“Really?” Vic asked again.

“Really.”

“I like that.”

“I can tell. Now come here.”

Vic dropped Livy’s backpack and walked toward her. As he did, she stood on the bed and walked to the edge. They met there, but Livy snorted.

“What?”

“I expected us to meet eye to eye. Instead, I’m looking at your throat. So tall.”

“Does that bother you?”

“No.” Livy nuzzled his neck. “Do you want it to bother me?” she murmured.

Vic briefly closed his eyes, worked to keep control. “Not at the moment.”

She looked up into his face. “Then shut up, Barinov. Shut up and kiss me.”

Vic did. His mouth moving over hers, his hands pulling her close until she was tight against his body.

Livy pulled her arms away from his grasp so she could wrap them around his neck, her tongue sliding between Vic’s lips and stroking.

Vic lowered her to the bed. He felt desperate, bordering on fully out of control. He knew he couldn’t risk that. Knew he wasn’t ready to reveal that side of himself yet. Hell, he might never be ready to reveal everything about himself to anyone, much less Livy.

Vic pulled out of their kiss and began moving down Livy’s body, pushing up her T-shirt until he’d exposed her breasts. His tongue was rough as it dragged along the skin, teasing the nipple. Livy was sure such a rough tongue would have annoyed most women. But Livy’s skin was tough and not only easily tolerated the feel of it, but loved it.

But Livy had always been impatient. She couldn’t stand to wait for anything, but especially getting off. So she placed her hand on Vic’s head and pushed. Hard.

Thankfully, Vic laughed. Laughed and moved down her body until he was crouching by the bed. His hands gripped her thighs and yanked her down a bit until her pussy was right at the edge of the bed. He held her legs wide open and buried his face between her thighs. His rough tongue lapped at her, tickling and exciting her clit in the process. She didn’t know whether to giggle or scream. Then he slid that tongue deep inside her, tormenting her by using it like a slow-moving cock. Vic eased it in and out, taking his time.

Livy began to writhe on the bed, her hands gripping the comforter under her so that she didn’t unleash her claws and dig them into Vic’s scalp.

But then, with his tongue still inside her, Vic pressed his thumb to her clit and began to move it in small circles.

It was all Livy needed, her back arching off the bed, her claws ripping into the bedding. She cried out, her body nearly coming off the bed, but Vic held her down, kept her pinned. She liked that.

Hell, she liked everything. Until Vic was gone. Why was he gone? Where did he go?

Livy opened her eyes, but Vic hadn’t gone away. He hadn’t left the room. He’d just stepped away to push down his jeans and put the condom on.

Then he was grippingLivy’s legs again and yanking her lower half up, his cock pressing against her. He paused. Just long enough to make sure he had Livy’s attention. Then he pulled Livy closer and thrust hard. So hard, so mercilessly, that Livy started coming again. And at this rate, Livy wasn’t sure she’d ever stop.

Vic had only so much control, and he had to really concentrate not to lose himself in Livy. He wasn’t ready to let that happen. Wasn’t ready to forget that there were some things he had to keep to himself. But while trying to keep control of one part of himself, he was losing control in another way.

Vic was never this rude and demanding in bed. Never. He wasn’t Mr. Sensitive, but he wasn’t this . . . brutal.

But what didn’t help was that Livy really seemed to like it. She liked him just fucking her like they were two animals who’d met on the African plains or something.

Even worse . . . Vic liked it, too. Perhaps too much. It would be hard to go back to women expecting a more polite first ride. Because at the moment, his cock was as happy as it had ever been.

Only Livy’s shoulders were on the bed as she gasped and groaned. Her hands suddenly gripped her breasts, her fingers tugging at her nipples since Vic couldn’t with his own hands busy.

“Oh God!” she panted, her fingers tugging harder, gripping tighter, and Vic knew she was coming again. “Oh . . . oh . . . God!”

It was like her pussy had turned into a vise, all that wet heat gripping his cock hard and pulsating until Vic bit back a roar that might have destroyed every window in the damn rental house if he hadn’t stopped it.

Gasping, Vic pulled out of Livy and fell on the bed beside her.

Lying on their backs, they looked at each other, then back at the ceiling.

After a few minutes, Livy said, “Vic?”

“Yeah?”

“Now I’m starving.”

“Good,” he sighed, the feline in him sated and curling up for a little sleep, leaving his bear side awake. “I’m hungry, too.”

CHAPTER 16

The food was ice-cold but remarkably delicious.

They ate while naked on the living room floor. Vic tried to set some nice mood lighting, but the automatic fireplace didn’t work and he ended up covering one lamp with a linen napkin and turning on the TV, but muting the sound. It worked out surprisingly well.

Vic didn’t find out, though, until they were in the middle of their meal that Livy hadn’t eaten anything since hours before she’d gone into Whitlan’s apartment. How she’d lasted through two plane trips, that entire joust, and their amazing sex fascinated Vic. And watching her heal before his eyes, the bruises on her body and face all but gone, blew his mind. Shifters healed fast, there was no doubt about it. Yet it seemed honey badgers were even more resilient. Instead, the more food Livy put into her mouth, the stronger she became.