His Purrfect Mate (12 page)

The stark honesty in his words made her
shiver slightly. Never had a man said such things to her before,
let alone with such conviction. “I don’t understand you, Dane.”

He sighed. “What can I explain better?”

Everything!
Aida realized something in that moment. He must
truly believe what he said for he didn’t seem like a man who shared
much. Getting to her feet, Aida walked outside to her hammock and
sat in it, needing a minute to compose herself.
Do I really want to go down this path? I feel already like my
life has changed just from my first meeting of him.

A large shadow blocked the evening sun, and
she looked up to see Dane. She sat up. Aida worried her lower lip
when he sat beside her in the hammock. He lay back and drew her
down beside him. Her cheek rested on his shoulder, and her hand
settled familiarly on the warm skin of his naked chest. She took a
deep breath as contentment flowed over her.

“
Tell me how I can explain
it better, Aida.”

Start from the beginning
and use smaller words, maybe. I haven’t a clue, none of it makes
sense to me.
“I don’t understand why you
think I can help.”

“
You keep me grounded,
Aida. I don’t fear losing myself with you near.” His fingers
lightly skimmed her shoulder. “I didn’t lie when said I was a
simple man, Aida. But at the same time, I am also a complex one.
Putting forth many personas. I don’t want my family to see me until
I get through them to the brother they know and trust. Does that
make sense?”

“
Yes. In an odd way, it
does.” And it did. Sounded like he had lost who he truly was
somewhere along the way. “So what kind of man are you really,
Dane?”

“
Quiet. Reserved. I love
building things. I play the piano. I love the wide open spaces
nature has.”

She could feel the honest warm emotion when
he spoke of these things. The small smile on her face faltered when
she realized something. “Your family sees you differently?”

Chapter Six

Dane stared down at the woman lying in his
arms and thought about her question. Yes, they saw him differently.
For a long time, people assumed he was one of the more easygoing of
all the Sidorov siblings. So not true. He’d become so guarded, even
his family wasn’t privy to the real him anymore, and when you’ve
been around as long as he had, some things, some mannerisms were
forgotten. And, part of the time, he felt they believed he should
be home more. Not away from Savoy.

“
It has been so long since
I have truly been myself around them, I think they have forgotten.
They act as if I am fun, outgoing when in truth, I am the quietest
of us all.” He paused because for all he knew they could have
changed too. “Or at least I used to be.”

Although since meeting
you, Aida, I smile so much more.
Solnyshko
moyo
.

“
They love you, right?
Don’t you think they would still love the you you used to be?” She
burrowed closer. “I mean, surely they have to know that people
change, especially a man who does what you do, sees what you see.
Being faced with so much is bound to change a person.” Her tone was
fierce.

You’re already protecting
me, Aida.
He loved the notion. “Yes, they
love me, and I’m sure they would. Will it make you happy for me to
tell them I’m okay?”

“
Family is very important,
Dane.”

The mild reproach in her tone made him nod
while the pain in it made him wonder. “I’ll send word to them.”
Briefly, he opened a link to his siblings and told them he was
fine. Then he closed it off again, no further explanation given,
and reinforced his barriers. He tried to slip into Aida’s mind but
was again rebuffed instantly with a powerful force. If she noticed
his attempt, she made no mention of it.

“
Now, tell me how I can
help you.”

Promise me you’ll never
leave me.
Dane sighed and closed his eyes.
Inside him, he was calm. Even his tiger had relaxed, curled up in a
ball, the beast, too, soothed by her presence. “I need to get to
the Northern Cape area. Roggeveld Mountains.”

“
Okay. And once you’re
there, then what? It’s not like the area’s merely a mile wide.
That’s a big area. How will you find him?”

“
I’ll find him,” he
rumbled, opening his eyes.

Aida rose up and stared down at him with a
slight frown on her face. “You know, you can really be pretty
intimidating when you do that.”

He gave a slight grin and touched the side
of her face. “You don’t seem scared.”

“
I’m not,” she said
softly. “I probably should be, but I’m not.”

“
You never have to be
scared of me, Aida. I swear I’ll never hurt you.”

She gazed down at him, her eyes searching
his for something only she could see or find. “That may be true,
Dane Sidorov, but I think I could get hurt anyway.”

He narrowed his eyes, instantly disliking
the implications that phrase could lead to. He had no intentions of
letting her go. “So being around me you could get hurt?”

A small strained smile
filled her face, and she lay back down beside him.
It will hurt when you leave me, Dane.

His eyes flew open wide,
and he jerked his head toward her when her thoughts flowed through
his mind. He checked the guards he had in place and found them all
to be intact. Her tone had been just as warm as if she’d spoken to
him aloud. Unsure of how that had happened, he rested his cheek
against her hair. A subsequent prod back into her mind brought him
up short again.
Interesting.

He looked deeper and found another strand
running behind their mating bond. It was thin and nearly invisible,
but he knew it hadn’t been there before. It came from her toward
him, and when he tried to touch it, it moved away only to resettle
back in its original position. A few more attempts until he managed
to skim along it before it danced out of his reach then he
retreated totally, planning on going back later to see if he could
figure it out.

“
When do we need to
leave?” she asked quietly.

“
Why would you agree to go
with me if you believe you could be hurt?” he questioned in the
same low intimate tone she had used.

“
Because you need my
help.”

Her words were simple, straightforward, and
meant so much to him. He nuzzled her hair, his hands beginning to
tug up her formfitting shirt. Her body shuddered but she stopped
his hands. Dane dipped his head and nipped her ear.

“
I’m assuming,” she said
drolly, “being detained didn’t allow you to grab any condoms, so
you need to not do that.”

He rumbled in her ear. “No condoms. I told
you to get some protection if you wanted it.”

She smacked his chest and rose up to glare
at him. “No way.”

A contented emotion filled him. Tilting his
head to the side, he reached up with one hand and touched her face
before winding it into her hair, watching her from beneath lowered
lids. “Why don’t you have them, or any form of protection?”

“
Why don’t you?” she
retorted.

Feisty woman you are, my
Aida.
“I’ve not needed them.”

Flames of indignation rose in her gaze. “All
the women you bed have them or don’t require you use them?”

He tugged lightly on her
hair, pleased by her jealousy. “No. I don’t go around
bedding
women, Aida. The
last time I was with one, I did use a condom but it was a long time
ago, and I have no reason to carry them with me.” Dane watched her
expression smooth out. “Now, tell me why you don’t have any
protection. You are a beautiful woman.”

“
We’ll get to me in a
minute,” she said, brushing his question off. “Why won’t you get
them if you have carried them before?”

“
Because, Aida, when I
slide my thick cock inside you, there will be
nothing
between us. I want your
muscles and heat surrounding only me.” He pulled her close and
snarled low against her lips, “When you allow me inside you, I will
mark you for all time. This pussy will be mine,
is mine
,
the only place my cock goes is in you, Aida. I will fill you
full with my seed and get you pregnant. I told you before, Aida. We
belong together, and I meant it. There is no reason for me to wear
one.”

Her body trembled, and her breath escaped
her in short pants. The air filled with the scent of her arousal,
and Dane could feel his need wash over him. He struggled to keep it
in check; his words were true but he wouldn’t take from her what
she may not be ready to give. Aida didn’t back off; she held his
gaze.

“
You seem pretty sure of
yourself there.” Her comment was dry.

“
I am.” With his other
hand, he slipped up under her short skirt and squeezed one cheek of
her ass. “Now tell me why you aren’t on anything.”

“
I have no need to be on
anything.”

“
What about Christopher?
Or Kees?” he asked, fighting to contain his rage at either one of
those men touching what was his.

“
Seriously?” Aida moved
away but he brought her back close.

“
Deadly.”

She shook her head. “We’re just
friends.”

“
So you’ve never slept
with them.”

“
Really?” Her shock at his
question was palpable. “It
is
possible for men to be friends with women and not
sleep together. Don’t you have a woman who is nothing more to you
than a friend?”

His mouth curved up as Zora’s image came to
him. “Yes. I do.”

“
She must mean a great
deal to you. That is one of the gentlest expressions I have ever
seen on your face.”

“
She does. You remind me a
lot of her.”

Aida’s face became deadpan. Before he knew
what happened, she’d gotten off his lap and was striding to the
house. “Great! I’m so fucking happy for you.” Her sharp words
trailing behind each punctuated step. Dane could hear the jealousy
in her tone, so sharp he almost tasted it.

Sitting up, he watched her disappear inside,
the door slamming behind her. Dane shoved a hand through his hair
and followed. He slipped silently in the house and saw her in the
kitchen, putting food away. Her movements were jerky and stiff.

“
Aida,” he said, moving
toward her. Dane frowned when she froze before going back to what
she was doing, all without looking at him. Without even
acknowledging him.

Pinning her between him and the counter she
was at, he lowered his head to her neck and licked along it. She
turned and shoved him hard in his chest. Dane stared into eyes
overflowing with anger and hurt.

“
What did I do
wrong,
solnyshko moyo
?”

Her gaze narrowed. The gold flecks within,
hard and unforgiving. “Nothing. Every woman loves to hear what you
said, about claiming them only to have you say in the next breath
how much she reminds you of another woman.” She jerked back around,
her hair nearly hitting him.

Dane sighed. Spinning her to him, he threw
her over his shoulder before walking to her bedroom where he
dropped her on the double bed. Hands on either side of her head, he
straddled her.

“
Get off me, Dane,” she
snapped.

“
No. We need to get this
cleared up.” He held her gaze. “Zora is an amazing woman—no, Aida,
don’t turn from me. You remind me of her in the way you care about
others. She is a gentle soul like you. She is beautiful, yes. But
that is where it ends. You, Aida…you make me so hard my dick wants
to burst from my jeans. When I look at you all I can see is laying
you down and enjoying every sexy inch of your body. You make me
think a future is possible. You make me want to learn to be a
better man. There is only one woman in this world for me, Aida
Roberts, and that woman is
you
.”

Her expression softened and while still a
bit wary, no longer so hostile. “So you don’t want her?”

He smiled gently. “Everything I want from
Zora I have, her friendship. Okay?”

“
Okay,” she
muttered.

“
That’s my girl,” he said
before he kissed her.

Licking her bottom lip, he groaned when she
opened and sucked his tongue in her mouth. Aida wrapped her arms
around him and arched her back, pressing her breasts tighter
against him.

Dane could feel his beast rising, trying to
get out. He ended the kiss and pushed up from his position over
her. In the depths of her eyes, he could see her frustration.
Kissing her quickly, he got off the bed. “Come, Aida, before I
forget now is not the time for me to show you what it will be like
when we are one.” She left the room and made her way back to the
kitchen and he followed.

He watched her hungrily while she put away
the rest of the food. Dane knew she wanted him; the scent of
arousal was driving him near crazy. His cock felt ready to explode
as he stared at her dressed in that plaid mini skirt. He loved that
she wore what he put out for her without question.

“
When did you want to do
this?” she asked, draping the dishrag over the sink.

Now. Right fucking
now!
“Do what?” he questioned in a
graveled tone.