Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
She wasn’t certain having him in her space was a particularly good idea. If things didn’t work out, she might not be able to cleanse her home of his presence. She wasn’t even certain she liked him, but she loved his body and she loved the things he could do to her body. She was in way over her head.
“Would you rather come to my home?”
She shook her head immediately. “I have to work here. I have to face those men every day. I don’t want them to know…”
“They know.” His voice said it all. It was a decree. “They were told you were my mate and to stay the hell away from you.”
That was why the men had barely looked at her, let alone flirted. He’d given them an order, and they’d obeyed. He was definitely the boss. If any of the others were leopard, then he was their leader. She didn’t know leopards had leaders, but the men had done as he’d told them.
“You scare me. What happens between us scares me.”
“I’ll take that into consideration when handling you and the crazy way you think. I would really like it if you could take into consideration everything you know of leopards and their temperaments.”
“Leopards don’t mate for life. Females raise the young alone. In fact, male leopards have been known to kill the cubs.” She couldn’t keep the accusation out of her voice. She was still trembling, still hot, hating that her bra was on the ground with her shirt and she was standing half naked in front of him. Glancing down, there were those marks again, the way he’d scraped his teeth over her skin, the way he’d sucked until there was a bright strawberry. She refused to reach down and get her clothes to cover up.
“Shifters mate for life. We raise our young, Sonia. I mate for life with my woman and I certainly intend to raise my children with her.” He reached down and gathered up her bra and shirt. He put one finger in the air and spun it in a circle, indicating for her to turn around.
She hesitated, but he didn’t offer her clothes to her, so she reluctantly turned her back on him. He reached around her with her lacy bra and fit it over her breasts. “I hate to cover something this beautiful up, but you’re already going to drive the men crazy. I don’t need them looking at your body.” He fit the hooks together and then pulled her T-shirt over her head.
She took a couple of steps forward before turning to face him again. Her gaze swept his body. At least he had a hard-on. The front of his jeans was pushed out and she could see the outline of his package, thick and long, straining the denim. She was grateful she wasn’t the only one having a difficult time with what had occurred. Her sex clenched, and hot liquid dampened her panties. She was slick with need. Aching. She stepped farther away from temptation, putting space between them, not wanting to pull his scent into her lungs.
He moved with blurring speed. She knew leopards were fast, but his speed was astonishing and disconcerting. He was on her before she had processed that he was coming at her. His hand cupped her chin. “Tonight, Sonia. I’ll take care of you tonight and we’ll talk this thing out. In the meantime, I would appreciate you texting me when your friend leaves.”
“I don’t have your cell number.” His thumb was rubbing across her lips and she could barely think again. She hated that she was that susceptible to him when he could think so clearly.
His hand slid into her back pocket where she kept her cell phone, pulled it out and handed it to her. “Put in your code and give it to me. I’ll program my number in. Then you send me yours.”
Her head screamed “no” but she found herself doing exactly as he’d asked – no, not asked. He’d told her. Still, even knowing that, she sent him her number when he handed her phone back.
“When you come up with the estimates for the main house, and the cabins separately, have Jerry send them to me.”
She nodded. At least she hadn’t lost the job for Jerry.
They skirted around the house, taking a path that led to the front, where her truck was parked. He walked with her. Close. His hand brushing hers. Fingers tangling. Gripping. He pulled her hand to his thigh. She didn’t pull away.
When they reached her truck, he opened the door and trapped her between his body and the seat. “Kiss me.” It was an order.
“I don’t dare.” She told the truth. Her body was already in full meltdown.
“I need you to kiss me.”
“Joshua.” She knew it was a weak protest.