His teeth sank into her shoulder, not the teeth of a man, but that of a cat, holding her still while his body trapped hers, still rocking with pleasure. Pain streaked through her shoulder right under his mouth, and then his tongue lapped at her, taking away the sting. She shuddered under that rasping tongue and turned her head to look over her shoulder. His eyes were all cat, golden and focused, so intense she felt another spasm in her womb.

Conner dropped his face against her back and rubbed, skin on skin, the shadow along his jaw grazing her skin roughly, sending more ripples through her core. He pressed kisses down her spine and slowly straightened until he was kneeling upright behind her, still holding her. “I love you, Isabeau. More than you can know.”

He eased out of her body and sank down onto the edge of the bed, his legs shaky. She turned and crawled to him, her face flushed, her eyes glazed, her breath coming in ragged little gasps. She sat on the floor in front of him, looking up at him. Their gazes locked.

Her expression was so loving it humbled him. He didn’t deserve the way she felt, that all-encompassing love, almost adoration, but he resolved never to lose it. He bent toward her and she immediately tipped up her face to let him take possession of her mouth in a long, satisfying kiss.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy, Isabeau.”

“You do make me happy, Conner. When we’re alone like this, and I have you, I know what I feel and what you feel. It’s here in this room and it’s enough for me.”

He looked around the small rustic cabin. This would be her life with him, at least for a long while. Always traveling from one assignment to the next. He could never be far from the forest, he knew he could never live in a city. He’d spent time in the United States on a large ranch, a beautiful place, but not for him.

“Can you live like this, Isabeau?”

She smiled at him. “With you? This is exactly where I want to be.”

Conner shook his head. “I want you to give it some thought, beloved. You have to really think about what it would be like day in and day out. I’m a demanding man. I like my way. I’ve tried to be honest about what I want with you and I look around and see I’m not exactly offering you the world. At times it will be dangerous, and the intensity of those moments can be overwhelming in a bad way.”

She frowned at him. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

His hands framed her face. “No. Of course not. I just want you to be very sure of the reality of loving me. It won’t always be wonderful.”