“You don’t need your house anymore, sexy. You have my home and you have me.”

Tammy stared at him. “But for how long?”

He moved. “You won’t ever get rid of me.” He stalked toward her. “Not even if you try. You belong to me and I belong to you.”

Tammy stared up at Valiant when he stopped inches from her. He reached for the glass and set it down. They stared at each other for a long moment before Valiant suddenly grabbed her, taking her flat to the bed. His hands tore at her clothes as his lips kissed her throat. Tammy moaned.

Valiant pinned Tammy under him tighter, inhaling her wonderful scent, wanting to get her totally na**d to be skin to skin. She’d stood up to her best friend for him, refused to leave him, and he wanted to make sure she didn’t change her mind.

She might lose her home because of her association with Species. Guilt ate at him as his hands caressed her bare br**sts. He stared into her passion-filled eyes and swore he’d make her forget everything but him. He’d make sure she knew being with him was worth any sacrifices she made.

He growled at her, working at getting her pants off as he slid off the bed to the carpet, onto his knees. The scent of her growing arousal drove him nearly insane to taste her, to claim her, but she suddenly wiggled up the bed. He snarled at her and gripped the bed, intent on going after her. Her hand lifted, palm out, in a gesture to stop him and he froze.

“Condoms.”

He wanted to roar. She was his. He knew what the things were but he wanted nothing between them when he took her. He wanted to mark her with his scent, fill her with his seed, and if life took hold—so be it!

“Please? I’m not ready to have a baby.”

He stared into her eyes while he fought his anger and hurt.

“Valiant?” Her gaze softened. “You could totally seduce me, I want you, but I’m just asking for more time before we risk that. Can you please do this for me? Please?”

He closed his eyes, snarled, and jerked to his feet. “Get naked. I’ll be right back.” He stormed out of the bedroom, down the hall, and to the suite door. He jerked it open and glared at Flame. They’d just changed guards.

Flame watched him warily as he backed away. “What’d I do?”

“I need condoms.” He spat the last word.

Flame did a poor job of hiding his amusement. “Um, all right. No glove, no love, huh?”

Valiant snarled at him.

Flame backed up a few feet more, reaching behind him. Valiant tensed, believing the officer reached for his weapon. Instead he pulled out a wallet, opened it, and removed something that crinkled in a long wrapper.

“Here.” He stepped forward. “The no-glove-no-love thing was mentioned in a class we held at Homeland about human women. It means some of them don’t want sex without a condom.” He braved another step. “We carry these in our wallets at Homeland if we interact with human women just in case we decide to share sex. I’ll make sure more are brought to you but that’s all I’ve got for now.” He held them out. “Do you know how to use them?”

“No.” Valiant hated to admit it. He accepted the weird package that had four round things sealed in weird-looking plastic on one side and shiny stuff on the other.

Flame swallowed. “We really need to hold classes here at Reservation. You carefully open one of the packages containing a round rubber thing. You put it over the tip of your dick and it rolls down to the base of it.” He glanced at Valiant’s hands. “Let her do it. You’ve got the sharp-nail issue. You’ll tear them. Just look cute and helpless while you tell her you need help. Human women dig that.”

“Thank you.” He met Flame’s eyes. “I appreciate the advice.”

Valiant backed up, slammed the door closed and locked it. He clenched his teeth, gripped the condoms, and stormed back toward the bedroom. The things I will do for my Tammy.

Chapter Ten

Tammy knew Valiant was angry when he returned to the bedroom and slammed their door closed. She had stripped, climbed under the covers, and watched him face her. He held up a roll of four condoms.

“I don’t know anything about these.”

She was extremely touched that he’d gotten them somehow. She threw back the bedding and rose to her feet. “It will be fun.”

His eyebrows arched and he didn’t appear convinced.

“Will you trust me?” She slowly approached him and took the roll from his open palm.

“I want you to be happy,” he grudgingly admitted. “But I am not.”

She backed up. “Remove your clothes. I can remedy that.”

“Will it hurt?” His gaze fell to the condoms.

“No.”

“It’s not natural.” He began to strip though.

This coming from a guy who is part lion. She kept that observation silent. The sight of his bare body always did wonderful things to her. He followed her to the bed and glared down at her, showing his displeasure, but she gave him credit for getting condoms. An idea struck and she grinned.

“Will you stretch out over the bed on your back for me?”

His gaze narrowed. “Why?”

“Because I asked?” She grinned at him. “Pretty please?”

He blew out a deep breath. “This better not be painful.”

He turned and just threw his big body across the mattress. She held back a laugh as he rolled onto his back, locked his arms behind his head to use his hands for a pillow and glared at her. She climbed on the bed and straddled his thighs. The shock on his features was instantly apparent.