His Purrfect Mate (7 page)

“
I can see that,” he said
with a nod.

She put her eyes back on the road after a
brief glance at him and focused as best she could on the road
only.

“
Are we taking a different
way?” he asked.

“
Different? Oh no…well,
yes but only because there’s another village up here that I’m
stopping at.” She paused. “Don’t worry; I’ll have you back on
time.”

“
I’m not in a
rush.”

Cutting her gaze toward him, Aida focused on
the golden hue of his skin. He had such strong hands and the leg
they rested on rippled with power. She swallowed back her moan of
appreciation.

“
It won’t be long before
we’re at the first village.” She gestured to the glove box. “I
don’t know if you’d like music or not, but my iPod’s in there.
There’s a bunch of music styles on it.”

He leaned forward, pressed a button, and the
cab was filled with Van Halen. Aida smiled and pressed down on the
accelerator. They made it safely to the village by early evening.
Standing with a friend, Aida watched Dane as he secured the tarp
covering the remaining items. Almost like he felt her watching him,
Dane lifted his head and stared at her. Those tawny-gold-green eyes
captured her and held her hostage.

With hugs and farewells, they headed out
again.

“
Now to the other one?” he
asked over the music.

“
There’s a small town
coming up. I need to fill up, and then grab some things for dinner.
Then we press on.”

The town came into view shortly, and she
pulled into the only petrol station. Shutting off the vehicle, she
jumped out and rolled her shoulders and neck.

“
Hey, Aida!” an older man
hollered.

“
Sam,” she said with
affection. “Great to see you.” Heading around for the tank, Aida
pulled up short at the sight of Dane standing there.

“
I got this,” he
said.

“
Okay. Do you want
anything specific?”

Heat flared in his eyes before he tamped it
down. “Whatever works for me.”

She went inside the small store and grabbed
another jug of water for the dogs, along with some for her and
Dane. Looking over the food, she sighed, “I wonder what he
likes.”

“
Ask him,
solnyshko moyo
, he’ll
tell you
exactly
what he likes.” The voice wrapped around her and unleashed
tendrils of want within her.

Licking her lips, she
continued to face forward. “I don’t know, he seems very
private.”
Okay, so I’d really like to know
what he’s calling me.

“
Are you sure you’re not
just scared to find out what he truly wants?”

Everything within her gravitated toward the
man behind her. Closing her eyes from the wave of desire that
continued to pour over her, she fought the shudder. “Don’t believe
so,” she said, turning so they faced one another. His eyes swirled
with primal lust and possessiveness. “Are you scared?”

Dane’s eyes closed briefly, and when they
opened, Aida saw such raw passion in them she almost stepped back.
But that wasn’t all. There, lingering amongst the molten heat, was
unbelievable wildness. These were the eyes of a predator.

Her knees shook. She felt pinned. Cornered.
Like prey. And it turned her on. Her breasts ached beneath her
t-shirt for his touch. She could feel her belly clench with need.
Her pussy grew slick in preparation for him. Want. Lust. And more.
Aida swallowed as Dane stepped even closer, his hard thighs
touching hers.

“
Scared isn’t the word I’d
use, Aida.” His breath teased her senses and heightened her desire
for him.

She bit back her whimper and said, “What
word would you use?”

Dane’s gaze drifted to her
lips and back, no less tumultuous. “I don’t think you’re ready to
find out,
solnyshko
moyo
.” His statement was delivered on a
low thread of danger and silken promise.

Lord, I want him to kiss
me.
“If you say so.”

He leaned in and murmured in her ear. Words
she couldn’t understand, but the sexual tone she understood
clearly. When he stepped back, Aida had to lock her knees to keep
still. Even though there was more space between them, the sparks
were just as intense.

No man should have such
raw sex appeal.
And she’d never
encountered one with as much either. She watched him turn and walk
away, her gaze honed in on the way his ass looked in his
jeans.

“
I
want nothing more than to feel his hands on me as well as
lips and a few other body parts,” she mumbled under her
breath.

Dane spun around, flames pouring from his
eyes, and he raked his gaze over her. His stare made her wonder if
he hadn’t heard her comment. Moisture pooled between her legs, and
she craved release. One more slow, leisurely trip of her body with
his eyes, and Dane disappeared from her line of sight.

“
Jeez. Between those looks
and my dream, I’m in serious trouble.” Aida licked her lips and
moved to the front. Dane stood there, leaning against the counter,
rolling a toothpick between his lips. She allowed her eyes to
travel up and down his body, focusing on the definite ridge in his
jeans.

Did I mention I was in trouble?

Focusing on Sam only made things a tiny bit
easier. “How much do I owe you, Sam?” When he told her, she reached
in her pocket and pulled out the correct amount of rand to pay him.
With a smile, Aida took her receipt and walked out toward her
vehicle only to find Dane already there, having taken the items. He
leaned over the side and filled the cooler. Aida stopped beside
him, rubbing both dogs on the head as she passed them.

“
Everything
set?”

Closing the cooler, he looked at her. “Sure
is, I also topped off the extra containers.”

“
Fabulous. Ready? There’s
a place a bit out of town where I usually stop to grab a bite to
eat. It’s a little more than half way to the village.”

“
Let’s go.”

The music, although quieter, served as the
only noise in the vehicle. Still, Aida didn’t feel uncomfortable.
Well, not for the reason of no talking. A smiled filled her face
when she saw her normal spot. The dogs recognized it, too, for they
began to whine. Stopping, she released her boys and shook her head
as she watched them run.

Rolling her neck, she
groaned when her muscles loosened up. With a sigh, she turned and
found Dane staring at her again. The setting sun only made him
appear even sexier.
I could drown in his
eyes.
Dropping her gaze, she opened the
cooler and pulled out sandwiches and water.

“
Let’s eat,” she said,
waving him over to the tailgate she’d lowered.

“
Want me to drive?” he
asked, sitting and opening his water.

There’s a loaded
question.
Aida fixed food for her dogs and
set it down before whistling for them. “Tempting offer, but I’m
fine.”

Dane popped a chip into his mouth and ate
it; all the while, he continued to watch her. “You’ve been driving
all day. Let me take some of it. Or were you planning on sleeping
here tonight?”

Her toes curled in her shoes, and her body
pulsed. “I’ve slept here before.”

“
Okay, so we
sleep.”

It was said in a way she honestly didn’t
think offered up any room for argument. She nearly whimpered at the
thought of spending the night out here with him. “Okay.”

“
I’ll build a fire after
we eat.”

Oh baby, you’ve already
built one.
“Sounds like a
plan.”

All too soon, there was a fire and she’d
laid down blankets for each of them. Aida looked at him and said,
“Sorry, I don’t have more.”

“
I’ll be fine,” he assured
her.

“
Good night,
Dane.”

“
Good night, Aida,” he
said softly.

She laid down, her boys on the other side of
her from the fire, and stared through the flickering light to the
figure who lay on his back, his head where she could see it. The
light seemed absorbed by the inky darkness of his hair. Aida was
exhausted, and so, she closed her eyes and whispered, “Night, boys.
Guard well.” With a sigh, she gave herself over to the lurking
sandman, glad Dane had insisted on sleeping here.

Dane.
His body against mine would be so nice.

Chapter Four

Dane rolled over and stared at the woman
sleeping by the embers of the fire. The light nearly nonexistent
but he could see her easily. His fingers itched to sink into her
hair while he devoured her mouth, slide into her wet, willing
pussy, or have her on her knees before him as he thrust deep into
her lush mouth between those enticing, succulent lips she had. His
cock hardened, and he rumbled low in his throat.

A large head rose and met his gaze
steadfastly. Dane could see the scars. Ruger. His beast roared a
challenge, but Dane ignored it. The man recognized the loyalty from
her dog even if his beast resented any challenge given. Instead, he
focused back on Aida’s face. She slept with her full lips slightly
parted. He knew how soft her skin was. How supple. How intoxicating
an aroma it had.

Mine!
He could feel the cat taking over, and he struggled for
control. Just when he thought he did, the wind shifted and brought
with it the scent of danger. Predators. Lust was shoved to the
back, and he pushed soundlessly to his feet. The beast within him
ready to fight and defend his mate.

Ruger and Kamau were alert as well, and Dane
smiled. “Keep her safe, boys.”

He slipped away into the darkness, circling
around the camp, making sure the hyenas coming realized what was
there should they decided to come all the way in. Then, he headed
back to the fire. Aida still slept, and Dane only saw Kamau.
Movement grabbed his attention, and he watched Ruger come out of
the dark from the other side of the fire pit. The dog stared at him
and moved back to where he’d been laying. But he still watched and
never lay back down until after Dane had done so first.

Dane had barely closed his eyes it seemed
when he woke to Aida whispering to her dogs. He rolled to the side
and nearly groaned aloud. Aida stood by her truck without her shirt
on. Lust rushed up over him. She faced away from him but it didn’t
matter. Her skin was all the same rich brown color. Her pants hung
low on her full hips. She had the body of a woman made to be loved.
Curves to hold a man comfortably. His body ached it was so hard. A
rumble of disappointment raced up when she slid a bra on over her
shoulders followed quickly by a white tank top.

He gritted his teeth against the pain his
beast inflicted on him. Sweat popped out on his brow, and he fell
back to the blanket.

Claim her!
it roared in fury.

He shook with the exertion to keep both the
creature and lurking darkness at bay. It was hard. Fighting them
both. The beast was a part of him, and yet for now, he had to keep
it caged. It was angry and didn’t understand why they could no
longer run as one. No longer work together in the harmonious way
they were destined to do so. The few times he had called upon it,
Dane had to make sure never to turn himself over completely. His
beast was angry, and its added rage wore on him.

And he lost major ground in the battle at
that moment. The darkness had learned when best to strike at him.
When he struggled with his beast, it tended to sense more of an
opening and took advantage. As it had just now.

“
Dane?” Aida’s gentle
voice reached him through a fog. He didn’t look up. He couldn’t.
Dane lay there as if outside, looking in. Footsteps approached and
stopped beside him. “Hey, are you okay?”

He shuddered when she touched his shoulder.
A desperate battle raged within him. Dane dangled on the brink of
the chasm which would inevitably end his life. For the second the
darkness overtook him, he’d be hunted and eventually
eliminated.

“
Dane,” Aida whispered,
shaking him. “Open your eyes for me. Come on, man. Open your eyes
and I’ll give you anything you want.” She brushed her hand along
his cheek.

He grunted and pulled himself up over the
edge. Her touch on his head calmed the anger, rage, and despair.
Slowly, he dragged his eyes open to find Aida looking down on him,
concern overflowing in her golden flecked brown eyes.

“
Can you get
up?”

Talking seemed so difficult, and Dane opted
for the silent affirmation. He nodded.

“
Okay, easy now. Come
on.”

Aida helped him up and to the passenger seat
of her vehicle. He still shook as his body settled into the
seat.

“
Look at me,” she
ordered.

Dane did.

“
Did anything bite you
last night?”

Bite me?
He shook his head.

“
You sure?” He nodded.
Aida disappeared and came back with some water. She held the bottle
up to his mouth. “Little sips.”

It took a bit before Dane had confidence in
his control. Aida hovered around him but remained silent. Closing
his eyes, Dane took a deep breath. When he opened them, she still
stood there. He sat up to explain or try to, but she shook her
head.

“
I don’t need an
explanation. Think you can make it to the village? I’ll drive fast,
but if you need to stop, tell me.”