Lion's Dangerous(Kings of the Jungle #1)(18)

The command cracked over her like a whip, driving her head up and back. "Jude?"

The nearest street lamp stood behind him. Light didn't reach his face but it made the ends of his tawny mane gleam. Her limbs stilled but her breath didn't. It came in short bursts, a ragged counter to the steady thud of his heart against her breasts.

Maybe under different circumstances, his solid strength would have comforted her. Now, it just made her angry. She squirmed until she got her hands up between them and thumped her fists against his chest.

"You scared me!" She hit him again. "I thought you were going to attack me. What the hell, Jude?" Her eyes narrowed. "Did you follow me from the bar? Did you follow me to the bar?"

"No, I didn't follow you. I'm parked nearby. I saw your car and decided to stick around so I could warn you about Hawk."

"Who?"

He angled his head in the direction of the bar. "The singer. He's not a good choice."

Lily could barely remember the other man's face. All she'd retained from that encounter was a hyper awareness of Jude's unexpected violence, his power as he'd torn the stranger's hand from her back and snarled his dominance.

Her body heated and something more than fear rose behind her uneven breath. Reckless in the isolated dark, worn down by an endlessly long day spent denying her attraction to him, she softly challenged, "What about you? Are you a good choice?"

His eyes sparked. If that didn't serve as a reminder that he wasn't entirely human, the rumble that vibrated against her breasts did. Dear God, was he purring?

As she worked to put her short-circuiting system back in order, he lowered his head. His teeth grazed her ear, tormenting her with a shiver that drew her nipples to points.

"I'm the best choice, Lily," he promised darkly. "The very best for you."

Loosening his hold, he stroked down her bare back and over her hips to palm her ass. Tendrils of need wound through her, spiraling out from his kneading hands. He drew her up onto her toes and tilted her hips to the hardness growing between them.

"Catnip," he muttered against the side of her neck as he ground against her.

Trembling, she uncurled her fists and slid her hands up to push her fingers into thick, silky hair. Warmth spread from her palms, sensitizing her skin. She dug her fingertips deeper until her nails pressed into his scalp. With a low groan, Jude turned her and backed her up against the side of her car. As he did, their legs rubbed together. Pain broke through the shroud of desire that blanketed her.

At her hiss, Jude stiffened. "You're hurt." His nostrils flared as he drew a breath. "Bleeding. Where?"

She sighed and sagged against the car, letting her arousal fade back to a humming below the current. "I scratched my knees on the pavement. It's nothing."



       
         
       
        

He ignored her and crouched low. Silent, he probed at the flesh above and below her knees. As he did, she finally felt the wetness of the blood he'd identified.

"Did I puncture any arteries?" she quipped.

"Scrapes, mostly. A few deep scratches. I want to look at you in the light to be sure you don't have any imbedded bits of gravel." Rising, he cupped her elbow and guided her from between the parked cars.

She immediately spotted his SUV. It stood out among compact cars and mid-range hybrids. He deactivated the alarm and they walked around to the back of the vehicle. By the time he got the hatch open and patted the clean, carpeted floor, her knees stung fiercely.

"Have a seat," he instructed as he leaned in and rearranged some things deeper in the vehicle.

Wincing, she gingerly scooted up to sit. Her calves rested against the bumper. By the glow of the interior light, she could finally see the damage.

There wasn't a lot of blood, just enough to leave her skin feeling wet. Crawling on the ground had shredded her stockings, though. Pale skin showed through tears in the sheer black nylon. At least she hadn't wrecked one of her good silk pairs.

Jude straightened, sat a first aid kit beside her and twisted the cap off a bottle of water.

"I'm going to rinse off the blood and dirt so I can see the damage." He cupped her left calf and lifted her leg slightly before pouring a slow stream of cool water over her knee.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek and curled her toes as he repeated the process on her other knee.

She found herself watching him, seeking distraction in his features. So he wanted her to choose him.

Wetting her lips, she indulged in a very bad decision and gave her curiosity the reins. "What if I do choose you? What's it like, being with a man who can turn into a lion?"