Leopard's Run (Leopard People 10)

Her heart clenched hard. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. His mouth was gentle. That little caress spoke volumes, things she couldn’t afford to hear or understand.

“Put your arms around me, Ashe.”

She shook her head. He caught her close, one arm locking against her back, dragging her body right into his while his hand held her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“Put your fucking arms around me. I’m kissing you.”

“You can’t. You know what will happen.” But her arms slid around him. All that muscle. He was pure masculine heat. A statue carved of stone come to life. Cold as ice. Hot as the fires of hell. She was in so much trouble, but then, wasn’t that why she’d come?

His mouth came down on hers, and her fingers dug into his shirt and caught skin. She needed an anchor, something solid to hold on to because she was spinning out of control that fast. He kissed like sin. He kissed his way straight through every guard until she was naked, vulnerable, her very soul exposed. Her body was his instantly, melting into his, soft and pliant, willing to do anything and everything he demanded.

Then he was setting her away from him, holding her at arm’s length. “Holy hell, woman. Get in the fucking car.”

Fighting for breath, she stared up at him. At those eyes of his—so cold they could freeze a person. Right now, the glacier was melted and blue flames stared back at her. She wasn’t alone in the whacked-out, combustible chemistry flaring so hot between them. Her gaze slid down his body and over his broad, muscular chest. He was fighting for air, just like she was. Her gaze dropped lower. His cock was as hard as a rock and demanding attention.

“Is that a smirk?”

Her gaze jumped back to his face. She pressed both lips together. “Maybe.”

“Get in the car.” He reached around her and yanked open the door, forcing her to move. She stepped back feeling very self-satisfied and then slid onto the leather seats. His car was very nice, built for speed. Built for comfort. “Bulletproof glass?”

“Absolutely. When my brother rides in this, I know he’s safe.”

“Why would anyone want him dead?”

He shut the door and walked around the hood. He paused for a moment and looked across the street and then said something. She knew he had because his lips moved. She was adept at reading lips but not from the angle where she was. He got in and started the engine immediately.

“Is everything all right?”

“Want you again. Now I’m going to have to wait for your break.”

“You are not …” She glared at him. “We are not going to do anything on my break.”

“I’m fucking you until we both can’t breathe.” He stated it like it was a fact.

She should argue with him. She really should. She should make it clear that they weren’t going to keep going at it like bunnies, but she knew if he kissed her, if he touched her, she probably wouldn’t be able to say no. She didn’t seem to have a mind when he was around. She threaded her fingers together.

“Timur, I need to tell you something. It’s important. You aren’t going to like it.”

“Say it then.”

“I’m in a lot of trouble.” She twisted her fingers together tighter. “I don’t want to bring that trouble to Evangeline. I know you have it in your head that I should stay, but I’m telling you, I need to go. They’ll hurt her. They might even take her. They’ll use her to get to me.”

There was silence and she couldn’t stop herself from looking up at his face. He stared straight ahead, driving with ease. His hands were loose on the wheel, but very sure, just as they’d been sure on her body when he’d touched her. A muscle ticked in his jaw, but that was the only sign that he’d heard her—or that he cared that she had to leave.

She wanted to leave. She didn’t want Evangeline in any danger, and more, Ashe knew it was imperative that she put as much distance as possible between Timur and her. Already her heart felt shaky around him, and her body … It didn’t belong to her anymore.

“You’re going to stay, Ashe.” It was a declaration, nothing less.

The way he said it, the tone he used, got to her in places better left alone. Her heart jumped. Her breasts ached. If she’d been wearing a dress she might have hiked it up and given herself a little relief, right there in the car with him watching. That was what his voice did to her, and he wasn’t even trying for that effect. What was she going to do?

“Are you listening to me? Even if you’re considering that we have great chemistry, this is your brother and his wife we’re talking about.”