“Why wouldn’t it be?”

This was probably not a good time to tell her that there was a whole Pride that wanted to see her dead. The mood she was in right now, she’d go looking for them.

“Never hurts to check.” He headed toward the door, making sure not to touch her as he left.

“You want a drink or something before you go? I think I have tequila around here somewhere.” She kicked off her sneakers and disappeared into her kitchen.

Zach slammed the door and quickly followed, “NO!”

Sara turned around startled.

“And you don’t want any either.” The last thing the woman needed was tequila.

“I don’t?”

“No. No drinking. And don’t go anywhere tonight. Just stay here. Be quiet. Watch TV.”

“I see.” Sara, using only her legs, hopped up on to the counter. Zach was amazed how fast she was changing. Every second she seemed to be getting stronger. “You don’t want me to drink. You don’t want me to go out. You just want me to sit here quietly. Like a good little girl.”

Zach swallowed, “Right.”

“Interesting.” Sara leaned back, her palms resting on the counter top behind her. Her back slightly arched, her breasts pushing against her white T-shirt. She kicked her legs out, the heels of her feet banging against the wood cupboard. “You know, my friends think you did something to me.”

“I did do something to you.” She actually blushed at that.

“Something other than that. Something bad.”

“What do you think?”

“Me? Oh, I think I’m dying.”

Absolutely psychotic. “You’re not dying.” Zach couldn’t help but laugh. “Why would you even think that?”

“My mother died when I was a baby. My father died in an actual animal attack when I was 8. My grandmother was a very unpleasant woman. And I’ve been limping around this town for the last 20 years. Do you really think I believe in good fortune?”

She did have a point. “But how do you feel? Do you feel like you’re dying?”

She was quiet for several moments, and when she spoke her voice was low. “No. I feel strong. Powerful. I feel amazing.”

“You are amazing.” Okay. Where did that come from? How did those words just leave his mouth? And she looked as surprised as he felt.

“Why, thank you tall, dark, stranger.”

“You forgot handsome.”

“No I didn’t.”

He looked into those beautiful brown eyes and realized that he could see his future in those eyes. Everything he’d ever wanted to be or wanted to have were in those eyes.

I gotta get outta here. “I better go.”

“That’s not fair.”

Uh-oh. “What’s not fair?”

“I’m bored. I’m anxious. And you say I can’t leave and I can’t drink.” She looked at him. “So I’m thinking you better come up with a way to keepme occupied or who knows what kind of shit I’ll get in to.”

Zach had no response for that, although his dick certainly did. But he ignored it. “I better go.” That was feeble, he thought desperately.

“Then go.” She didn’t sound hurt or disappointed. In fact, she sounded rather smug.

Zach got as far as the kitchen door that led into the dining room.

He turned and looked at her. “If I go, you’re out the door, aren’t you?”

“Well, you’re not giving me a reason to stay, now are you?”

He growled. He couldn’t help himself. This woman was bringing out every base instinct he had. And she knew it too. When he growled; she smiled. She was playing with him. She was playing with the beast and on some subconscious level, she knew it.

So maybe it was time to show her this was not a game she was ready for. Maybe it was time to show her what it meant to touch the beast within.

***

One minute he was standing across the room. The next he was standing in front of her. He grabbed her legs and yanked her forward, and she slammed into that brick wall he called a chest.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. It was the only move that prevented her from hitting the floor.

Her breath was coming in shallow gasps, like she ran several flights of stairs. And everywhere her bare skin touched his, she felt her flesh burn. She had never wanted anyone or anything as much as she wanted this man at this moment. Clearly she had found an edge and she was about to go over it.

His hand reached into her hair and grabbed a handful. “You have no idea what you’re doing.” He growled at her. “I’m not nice.”

Yup. There’s the edge. And this is me leaping off it. “If I wanted nice,” she growled back, her hand reaching into his hair and snatching his head back, “I’d fucking ask for it.”

Then his mouth was on hers in a crushing, bruising kiss that left her breathless and fearing he might crack her front teeth. She laughed at the thought as her body was suddenly moving. While his tongue slid around hers, he carried her through the house, releasing her once they were in the bedroom.

Sara slowly released her legs and he let her slide down his long body until her feet hit the floor. He kissed her again, stopping long enough to pull her T-shirt over her head. The bra went with one tear. And his mouth was on her nipple as he pushed her pants over her hips so that they puddled around her feet. She knew after her bra that her panties didn’t stand a chance. Yup. There they go. He ran his hands down her back and across her now-naked ass as his mouth moved to her other nipple. She let out a small gasp as his teeth slid across the sensitive flesh and his hand slid between her thighs. But his hand stopped short of touching her sex and in frustration she slapped his shoulder. He laughed and stood to his full height, looking down at her, his hand gripping one of her nipples and squeezing, “Thought I told you I wasn’t nice?”