Roman smiled and lifted his hands.
"It's very ok, Kristin. This is a great development from how you felt earlier. Please take all the time you need. And when you're ready, you know where to find me." He leaned towards her and kissed her lightly, just below her left cheekbone, his lips soft and moist on her skin. He walked towards his car. "Don't worry, I'm not going to follow you home either – I've got an errand to run downtown," he said. Kristin managed to wave acknowledgement, and she watched him climb into his car – a sleek European model – and drive away.
After he'd gone, she stood there a while longer, touching her cheek where he'd kissed it. The skin seemed to be tingling, as did the hand he'd shaken, and the delicate skin just beneath her collarbone, that he'd touched with just a fingertip.
It was almost dark now. She wasn't surprised; they'd been out in the woods together for hours. She got into her car and drove home.
After she'd had a long, hot shower, Kristin stretched her muscles so they didn't seize up from the hardest run she'd done, ever. Then she had a quick meal, and lay down on her bed. She was beat. Hangover, plus Bloody Mary for lunch, plus unexpected run, plus … Roman. Every part of her burned for him. Her heart told her, loud and clear, that this was the guy for her. But there was still that part of her that couldn't believe it was true. She hadn't had an easy time in her twenties and early thirties, and she'd stopped expecting things to go her way a long time ago. She thought back over the day. Her conversation with Tamika was still suspended in her mind, unresolved. She looked at her phone. It wasn't too late to call. She dialed her number.
"No, of course you're not disturbing me, darling!" Tamika said in her throaty voice, with its clipped English vowels. "I've just got the pups to bed, and I've got Kyle doing some techno-geekery on my app for me, so I'm all yours." Kristin felt a pang at the depiction of their cozy family life, but she brushed it aside.
"I met Roman today," she said. "Well, bumped into him actually. I was out walking in the forest, and he was up a tree." Tamika gasped.
"You saw him as a tiger?" she exclaimed. "How wonderful! People say that if you see your mate in their animal form before you get together, it makes things extra hot when you mate for the first time!"
"I don't doubt that," Kristin said, with a nervous giggle. "I felt a crazily intense connection with him when we spoke, human to human. Like nothing I've ever felt before."
"That's because you're a perfect match, dear!" Tamika replied.
"You knew, didn't you? When I told you that he'd scented me, you knew that he would know in an instant whether I was fertile or not. That's why you asked me if he'd contacted me after that?" Tamika laughed, a light tinkling sound.
"Yes, dear, I did. But I didn't want to spoil the surprise for you."
"So – it's true? There's no chance that Roman could be wrong?" Kristin asked anxiously.
"Not in my experience, and I do know plenty of shifter-human couples. Kyle knows everything about my cycle – he can pinpoint when I'm ovulating. He even says he knows when I have one of those freaky months when I miss an ovulation. It was a little disturbing at first, but I trust him to know when he's in danger of getting me pregnant, and we only have two pups. And our love life's not lacking at all, believe me!" she finished, with a dirty laugh.
Kristin let out a long breath. This was the first good news she'd heard about her body in a very long time. It was almost too much to take in. She realized distractedly that her cheeks were damp with tears.
"Shall I go shopping for a wedding outfit?" Tamika said, breaking into her thoughts. Kristin laughed.
"We haven't even kissed yet!" she said.
"Well, get on with it, dear! Your future awaits!"
"Thank you, Tamika, for everything," Kristin said.
"Of course, darling. I'm always here for you!" Tamika replied, and they said goodnight to each other.
Kristin lay there for a while, stroking her soft belly. She'd hated this part of her body so much, for so long. But was it capable of nurturing babies – cubs – Roman's cubs? The thought was incredible to her.
She was so relaxed and sleepy that she didn't even manage to get herself ready for bed. It was all she could do to pull both sides of the comforter over herself, before she fell into a long, deep sleep.
Chapter 5
The following evening, Kristin finished her three-way internet call with Dina and Lauren and stepped out of her apartment. They'd just given her the pep talk of her life, reminding her how smart and beautiful and sexy she was. And, right now, she almost believed them. She was wearing a black, cotton jersey wrap dress with a low neckline, and olive-green high-heeled pumps. Her long red hair was up in a chignon, and she wore light eye make-up and a slick of rose-hued lip-gloss. She carried a small purse, containing only her keys, phone and pocketbook.
She turned left onto the sidewalk, and strode along the street until she reached Roman's apartment block. There was a pretty garden in front of the building, with two benches on either side of a little rockery. She sat down on one of the benches and waited. The light evening breeze lifted the skirt of her dress, reminding her that she was little more than half-naked, and it drove her pent-up arousal, chasing ghosts of fantasies through her mind.
Five minutes passed. She planned to wait fifteen. If he wasn't home, well, she'd come back another time. Six minutes passed, then seven. Suddenly, a tall, well-built guy burst out of the front door and sprinted in her direction.
"Kristin!" Roman shouted, coming up close to her. She stood up and he lightly touched her shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks. He looked adorably damp and tousled. "I was just in the shower. Have you been here long?"
"No," she said, with a grin.
"You look so beautiful," he said, gazing at her with wonder in his eyes. "Please tell me you came to invite me for a drink?"
"I did," she said.
"Great! There's this little bar, right around the corner, a couple of blocks away. It does a great martini. We could go get a table in the little outdoor area, hang out for a while – " He broke off, looking at her with such intensity. "I want to kiss you so badly right now," he whispered. As if hypnotized by his glowing green stare, Kristin took a small step forward. Roman dipped his head towards hers, and their lips met. Wow. His lips were incredibly soft and full. Kristin restrained a sigh of pleasure, but a small sound, like a purr escaped his lips, and he began to kiss her deeply, taking her breath away. She kissed him back, savoring the overwhelming sensations. She was lightheaded and tingling all over. His hand went to the back of her neck, lightly stroking the skin just below her hairline, while his other arm curved around her waist. He was a great kisser, his mouth soft and searching, and the tip of his tongue skillfully seeking out hers. The arousal that had been bubbling inside her all day long rose to the surface, making her nipples harden and push against the lace of her bra, and her clit burn for his touch.
After what felt like a long time, he drew back and looked into her eyes.
"Oh, Kristin, I feel like I've been waiting all my life for this moment," he said. "You're my mate. I knew it before, but now we've kissed, I'm more certain than ever. I felt like our bodies were melding into one, the bond between us beginning to be formed."
"I think I know what you mean," she breathed. "I know I've never had a kiss like that before." She stopped, overcome with emotion. He reached out and touched her face, running a finger along her cheekbone, her jawline. She shivered. It was unspeakably erotic.
Just then, a couple walked past them, heading in the direction of the road. Roman shook his head, as if he was forcing himself back into reality.
"I'm sorry. I'm probably coming on way too strong, out here in front of my apartment," he said, with an embarrassed laugh. "Shall we go to the bar?" Kristin bit her lip. She imagined sitting at a table with him, politely talking about their lives, when all the time desire would be running through her body like fire.
"I – I think I'd rather go into your apartment," she said, looking at him levelly. Delight flashed though Roman's eyes.