How could she answer when his hands were so gentle? Gave her so much care when no other hands ever had? But she was afraid. Of him. Mostly of his leopard. “You said yourself that your cat hated every woman you’ve been with and wanted to kill them. Even if he doesn’t want to kill me, he’s so scary. He is. You know he is. Whatever made him like that doesn’t matter. It’s what I would have to deal with all the time. And now, with her risin’, I don’ have any choice. I don’ want this relationship. I don’ know the first thin’ about bein’ in a relationship. Or bein’ with a man.”

“That’s your worry? That you won’t know what to do?”

She bit down on her lower lip hard to keep from blurting out anything else. She sounded like an idiot. She just had to stop talking to him.

His thumbs dug into her lower back, easing the tension there in spite of the fact that she was already stiffening beneath his hands again. “Relax, malyutka, I’m going to try something. Just stay still, keep your eyes closed and trust me.”

Evangeline didn’t like him telling her to keep her eyes closed. She’d been doing it most of the time, but the minute he told her to, she wanted to see what was coming. He kept massaging the oil into her back and she couldn’t help but relax beneath his magic hands. With a little sigh she let her lashes drift down.

Immediately she felt the slide of fur along her bare skin. A blast of hot breath signaled the leopard was lying beside her, his face pressed against her shoulder. The Amur leopard’s fur was thick and long. It felt a little like heaven sliding over her skin, but at the same time, she knew how close those teeth were. The claws. The male could kill her in less than a second.

She held her breath. Waiting for death. Her female didn’t react, didn’t rise to protect her. She felt the cat stretch languidly, a long slow rub and then she settled. When her cat came close to the surface, the male made that strange purring noise. It was odd, not like a domestic cat’s purr, but distinct and definitely a sound of pleasure.

Her leopard communicated with him. Evangeline felt her movement, felt that moment of connection between the two cats. It hit her hard on several levels. She felt betrayed. Her leopard had been her only companion since birth. Her only real family. No one else had ever shared her, nor had the cat felt inclined to allow anyone to know she existed. She’d been exclusively Evangeline’s.