Page 55 of Bria and the Tiger

He made an admittedly adorable growl of disappointment. “I’m not that drunk.”

“You are.”

“I’ll make it good for you, little tiger. I promise,” he wheedled. He cupped her breast and licked her throat again before purring. “Take off your clothes and I’ll eat your pussy.”

“No,” she said. “I don’t want to have sex tonight, Jace.”

He immediately let go of her and stepped away. “Okay.”

She hated the hurt look on his face. “Because you’re drunk. Not because I don’t want you.”

He purred again. “So, when I’m sober, we’ll fuck. Right?”

“Uh, sure, maybe. Let’s get you undressed and into bed.”

“Okay.”

He followed her to the bed and she helped him out of his t-shirt. Fuck, his body was incredible. She ignored her urge to lick his chest and instead, unbuttoned his jeans. She pulled them down and he sat on the bed with a heavy thump before yawning again. Ignoring the way his dick pushed at his boxer briefs, she took off his jeans and his socks and placed them in the laundry hamper.

“Okay, climb in,” she said.

“Will you lie down with me?” He asked. “I won’t try and have sex with you. You can trust me.”

“I know.” She laid on the bed beside him and rubbed his back when he curled on his side next to her and put his arm around her waist. She cuddled him, listening to his deep raspy purr and not even aware she was purring back to him.

“Thanks for giving me a ride home, Bria.”

“You’re welcome. Will you tell me how your brother died?”

His purring cut out. “He committed suicide.”

“I’m sorry.” She held him closer.

He rubbed his cheek against her upper chest. “The day before he died, we had dinner together and I knew something was wrong but he – he wouldn’t admit it. I should have pushed him harder, should have made him tell me the truth.”

“It’s not your fault, honey.”

“That’s what my therapist said.” He lifted his head and squinted at her. “Do you think I’m weak for going to therapy?”

“Of course not. Why would I think that?”

“Tabitha did.”

“Who’s Tabitha?”

“No one. Never mind. I’m really thirsty. Do you think you could get me a drink of water?”

“Yes.” He rolled away from her and she stared at his naked back before sliding off the bed and going downstairs to the kitchen. She found a bottle of water in the fridge and brought it back upstairs.

She stopped in the doorway of Jace’s bedroom and stared at the tiger lounging on the bed. He was massive in size and his fur shone in the moonlight coming in through the window. He stared unblinkingly at her with his jade coloured eyes before chuffing.

She glanced at her watch. “It’s getting late.”

He chuffed again and made a yowling low-pitched noise.

“Okay. Just for a little while.”

She set the bottle of water on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed next to the tiger. She laid on her back and he purred happily and relaxed next to her. His tail flicked back and forth as he rested his giant head on her chest. She stroked his cheeks and the top of his head, before scratching around his ears.

His purr grew louder, and she smiled a little. Tiger shifters purred way more than regular tigers. In fact, most regular tigers couldn’t really purr at all. When she was younger, she’d wondered why tiger shifters had the ability to both roar and purr. But when she’d asked her dad, he had shrugged and said it was just another thing that made shifters unique from the regular animals.

She stroked the fur on Jace’s shoulders and scratched his neck. His head was getting heavy, but she didn’t ask him to move. He needed this and she liked being able to help him. Liked it a little too much.

Don’t read too much into this, Bria. He’s drunk and sad and not thinking clearly. He doesn’t want a relationship.

She sighed inwardly and stared at the ceiling as Jace purred. Yeah, she knew that. So, why was she happier lying in bed with a drunk Jace who only wanted her for sex, than she’d been for her entire relationship with Raden? She closed her eyes and continued to stroke Jace’s soft fur. He was already asleep. She would stay another half hour and then leave.

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