He took one measured step toward her, then another. A lion stalking his prey.
“I want you during the day and when I’m asleep. When I’m breathing, I want you. When my heart is pumping blood I want you. When I’m weak and when I’m strong, when I’m in danger or when I’m safe.” He was so close now. If she breathed deep, they’d touch. But his eyes and the truth of his words held her still. “I want you, Bailey. For always. But right now I want you to say yes, and then I want to show you, like I did back there, how good I can love you.”
Bailey felt the tears flood her eyelids again. Happy ones, like after they’d kissed. Because maybe she couldn’t trust her heart, she wasn’t sure, but she wanted to believe him. The truth was right there in his eyes, flowing through their growing bond.
“Yes,” she whispered.
And before she’d even finished the word, Gash’s mouth crashed into hers. His kiss wasn’t gentle this time, and her tiger loved it. A satisfied sound rumbled her chest and rolled up her throat as she tunneled her hands in his silky hair.
He walked her backward through the living room. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, rough and then gentling, then rough again. Like he was trying not to be a barbarian. It was sweet. And unnecessary. She wanted him as he was. The real Gash.
Palms sweeping past her bottom, he gripped her thighs and lifted her effortlessly to straddle his waist. Bailey gasped and pulled her mouth away, the muscles of his shoulders bunching under her white-knuckle grip.
“What?” Gash frowned hard. “What is it?”
“I’m too heavy for this.”
He started walking with her to the bedroom and a dominant growl snarled up his throat. “Don’t test me, woman. I’m strong enough to carry two of you. Now give me back your mouth. I wasn’t done with it.”
She couldn’t help her grin as she lowered her lips to his. He nipped her bottom lip twice before plunging his tongue inside to dance with hers.
Gash shoved the door open with his boot and stepped into her bedroom. It wasn’t anything fancy. A white wooden dresser and nightstand to match the headboard. A queen sized bed, since she’d never expected to be sharing it with anyone. And a picture of her and Tana at her wolf mating ceremony. She missed that female bigtime bad.
Gash stopped near the bed and leisurely slid Bailey down his body until her feet touched the floor. She was eye to chest, and nervous as heck. She’d only been with one other male and it was before her Ouachita days. When nights on the street were cold and lonely, and she was searching for love and approval in the stupidest of places.
Where would she be if Cleaver hadn’t found her?
“What do you want to do with your life, little tiger? Think long and hard, and come up with an answer you can live with. You do that, and I’ll do my damndest to see that it happens.”
He didn’t know her from Adam. Only knew she was a shifter because he was one too. But he’d reached out a helping hand and she was forever grateful.
“I want to cook. So that I can never go hungry again. I want to make magic with food, meals out of scraps. So that when I have nothing, I still have something. I want my power back, starting with that.”
Cleaver’s smile was kind. “I know just the place for you.”
He’d hooked her up with the job at the lodge, studying under Eagan. With one kind gesture, he gave her a family, her self-respect, and eventually her mate. She wondered if he knew how much he’d changed her life. She should tell him someday.
Gash stared down at her with hungry eyes but he didn’t make a move.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s like opening a present. I hardly remember Christmas morning as a kid. Hell, maybe we didn’t even celebrate. I don’t know. But this… you… undressing you… I don’t know whether to carefully peel your clothes back or rip them to shreds.”
A giddy trill of excitement fluttered in her middle. Who would’ve thought a male—her male—would be so excited to see what was under her clothes. Doc had pointed out her best physical features once. Namely, her boobs. Bangin’ tits, she’d called them. And yeah, they weren’t too shabby. Maybe they should start there.
With a deep breath, Bailey stepped back and slowly peeled her shirt over her head, leaving only her black cotton sports bra and leggings. Finding Gash’s wide-eyed gaze, she pressed her lips together waiting for his reaction.
“Ohhh… option three is definitely the way to go.” His voice was deep and husky. “More,” he commanded.
His eyes burning into her gave Bailey the courage to shuck the bra, but when she was bare from the waist up, she struggled not to cover herself. Tight fisted hands stayed rigid at her sides by force of sheer will.