Vic gazed down at her, his left eye blinking excessively because of the blood that was dripping into it. “You’re not a bitch. Who told you that you’re a bitch?”

“Really, Barinov? That’s what you’re worried about?”

Livy pulled Vic down the hall and into the living room. She pushed him onto the couch and studied the wound. “Stay here,” she ordered.

In the first-floor bathroom, Livy dug up a first-aid kit, clearly created for both human and shifter since she found muzzles of several sizes as well as bandages and pain ointment.

Shaking her head, Livy ignored the muzzles, grabbed several large towels, and returned to the living room.

“Get up,” she ordered Vic. He stood and she placed one of the bigger towels under him. “That way we won’t get blood on it,” she explained as she pushed him back onto the couch.

Livy silently cleaned up the wound and Vic’s face. Although his skin had split where the door had hit him, it hadn’t done any major damage from what she could see. He would, however, have to suffer through a lump on his head for a little bit.

And while Livy worked, Vic watched her. Closely.

Finally, when Livy was nearly done, Vic said, “Well . . . this is awkward, huh?”

“No.”

“You don’t think this is awkward?”

“No.”

She opened up an oversized adhesive bandage. She stepped in close so that she could place it perfectly over his wound. She rested the palms of her hands on either side of his head and carefully lowered the bandage with the tips of her fingers. She’d nearly placed the adhesive part against Vic’s skin when he snapped, “How can you not think this is awkward?”

Livy jerked back. “Do you want me to lie and say I feel awkward? I can do that.”

“I never want you to lie to me,” he muttered.

“Okay.” Livy moved back, her legs straddling one of Vic’s so that she could get in close.

And again, she’d nearly placed the bandage, when he snarled, “I just don’t understand how you cannot think this is strange after what just happened.”

Livy closed her eyes. She’d placed the bandage but now it was crooked, part of his wound exposed. And, even if his wound had been covered, the obsessive photographer in her could never have let that stand.

So, Livy ripped the bandage off Vic’s head and reached for another one.

“Ow!”

She slapped the fingers he was about to use to touch his swollen head. “Don’t touch.”

After removing a new bandage from the packaging and peeling off the paper that protected the adhesive, she looked directly at Vic and said, “Don’t say a word until I’m done. Understand me?”

“Yes.”

Livy again took up her position straddling Vic’s leg and carefully placed the bandage. Once it was on and it was perfect, she let out a sighand began to back away from the big idiot. But before she’d pulled more than an inch away from him, Vic’s arm wrapped around her waist. He didn’t say anything, though. He just kept her there.

“We’re okay, Vic,” she told him, assuming he was still bothered about what this would do to their friendship.

“I panicked,” he admitted, still not releasing her.

“You’re not the first guy I’ve ever made bolt from the room. I doubt you’ll be my last.”

Vic wrapped his other arm around Livy’s waist and pulled her in between his legs. He rested his head against her chest and then just stayed that way. Without saying a word.

Confused, Livy stood there, with her hands kept at her sides.

“Livy?”

“Yeah?”

Vic leaned his head back, his chin still resting on her chest. “Some days . . .”

“Yeah?”

“Some days you make me want to drive a railroad spike through my head.”

“I have to admit . . . I did not see the conversation going that way.”

“Do you even like me? Or am I just . . . convenient? Like an open window at someone’s empty house? Because I have to tell you, at the moment . . . I’m feeling more like an open window.”

Livy rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Vic suddenly stood, forcing Livy to step back, but he still kept her encircled in his arms as he towered over her. “What I’m asking you,” he said, his voice rising with each word, “is have you secretly wanted me all this time, or would Shen be getting this same offer to fuck you like a tiger if he’d picked you up at the precinct?”

In that moment Livy realized that honey badgers truly were fearless, because Vic Barinov had bellowed the last half of that sentence only a few inches from her face and she hadn’t flinched. Although she could have sworn the windows behind the couch shook a little. Nah. Probably her imagination.

Livy thought about Vic’s question, and replied, “I never would have said that to Shen . . . he’s not half-cat.”

“See?” he yelled. “That is not an answer! At least not one I’m willing to—”

Livy went up on the coffee table behind her, slapped her hands hard against Vic’s face to hold him there, and kissed him. Again.

Vic again tried to pull her off. “Livy,” he growled against her mouth. “Just—”

“No,” she said, tightening her grip on his face and wrapping her legs around his waist so she now clung to him. “No talking. Just kiss me, Vic.” She pulled back a bit so she could look him in the eye, but she kept her grip tight. “Kiss me now and I promise we’ll talk tomorrow. We’ll talk all you want about anything you want. Tomorrow.”