Timur leaned down and pressed a kiss against Evangeline’s cheek. “You need anything at all, you tell me.”
She nodded. “Thanks, Timur. I’m sorry I’ve been difficult over security. I find myself irritable and annoyed over everything.”
“Stop giving me days off,” Ashe said. “I can handle the bakery for you.”
Evangeline nodded and waved them off. “Go and be together. Once you get pregnant all you’ll see is the inside of a toilet bowl.”11ASHE woke toward morning, her skin burning hot. She’d gone to sleep naked, tangled with Timur. He’d been a gentle lover the first time, something she wasn’t certain she could handle from him yet. When they had wild, uninhibited sex, she felt more in control of her emotions. Not her body—he was in complete control of that—but she could pretend to herself that she had time to make up her mind about him.
She knew herself very well. If Timur turned that ice-cold, compartmentalized demeanor loose on her, becoming violent or emotionally abusive, she knew she wouldn’t tolerate it, not for one moment. If the attack was physical, not only would she fight back, but she was mean enough to wait until he was asleep and beat the crap out of him and then get out. She wasn’t certain she was the best match for him.
Her skin hurt with just the sheet touching it, so sensitive she wanted to cry in alarm. Very carefully she tried to extract herself, afraid of waking Timur, wanting to know what she was facing first. She had so many questions and felt so much uncertainty. She genuinely liked Timur. She liked being with him. He had that edge she needed, and yet was sweet to her.
He loved Evangeline and the emotion was wholly genuine. That should have told him right there that he wasn’t even close to being the psychopath he thought himself. He wasn’t selfish. His every thought seemed to be for the protection of others.
Ashe suppressed a groan and covered her face with her hands in an effort to block out her thoughts. Was she trying to give herself reasons to stay with him? He needed her more than any other man ever would, that much she was certain of. She wanted to be needed. He focused completely on her, which was a good thing, except that she didn’t want their relationship to be like her parents’—she wanted children, and her husband had to love them as fiercely and as protectively as she did.
“What is it, malen’kiy smerch ?” Timur’s voice was soft, tender even.
She felt that tone right through her heart, as if he’d pierced her with an arrow. He shifted positions, turning toward her, propping his head up with one hand so he could look down at her. His eyes glowed in the dark of the room, telling her his cat was close. Of course, Temnyy would rise, looking for his female.
She tried not to flinch at the thought. Timur’s arm slid around her waist, locking her to him, but she felt the difference in his hold. He was more protective than sexual.
“You’re burning up, Ashe.”
“I know.” Her hair felt too heavy for her head. Her skin felt as if it had shrunk and was far too small for her. Her mouth ached, as if her teeth were stretching the limits of her jaw. As hot as her body was, there was no comparison to what was happening between her legs or in her deepest core. There was no doubt in her mind that Godiva would be emerging soon.
“I’m afraid, Timur.” She might as well admit it.
“You’ve shifted before, Ashe. It gets easier every time. Your body remembers, and your mind becomes more accepting. You know you, the human being, is still there. You’re strong, you’ll be in control of her. She needs to know she can count on you. When you let your leopard free, she has to be able to count on you to keep her from doing anything that will get her killed or harmed.”
She had to try very hard not to rub her body with her palms. Her skin hurt. Burned. Felt as if she might die if she didn’t touch herself—or worse—beg him to touch her. “If I let her out and your male claims her for his mate, it will be impossible to get out of this relationship. You know that, Timur. Don’t you?” She hoped she was wrong, that she hadn’t run out of time, but it felt that way.
Ashe had to move. She couldn’t stop herself from rubbing along the sheet and over his body. The chemicals under her skin were driving her insane with need. She wanted to claw her way over top of Timur. Her hips slid along the sheets, legs sprawled apart, so her hand could creep down her belly to curl inside of her with the hope of putting out the fire—or at least stalling it.