Clutching the coffee cup, she lifted her hand to her scalp, the memory of his behavior in the warehouse and the truck washing over her. What had she been thinking? That he really was Ridley Cromer just because they’d had sex? Her body ached all over. She had marks on her skin. That hadn’t been making love. They’d had sex. Rough sex. She’d suddenly felt all sweet and melty inside. That didn’t change who or what he was.

“Kitten.” He groaned softly, and his fingers went to her scalp, massaging gently. “I didn’t hit you. Remember that when you’re condemning me. You attacked me more than once and I restrained you, but I didn’t hit you. In the truck, I had to stop you. A leopard can track through scent. Your scent could not be on that ground. You knew he was leopard and you knew you were risking him finding you.”

“I wanted to get away from you,” she admitted in a low voice.

She hated the way her body went into meltdown at his touch. That confused her more than anything else. She should have been screaming at him not to touch her, but instead, when he did, even in such a simple way, she wanted to get closer to him. Maybe she wasn’t slutty, but certainly the leopard inside of her had to be.

“I’m well aware you wanted to get away from me, Cat,” Eli said, in a voice totally devoid of feeling.

Her gaze jumped to his. His hooded, sensual eyes were back to moving over her face broodingly. She pressed her lips together and then lifted her chin, forcing herself to look him straight in the eyes.

“Eli, what if I don’t want all this? What if my leopard chooses your leopard, but I don’t choose you? What happens then?”

His face softened. “Your leopard has already chosen, Kitten. So has mine. I’m the only man who has ever been inside of you and I’m the only man who ever will. If your choice isn’t me right now, I’ll have to work a hell of a lot harder to make certain it is.” His thumb was back to moving gently over her skin. “Too much has happened too fast for you to be able to even have a chance at knowing what or who you want. That’s why we’re here. Cordeau won’t find you here and neither will the DEA. You have time to figure it out.”

She didn’t take her gaze from his. “Eli, you are the DEA.”

“Not here, I’m not.”

“How do I know what’s real and what isn’t with you?” Her heart pounded when she asked, but she watched his face, hoping for a clue.