Page 43 of Tiger Born

“I’ve got to give Mars a break. He’ll be right outside the room. I’ll be back when you wake up.”

Misty flipped over in his arms and snuggled against his chest, and for a few moments, he laid there frozen, absorbing all of the fuzzy feelings she was creating inside of him.

God, he loved her.

Slowly he wrapped his arms around her again and hugged her, rubbing her back. Her skin was so soft.

“I like you a lot,” she said in her sleepy voice.

He smiled in the dark of his room. “I like you a lot too.”

“But I mean I like you a lot a lot.”

His smile stretched his face more. He knew what she meant. “Well, say it then.”

“You first.”

He slid his hand to the back of her head and massaged her gently there. His heart was pounding so hard. Slowly, he eased his lips to her ear and whispered, “I love you.”

A cute little squeal escaped her, and she wiggled against him like she couldn’t contain her energy. “I knew it!”

He chuckled and kissed her lips, then eased back, and brushed a flyaway strand of hair out of her face. Her hair was a mess from what he’d done to her a few hours ago. He loved the way she looked after he fucked her.

“Guess what?” she asked softly.

“What?” he rumbled.

“I love you too.”

“I knew it,” he joked in a high-pitched voice and wiggled around like she had done.

She giggled and pressed her face against his chest, and he hugged her up tightly again. God, he could spend the rest of his life just like this.

“Do you want me to go with you?” she asked.

“No, I want you to get sleep. It was a long day. I’ll be back at dawn. Just rest.”

She pouted out her bottom lip. God she was cute. He loved that she just wanted to be with him too. He understood it.

Forcing himself, Dame got out of bed and pulled his jeans on, then tucked the covers all around her, and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll miss you,” she said softly.

“You won’t even know I’m gone. Go back to sleep, pretty girl.”

He tucked her in again and moved her hair off her cheek just to satisfy the tiger that he was taking care of his mate, and then he padded quietly out of the room.

Dame had one of those one-cup coffee makers that took just a couple minutes to brew a mug, so he made himself a coffee black and left the door unlocked as he left the house and walked to the path that led to the barn.

He could tell something was wrong before he could even see the barn.

“Stellan! Wake up!” Marsden’s voice was full of panic.

The mug of coffee hit the ground as Dame bolted for the barn.

What he saw there when he sprinted through the open sliding doors would haunt him for the rest of his life.

The cage door was open, and Mars was cradling Stellan’s head in his lap. Stellan’s eyes were the dark brown of his human, and he was foaming at the mouth.