Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Fortunately, her female’s heat had begun to subside and Sonia had managed to breathe. She didn’t tell Joshua. She knew he would insist on her number. She knew he thought he would eventually wear her down, or she wouldn’t be able to do without his sex. Instead, she’d walked away early in the morning, just as the sun rose, just as she always did, and left him, knowing she wouldn’t go back.
It was day three without him. She’d slept nearly thirty straight hours and then slept on and off for the next day and night. She couldn’t remember why she’d set her alarm, but it had been important.
“The walk of shame,” she muttered aloud. It was funny when she’d thought about that phrase, or envisioned talking about it with girlfriends. Not so funny when one actually had to walk the walk – and she’d done it seven nights in a row. Was that a record? Could she get in the walk of shame hall of fame? Probably.
She didn’t know his last name. She’d never seen him before that first night, so if she was lucky he wasn’t from around her neighborhood or town. She hoped to hell she’d never see him again. She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing she could take back the week. Maybe if she had girlfriends she’d be able to find some humor in the situation. She’d own her walk of shame, but right now, all she could think about was the utter humiliation of what she’d done – and how spectacular it had been.
“Okay. There. I admitted it.” She turned off the alarm, thankful the thing wasn’t blaring at her so accusingly. She could judge herself – and she did – harshly. It wasn’t Joshua’s fault that she’d been in heat right along with her leopard – that she’d used him ruthlessly.
Her lip stung, and she touched it with the tip of her tongue. He’d been equally as ruthless. He’d ruled her their half of the night. She found it strange that the leopards had given them so much time together.
Gatita? Why did you shift every night halfway through the night?
My mate insisted.
Her heart thudded. She pressed her hand over it. If Gatita’s mate had insisted, that meant Joshua had insisted. Joshua had absolute control over his leopard even when the female’s heat was driving all of them. She touched her lip with her finger. It was slightly swollen. She didn’t remember this time how that mark had gotten on her, but he liked to use his teeth, and he’d been wild and she’d been out of control.
The man knew how to kiss. Seriously. She’d thought she knew what kissing was until he’d kissed her. She’d gone up in flames. Both had. She’d been married, had had an experienced husband, but not once had she ever had an orgasm. She’d thought she couldn’t – that she just wasn’t that into sex.
She’d had so many orgasms with Joshua she’d lost count. Night after night, they’d burned together. Who knew? Joshua had taken her in so many ways. He’d demanded so much of her, and she’d given him everything he’d demanded. She’d wanted him to rule her body. She’d given herself to him. It had been the most amazing, beautiful, savagely wild experience of her life, and it had to stop. She couldn’t let it go any further. She hissed a small reprimand to herself for even thinking about him and his spectacular ownership of her body as she made her way to the bathroom.
There were only three rooms properly renovated in the beautiful plantation home she’d bought. It was run-down, out of date and yet beautiful to her. Her bedroom, the master bath and the kitchen were the only rooms entirely finished, and she was grateful she’d started with her bathroom.
The water was hot and soothing. She had a huge bathtub, separate from the very large shower. She had a thing for water, and so did Gatita. She worried that Gatita would try to swim in the canals or the river. Alligators were everywhere around them, and she’d tried to warn her cat, but Gatita had sniffed at her, acting as if she needed no warnings.
When do we go running with our mates again?
The hot water was working its magic, clearing her head, but the cat’s question brought her up short. Her female was no longer in heat, but Sonia couldn’t say the same thing. The terrible burning drive was gone, but the need for him was still there. She had to work to keep from thinking about him or having silly girlish fantasies.
“What do you mean? I’m not mates with the man. Your heat is over. We aren’t going to see them again.”
There was a long silence. Sonia stopped massaging the conditioner into her hair and just stood there. Waiting.