Tempting the Tiger by Lacey Thorn

they couldn’t afford that. They should have been on the road already.
    “Are you okay?” he finally whispered, then couldn’t stop himself from kissing the top of her head.
    She looked up at him then wiggled again. “Thank you. That was amazing.”
    He smiled, unable not to, and eased her off him, turning onto his side and looming over her. “Anytime, Amia. Just say the word.”
    She glanced down his body, and he felt the heat of her gaze on his cock like a stroke of her hand or tongue.
    “How about a quick shower, then we hit the road?” he offered.
    And just like that, her joy seemed to fade. “I wish you would believe me when I tell you it’s not a good idea to take me with you. I can’t give you the answers you want.”
    “Can’t? Or won’t?”
    She sighed. “They’ll come after me. You’ll lead them right to you.”
    He shook his head. “They’ll never find you where we’re going. You’re going to have to trust me when I say I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
    He could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn’t believe him, but she didn’t say another word about going with him. “Are we sharing the shower?”
    Just like that, his cock was rigid again, and damned if a sound like a fucking purr didn’t rumble from his chest. She glanced at him in shock and must have found his expression amusing. Nice to know his disgust amused her. She bit her lip and reached out tentatively to caress his flesh. He closed his eyes. And fucking purred again.
    Her giggle had his eyes snapping open and glancing at her. She didn’t seem like a woman who laughed often, especially not the girlish sound of a giggle. It was all he could do not to puff his chest out and preen with pride, or purr again. Then her hand slid over his abs and headed toward his straining erection. He struggled between what he wanted and what they needed to do for a second before interceding and capturing her hand with his.
    “Why don’t you go start the water, and I’ll join you in a minute?”
    She seemed uncertain, as if she wasn’t sure how to react to him stopping her.
    “I want you to touch me. I want your hands and mouth all over me. Don’t doubt that. But we need to be on the road. We’ve stayed longer than we should have.”
    She nodded, and her eyes flared then went soft when he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the palm.
    “Go,” he urged her and couldn’t take his eyes off her as she stood and walked across the cabin naked. The woman was built like a goddess and seemed oblivious to the fact.
    Mine roared through his mind again, and he gritted his teeth, fighting to contain the animalistic claim inside. Things were fucked up enough as it as was without him trying to claim her as a fucking possession. He had a feeling Amia wouldn’t appreciate it anyway. There was so much to her, so much she kept bottled up inside. He wanted to know all her secrets, her hopes, dreams and the demons that haunted her at night. He’d watched her while she’d slept, scented her fear and held her while she’d cried and begged someone to just kill her. He didn’t think she’d appreciate it if she knew that, though.
    There were secrets she held deep. Like the scars she had and who had put them there. Then there was her fear of going with him, that she would be endangering him just by being with him. What had been done to her? And why? That’s what he couldn’t wrap his mind around. What had happened to create the rift between Amia and her family?
    He was already in too deep, and he knew next to nothing about her besides her name. Christ, what was happening to him? To them? Because he was willing to believe Amia was caught up in this as much as he was. Was this anything like what Tah had gone through with Abby? Was Amia meant to be Reno’s mate? He shook his head. There were too many unanswered questions for him to even think about claiming and mating a woman.
    He heard the water start up, and Amia’s sigh of pleasure made him