want me to tell you how I feel?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Yes. I do. I’ve seen you on the main floor after a good paddling. You’re a good submissive. Still new, but you have promise. Tonight I’m sensing something different. Tell me what it is.”

  Her beast felt a connection with his but her human side was afraid to trust him. They barely knew each other.

  Paige took a deep breath. “I don’t know why you bid on me. You gave me such a hard time yesterday. And ten thousand dollars... It’s a lot of money.” Paige paused, taking in a calming breath. She kicked off the shoes and let her bare toes scrunch into the soft carpet.

  “Go on.”

  “You have me for tonight.”

  Her cat spat at her in protest, but quieted off as she noted the bulge in Master Blackburn’s slacks. He wanted to get this out of their system? She couldn’t think of a better way to make the best of the evening.

  So why did even thinking it feel like a lie.

  “What else?” His voice curled around her like smoke, like he already knew the answers to the questions. It was unnerving as hell.

  “I...” Paige’s face heated up.

  Without a word, he pulled her to him. His lips devoured hers as he led her to the bed. He pressed her against the mattress, his fingers once again slipping inside her. His tongue made a path from her ribs to her stomach and deeper still, his lips brushing against the top of her mound. His hands explored the soft lines of her waist and her hips and then he stood, meeting her gaze with the moon shining in his eyes.

  “Tell me what you want.”

  Did she dare?

  She started to speak but his lips crashed down on hers and instinctively, she molded her body against him. When she came up for air, she said the only thing that made sense.

  “You.”

  Chapter Seven

  “I want you naked.” Tyler leveled himself away from her, allowing her to rise. His jaw clenched with the will power to hold himself in check just a little longer. He’d had plans when he booked this room. An elaborate shibari project awaited him, but all thoughts of playing with rope vanished as her curvaceous form was revealed. This was a woman he could hold on to. A female he wouldn’t break.

  Paige did as he asked, slowly unfastening the top and letting it fall. The little skirt was next with only the flick of her finger. She climbed back into bed, and her gaze met his, her cat shining in her eyes.

  “Here?”

  “That’s a start.”

  Tyler’s own clothing was an afterthought. A few deft motions and he was bare, striding toward her, all thought of games forgotten. His cock throbbed with an aching need to be sheathed inside of her. Little else mattered.

  All at once, he understood what his mother had been trying to tell him when he scoffed at the mating pull.

  “You’ll know it when you feel it,” she’d told him once. “Sex is sex. But a mating pull trumps everything else.”

  No. Fucking. Shit.

  Paige lay before him, her dark hair fanned out across the comforter. Something inside of him shifted, broke, and came back together. His teeth sharpened and a rumble slipped from his lips as he moved between her thighs. He dipped his head down to press a kiss to her stomach, savoring the vanilla scent of her skin.

  He kissed a pathway between her succulent breasts and whispered into her ear. “No begging.”

  “I wasn’t going to,” she responded, shuddering as he scraped his teeth down her neck.

  His animal rose, scenting his mate in the female beneath him. Her woman’s musk spiraled around him and he groaned, needing more than anything to be inside her. They were more than just Master and submissive. That part of him had fallen away almost completely. They were male and female and their beasts called to one another.

  Mate.

  The thick head of his cock pushed at her entrance and in a short thrust he filled her, root to tip. A strangled groan escaped her parted lips and her head fell back, baring her throat to him as he started to move. With every movement, he sunk himself deeper within her. When she began to writhe beneath him and the hardened pebbles of her nipples brushed his chest, he dove deeper still, wanting to possess her, body and soul.

  A mumbled exclamation met his ears as he buried his face in her hair. Muscles pumping, his cat at the forefront, he pounded her into the mattress. Like a wild thing, her fingernails clutched his ass, leaving bloody rivulets where she clawed him.

  “Tyler,” she gave a breathless moan, holding him close.

  Paige’s body spasmed around his length and he sucked in a hard breath. Head thrown back and lips parted, her eyelashes fluttered against her flushed cheeks. Tyler thought he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

  He ground himself inside of her and felt the white hot end of his own passion nearing. Her legs gripped him hard and he bucked and strained toward completion. A growl slipped from her lips and she licked his neck and nibbled on his ear, sending him dancing closer to the edge than ever before. His body seized and he began to pump his hot seed inside of her when her teeth clamped down on his shoulder.

  “Fuck!” He roared as he filled her, a second orgasm rippling through him as the pleasure and pain collided. She released him, her mouth covered in his blood. He bent down to taste her lips, his cock impossibly hardening once again.

  “You bit me.” He said to her, incredulous.

  Rational thought fled as he b
egan to nip and suck her breasts, scraping her skin with his fangs until he made his way to the soft flesh of her shoulder. He kissed her and gripped her hips, lifting her from the bed. He guided her onto her knees and moved behind her, the rounded globes of her ass still pink from his ministrations.

  Still glistening from her juices, he slid the fat tip of him across her swollen pussy lips and smiled when she shivered and arched her back with a primal groan. Tyler sank inside of her, slowly taking it inch by inch until he could hear her gasping beneath him.

  “Give it to me,” he rasped.

  He slid his fingers between her legs and played with her clit, winding her tighter and tighter until they both flew, her body convulsing around his once more. Tyler grunted, his passion spilling from him. But as he thrust one last time, he sunk his teeth into her shoulder and let the ripples of the mating bond carry them through as his cock lay nestled in her hot, wet heat.

  Chapter Eight

  S omething was crushing her. Paige groaned and shifted her weight, eliciting an expletive from the male form behind her.

  God. How long had she been here? The soft light of the room at Ventures didn’t provide any clues. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth, and with it brought a memory that brought her up short.

  Her cat had freaking marked him.

  She had initiated the mating bond.

  “Oh, holy rolling Goddess.” She whispered. She tried to force her confused emotions into some kind of order but failed.

  What the hell was she going to do now?

  All she’d come for was to support the cause and have some fun, but instead her beast had turned playtime into a mating.

  What in the actual hell had she done? She’d mated with the dominant who only yesterday had called her out for being a coward?

  He shifted and she gasped. He was still inside her and damned if she didn’t love the way they melded together so perfectly.

  “Paige.” His arms wrapped around her and she felt his cock slide free from her body.

  Where she had been full, now she was empty and a peculiar bereft sensation took over her. Him being there…it felt…right.