Page 30 of Tempting the Tiger

“No.” Grace placed her hands on his chest. She could feel the swift beating of his heart against the palms of her hands as if he were distressed.

“That is not an acceptable answer.”

“Okay. Let’s think about this logically. We are having an affair. One, I might add, I am enjoying. You don’t have to try and dress it up as something it is not.”

Keair smiled. “It is good to know you are enjoying being my lover. Now, you will enjoy being my mate even more. The bite, when I give it to you, will send you flying.” He bent his head, nuzzling her hair away from her throat to give her skin a long, lingering lick. “Here,” he whispered in her ear. “Here is where I will mark you. I will bite you as I slam into that tight, tight pussy. And then you will be mine.”

He thrust his hips against her, letting her know just how excited he was to claim her.

“Keair.” She sighed his name, shaking her head. “I. I. Just no.”

“Fuck,” he cursed. He hated seeing the distress on his mate’s face. That was not his intent, not at all.

Grace flinched at his harsh word, trying to pull away.

“Oh, baby,” he whispered, softly tucking her head against his chest. “I know this is difficult for you, you being human. But, I assure you I want you and I need you.”

Grace, even though her instincts were telling her to pull away and run, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I just. It’s hard for me trust. The last man I was serious about didn’t want me. Just what I could do for him.”

“Tell me his name,” Keair growled. “I will make him pay for hurting you.”

Grace laughed a little. “It’s nothing like that. He hurt my pride more than anything.” She looked up at the hard ridges of his face and knew she shouldn’t tell him anything else. Not that she wanted to share the ugly words the man had said to her. No, she had finally put the hurt aside. It was just the regaining of the trust that was difficult.

But, she knew she couldn’t compare any man to Keair. Keair was…Keair.

Keair pulled away slightly, lifting up her face with a finger under the chin. “You know you can share anything with me, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Grace nodded. “And, I hope you know you can share anything me. I love the fact that you shared your tiger with me.”

Keair gave her that devastating smile that had her wanting to give in to his demand of claiming her, marking her. “He was very happy to meet you finally.” He placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips.

“Now, there is something I wish to share with you.”

He took her hand and led her to one of the cushioned benches. There, he pulled her down on his lap.

“Keair,” she immediately protested, “I’m too heavy to sit your lap.”

“Nonsense.” He settled back against the gazebo frame, tucking her snuggly on his lap and in his arms. She sighed and gave in to the moment, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her head against his shoulder, much as she had when they were standing. She felt the tension inside him and didn’t know what to do or say. So, she simply did nothing. She sat very still, allowing him to speak in his own time.

“I was abandoned when I was a cub, here in these mountains. My streak left and did not take me with them.”

“What?” Grace’s head jerked up. Their gazes locked and Grace saw the sorrow and grief in his. “Why would they do that? What about your parents? Why didn’t they stay?”

“There was only my mother and she had very little choice in the matter.” He pushed her hair back from her face, curling his hand around her jaw. “Tigers are very selfish creatures—especially the males. The alpha of that streak was afraid.”

“Afraid of you? You were only a cub.”

Keair nodded. “Yes, but I was—am—an alpha.”

“Like Bachar?”

“Yes. Tiger alphas are known to maim, even kill cubs that are deemed threats. In my case, he simply left.” He did not tell her that as an alpha, even as a cub, he could have followed them and found them. But, even as a cub, he knew if he did such a thing, the alpha would have killed him. He had been just a cub, unable to fight for dominance. That hadn’t prevented thoughts when he was older of seeking out the streak and killing the alpha.

“Oh, Keair,” Grace whispered, leaning closer. She pressed her lips to his, giving him a sweet, loving kiss that told him more than words how she felt about him. He and his animal purred in satisfaction. All was not lost. Even though he had not told her that story to gain sympathy, he would use it to his advantage.

Because, sometime in the very, very near future, Keair was going to claim his mate.

The baby shower was going well Grace thought as she watched the comings and goings of the members of Keair’s pride. It was being held at the Wolf’s Den and Sally had been correct when she described it as a party for the pride rather than an old-fashioned baby shower where only women were invited.