His voice had dropped an octave lower, sliding over her skin like the touch of fingers, and she shook her head. The problem was, Eli was a very sensual man and right now, she was finding she liked sensual. She even craved it. So Eli was somewhat irresistible to her.

“I need a few more supplies from town.” Changing the subject was the only safe thing to do. “For cooking. A few more spices, just some things.”

“You like to cook, don’t you?”

She shrugged. “I told you I did.”

“Make a list, I’ll get you whatever you need. I like the fact that I get to reap the benefits, especially if you’re in the kitchen in one of my shirts.”

She glanced sideways at him and realized he was teasing her. She took a breath. Oh, God. She shouldn’t for one minute trust this man enough to feel like her insides were melting, but she did, she was nothing but goo inside and that didn’t bode well for keeping him at arm’s length.

“My shirt and no panties,” he added.

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lower lip. Of course he had to remind her she’d been a crazy perv, on the floor, for God’s sake. On the floor.

“Baby.” His voice gentled and his fingers curled around the nape of her neck. “Stop being embarrassed. What we did was beautiful. I know you’re scared right now, but I’ll take care of you, get you through this.”

“What happens when Rafe shows up?” She asked because . . . well . . . Rafe would find her. He always found her once he had a starting point.

“Catarina, don’t ask me questions if you don’t want answers,” Eli said, and his voice went hard. Scary hard.

She turned her head to look at him again. She’d always thought of him as sweet. Dangerous maybe, but still sweet. There was nothing sweet about Eli in that moment. Danger radiated off of him. He gave off a vibe every bit as scary as Rafe did. She caught her lower lip between her teeth. Maybe it was the leopard in them, but suddenly, she felt a little bit like prey, caught between two powerful predators. Eli hid it better than Rafe, but he was just as lethal.

“Don’t.” He said it softly.

“Don’t what?”

“Be afraid of me. I’m a shifter and my leopard is difficult to handle at times, but I handle it. I don’t kill people unless I have no choice. I’m not Cordeau. I wouldn’t slash my woman’s back to punish her or bite her so fucking deep she has scars. Don’t look at me like that, like you’re afraid of me.”