Romance Warfare: a Tigress' Guide to NOT Secure a Mate(23)

The warning growl caused her to stop her rolling. She stilled as Adam sniffed around her, nudging her with his nose, his tongue darting out to lick along her face. Finally, she decided to give in, to stop fighting, at least for the moment. Her back arched and she mewled. Adam took the invitation and bit into the back of her neck, his tiger breath huffing across her neck, ruffling the fur.

When he let go she stayed in place, one of his wide paws across her back. She heard a faint voice in her head that said “shift.” She huffed once and shifted. When she raised her head, Adam was sitting in front of her.

Eva pulled her legs up, instinctively covering her body, but Adam pulled her arms away. “Don’t be shy around me,” he said. His body was also gloriously on display. There was no way they could be more vulnerable than they were now.

“Eva…”

“How did you find me?”

“Dean told me where you were going. I called your parents’ house and arrived just after you’d left to come here. I came as fast as I could. I need to tell you…”

“There’s nothing left to be said.”

“There is.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

Eva stared at Adam, wondering if she’d misheard him.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Eva Carey.”

“Okay. Thanks?”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I tore my heart open and you just say thanks?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Say that you love me, too.”

“I love you, Adam.”

Adam seemed to wait for more. “And?”

This was too much. “What do you expect? It’s not like we’re dating or anything.”

“What do you mean we’re not dating? You’re my fiancée.”

“Ex-fiancée.”

“Damn it, woman, why are you so stubborn? You want to break our engagement for a silly misunderstanding? Eight years, Eva. Eight years you left me high and dry. Can we put this behind us?”

Eva sniffed. Adam was right of course. But her pride, her damned pride, wouldn’t let her admit it. “Eight years. Did you ever try to find me in those eight years?”

“I did. But your grandfather wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“Well, you didn’t try hard enough.”

Adam growled in desperation. He then seized her shoulders and plastered a hot, demanding kiss on her mouth. She resisted a little, then surrendered. A thousand emotions bubbled in her chest, ready to burst. Tears slipped down her cheek.

He noticed, brushing them away with his fingers. “Hey, no, please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Babe…”

“I’m sorry, Adam. It’s easier to hate you than to admit it. I love you, Adam. I always have.”

Adam kissed her. “I was wrong, too. I should have tried to clear the misunderstanding but I was too proud at that time. But we were only teenagers back then and teenagers did stupid shit. Can we…can we start again? Put these things all behind us?”

She nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Good, good.” Adam pecked her forehead. “Well, in that case…” Adam dropped to a knee in front of her, her hand in his, “Eva Lillian Carey, will you be my mate? Will you marry me?”

She blinked. “Are you serious?”

“I’ve never been more serious. I want you, Eva. You. Not because of clan alliances or promises made by our grandfathers or Dean’s damned meddling. I want you. I’m yours. I always have been. I’ve never loved anyone else. It’s always been you. You’re my mate. Please, be mine?” He was pleading with her, his eyes open and honest, the emotion raw on his face.

“Yes, Adam,” she whispered.

“You have no idea how happy you made me, babe. Sorry I don’t have the ring right now. It’s in my suit pocket, in the rental.”

“You bought me a ring?”

“It’s the clan heirloom. I’m supposed to give it to my future wife. And it now belongs to you.”

“Oh.” Eva smiled. “Then I can’t wait to see it.”

“Wanna go back?”

“Do we have to now? I mean we have our privacy and...” She motioned at the fact that they were naked.

“Oh, thank God. Because I’ve been wanting to do this again so bad.”

He leaned forward and captured her lips with his. His tongue was gentle and probing, tasting his way across her mouth, nibbling at the sensitive flesh on the inside of her lower lip. He dipped into her mouth slowly. She sighed when his tongue brushed across hers. She reached to wrap around his neck, tugging him closer to her.

Adam pulled Eva into his arms. The grass there was soft and the air was warm and scented with pine needles and flowers. He lay her across a patch of velvety grass, his eyes running hungrily over her body.

Eva shivered with anticipation, her heart beat faster.

He touched her gently, as if she was made from fragile porcelain and he was afraid of breaking her.

She reached up and pulled him down to her, her mouth slanting across his in another slow, deep kiss. She could kiss him forever. She would kiss him forever now. His shoulders were hot iron under her hands. She tangled her fingers into his hair, tugging lightly, and was thrilled when he growled into her mouth. Their tongues were twinned, twirling and tasting each other. Eva was floating, her senses lost in Adam’s scent, Adam’s taste, Adam’s feel.