Page 45 of Purrfectly Kissed

“What do you mean?” Jessica hedged.

“You said the Neta interrupted your first kiss. Well. How was it?” Uncle Uzzi asked.

“The kiss?”

“Yes. When you spoke to me the other day, you told me a lot about what you have spent hours imagining your mate’s kisses and what they would be like. You’ve kissed the Bear. So, what was it like?”

Warmth flared inside her, spreading from her core and through her belly, racing inside her veins till it reached all her limbs. Of course, she remembered the heated kiss she and Brayden had shared. It was only a short while ago.

“It was, um, it was nice,” she said, settling for something bland.

“Nice?” Elissa spat the word out, as if Jessica had said it was gross or something.

“Yes,” she repeated.

“It wasnice.”

For some reason she did not want to reveal just how deeply his kiss had affected her. Nice did not begin to cover it, but it was so new, so raw. How could she share it yet? Even with two of her most trusted friends.

No, she had not known either for very long, but she had immediately categorized them both as trustworthy. Jessica cared very much for the old Witch and her new sister-in-law. But was this something she should talk about so soon?

“Oh dear, you can do better than that, can’t you?”

Uncle Uzzi’s mischievous smile should have tipped Jessica off, but her Tiger remained at ease. Then she realized he was not looking at her. Tingles of awareness rippled down her spine and she tensed.

“Yes,” a deep voice spoke up from behind her.

“We can do better than nice.”

She gasped, startled into whipping around so fast she almost fell off her chair. Even Shifter Cats could be clumsy, and she would have fallen too, if not for the pair of enormous, strong arms that wrapped around her. The owner of that voice pulled her to her feet and dragged her closer until she was flush against his hard, hot body.

“Ican do better,” Brayden whispered, and his words drew a whimper of need from her open lips.

Black eyes glittered down at her and his chiseled face was further defined by the short-cropped beard he wore. It seemed longer than it had been that morning, signs his Bear was present.

The color of his hair was lighter than his Bear. The brown was streaked in front with sun-kissed golden waves probably from his time outside during work. The beard was darker still, but Jess didn’t mind. She liked facial hair on a man. No, not just any man.

Her man.

The temperature inside the room rose a few notches, and she felt as if everything else faded away under his stare. Brown eyes bled to black, and Jess licked her lips hungrily. She loved his Bear was so close, and that she was the one to push him that way. It made her feel desirable, powerful, and just a little bit sexy.

“You are all those things, kitten,” he whispered so lowly only she could have heard him.

“Okay, well, if you would excuse us. Come Elissa,” Uncle Uzzi said.

“We’ll just, um, be going,” Elissa replied, taking Uzzi’s outstretched hand.

The Nari needed a little help rising to her feet. Her pregnant belly protruded in front of her, and she laid one hand on the babe that grew inside her womb. Giggling, she hurried out of the room with Uncle Uzzi. Undoubtedly to find her own mate.

“You smell good,” Brayden said, capturing her attention.

Time stood still as he rubbed his nose over the exposed skin of her right shoulder. She was gonna feature that fucking sweater on her website under the sectionthings to wear to drive your man gaga.

Seriously, he did not seem able to stop himself from nuzzling her skin, and Jessica loved it. The feel of his warm breath as he just breathed in her scent made her shiver with desire.

As if he knew just what it did to her inside, Brayden repeated the gesture. But this time, he added his lips, tongue, and teeth to the mix. If she wasn’t desperate for him before, she was getting there now. And in a hurry.

“Don’t stop doing that,” she moaned as his pliable lips latched onto her earlobe.

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