Real Cowboys Love Cats (Horse Mountain Shifters Book 2) Read online

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  Maddie had spent most of the afternoon sprawled out in the grass, soaking up some sunlight, but as soon as dusk arrived, pushing the sun away and coaxing out the moonlight and stars, she’d jumped on her feet, running, stalking and hunting. Mountain lions were lone hunters and so was Maddie. She’d left her mother and father canoodling by the cabin with the rest of the domesticated felines. Her mom had lost her taste for the sport a few years ago. The woman might as well be an oversized house cat. Maybe it’s better to never find your one true mate. I don’t want to be declawed.

  She stalked through the brush, padding softly until she saw her quarry, a whitetail deer. She crouched down and then watched quietly, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Come on, turn. Turn your back on me. She froze, not daring to move a muscle until she was ready to strike.

  Oh, yeah, here we go. She held her breath as her prey finally showed her its backside. She leaped but before she could land, the shrill air horn signal for everyone to meet back at the cabin sent her target bolting in the other direction.

  Maddie landed on her feet and snarled as disappointment and resentment gnawed at her gut. She turned in a circle observing the twinkling stars and the sniffing the air around her. It can’t be past midnight. This better be good!

  As she raced toward the camp, her annoyance disappeared, turning to worry. No one would shift back and sound the alarm unless there was an emergency. Had something happened to her dad or her sister? Most of the house cats stayed in the cabin or on the porch most of the time, but since those two were always around mama, they tended to get bold. A sickening sensation twirled in her stomach and the bitterness of bile assaulted her tongue.

  She ran as fast as she could, leaping over rocks and trampling any flora in her way. As the cabin came into view, Maddie noticed several of her male relatives had shifted back to human form. She didn’t give more than a passing thought to their nudity accept to consider how uncommon it was for them to waste a single second of their once-a-year opportunity to spend a full weekend not only shifted but surrounded by family.

  Maddie pushed through the brush and turned her head, getting a look at what had caused all the commotion. A brown horse harnessed to a cart stood just a few feet away. Her Uncle Danny had sounded the alarm while a couple of her male cousins stared at the uninvited guest.

  She inhaled, taking in the strong odor—the area was permeated with feline pheromones but the horse had brought a slightly different flare. Her relatives must have smelled it too or they would have scattered instead of shifted and sounded the alarm.

  The brown horse neighed, moving his head side-to-side. Maddie padded a bit closer to get a better look. Davis’s stallion was dark black so this wasn’t him, and Melly’s second nature was a lot smaller. Of course, there was a heap of other Banks it could be, but what the hell was an equine shifter doing showing up during their scheduled event? And what was with the wagon?

  Clicking and popping sounds drew her attention and she gawked. She had to know who had crashed their party, but she already knew who it wasn’t. No way would a self-hating shifter like Abram put himself in the middle of a family gathering like this one.

  As she held her breath, her heart pounded. There was nothing more amazing than the transformation. She’d seen every member of her family shift, but it was rare to see another type transform. She was always surprised to see how fast it happened among her family except for those slowed down by advanced age. When caught in the moment, it seemed a bit longer. She noticed the man’s legs first, jacked with muscular calves and thighs. Then she caught a glimpse of his hip. His sexy torso, especially his ripped lower abdomen, set her mouth to watering but as soon as his mane disappeared and she saw his face, she nearly lost her breath.

  During the transformation, his harness had all but fallen off. He quickly untangled himself and stepped out. She froze in place, unable to stop staring. How is this even possible? He was truly disgusted when he saw me shift. I saw it in his face and felt it in my bones. He thought of our most precious gift as a condition to be ashamed of and here he is showing his horse to everyone and then proclaiming his identity.

  She watched as he looked around. He stared at her mother’s cat for quite a bit, but perhaps he sensed she wasn’t the one because he turned around in a circle. Maddie transformed as quick as she could, hoping he wouldn’t notice her crouched down on her hands and knees in the bushes. She noticed he was holding his hands in front of his cock and smirked, placing her hand over her mouth to keep from making a sound. Yeah, that was definitely Abram, still bashful.

  “Maddie Mittens.” Abram’s voice sent a shiver down her spine and awakened a deep, primal longing between her legs. “I’m here to declare for you.”

  She gasped. Her eyes widened with shock and her heart nearly leaping out of her chest. Her legs wobbled as she stood, her knees knocking. She tried to speak but no sound would come out, and he wasn’t looking her way.

  “I’m not leaving until you talk to me, Maddie. I know I was wrong. I’m sorry.” He paused and took a breath as if he was waiting for her to answer, and then he dropped to his knees. He placed his hands down on the ground, his biceps bulging, and his strong, ample shoulders rolling forward as he hung his head. “Please, Maddie. Give me another chance.”

  After swallowing the lump in her throat, Maddie found her voice. “Abram?” From his submissive position, he turned his head toward her but didn’t seem to notice her. He can’t see in the dark as well as I can. She stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the full moon.

  His eyes widened and his brows lifted as a huge grin spread across his face. “Maddie!” Excitement fueled his voice. “I’m so happy to see you!”

  She was unsure what to say. Her heart raced. Her pulse soared yet part of her still wanted to be mad. He’d thoroughly rejected her and everything she was. How sincere was this change of heart? Did she really want to trust him again?”

  A shrill meow drew her attention, and she turned toward the sound. Her gaze fell on her parents. Her mother’s cougar sat proudly on the grass, relaxed but alert. Her father’s domestic short-haired cat stood on her mother’s back, kneading her muscles. They were as different as night and day, but they’d respected each other and had always been so in sync. Could she ever have something so special with Abram?

  Her sister’s cat was the noisy one. She kept crying out and motioning toward Abram with her head. Her mom lifted her head slightly and made the bird-like chirping noise they’d communicated with when Maddie was small. Abram has their vote. I guess I should at least talk to him.

  As she approached, Abram scooted around on his knees until he was facing her. Even in such a position, his height provided advantage, leaving his eyes adjacent to her breasts. She looked down at him and ran her fingertips through his hair, pushing against his scalp to make him look her in the eye. “You have something to say to me?”

  He gripped the top of her foot, his fingers caressing her ankle as he bent forward and rested his forehead on her toes. “I’m so sorry. I miss you, Maddie.”

  The realization that every one of her relatives was watching Abram grovel embarrassed her enough to send a flush to her cheeks. She reached down and tapped him on the shoulder. “Get up. Everyone can see you prostrating yourself.”

  He gaped at her, his eyes shining. “I don’t care as long as you forgive me.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head as she whispered, “This is mortifying.”

  He stood and then brushed off his knees. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”

  Every part of Maddie’s body was screaming yes, but somehow her mouth didn’t get the message. “I don’t know.”

  “I brought wine and cookies.” His face wore such a sweet, hopeful expression, Maddie broke down in tears.

  “Okay.” She nodded her head while turning her face away so he wouldn’t notice her crying. After he grabbed a picnic basket, flashlight and a blanket from inside, he swit
ched off the lights on the cart. Before he faced her direction, she wiped her tears with her hand. When she glanced at his face, his eyebrows were high and his eyes round, exposing all of his irises. His grinning mouth was wide open. He was so ecstatic she couldn’t help but smile; yet, a boatload of emotions flooded over her, pulling her in every direction. “Follow me.”

  She moved in front of him and strode ahead in case she started crying again. He trailed behind obediently, not saying a word. She walked for quite a ways until she found a spot far enough away from her family to allow privacy and secluded enough for her to effectively manage the barrage of emotions shredding her to ribbons.

  Abram spread the blanket on the ground. She sat down while he got the wine and glasses out of the basket before pouring the fragrant, red beverage. He attempted to hand one to her, but she was shaking so hard she couldn’t grasp it.

  “Oh.” Abram set the glass down. “Are you okay?”

  As she studied his naked form, her eyes glazed over and his pheromone-laden scent enticed her. An unbearable hot, horny lust seized control of her body. She’d thought he smelled marvelous before but now his fragrance lured and ensnared her. His beautiful green eyes mesmerized her while the sight of the amazing V-shape definition framing his lower abs and running down toward his groin ignited a searing desire within her. Even as her body threatened surrender, her heart was breaking. She met his gaze and burst into tears. “You hurt me!”

  “Baby, I’m so sorry.” Abram smoothed her hair back away from her face.

  She sniffled and Abram retrieved a napkin from the basket before dabbing at her face. “I liked you a lot, so much that I made myself vulnerable to you. I showed you all of me. We sort of made love. I was giddy with excitement. I couldn’t sleep, and my cat was scratching and clawing to get out so I let her go on a run. I trusted you enough to show you who I was and you were grossed out.” She balled up her fist and pounded on his chest.

  “Go ahead. Beat me until you kill me because I can’t keep on living this way. I can’t sleep at night without dreaming of you. Just thinking about you makes my heart feel as if it’s swelling out of my chest. I’ve been going out of my mind trying to figure out a way to win you back. I did everything Davis told me to so I could understand what it means to be a shifter and—“

  Maddie’s ears perked up and she put her hand up as she interrupted him. “What did he make you do?”

  Abram covered his face with his hand. “All kinds of humbling stuff but now I know what it means to be part of a sacred trust…that and I’m much more comfortable with nudity.”

  Her eyes widened and she smiled. “Oh, my.”

  “No kidding. I had to shift in front of a bunch of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.”

  She crinkled her nose. “Melly?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, eventually, her too, but my cousin, Brady, was the worst with all of his hooting and hollering. Still, it didn’t matter. If there was any chance you would forgive me, I was willing to do it and more. Hell, I’ll go back and dance the Macarena in front of your whole family if that’s what it takes.” Maddie put her hand over her mouth to hide her dropped jaw. “Look at this.”

  He reached into the basket and then pulled out his phone before pushing a few buttons. He turned the screen around to show her a picture of him holding a black-and-white bicolor cat. She lifted an eyebrow. “Who’s the cow?”

  Abram squinted as his lips pursed in reflection. “Cow?”

  “That’s what you call a cat of that color and pattern, a cow-cat or a moo-cat.” She bit back the jealously scratching under the surface of her resolve.

  “Oh, this is Nacho.” He grinned.

  Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. No one names their daughter Nacho unless they hate her.

  “She’s Scarlett’s cat but I took care of her for the past few days.” He lifted his chin and his eyes closed as he smiled, beaming with pride.

  She repressed the urge to laugh. “So you made nice with a cat?”

  His eyelids popped open and he nodded. “We made friends, and I learned I was pushing cats away before they could reject me.”

  “Who told you that psycho-babble?”

  His happy expression melted away, replace by a pouting lips. “Gram,” he answered in a small voice.

  Maddie snickered. “Well, your gram is a smart lady.”

  The corners of Abram’s lips curved upward. “Look at this one of me and Nacho playing with the mouse teaser.” He swiped the screen again. “And Davis snapped this one of Nacho and me napping on the couch.” His expression grew serious and he put the phone down before turning to look at her. “Will you forgive me?”

  Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and her body trembled. “You did all that stuff for me?”

  “I’d do anything for you. The moment I set eyes on you, something inside me clicked into place. I could feel a deep, burning need. It scared me how much I wanted you. It still does a little.”

  “Ever since we parted on bad terms, I’ve barely slept. My stomach has been in knots.”

  “Me too—I can’t let you go. Please forgive me for being a chicken-shit idiot.” As he delivered his last sentence, their gazes synced up and Maddie laughed, covering the bottom portion of her face with both hands as she nodded.

  He threw her arms around him and pulled her closer, his body heat surrounding her. As she caressed his pectorals, his heart pounded against her palm. He guided her down on the blanket while kissing her. Her back pressed against the ground, and she slid her arms around his waist, enjoying the firmness of his lats and obliques as she traced the sinewy tissue with her fingertips.

  Maddie opened her lips, beckoning deeper exploration. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, twisting and twirling in wet pursuit. Their heads tilted left and right as they devoured each other.

  After closing her eyes, she savored his taste and masculine scent. Her body reacted to the erotic sensations created as he roamed her flesh with strong, searching hands. He gripped the side of her breast, squeezing before readjusting to place his palm over the front. As he used his thumb to stimulate the sensitive area more, her nipples pulled into tight beads, and she moaned as his fingertips pressed down into her soft lobes, teasing her pink buds with every slight touch.

  She pulled out of their lip-lock to pant for air. He dipped down, nuzzling her neck before blazing a trail of sweet kisses down to her clavicle. Her eyes opened and she gasped as he bit down, nibbling before lapping at her flesh with his tongue.

  She wanted to explore his entire body, touch him everywhere. While moving her hands frantically, she ran her fingers through his hair first and then scraped her nails down his back. She stretched her arms, grasping at his ass. Her palms curved around his tight, firm glutes and she squeezed, compressing his sultry flesh.

  Abram’s hot breath covered her chest before his lips greeted her breasts. He nibbled at her pliable flesh before encircling her hardened nubs. An intense jolt of arousal rushed between her legs and she squirmed. She breathed heavily, her mouth open in an O-shape. As he released her nipple from his lips, abandoning her skin to the cool air, she cried out.

  He looked her in the eyes. “I want to take my time and appreciate every inch of you, but at the same time, I’m feeling a might aggressive. It’s as if I can’t get enough of you fast enough.”

  Maddie’s body sweltered. Her every nerve ending buzzed while lust clouded her brain. She whimpered. “More.”

  A grin spread across his face and he winked. “I can do that.” He leaned in and kissed her lips as he caressed her thigh. She closed her eyes and groaned, gripping at the blanket beneath her. As if she were caught in a dream, her body reacted without conscious thought, her hips bucking as she trembled.

  He pressed his face into the soft tissue of her tummy as his tongue lapped at her navel. She shivered as she placed her palm on his head and urged him lower. He glanced up at her and smiled playfully. “Somebody’s impatient.”

  Her clit throbbed. �
�Please!”

  While he clutched her thick thighs, his fingers pushing into her flesh as he spread her legs. She writhed, rolling her hips in a circular motion and clenching her bottom in a vain effort to alleviate the yearning. Every muscle in her body tensed.

  He blew on the small patch of curly hairs just above her swollen pussy, and she arched her back while calling out, “Abram.”

  His lips brushed against her skin, and her legs shook, anticipation enthralling her. A gasp caught in her throat as his breath covered her damp folds. He opened the seam, revealing the entrance before licking all around it. Maddie groaned as she lifted her hips, pushing her pussy against his mouth. He flicked his tongue over her clit, slathering it with saliva.

  As he lifted his head and sat upon his knees, she whined. He reached over and snatched a condom out of an internal pocket in the picnic basket’s red-and-white checked liner. “Look what I brought.”

  “Yes!” She nodded, dying for him to enter her.

  He wagged his finger at her while smirking. “Not just yet.” He motioned for her to sit up. She rubbed her temple, pushing her damp hair back from her face as he stood up and stroked his cock. She gazed at his shaft, admiring the length and girth. Thoughts of his enormous dick stretching and filling her flooded her mind, and her mouth watered.

  Abram tapped his index finger on her bottom lip, and she looked up at him with a coy bat of her eyelashes before sliding her lips around the tip of his cock. She sucked vigorously while moving her head up and down. “Okay, that’s good. You’ve got me nice and wet. Now I need you to do one more thing.”

  She released his cock. “What?”

  “I have to see that gorgeous ass.” She examined his expression, noting his dilated eyes and the pucker of his lips.

  He’s teasing so much when he wants it just as bad as I do.

  “Come on, beautiful. Turn around and get on your knees with your bottom high in the air.”

  Her cheeks flushed, shame filling her chest as her heart pounded. She’d never been shy about her full figure, but she wasn’t sure the moonlight would be flattering to her lily-white fanny. She placed her hands on his thighs, rubbing her palms over the firm muscle definition while staring at his massive cock.