His mouth traveled down her body, tongue sliding along every rib. He dipped into her belly button. “I’m going to drink vodka off you. Pour it over your breasts, let it run down your body and lap it off of you.” His tongue showed her how and then his teeth teased her abdomen. He shifted his weight, sliding down her body so he could grasp her thighs and pull them apart.

“So beautiful, Evangeline.” He stared at her, that beautiful flower waiting for him. All his. Not once had his leopard protested. He was quiet. Calm. Giving Alonzo his freedom to enjoy his woman, to indulge himself like he’d never been able to. This time was all about accustoming her to him. Initiating her. Loving her. Exploring her body. Seeing her reactions to everything he did to her. Bringing her the most pleasure possible for her first time.

“I love to hear you make noise, malyutka, so don’t hold back. I need to know what you’re feeling.” That was important to him. It never had been. He got off to get release, and he did his best in the limited time he had to make it work for a woman, but he never kissed her, was never intimate with her. Intimacy was for her. Evangeline.

She was spread out for him like a feast, the cool air whispering over all that heat. She moved restlessly, and then attempted to bring her thighs closer together. His fingers clamped down tighter, holding her thighs apart, spreading her even more for him. “Stay still. I want to look at what’s mine.” He bent his head and nuzzled between her legs, allowing the rough shadow on his jaw to rub along her inner thighs like sandpaper.

“What if I can’t do the things you want me to do? What if I’m too afraid?”

He heard the first real fearful note in her voice. Not at the things he had told her so blatantly he intended to do, more to test her reaction. Leopard sex was brutal at times. Raw and violent. Passionate beyond imagining. His leopard was so ready, so crazy for his mate. Alonzo never wanted Evangeline to be afraid. Not the reality of real fear. He wanted her trust, that no matter what he asked, or what their leopards drove them to do, she knew without a doubt that he would take care of her. A shiver of trepidation could add to the pleasure, but not if she didn’t trust him to watch over her.

He lifted his head just enough to meet her eyes. He could see that same fear building there. She was worried about being good enough for him. That humbled him as nothing else could have. His woman. She was amazing. Perfect.