Merrily Mated(32)
As the buzzing of the tattoo gun started up, Layna heard Silver Bells playing over Gash’s speakers.
“Huh. I never figured you for the type that liked Christmas music.”
He shrugged one broad shoulder. “Bailey likes it—” He stopped short, pulling the gun back, every muscle in his body tensing as his eyes focused on Layna’s hand. So many seconds ticked by with him frozen like that, she almost asked him if he needed Doc. But then his jaw ticked and he went back to work on her hand. “It’s not really my thing,” he said, gruffly.
Layna looked at Ryan, who shrugged. Gash’s demons weren’t something they could fix on a Christmas morning. But she had a feeling they were coming for them soon.
Time passed while the needle poked Ryan’s mark into her finger. Her skin was raw by the time Gash pulled the gun away, but in its place was the strong face of a lion etched into her ring finger. A representation of her lion-hearted human and her commitment to him. Beautiful and everlasting.
She grinned up at him as he took her hand in his to examine the mark. “Perfect,” he murmured, pulling her from the chair and winding his arms around her. He kissed her finger on the knuckle below the mark, bringing his teeth down gently for a moment before releasing it.
“Merry Christmas, my Layna.”
“Merry Christmas, my Ryan.”
“Merry Christmas, Gash,” came a high-pitched mocking tone. And then a deeper one. “Merry Christmas, you merrily mated assholes. Now get out of my office before they give me a pipe and call me Scrooge and I have to fuck three Christmas ghosts, or however that story goes. I can’t remember.”
Layna laughed. She laughed so hard, she couldn’t catch her breath. “What did you do, watch the porno version?”
He scrunched his brow. “Maybe? Probably. But seriously. Get out of my office with that shit. I feel my Christmas cookies coming back up.”
Layna laughed some more and Ryan pulled her toward the door. “Thank you, Gash,” she said, sobering.
He gave her a nod, looking uncomfortable with her thanks.
“Thanks, brother,” Ryan added, and Gash’s hard eyes eased a touch.
“Yeah. No problem.” He turned to finish cleaning up. “And… merry fucking Christmas and shit.”
Layna smirked and followed Ryan out the door. She’d follow him anywhere. But hopefully, he was taking her for Eagan’s Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.
“Best Christmas present ever,” she whispered in his ear.
“Oh, no. I haven’t given you your present yet. That’ll be tonight. And it’ll be right here.” His hand crept between her legs, rubbing.
She sighed. “My sentiment stands. Best fucking Christmas present ever.”
One corner of his mouth slid up. “You and your filthy mouth.”
“You want to lick it clean?”
Ryan growled in appreciation.
“Like a candy cane, baby.”
***********
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Doc gasped as a hard male body pushed up behind her, pressing her against the hard ridge of the exam table. Barely gentle hands ghosted over her hips and around to rub her belly, one snaking up to knead her breasts.
“Need. You.” His tone was rough and his breath hot as he rasped against her ear.
“Owyn,” she breathed, surprise and relief mixing into one exhale.
“I missed you so. Fucking. Much,” he breathed against the back of her neck. She heard his deep inhale as he scented her and it made her stomach flutter knowing he needed her scent in his lungs.
“Me too.”
They hardly talked beyond clan duties and randomly in the hall. And when they met for sex. But she knew what he meant. Just the fact that his presence was lacking among the lodge made her miss him fiercely. The idea that there was no chance she’d run into him turning a corner or see him across the room at dinner left her cat feeling lost.
In a quick move, he spun her to face him. His eyes burned with the nearness of his cat as he took in every feature. Then he grabbed her bun, quickly unfurling it to release her hair. His fingers tangled in the strands, pulling her head back until her neck was exposed. His rough, hot tongue licked a trail up the column of her throat, returning to the base and following it up with soft wet kisses. She moaned when he nipped her jaw.
“Shh,” he admonished.
“I know.”
They had to be quiet. They always had to be quiet. Forever a secret. Even though mating was technically allowed now. She’d been relieved when their leader, Magic, met his one and only. She’d assumed their days of hiding were over, that Owyn would wish to finally mate her.