Leopard's Prey (Leopard People 5)

Clearly she found him attractive and even amusing, that was true, but she wasn't conceding an inch. Bijou Breaux was not as easily charmed as he'd first thought she would be. He was older. More experienced. She definitely looked up to him and yet, she was elusive, just out of reach. Every time he thought he had her wrapped up, she found a way to elude him. Quite frankly, it was maddening.

Bijou didn't respond but went with him to his car. He opened the door and she slid inside. For a moment his heart pounded hard just looking at her sitting there. Composed. Beautiful. His. He had never really considered that he'd find the woman. She stared straight ahead, her little nose in the air. Damned if he didn't even find that cute. He'd never admit it to Gage, but maybe he really did have "it" bad. He just wasn't going to define what "it" was, not now. Not yet. He needed time to figure a few things out.

Like what the hell he was going to do with her when they weren't having sex. Maybe lock her up somewhere where he knew she'd be safe, because as it was, it seemed like every person he met was bent on causing her harm in some way.

He stalked around to the driver's side door, noting Bob Carson was down the street with a camera, clearly using a lens that would bring Bijou close. He considered how many years he might get in prison for "accidentally" running the fool over with his car. He slammed his door with unnecessary violence, earning him a look from Bijou.

He started the engine and indicated Carson with his chin. "You know, you do need rescuin' whether you want to believe it or not."

She made a face at him. "I'm not a wimp, Remy, no matter what you believe."

"I believe half of New Orleans is tryin' to kill you and the other half wants to go to bed with you."

Her mouth twitched and she covered her lips with her palm, coughing delicately and then clearing her throat several times.

Remy glared at her. "Woman, you'd better not be laughin' at me."

"Just a little. I think you take your job far too seriously. Bein' a homicide detective has made you a little bit paranoid, Remy. Yes, this situation with these murders is bizarre, but you said yourself if he wanted me dead, he would have already gone after me."

A growl rumbled through his chest. Usually that was more than sufficient to stop any arguing from his siblings or fellow detectives. She simply raised an eyebrow, not looking very intimidated.

"The serial killer is probably the only one not out to get you," he groused.

"Don' sound so happy about it," Bijou said.

He reached out and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. It seemed a small victory when she didn't pull away from the contact. He took the gesture a step further and locked her hand against his heart. "Is that what you think, Blue? I'm in it just for the sex?"

She turned her head then and looked at him, hunching a little, as if he'd struck a body blow. Her amazing blue eyes always sent an electrical charge sizzling through his body. She blinked, drawing his attention to her impossibly long lashes. Before he drove straight into the bayou, he forced his gaze back onto the road.

"You jump around in the conversation, Remy. I'm havin' trouble keepin' up."

"No, you aren't. Now you're just stallin'. I told you a long time ago, chere, you're no coward, and it's time you just told me what was upsetting you. I'm gettin' the feelin' you think our relationship is about sex and nothing else."

He glanced at her again and just before her long lashes veiled her expression, he caught a flash of pain in her eyes. Instantly he felt as if a giant hand squeezed his heart hard. Upsetting her was one thing, but genuine pain was another. He didn't like ever being the cause of that. She'd had enough pain in her life and he would bet his last dollar she was facing more.

He was positive her agent and his murky friend were up to no good. And he knew Bob Carson was. The man followed her everywhere taking photographs and selling out her privacy. He couldn't yet prove that Carson was stalking her and destroying her property, even frightening her, but he would find the proof. She knew all three men, had known two of them for years, and it would hurt to find out that they really cared nothing for her . . .

The moment the thought entered his mind, he cursed himself. Of course. What an idiot. His brothers were right. Bijou had never been important to her father or her nannies. She'd never been loved by anyone. She probably had no idea what it felt like to have someone caring for her. He'd talked about the sex and little else.

"I think our relationship is about your leopard bein' crazy about mine, as well as the great sex," Bijou stated. "I think that because you said it. More than once."

Remy tightened his fingers around her hand, keeping her palm pressed tightly against his heart. "Then I'm a moron if I made you believe that." Looking back, he realized he had said just that. He shook his head.

Bijou shrugged. Her lower lip trembled and she bit down with her small teeth. "It's all right, Remy. I'm not askin' anythin' from you. I'm a grown-up. I was there, just like you were. I wanted to have sex with you. It's not like you forced me. I'm well aware people have casual sex all the time."

"What we had was not casual sex. Had you ever had sex before, believe me, chere, you would never even consider attaching the word casual to what we have together."

"Remy, I'm well aware we barely know one another. I'm not one to jump into bed with just anyone . . ."

"I know that. I was there, remember? I should have been much more careful with you that first time," he admitted.

"I wasn't sayin' that. I just mean, you don' know me any better than I know you."

"You'd be surprised at how well I know you, Bijou. I didn't lose track of you over the years. And I'm a cop."

She turned cool eyes on him, although again, there was that tiny hint of amusement. "You investigated me?"

"Of course. Did you expect anythin' less?"

"No, I guess not. But that doesn't mean you know me, Remy. Nor do I know you. I didn't even know about the leopard business." She lowered her voice when she used the word leopard, clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of being a shifter.

He pulled her hand up to his mouth, brushing his lips over her knuckles. "I'm not good with words. I know that. Not with anyone I care about, but there's a hell of a lot more to our relationship than our leopards--or great sex--regardless of what I may have said earlier."

"See, I don' know you that well, or I'd know whether you were just sayin' that to make me feel better, and keep me around for your leopard, or if you mean it."

"I've never once told you a lie. We do have great sex. And my leopard is crazy about yours. Maybe I left out how I feel, but only because I've never actually felt this way about a woman before. It's new to me as well, Blue. Just give us time. We're interrupted every two minutes and I have to find this killer. But you're on my mind, every moment, you're on my mind."

Bijou smiled at him a little tentatively, but her smile reached her eyes. "I'm apparently not the most lovable person in the world."

"That's bullshit."

"You said yourself half of New Orleans wants me dead."

"True, I did say that, which is why you're goin' to stick close to the Inn when I'm not around. My brothers will keep their eyes on you when I'm workin'. Do you have anything important goin' on in the next couple of days?"

"Arnaud asked me to go to the openin' of his gallery showin'. That's tomorrow night." Her smile widened. "It gives me a chance to dress up. It's a black tie affair."

"Don' be usin' the word affair in the same breath when referrin' to that Frenchman," Remy groused. "He's all over you."

"No, he isn't. We're just good friends. I'm worried about him. He doesn't pay any attention to the news or what's happenin' around him. He spends half his time drawin' and the other half workin' on his sculptures. It's rare for him to show up at a gallery and actually talk to anyone who wants to purchase his work. I don' want him to be an easy target for this killer."

"You're worried that if he's around you, he might be next."

She pressed

her lips together and nodded. "I'm worried about you too, Remy."

He gave her his leopard grin. Dangerous. Predatory. "Worry about the other guy, chere."

15

REMY glanced out the window of the Inn and froze. "What idiot let him go out there before he talked to Robert?" He swung around to glare at his brothers.

"You know Drake. He just gets that look on his face and you back off and let him do whatever he wants to do."