Rachael looked up at him, his weathered, beloved face. She knew every inch of that face, by touch, by vision. There was a playful gleam in his eyes, one rarely seen by anyone other than Rachael. She loved that boyish, mischievous side of him that crept out at unexpected times. “Is it safe?”

“At the moment. I didn’t expect Armando to come himself so soon, but it doesn’t really change anything. I’m expecting your uncle’s assassin to come checking any day now, but the forest animals will alert us. We don’t have to stay here in this house if you want to stretch your legs and play a bit. I have one or two beautiful spots I haven’t had a chance to show you.” His fingers crushed strands of her hair, rubbed them together. “We’ve been putting all our energy toward rehearsals for the arrival of your uncle and we haven’t managed to take a much-needed break. The temporary hut is built, we’ve moved you in, we have people up and down the river and in the forest keeping an eye on them. I think we can take a small break.”

Rio hadn’t chanced a single late night run since her brother had shown up. He didn’t want to leave her alone and he felt it was better to give her leg a chance to fully heal. The lure of the forest was on him, calling continually.

Rachael’s smile widened and she peeled off the shirt she was wearing, flinging it aside without hesitation. It left her standing in her silky thong and nothing else. Rio inhaled sharply, drawing the scent of her into his lungs. Breathing Rachael in was becoming a habit. “Maybe we should just stay here,” he murmured softly. Her breasts were beautiful, full and ripe and so perfect he had to touch them. His fingers whispered over her skin, tugged at her nipples just to see them peak for him.

“Maybe we shouldn’t. I want to go run. You can wait here for me though.” Rachael shimmied out of her thong, enjoying the way he watched her. She had never thought about being a sexual being until she was around Rio. He made her so aware of her own body, of his body. Of what they could have together. She moved enticingly, wholly feminine, catching at a branch above her head. “You can be thinking about me while I’m gone,” she teased.

“You aren’t going anywhere without me,” he declared, hastily shedding clothes. She was already shifting, a sleek female leopard with rounded curves and a feline body built for speed and endurance. She leapt to a neighboring branch and hurried along the slanting limb to the next overlapping one.