Deliciously Mated(24)

If what he’d said about being kicked out of his clan was true, then she owed him big time. What kind of man gives up his family to protect a stranger? She didn’t understand it.

Gingerly she placed one knee on the mattress. It was firm, but still had so much give. Inch by inch, she crawled forward, settling on the plush pillow and pulling up the mock fur blanket until it reached her chin.

Eagan stared at her, his expression unreadable.

Then, to her surprise, he began undressing. Slowly, he peeled his shirt up, revealing his rippled abs an inch at a time. His skin was smooth and tan with just a light dusting of hair around his navel. Her eyes snagged on those cords of muscle around his waist forming a cut V to his hips and she licked her lips.

Why was that part of a man so attractive? What function did it serve?

Up and up he went with his shirt until his strong chest was showing. The muscles of his arms bunched and rippled as he pulled the t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor.

Her breath caught. This man, her cook, he was beautiful. Like art you shouldn’t touch for fear of ruining it.

He stared at her, his eyes stormy.

Clara swallowed the beat of her heart. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking off my clothes.”

With rough movements, he undid his belt and then the button of his jeans. He never took his eyes off her as he shoved his pants down and stepped out of them. Before she could look away, he’d yanked his boxers down, adding them to the pile.

He stood there, his eyes lasered on her, his fully erect cock jutting proudly in front of him like it was the bow of Good Ship Eagan. Like the needle on a compass and she was true north. It was huge. And hard.

God.

She looked away.

“What’s wrong, Clara? This?”

She looked back to find him gripping his erection in a tight fist. He ever so slowly, thrust his hips into it. Once, twice, three times.

“It’s just functional, you know. It’s basically just a sperm hose for making babies.” His voice was low and rough.

She knew that. Of course. But her eyes were riveted as he continued to thrust into his own hand.

“I… I… never said there was no use for sex as pleasure,” she muttered, crossing her arms but unable to look away.

“Didn’t you? You said our bodies were less sexual and more functional. I tend to disagree.”

Okay, she could admit she’d been purposely obtuse earlier. But with the way he was throwing around the word mate, she figured she should remind him of the basics.

He sighed heavily, his mouth hanging open, his face growing red from the pleasure he was obviously feeling. “This feels pretty damn sexual to me.”

It did to her too. Watching him was turning her on big time, and it had nothing to do with functional. Desire whipped down her spine, settling in between her legs and tingling until she squirmed.

“Okay, stop already,” she blurted.

His hand paused at the head of his erection, and the corner of his lip curved up in a rueful smirk.

“What’s the matter, little woman? You need some time?”

Some time. Like he’d needed after she’d undressed.

She met his lust-filled gaze and nodded.

“Good. Because I need a shower.” He strolled toward the bathroom, giving her a stellar view of his ass. Twin globes of perfection, with a slight indention in each side. Hot.

Clara blew out a breath and fanned her face.

His body was plenty functional. Its function was to make her sweat. And pant. And lust.

“Oh,” he said, just before he closed the bathroom door. “I’m going to masturbate now. Thought you should know.”

Her jaw hung open and she didn’t even try to contain it. The door clicked shut and she threw her head back on the pillow.

How would she ever sleep now? With that vision of Eagan pumping his erection every time she closed her eyes. After six years, she’d thought she was over sex based on lust. Sex based on purpose had a point and fit into her neat little survival criteria. But what she’d just experienced with Eagan—what little she’d just experienced—left her feeling truly wild. Like even the woods didn’t make her feel.

What was happening to her?

***

Eagan could sleep through a lot. Like the dead, some would say. He was a cat after all, and cats were notorious for sleeping. So all his mate’s tossing and turning didn’t bother him much. He was aware of it, but it never brought him out of sleep. When she touched his shoulder though, that was a different story altogether.

“Wake up,” she hissed. Her mouth was close to his ear. He could feel her breath on his shoulder, and it sent all the blood in his body straight to his cock.