Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
I don’t care about them. It isn’t the kissing. Kissing in front of them is step three. Declarations are like step fifty or something. Definitely fifty. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her head back to look directly into his eyes, a silvery circle around the blue accusing him. You took us way beyond step three.
“I’m taking my woman back to our room and giving her more antibiotics. The doc wants her resting. As soon as I have her settled, I’ll be back. Gedeon will get you whatever you need, and you can finish reading the report.”
Gorya didn’t look away from Maya as he opened the door and took her inside. “You didn’t have to tell me how you felt back there. I made the declaration, but you could have waited.”
She scowled at him. “I’m no coward. We promised each other we’d tell the truth. If you’re going to put yourself out there, then I have to do the same. And you were all wimpy and whiny, so I had to show you how to be courageous.”
“Wimpy? Whiny? If you weren’t injured, I’d toss you onto the bed and show you who’s wimpy.”
For the first time ever, a true giggle escaped. The sound of it lit up his soul. She was changing him. She had changed him already. He thought of her from the moment he woke in the morning. He viewed life differently. He could look at the landscapes around him and actually see the beauty. More importantly, he recognized that he was beginning to care for those around him. She had done that. Maya.
Whether it was because Rogue no longer wanted to kill everything and everyone or because the rage in the leopard had subsided thanks to finding his mate, Gorya didn’t know, but the animal no longer raked and clawed at him night and day with vicious cruelty. The cat didn’t suffer anymore like he had before. He was calm and patient, waiting for his mate to rise.
Both leopards were aware of Maya’s fears and her injury, and Wraith was doing her best to suppress her heat to give her partner time to heal and get used to Gorya. He admired the female leopard for her enduring strength. He found that same strength in Maya.
He carried Maya into the primary bath. “Get ready for bed, woman. You must be hurting like hell. And stop hiding that from me.”
“You sound so commanding. I might swoon like all the women Ashe was telling me about if you keep it up.” She fanned herself as she batted her eyelashes at him.
Her little laugh played over his skin in a sensuous melody. Unable to resist, he bent his head and took her mouth. There was nothing playful about his kiss. It might have started out gentle, but suddenly everything changed. The dominance in him welled up and took over. He poured himself into her, claiming her. Branding her. Loving her. Possessing her. Giving himself to her. He wasn’t gentle in the way he knew he should be, but he couldn’t hold back no matter what his brain told him. The roaring overcame all good sense, and instinct took over.
Maya’s body melted into his chest, pliant, boneless. All his. She gave herself to him. Surrendered everything. He tasted love, whether she meant to give that to him or not. It wasn’t just her heart being offered. Or her soul. She didn’t realize what she was offering into his keeping. She was trusting him with her body. She just didn’t realize the enormity of her trust yet. Their relationship was so fragile. So intimate.
He lifted his head reluctantly, slowly, rubbing his lips against hers and then kissing his way over her delicate nose and back to the corners of her mouth.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock, her trembling fingers over her lips. Her breath came in ragged gasps. When she could manage, she chastised him. “Gorya. We have to stop skipping steps. That was definitely way beyond steps three and four. Not as far as fifty, but certainly ten or eleven. Or fifteen. You’re leapfrogging.”
“I refuse to take responsibility for that.”
He set her feet on the floor, mostly because he was nearly as unstable as she was.
She gave him a fierce scowl, but there was that little hint of humor he really loved. It both steadied and reassured him every time.
“You seem to duck responsibility for any of these steps.”
“You started it.” He pulled her shirt over her head to get her moving. She had grown even paler. “I’m beginning to think Wraith is getting out of hand. I’m not sure which of you is worse.”
She raised an eyebrow. “She’s being good.”
He couldn’t help laughing. “You walked into that one, coming to immediate defense of your leopard. That means you’re the naughty one.” He laid his palm across her forehead. “And don’t you dare run a fever again.”