Tarian Silver Lion (New Tarian Pride Book 2) Read online

  “All right,” she said decidedly.

  “All right, what?”

  “Let’s fix up the house together. And have fun while you’re here. I’ll pay you back a little at a time. Each month, you send me a postcard, and I’ll send you a check. And that way I don’t lose you all at once. I’ll poke pins in a map for each place you send me a postcard so I can track where you travel. We can be pen pals.”

  “Pen pals, huh? I like it.” He lifted her chin and searched her eyes. “You didn’t answer me earlier. I won’t ask again after this, but I need to know for certain. Are. You. Okay?”

  Rose smiled then stretched up and pressed her lips against his. It would have to be answer enough for now.

  She wasn’t okay yet. Not completely.

  But as he slipped his hand behind her neck and moved his mouth against hers, the world melted away, and she knew one thing for certain.

  She would be.

  Chapter Four

  Like the bathroom, Rose needed to face everything that was done to her property. As she stood inside her greenhouse, amid all the shattered glass and her precious plants that had been hacked to pieces, her heart ached. This had been the place she’d found sanctuary when the loneliness made her feel empty. This greenhouse had been her sanctuary, and the Old Tarian Pride had shattered it just to hurt her. Most of the dead plants were dried floral carcasses on the ground or brown splintered twigs sticking out of toppled pots. This place wasn’t her sanctuary anymore. It was a cemetery for old happy moments instead.

  Talon had spent the morning hauling the splintered wood of the destroyed porch to a burn pile in the side yard. It was freezing out, and she could hear his boots in the snow as he approached the greenhouse. She turned, not even trying to hide the hurt on her face through the open doorway. He strode straight for her through the snow with only old work gloves on, a black T-shirt, his silver hair mussed, and a worried look in his dark eyes.

  Voice hoarse and thick, she said, “Nothing survived them.”

  “The Old Tarian Pride?” he asked, bumping his clenched fist on the splintered door frame. “That’s not true, Rose. You survived and I survived. Emerald, Grim, Ronin, Kannon—”

  “Okay, okay,” she muttered with a sigh. He wasn’t one to let her dwell.

  Talon chuckled and patted her backside as he walked by.

  Rose made a little squeak and clenched her butt cheeks in shock. “Did you just spank me?”

  “Woman,” he murmured, turning around and walking backward a few steps as he arched one dark eyebrow. “When I spank you, you’ll know it.”

  Hells bells. Spanking was for young, wild people. Not classy queens. Right? But as she watched Talon kneel down to right a trio of potted plants, the masculine curve of his butt pressing against his jeans, his triceps flexing with each movement, and his tattoos stark against his skin…she was a little curious.

  “Hypothetically speaking, would a spanking hurt?” Oh, her cheeks were on fire! She didn’t talk to men like this.

  “It would sting, but it would feel so good you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Oh,” she said, wringing her hands. “So it wouldn’t be punishment.”

  He threw her the naughtiest look she’d ever seen on a man’s face. “Pleasure only.”

  “Hmmm,” she squeaked out. “Interesting.”

  From where he knelt below her, his eyes sparked an intense gold. A hungry look washed over his face. “Leave a little pink handprint on that cute ass of yours. Remind you for a little while what I did to you. You’re gonna want to look in the mirror at it so you can think dirty things. Think of how it felt when I was buried between your legs—”

  When her phone rang in her hand, she startled so hard she dropped it. The dadburned thing clattered across the dirt floor and landed by Talon. With a wink that just about brought her to her knees, he handed her the phone.

  Braindead, she answered the call without even checking the caller ID.

  “Hey,” Grim said. “Where you been, lady? I tried calling the landline, but you didn’t pick up. Even called up at Ronin’s, but they said you left your snowmobile there last night and they haven’t seen you.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m here. At…home.”

  Talon slid his hand up the inside of her leg and asked where she wanted the pots stacked.

  “Who’s that?” Grim snarled.

  “Wh-what?” Rose asked, trying to keep her mind on track. Talon’s fingertips making their way to her inner thigh and his devilish smile were terribly distracting.

  “I asked who’s there with you? I heard a man’s voice.”

  “Oh! It’s Emerald’s Dad. Talon. Lawson. He’s helping me—”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  The phone clicked and went dead. Rose frowned at the screen just to make sure but, yep, Grim had most assuredly hung up on her. Little protective toot. He’d always been like that. He wouldn’t really show up, though. That meant taking a flight and leaving his Crew, and he’d only just gotten back home after the Tarian War.

  Silly grandson.

  Rose texted him quickly just to make sure he wasn’t online, looking at flights. I’m fine, boy. At home having a nice time with a nice man. I’ll call you later. Tell Ash hello for me. I miss you all very much.

  Crisis averted, she set the phone on the edge of a table and smiled down at Talon who was still exploring her with his touch. She ran her hands through his hair, nails against his scalp, and couldn’t, for the life of her, tell if he was growling or purring. The sound he made sure got her blood pumping, though.

  Her legs trembled as he wrapped her inner thigh in his strong hand, and when he leaned forward and set his teeth gently to the sensitive spot right over her knee, she gasped. She was wearing leggings and could feel every point of his teeth. With a soft moan, she leaned forward and gripped his hair for balance. He adjusted to his knees and slid his hands to the backs of her legs, laid his teeth on her a little higher, a little harder.

  Rose swayed into him and rolled her head back. Everything had been heavy for so long, but right now, he was cutting the weight from her with every nip. He’d started a fire in her, and he was tending it as he clamped his teeth higher, right at the apex between her legs.

  The world didn’t exist anymore. Nothing did except for Talon.

  Go ahead and fall.

  He ran his hands up the sides of her legs, then under her sweater and gripped her waist. She hadn’t been touched like this in so long, but did her age mean she didn’t deserve to feel adored? To feel coveted? To feel beautiful? She didn’t think so.

  Talon was purring against her skin, and her breaths came in quick pants as his fingertips trailed warmth up her back to her bra. He unsnapped it in one easy movement, then dragged his palms under the material across her ribs until he cupped her breasts.

  “Talon,” she whispered helplessly. She rested her hands on his broad shoulders for balance and leaned into his touch. The feel of skin on skin held such power. She didn’t understand why. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since she’d felt cared for like this, or maybe it was just Talon and whatever charisma he and his lion possessed. Sweet addiction. That’s what this was. She would do awful things to never have this end. To fuse his hands to her, to cement this feeling to her soul. The one of belonging to someone. Of being possessed by them.

  Of not being alone.

  For once…not being alone.

  He pushed her sweater up and kissed her stomach. And God, his beard felt divine against her skin. She was totally lost already. He dragged his fingers down her sides as he kissed her stomach, just a hint of tongue against her skin. Down, down, his hands went until his fingers hooked in the elastic of her leggings and dragged the material right down with him. It was so smooth, there was no time for her to balk or overthink or let her insecurities have her head. Three downward trailing kisses, and his mouth was on her sex.

  It’s okay to fall.

  His steel hands eased her back against the edge of the table, and his tongue lapped at her clit. She let off a long moan.

  “Louder,” he snarled. “Tell me how much you like it.” And then he splayed her knees farther apart and slid his tongue inside her.

  Rose cried out his name, over and over as he stroked into her until she was right there. He was growling loudly, the sound vibrating the air around her, pulsing right through her, consuming her. It was a feral sound of pleasure. She was doing that to him, just by enjoying herself. Having power like that over a man like Talon was the most erotic thing she’d ever been a part of.

  With a snarl, Talon yanked her leggings to her ankles, ripped them off the second she lifted her feet for him, and then he stood, threw them to the floor. He spun her around, and all Rose could do to stay upright was splay her hands on the table.

  Talon cupped her sex as he rolled his hips against her ass, and his erection was so hard it pressed against her through his jeans.

  Right as she found the rhythm of them moving together, him rubbing against her, he pushed two fingers into her deep. “Oooooh,” she moaned, tossing her head back.

  Talon rumbled, “Good girl,” and clamped his teeth onto her sensitive earlobe.

  And then the sting of that slap on her bare backside came shockingly fast. It was a sharp pain and then direct pleasure as he stroked his fingers into her and then rolled against her again, that sexy snarl rattling from his chest to her back.

  The sound of his zipper just about did her in.

  Ooooh, she liked spankings. In desperation, Rose spun around and tugged his shirt over his head, and then she was shoving his pants down his muscular hips with fumbling fingers. His long, thick, swollen cock was freed from his briefs, but she only got a glimpse of it before he took it in hand and guided it to her slit. Rose cried out as the head of it slid inside of her. Legs splayed, the table behind her creaked as it slid a few inches back and rested against the wall. Thank God, because she needed the support as he pushed into her again, hard.

  Fuck. Fuck! Nothing could touch this feeling. “Deeper,” she begged.

  Flexing his hips, Talon pushed into her farther. He gripped her waist and held her in place as he stroked a little deeper into her each time.

  Rose didn’t even know what the hell she was yelling anymore. All she knew was that the tingling, erotic sensation between her legs was building at a blinding pace, and she wanted more. She wanted it all.

  Powerful Talon, the man rammed into her and hit her clit as he filled her, and all Rose could do was sink her nails into his back and hold on. Over and over, he pumped into her until she saw stars at the edge of her vision. Her orgasm came so intensely she dragged her nails down his back.

  He let off a bellowing roar as he drove into her hard…and then hesitated. Her body was pulsing fast, but she didn’t miss the deep throbbing of Talon’s dick inside of her. The grunts that he made as he jerked into her, emptying his seed, were so sexy. Her release fluttered on and on, slowing and then easing as he continued to move inside of her.

  Gasping for breath, Rose rested her forehead on Talon’s and closed her eyes, cupped his cheeks with her hands. Soft beard under the pads of her thumbs, strong chest against her soft one. His lips finding hers as he remained buried deep inside, connecting them both. He’d just changed the way she felt about herself, about life, about everything with the simple power of touch.

  A long-buried part of her perked up and grinned. I’ve still got it.

  She wished she was poetic, or good with explaining how much something like this meant to her, but that wasn’t Rose. Pretty words and thoughtful sentiments belonged to her when she was younger, but she’d lost them a long time ago.

  Now, she had that say-it-how-it-is syndrome.

  “Well,” she murmured, “that was pretty fuckin’ athletic.”

  There was a second of silence, and then Talon belted out a single, echoing laugh.

  Rose snorted and then let off a giggle.

  And then Talon was chuckling.

  Rose hugged him tight as she lost it completely and cracked up. Then there was Talon, filling the entire greenhouse with a baritone laugh that made her heart happy.

  And as they wiped tears from the corners of their eyes and petted each other, lost in a passionate moment that had turned to fun, she found herself grateful.

  Rose had never felt more alive, but it was more than that. As she looked around the greenhouse, all of the damage didn’t seem as important anymore. It wasn’t so dire. The hurt wasn’t everything. In fact, right now, it counted for very little.

  She’d thought this place could never be a sanctuary again, but Talon had fixed that little broken part of her. He’d come in here and made this place mean something again.

  And as he turned her slightly and looked at her rump with a smirk on his face, she broke into giggles again. He’d left a perfect pink handprint.

  A greedy little part of her lioness wished it would never go away. “We took back the greenhouse,” she murmured breathlessly.

  Talon’s dark, dancing eyes looking right into her soul made her heart thump wildly. “We sure did, Wildcat.”

  ****

  You’re with Rose, aren’t you?

  Talon read the text from Emerald twice. How should he tackle this one. He’d been sending her the ‘I’m fine’ texts for two days while he’d stayed with Rose, but Emerald worried. She cared about people deeply, and was sensitive, like her mother had been. She’d been asking over the past year if he would ever date again, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up with this.

  Run.

  The lion was a relentless asshole lately. The smell of coffee permeated the house, and Talon sat up and rubbed his hands down his beard. It was barely dawn, and hard to see in the dim room.

  It was one of those happy scenes from a movie, where he should be lying here all happy and content, but…

  Run. We’ve been here too long.

  His phone screen lit up again. Dad, you are many things. A protective, shit-handling, intimidating, loyal old fart. But you aren’t an avoider. Are you having trouble dealing with what happened when you were with the Old Tarian Pride? We’ve always been able to talk, but you’ve shut down about what happened there. I would call, but I’m pretty sure you’re with Rose, and I don’t want to wake her.

  He sighed, kicked the bedsheets off his legs, and rubbed his aching ribs for a few seconds before he responded. I’m helping her fix up her house. I’m alright. Stop worrying. And I’m not an old fart. I’m a very young fart. Dad. Send.

  OMG why do you always sign your texts with Dad? I know who I’m messaging. *laughing face emoji*

  Talon snorted. Little turd. He would now sign every text with ‘Dad’ because he could just imagine her laughing to herself. And his daughter deserved laughter after everything she’d been through.

  This bed sure felt empty without Rose.

  Run.

  She’d gotten up early today, and he’d made love to her slowly. And after, she’d snuggled against his chest for a while, her freezing cold feet warming between his calves, and then she’d said she wanted to make him coffee. Sweet Rose. How had he gotten so lucky with her?

  Run. It’s not lucky. She’s getting you addicted to this place. To this feeling of belonging, but we don’t belong.

  Talon’s attention darted to the window for the tenth time since Rose had wrapped herself in the comforter and padded out of the bedroom. Bad news. That’s what roamers did. They started looking out windows and imagining the places they would go next. They started feeling trapped.

  Run.

  With a growl, Talon pushed out of bed and ran his hands through his hair roughly. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t a shifter at all. He and the lion didn’t always see eye-to-eye.

  But from here, he could see the broken mirror through the open doorway to the bathroom, and a long, low growl rattled his throat. And it was times like these that he did appreciate the lion. Because as long as he was here, no one would ever hurt Rose again.

  He looked out the window again and winced, shook his head. Why couldn’t he just appreciate this place for what it was? A safe haven with a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his years learning about. She had a million layers, and each one she revealed was more consuming than the last.

  Talon pulled on a pair of sweats and followed the scent of fragrant coffee down the hall and into the living room. Rose wasn’t in the kitchen like he’d expected. When he saw her standing with her back to him, the comforter draped loosely around her shoulders, he drew right up and froze in awe. She leaned on the open front doorframe, her silver hair cascading down her shoulders, her face slightly turned and catching those first gray streaks of dawn on her high cheekbones. She said things sometimes that made him shake his head and chuckle because it was so apparent that she didn’t know how damn beautiful she was. Her eyes crinkled at the corners from years of smiling, and her skin had lost some of its firmness, but was replaced with a softness he couldn’t stop touching. Her tattoo ink, like his own, had lost the crisp lines over time, and now they had more character. He could see her shoulder bones as she stood there stoically, soaking up the dawn, a mug of steaming coffee cupped in her hands.

  Sometimes Rose called herself old, but that wasn’t right at all.

  Her years were one of the most attractive things about her.

  She was broken in just perfectly.

  Unable to stand this far away from her, Talon walked up behind Rose and slid his hands up the soft skin of her back. He wrapped his arms across her chest in a silent promise to protect her as long as he was here. To be at her back until the moment they were separated. He rested his cheek against the side of her head and smiled when she melted back against him. And he stood here and watched the sunrise with her. No words were needed between him and Rose, but he had a favor to ask of his lion because for the first time in a long time, he wanted to belong somewhere. He wanted to belong to someone. He would give anything to belong to Rose, and to moments like these.