Page 23 of Tempting the Tiger

She smiled as she remembered the night—and if she wasn’t mistaken—early this morning. The man was insatiable. The room was warm and cozy, but she wasn’t brave enough to walk out of the bedroom door without something on. She looked around for something to put on. She was hesitant to rummage through the dresser drawers. Even though it was a hotel room, it was the place he lived. Spotting a sliver of white beneath the edge of the bed, she discovered Keair’s dress shirt from the night before. Smiling, she put it on. It covered her from her neck to the tops of her thighs, the material stretching tightly across her breasts.

The sight that greeted her as she entered the main room was breathtaking in its beauty. Keair’s suite was lined with one complete wall of windows. It was early morning, that sweet time just before dawn when the earth seemed to stand still. Outside she could see nothing by wilderness. She realized the windows overlooked the back of the hotel. She sighed as she watched the tall pine trees sway in the gentle breeze that was blowing. No wonder shifters loved this place.

But, it wasn’t the landscape that had her breath stalling in her chest. No, it was the golden skin of her lover, glowing in the early morning sunlight. His skin was covered in sweat as he performed a series of moves that mesmerized her. His long limbs moved with surprising grace as he pushed his body to hold poses and move with catlike reflexes. She realized she could watch him for hours.

It was only a matter of minutes before he finished and turned to her. He flicked her a glance from beneath the dark forest of his lashes and she knew he was checking her out. Instinctively her hands clutched the top of her borrowed shirt closed. Which was really silly considering all he had seen last night. And done. Oh, the things he had done to her last night.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” His voice was slightly hoarse.

A rosy flush crossed her face. “I did.” She crossed her arms over her breasts and tilted her chin up. “And you?”

“Better than I have in quite some time.” The tone of his voice held surprise. “Are you ready for something to eat?”

“I, umm, I really need to be going.” Grace bit her lip unsure of how to behave. She’d never spent the entire night with a man before. She wasn’t sure what the protocol was.

“It is Sunday, Grace. I know you do not open the store today and I was hoping you would spend the day with me.” He closed the distance between them and took her hand in his. She wanted to jerk it back, knowing it wasn’t the type of hand he was used to caressing. Hers showed the signs of the physical labor she did day in and day out. Baking and dishwashing took their toll no matter how much lotion she slathered on at night.

He turned her hand over and raised it slowly to his lips, his tongue snaking out over her palm to slowly lick at the salty flesh.

“Keair.”

Grace whispered his name at his caresses and his tiger purred in satisfaction. He could also smell the scent of her arousal blooming in the air. Last night she had surprised him with her passion. At first, she was shy and uncertain, but soon, she had succumbed to his touch. She’d been a delightful mix of innocence and desire.

Something he found himself wanting taste yet again.

With a growl, he swooped down and lifted her into his arms.

“What are you doing?” she asked. He was glad to see it wasn’t a protest about him carrying her and realized they had made some progress.

“I need a shower. And you are joining me.” He spared her a glance as he kicked upon the bedroom door. “Do you object?”

“No.” One of her brows rose. “Did you expect me to?”

“Yes. You can be obstinate at times.”

“I’m not,” she immediately denied. He raised one of his dark brows at her words and she simply rolled her eyes at him. His tiger snickered.

He entered the connecting bathroom and stood her on her feet. He walked inside the shower, turning on the water. When he was through, he found her still standing where he had left her. He took her face in his hands, bending his knees until he could look her straight in the eyes. “Perhaps obstinate was not the correct word to use in these circumstances.”

“These circumstances?” she frowned up at him.

“Yes. You and me, sexually. You are shy. I respect that.”

She gave him a little half-smile. “But you still think I’m obstinate?”

“Oh, most definitely.” He dropped his hand and moved back a step. “Remove your clothing.”

“What?”

“See, obstinate. You do not do as I command.”

She snorted, sounding very much like his tiger. “Maybe because you command it. I’m not one of your followers.”

“Followers? I do not understand.” He knew perfectly well what she meant. Ever since shifters had exposed themselves to the general population, women of all ages had started throwing themselves at shifters. He was not surprised. Even before the big reveal, shifters had very little trouble getting pussy.

“Groupie? Fan girls?”

“Oh, those,” he smirked.