He hadn’t touched a woman for a long while before meeting Evangeline and he certainly hadn’t wanted to touch one since. First, it was because his leopard hated the women, and Alonzo had begun to fear that in that moment of climax, his leopard would leap, shredding his tattered control and killing the woman. Then it was because neither man nor leopard wanted any woman near but Evangeline.

Kissing Evangeline opened up an entire world to him. He had felt protective of her. He wanted her body with every cell in his. She brought him to life. He hadn’t known she would give him gifts. Of tenderness. Gentleness. Of slow, leisurely exploration. Coaxing her response. Reveling in it. Feeling that first glide of her tongue along his. Savoring it. In a way kissing was a first for him as well, and she gave that to him.

The fire started with a slow burn and spread like molasses through his veins. Blood pooled. Low. Wicked. He had never been so hard or so in need. He pressed close, snug, wanting to lift her up, but he didn’t. He was careful of her. Found a gentleness he didn’t know he had. Had never seen before. Never felt before.

She moaned into his mouth and the fire went from molasses to molten lava. Still burning slow, but hotter than hell. Every nerve ending came alive until not only his mind and body knew she was his—he knew it deep down in his soul. She was the woman who would center him. Be the center of his world. Hell. Who was he kidding? She already was.

He didn’t know the first thing about relationships. He’d been born into a family of killers. Men. Women. Children. None of those lives mattered. Only wealth. Power. Only the male members of the lair. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he wouldn’t survive without her. She was the one. The only one.

He kissed her over and over. Exchanged breath. Took the kiss from gentle to passionate but was careful to keep his wild nature in check. For her. He could do that for her. The fire began to rage. Her breasts pushed against him. Her hands slipped up his ribs, fingers digging in.

Alonzo forced himself to lift his head, lips inches from hers. He stared down. Waiting. Her lashes lifted and he saw heat and something far stronger than mere affection in her eyes. For him. There was passion to match his. Need. Hunger. That changed to confusion. Wariness. Not quite a protest but building. It was too late. She’d already shown him those gorgeous green eyes and all the emotion any man could want to see for a lifetime. He couldn’t wait to look into her eyes when he claimed her body.