“Do you ever get lost in this house?”

He laughed softly, the sound startling her. He had a beautiful laugh. It was soft and warm and totally addicting. She could listen to that sound for the rest of her life.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing, because I’m going to get very lost. I have no sense of direction.” That wasn’t entirely true, but if it kept him laughing she’d be satisfied.

“I’ll put up signs for you,” he said. “Big ones that you can’t miss.” He dipped his head down, his chin sliding over the top of her head before he swept her to what obviously was the center of the house, a large glass atrium. “They’re all going to point straight back to me.”

She stopped dead, forcing him to stop as well. She looked around her in shock. The atrium was filled with plants, trees even. Thick, beautiful bushes and flowering plants were everywhere. Water trickled over stones lined with bright green moss. It was a massive room that curved and twisted so it was impossible to see everything.

“Oh. My. God. This is why you bought the house.” It was beautiful. The most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

“Not exactly,” he denied. “But a part of it. I told you about the exits in the bedroom. This house has many escape routes built in. Safe places for both human and leopard. The atrium has the best hidden exits for leopards. It’s a labyrinth of underground tunnels.”

She tilted her head to look up at him, her breasts pressed into his side. His gaze found hers, his eyes back to mercury, a glittering, scary look that meant they were on dangerous ground. There were reasons for needing escape routes. Reasons like Marco, a hit man sent by someone who supposedly was a friend.

The iron bar that was his arm tensed as he moved her forward around the huge glass room to the kitchen just beyond it. There was a small group of comfortable chairs where others could gather while the cook prepared a meal, and Elijah led her straight to the most comfortable armchair.

“You can curl up there.” He slid the pad of his thumb over her lips. “I notice you like to pull your feet up onto any chair you’re sitting on. This one has enough room to do that.”

Her heart did that curious melting thing. He’d noticed the habit she’d had since as far back as she could remember. He’d noticed, and he’d found the perfect chair for her to relax in. It was much more difficult resisting him than she thought it would be because he really cared enough to notice everything about her.

Siena drew her knees up and rested her chin on top, her eyes on him as he moved around the kitchen—in the dark.

“You like grilled cheese?”