Her cheeks flamed. “You are being crude by reminding me of that. I guess, as a player, you talk to women like that often.”

All traces of humor disappeared from his features. “You really think I’m one?”

“Aren’t you? Let’s see. Your father sets up women to come f**k you every day. If the shoe fits, Anton.”

“Don’t bait me, kitten.”

“Don’t call me that.”

They watched each other until he sighed. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Good. Great. Let me walk out of here and we won’t have to speak ever again.”

“It’s my duty as the future alpha to find a mate. The only way to do that is through spending time and ha**ng s*x with females. I’ve been groomed my entire life to take this path. I have an older brother from a different mother but he’s a half-breed. He refused to take the lead position when our father steps down. I never had the choice he did, with his human blood.”

“Hear that?” She tilted her head. “Is that a violin playing?”

He growled. “That’s heavy metal from the bar below us. I’m assuming you’re being a smartass with that reference.”

“I actually don’t hear music and you bet, I’m being flip. Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? You made your bed and shared it a lot. If you want to get laid, find someone else. I’m not your type.” She paused. “I’m not opening myself up to that kind of pain when I know tomorrow you’ll just move on to the next person without even giving me a second thought.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Right. I can’t have sex with someone without feeling more than the sensation of their hands on me.” She hesitated. “I’m being honest here so listen closely. I was starting to feel things for you.” She hated to tell him the truth but it would be worse if she didn’t because he might keep trying to seduce her. “I really liked you.”

“I knew that the second I smelled your pain. It wouldn’t have hurt you otherwise, when you learned about the other women.” He took a few steps closer. “Hurting you isn’t something I want.”

“Then put your shirt back on and stay away.”

“I can’t.” His features softened. “I want you too much.”

“You f**k women to see if you can mate with them. That would definitely leave me out of the running.” She backed up until she found the corner of the room. “Stop it.” She hissed when he stalked forward.

He paused. “I admit that it would be a shock if we turned out to be mates. My family would certainly never see that one coming. Hell, my parents would be horrified if they knew I wanted you, kitten. Your puma blood, even as faint as it is, would be a nightmare situation for them if something serious grew between us.” He chuckled. “Yet, spending the rest of my life with you doesn’t sound so bad.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“It’s emotions and chemistry combined. We’ve got that going.”

Her heart raced and her breathing increased. Tears filled her eyes and she hated it. “Please don’t do this.”

All trace of amusement left him. “Don’t do that. Don’t cry.”

“Don’t hurt me then.”

“You think I’m going to force you?”

“I…” She licked her lips. “I don’t know, but when we touch, weird stuff happens to me. Just back off.”

“What happens?” He watched her but didn’t draw any closer.

“Just stuff.” She refused to cry.

His features softened and so did the look in his eyes. “Kitten,” he murmured.

“Stop that!”

He growled softly and suddenly dropped to his knees before her. Just feet separated them and he stared at her. “Come here. At least allow me to hold you. I’m groveling. I’ve never done that for a woman before. I can smell your pain again and I can’t take it.”

She pressed against the cool wall. “No. Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Talk to me then. Am I threatening from here?” He sat back on his calves, spread his thighs, and planted his big hands on his knees. “What happens to you when we touch? We’ll start there.”

Shannon refused to tell him.

“I’ll start then. At first I felt this huge wave of protectiveness when I held you. When I realized you were puma, I fought my wolf, who wanted to toss you away from me, but then it accepted you after a few deep breaths. I wanted you and so did the wolf, Shannon. You make me ache with need. I want to breathe in your scent and touching you affects me so deeply it’s a little frightening for me. I’ve never backed away from a willing woman before but I was afraid I’d hurt you. I’d do anything to avoid that. I’m even willing to protect you against me.”

“Nothing has changed then.” She glanced down at his lap and then back up. “You’re still huge.”

“I’ve had time to cool down and know what to expect this time. I’ll be real patient. I won’t take you the way I would a bitch. You’re not one. You’re delicate and precious.”

“Precious?” Her eyebrows shot up.

He actually blushed. “Yeah. I said it. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. It’s not bullshit or a line. I’m confused as hell but I’m here trying to figure this out. I don’t run away when something scares me.” He gave her a meaningful look.

“You think I’m cowering in a corner out of fear?”

He sighed. “The wall doesn’t need to be held up.”

“I’m confused but mostly I know I’m vulnerable. I gave up dating, Anton. It never worked out, no matter how hard I tried. After a few failed relationships, I just stopped trying to have one. It wasn’t worth the heartache.”

“I don’t plan to break your heart and I know the truth about you. I think you’re beautiful, intelligent, funny, and enjoy spending time with you. I find it sexy that you’re part puma.”

“That makes it worse,” she admitted. “We haven’t even gone on a date but we know there can’t be a future for us. You’re a werewolf and I’m part cat. The two don’t mix.”

“I would have to disagree with that statement. There’s something strong between us, a pull we shouldn’t deny. I am nearly obsessive about you and you’re jealous over the idea of me with someone else. Admit that at least.”

“It doesn’t change anything.”

“It changes everything,” he rasped. “I have feelings and so do you. We haven’t gone on a date yet, you’re right about that, but we’re ahead of all that already. You flee when you’re scared and that’s why you want to leave so bad. The idea of staying here with me and allowing me to touch you in any way frightens you. You’re in denial if you believe there’s only a physical attraction between us.”

She hesitated, chewed on her lip, and a thought struck. “How much do you know about pumas?”

“Not that much.”

“Maybe I’m ovulating.” Hope soared. “That may explain how I react to you. Maybe that’s it. I’m so human, my version of going into heat just makes me turned-on faster and stronger than usual.”

“Is that what I do to you when we touch? Do I make you ache?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “It’s stronger than anything I’ve ever experienced. Especially the way you smell and when you nibble on me. That really does it to me. Even those growls you make so often turn me on.”

“How much more? Where do I rate on a scale of one to ten between the best human who has ever touched you and me?”

She hesitated. “He was maybe a four to your ten.”

That drew a grin from him. “Are we talking about inches?” He looked down at his lap and then winked at her.

“Stop. I’m trying to be serious.”

“I’m sorry. I thought you’d laugh. I’m glad you’re not crying anymore. I really can’t stand to see that. It tears me up inside to see your tears and I just want to hold you to make it better. I want to make love to you, Shannon.”

“I don’t want to be another notch on your bedpost and I really will get attached to you. I’m one of those dopey women who believe sex and love are one and the same. I don’t really want to admit it because that probably sounds pathetic to you but you can’t have me without hurting me.” She glanced at his lap again and then at his face. “And I’m not talking about just because you’re thick and big down there. You asked me how long it’s been since I had sex. It’s been years, Anton. Not since my last relationship ended. I’m not the casual type in any sense.”

Surprise registered on his features at her confession but just as swiftly anger simmered in his dark eyes. “Did he do something to you? Hurt you? It had to have been something horrible to make you swear off males for that long. Give me his name and I’ll make him pay for whatever he did to you.”

“It’s not what you’re thinking. No guy hit me or abused me. I’m different. I had to hide certain things from guys I dated. They sense it and I lived in fear that I’d accidentally reveal that I’m not quite normal. It took a toll eventually. It hurt me, watching them withdraw from me, but it always happened. They thought I either had an affair or I just didn’t care enough about them. It wasn’t true. I just couldn’t open up to them about what I am.”

“What did you hide besides your ancestry?”

“My sex drive, for one.” She blushed. “And don’t look at me with that hungry look. I’m being honest because you asked. I usually had more of one than the guy I dated and I had to refrain from scratching or biting. I’m afraid of spiders. Try to explain to a guy why and how you ended up on top of a wall unit because one scared you. I had to do that. I had to tell him I’d gotten up there to dust the top of it because that sounded better than saying my instincts drove me up there. He thought I was nuts but he’d heard me hiss and ran into the room before I could calm enough to climb down.”

Anton chuckled. “Sorry.”

“I’ve made weird noises in my sleep.” She shrugged. “One boyfriend said I should see a shrink. He said dreaming I was a cat had to be a sign of mental issues.”

“What made him believe you dreamed you were a cat?”

“I liked to grip and release my pillow the way cats dig their paws into things.”

“You can bite and scratch me. If you knead things in your sleep, I won’t ask you to see a shrink.” He gave her a sincere look. “You don’t have to hide anything from me. Isn’t that worth taking a chance? I don’t know what will happen between us but I’m here. I’m willing to see where this leads. Does that matter at all?”

“I really want to but it’s not worth the heartache I know I’ll suffer just for a one-night stand.”

The heartbroken look on Shannon’s face twisted his gut. He made a decision instantly. “I’m offering you more than that. Stay here with me during mating heat. That’s a commitment I’ve never made to a woman before. Once it starts, I’ll only want you. I’m even willing to mark you to assure it.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

Frustration welled. Her father should have found a way to assure his daughter’s survival better before he died. He should have found a pride who accepted mixed breeds to prevent her from being reared without any kind of support or he should have at least found a source to gain information about her heritage. The fact that she’d survived for so long before running into her enemy astounded him. She knew nothing about shifters or their ways.