“He’d probably say my woman should take care of me,” he said.

She gasped. “That’s just… He wouldn’t really, would he?”

“Sure he would. He’s got a cock too. If he was hurting the way I am, he’d want me to tell his woman to get to work, so he’d do the same for me.”

She studied his face. “You’re teasing me.”

He laughed softly, his fingers massaging the nape of her neck. “Yeah, baby, I am. A little bit. I would very much appreciate you taking care of my misbehaving cock, but we’re not there yet, so I’m not going to be demanding.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you going to be demanding another time?”

“Yes. Very.” He was honest. His fingers continued to move on her neck, his gaze on her face. “Right now, with me talking to you this way, are you wet for me? Slick between your legs? Burning?”

She nodded slowly, giving him that. “Yes. I get that way a lot around you.”

He loved that she was so honest and matter-of-fact. She wasn’t embarrassed about sex itself, it was interesting to her, but she was embarrassed that she didn’t know how to have good sex. That was more than a start. She hadn’t said no to trying to make his house a home either. Not one single time had she objected to him moving into the house. He’d made more progress than he’d expected.

“Cayenne, I’ve got a project in the lab that’s important. I’ll need a couple of days to finish it up.”

She didn’t like that, he could tell by the stillness in her. By the way her expression shut down. He liked that she didn’t like it. Already, she was anticipating him living in the same house with her. It was a monstrosity of a house, but she wanted him there with her.

She was afraid, and he couldn’t blame her. If he hadn’t been so intent on making certain she wasn’t going to run from him, he might have been a little afraid himself at the sheer power of the pull between them. He didn’t know the first thing about relationships. He knew he wasn’t an easy man and wouldn’t ever be. He was too driven to find answers. He’d warned her, and so far she wasn’t running.

“I would wait, but this is important,” he reiterated gently.

She stuck her thumbnail in her mouth and chewed on it, that little frown he found adorable on her face. “You have a really good lab at the house.”

That was true. But she was there, and he knew from the peanut discussion at the Huracan Club that she very well might know exactly what he was up to, and he didn’t want that.

“I’m a good two-thirds into the project. Moving everything would set me back. If you need me – or anything at all – just let me know. Give me a couple of days.” That wasn’t exactly a lie. His work on the triplet’s venom was a jumping-off point.

Her chin lifted and she scooted off of him. He couldn’t help but notice that her eyes dipped to his engorged cock. Her gaze burned over him, and his cock responded with a hard jerk so that she couldn’t look away, clearly fascinated.

“I’m not worried. Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be fine. I was doing fine on my own,” she pointed out.

He reached out and caught her wrist, drawing her back toward him. Her wrist was very small. He could have wrapped his fingers around it twice. He found it strange that he hadn’t noticed that. She was very curvy and those curves were soft and lush, yet when she was close to him, he could see how petite she was. With her curves, it didn’t make sense that she could get into small spaces, like the tiny chimney stack Ezekiel had said she’d entered the house through.

“Don’t be that way, baby,” he said softly. “I’ll be home as soon as possible. I’ll stock the fridge and bring a few cookbooks. Do you have food to cover the days?”

She nodded immediately, almost defiantly, which sent up red flags. He tugged on her wrist until her gaze met his. “Seriously, Cayenne. I don’t want you to go hungry.”

“I won’t go hungry.” She stepped back. “I want to leave now. I don’t spend time with people, and this is the longest I’ve ever really spent with someone. I have a headache.”

“From crying.”

She scowled at him, clearly not liking the reminder that she’d broken down in front of him. “Maybe. I think more likely that you gave me too much to think about and it made my brain explode.”

“That could be as well.”

She took a step away from him and then turned back. “Wyatt’s grandmother comes to the swamp often and harvests various plants right outside the south side of the fence. Do you know what she’s doing?”

“She’s created a natural pharmacy there. Wyatt told me she spent a good forty years or more transplanting plants so she could have them in one place. She uses them to help people when they can’t go to a doctor.”

“Isn’t Wyatt a doctor?”

Trap nodded, slowly easing his body into a sitting position. He deliberately didn’t cover up because he wanted her to get used to him naked. He liked being naked, and he wanted her to like it as well. “He charges money, babe. That’s the way of the world. Of course he takes on patients his grandmother recommends to him and gives away his services if they can’t pay. Well, they use the barter system instead of money.”

“I’d like to learn about her plants and what each of them does to help sick people,” she said, her voice thoughtful. “I’m going to use your computer. I spent a lot of time on computers and found most of the answers I needed. Is there a password?” She didn’t sound worried, but there was a challenge in her voice, as if she expected him to say she couldn’t have access to it.

“Cayenne, I’m not going to keep you off the computers. I don’t like my things touched in the lab, but I created a workspace for you there as well if you want it. Everything in the house is for your use.”

He turned his head toward the door just as she flattened herself against the wall, staying in the darkest corner. Trap reached down and hastily pulled up the sheet. There was a knock. They exchanged a long look, both inhaling the scent of Wyatt’s grandmother. She smelled of lilacs and baby powder.

You okay, Cayenne? He knew she was holding her breath, holding herself still, much like a wild animal trapped in a snare. Grand-mere wouldn’t hurt you for anything.