Page 25 of Tiger Bitten

She nodded. “Oh shoot! I forgot all my other candies.”

He snorted and jogged back to his truck. He gathered as many as he could into his arms and returned to Ren.

“There has to be a hundred chocolates in here,” he grumbled.

“They’ll be gone by tomorrow night.”

He followed her to her doorstep and waited for her to unlock the door, then stepped inside just enough to set her pile of sweets on a table near the door. Quickly, he retreated from her house. It smelled like her in there, and it was kicking up some instinct inside of him that he didn’t understand. He wanted to grip her shoulders and push her back into the house, kiss her until she gasped his name. He wanted to ruck her skirts up and pull her panties off and slide into her. He wanted to feel all of her.

No, no, no. He had to always maintain control of himself.

He shook his head hard against the vision of her arching her back against the pace of him ramming into her.

He cleared his throat and lifted his gaze to hers. She looked concerned. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

“There are things I wish I could explain.”

“Say them,” she urged him.

But if he did, she would never want to see him again. What if he told her she was his Rabbit, and she disappeared on him, and his tiger took it as time to start his big hunt? What if he perceived her backing away from him as running away? What if being around her like this was the only thing keeping his hunting instincts under control?

Fuck, he really needed Stellan to call him back.

“Hey,” she whispered, cupping the side of his face. “Everything is good. We don’t have to do Salt Lake City. No pressure.” She let her hand slip from his face and backed up three steps, then lifted her chin higher into the air. “Mars, it was my pleasure to be your pretend date tonight.” She offered her hand, and he knew what she was doing. She was giving him an easy exit.

God bless her for that.

He stared at her petite hand for a three count, then slid his palm against hers and shook it gently. “Tonight was fun.”

Her cheeks turned the shade of pink roses, and she ducked her gaze as she let her hand fall. “Drive home safe.” Ren stepped inside the door and offered him a soft smile, leaning her cheek against the open door.

Mars wasn’t ready to leave her. Not with her looking so pretty in the glow of the porch light, her eyes bright, her cheeks tinged with a blush, her dark curls perfectly shaping her heart-shaped face, and that dress hugging every perfect curve.

“I’ll think on Salt Lake City,” he uttered, hating the words as the fell from his lips.

The smile faded and she nodded once. “I understand.”

But she didn’t. Not at all. It wasn’t her he was worried about. It was him. With a sigh, he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, meeting her eyes as he let his kiss linger there.

And then he released her hand and turned, strode right for his truck, so damn determined not to look back.

“Bye Mars,” she said softly, and it broke something in him.

“Fuck,” he gritted out, turning for her. She was closing the door, and he barked out her name. “Ren!”

She opened the door again, looking confused. “Yes?”

He strode right up to her and landed his lips right onto hers.

Ren let off a little sound that drove him crazy and he slid his hand to her throat, kissing her deeper.

Control it.

He angled his head the other way and tasted her deeper. Ren was going pliable against him, melting into him. God, he loved how she reacted to him any time he touched her.

Control it.

He pushed her gently against the open door frame and pressed his body against hers. Ren’s fists gripped his shirt as she parted her lips for him every time he thrust his tongue against hers.