"Fucking hell, Estrella. You're kidding me."

"I'm sorry that grosses you out," she cried. "Freaking sue me for having a crush on my alpha!"

"Goddamn it, why didn't you ask?"

"Hello!” She shouted at him, gesturing at her unclasped bra, her lacy panties. She felt like an idiot. “What do you think I'm doing?"

He charged forward. Before she could back away, his mouth claimed hers in a hot, hard, wild kiss.

Stunned disbelief rocked her. Vic was kissing her? The surprise of it almost overwhelmed her out-of-control hormones...

Almost.

A bolt of lust shot through her body, so strong it nearly knocked her over. She clung to him, her mouth parting under his hard lips. The kiss he was giving her was not polite, or tender. It was savage and hungry and punishing.

And she freaking loved it.

Vic's hands curled around her waist, dragging her nearly naked body against him. He rumbled low in his throat as his tongue slid against hers, as if pleased by the taste of her. She felt the stab of his cock against the crux of her thighs.

Oh god, this was everything she'd wanted. If this is a dream, don't let me wake up.

Then, he pulled away from her, the kiss ending so abruptly that she staggered against him.

"What is it?" She asked, the heat pounding through her veins.

Vic's eyes glittered with lust as he stared down at her. "Just tell me one thing. Am I the last resort?"

Estrella stared up at him, at the eyes as feverish as her own. The strong, stubborn set of his jaw. The dark hair that waved over his forehead. The big shoulders and strong arms covered in tattoos. A low moan of pleasure escaped her, just from looking at him. "God. Not in the slightest." She leaned forward, pushing her breasts against his hard chest, desperate to scrape her aching nipples against him. "I've always liked you, but I thought you didn't like me."

"Not like you?" He looked incredulous for a moment. "I practically browbeat you to join the tiger clan instead of the lions because I wanted to be around you. As it is, I've had to force myself to leave you alone since you never showed any interest before."

It was her turn to be surprised. "You wanted me? Even though I'm a liger?"

"Estrella," he whispered huskily, and his hand moved to ensnare her hair in his fist, an action that made a new rush of wetness dampen her panties. He slowly pulled her forward, until her lips were barely brushing against his. Her breasts flattened against his chest. "You're smart and utterly gorgeous."

"I'm six foot two. Most men don't want a giant in their bed."

"Their loss," he growled, then brushed his lips lightly over hers. "Do you want me for me, then? I want you to say it."

"I want you, Vic. So, so badly." Her hands slid up his arms, caressing his biceps. A purr nearly erupted from her when she felt how firm they were. "Are you sure you want me?"

"I've wanted you for years," he murmured, the look in his eyes making her knees weak.

But she had to clear something up, first. "Do you want me even though us coming together is going to make a baby? This is more than just a one night stand."

"Who said I wanted a one night stand?" he told her. "If you want me, I want to be your mate. Right here, right now. No more fighting it."

Her breath caught in her throat. "And the baby?"

"I'd be proud to be the father." And he lightly kissed her again.

Estrella sighed in pleasure, melting against him. "Do me a favor and pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming."

His free hand slid to her buttock and he lightly pinched it. "Better?"

"Yes and no." Yes, because she knew she wasn't dreaming. The delicious man holding her against him and declaring that he wanted to be her mate was the real thing. No, because even the slight motion of that pinch made the heat inside her pulse with need. Her skin felt like it was on fire -- too sensitive and overly tender. She could feel her pulse throbbing in her veins, pounding a staccato beat that seemed to center right at her core.

"Should I pinch you again? Or do you want to get out of this cold?"

She growled low in her throat at the thought, and her fingers curled into his biceps, digging in like claws. "Still so hot, Vic. I'm burning up inside. We stay out here."

"Even in the snow?"

Her mouth quirked in a grin. "It'll cushion the blow when I knock you to the ground and ravage you."

His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Will it now?"

She shoved at him, flinging him backward into the snow. As a liger, she was strong, just as strong as him. It intimidated most men, but she saw the excitement and challenge in Vic's eyes, and her own excitement grew.

He wouldn't mind that she was strong, fierce, and independent. For a man as rough as him, it was a turn-on to have a fierce mate. And that aroused her even more.

As he landed on his ass in the snow, her claws popped and she shredded the remnants of the bra loosely hanging from her shoulders. Her panties ripped away in the space of a breath, and then she was straddling his hips, bearing him back down to the thin blanket of snow in the grass.

He lay on his back and watched her with ravenous eyes. His hands reached for her hips, dragging her downward.

As if she needed any encouragement. Estrella took him into her hand and guided his hard cock into her body, seating herself fully onto him.

The breath escaped from her lungs. A small sound came from her throat, and she closed her eyes in pure ecstasy. He was big, and thick, and she was so very wet that he'd slid home perfectly. The sensation of it was amazing, and she soaked in the feeling of his cock deep inside her. Through the haze of her own desire, she barely heard his pleased groan.

All too soon, the delicious feeling faded, returned by the intense craving of the heat. She had him inside her, but she needed more, and she needed it fast. It made her crazed -- this wild desire. Bracing her hands on his chest, she began to rock her hips, lifting up and down on his cock. Her movements were jerky and harsh, and she ground her hips into his with every movement. "Need more," she breathed. The heat was an inferno inside her, raging out of control.

"I've got you," Vic murmured, and she felt his big hands dig into her hips. All of a sudden, she was out of control. When she lifted again, he slammed her back down onto him.

She cried out – oh yes, that was exactly what she needed.

He stilled under her. "Estrella?"

Her fingers dug into his chest, claws gripping at his skin. "No," she panted. "Keep going. So good."

He growled low in his throat, and then he was slamming her down on him again, their movements so forceful that she was positive she'd have bruises in the morning, but she didn't care. She needed this -- needed him -- so badly. The heat was being fed, once and for all. It built inside of her, and she began to growl low in her throat, feral and rough. Her hips lifted with his thrusts, making each slam of their bodies together faster and harder than the one before. If he'd been human, she would have destroyed him. But this was Vic, her Vic, and he was as strong and fierce as she was, and when her eyes met his, she saw the intense excitement there. It didn't matter that she was rough -- he liked it.

A shiver ripped through her, and then she was coming, the sensation so intense that stars swam in front of her eyes. A low, guttural groan ripped from her throat and she couldn't stop her claws from digging deeper into him as her entire body shuddered, flexing and tightening against him. Through the haze of the intense orgasm, she heard him bite out her name, and then she felt him come too, bathing her insides with warmth.