His Purrfect Mate (18 page)

Placing her cup down, Aida
padded out to her hammock and sat in it, using one foot to start
the gentle swinging. The air, although cool, did little to control
the heat surging within her.
This is
insane. I need some sleep. I can’t be doing this when my parents
arrive.

Aida threw an arm over her eyes and groaned.
She couldn’t get Dane out of her head. Five minutes later, Aida got
up, knowing full well she wouldn’t be sleeping again. So she got a
huge jump on cleaning. It was late afternoon when she heard a bush
plane flying overhead. Waiting outside, she squealed with joy as
her parents climbed out. Joe and Skylar Roberts.

“
I’m so glad to see you
both,” she squealed, jumping first into her daddy’s arms then her
mom’s.

“
Aida. Baby, you’re
looking so well. I’ve missed you,” her mom said, holding her
close.

“
Me, too. Come in, I have
dinner almost ready.”

Her dad and she grabbed the bags and carried
them in. Aida left her parents to get settled and went to the
kitchen to check on the meal.

“
How are you doing, baby?”
Her mom’s voice broke the quiet.

“
I’m good. Saw Christopher
and Kgosi both recently. And, of course, Kees. You know he swings
by every few days.”

“
How are they?”

“
Wonderful.” She covered
the pot and said,” How are you and Daddy doing?”

“
You know your
father.”

Aida chuckled. “Good to know some things
never change.”

A knowing smile filled her mom’s face. “Some
don’t, yet I see some things do. You’re not wearing your
necklace.”

Absently, she reached for the teardrop
pendant which was no longer there. “I know.” She licked her lips.
“I gave it to a friend.”

“
Must be a very special
friend.”

Leveling a look at her mom, Aida said, “Stop
prying, Mama.”

Skylar held up her hands. “Just calling it
like I see it. That necklace brought you such peace and
strength.”

It had. That necklace had been the one thing
she had left from her cousin. “It did, but that was something
someone else needed more.” Tawny green-gold eyes stared at her from
her mind’s eye, and she swallowed.

“
Did he now?”

Aida shook her head. “Nice try. You’re still
fishing.”

Her mom laughed. “I’m a mom. I’m supposed
to.”

“
I see.”

Dinner was great, and afterward, they sat
around, talking some more. Aida’s grin was in place when she went
to bed. It wasn’t there when, yet again, she woke sweaty and
desperate for the man whose name had been bursting from her
lips.

“
Damn it!” she bit off
while her heart continued to pound erratically. “I can’t keep this
up.”

Flopping back to her pillow, she stared up
at the dark ceiling. She was exhausted. When the dreams ended and
she woke, her body always felt drained. Aroused but when that
faded, so did any energy she may have had. Aida lay there, ignoring
her body’s loud cries to be given release. Ten minutes later, Aida
whimpered and rolled over, trying to cool the flames within her.
Nothing was working.

Frustrated, she swung out of bed and ran a
hand through her hair. Walking to the window, she stared out across
the dark horizon. Leaning on the sill, Aida sighed.

Dane.

Why so sad,
solnyshko moyo
?
His warm voice filled her head, and a sense of
peace and comfort flowed over her on a link she remembered from the
last time he had talked to her this way.

How is this possible?

Many, many things are possible, Aida. Tell
me why there is such sorrow and tiredness in your tone.

A smile spread across her
face.
How’s your hunt going?

Don’t worry about it. Answer me.

Aida walked back to her
dresser, pulled out some clothes, and dressed.
I won’t stop worrying about it. And you need to stop with the
orders.

Aida.
The word was low and dangerous.

Damn,
you
are seriously used to people not
questioning you, aren’t you?

You
should listen to your mate.

Well, I might, but according to you,
tiger-mine, we’ve not mated. So that argument holds no water. Now,
you tell me.

His sigh was
audible.
Will you always be this
difficult?

Of course I will.

Why are you sad, Aida?

I’m not sad. I’m
tired.
She headed to the kitchen and
scooped up food for her boys.

Has something happened for
you to not be sleeping?
His concern was as
powerful as if he’d been right beside her, staring into her
eyes.

If he didn’t know about
the dreams, she wasn’t going to tell him.
Nothing’s happened.

I don’t like it when you lie to me.

The reprimand was there
and very strong. Aida frowned.
Let it go,
tiger-mine.

Tell me honestly, Aida. Are you scared?

I’m scared of a lot of things, Dane. But
none of them are reasons why I’m tired.

Do you need me there?

Yes!
Are you finished with your…um…business?

If you need me, yes.

His words warmed
her.
I’m fine, Dane. My parents are here
visiting.
She shifted on the seat.
Will you do this again?

Do what?

Talk to me like this.

All you ever have to do is call my name. I
can’t enter your mind without your allowance, Aida. Not sure how or
why but there we have it.

What about the night you shifted? I heard
you then.

He fell silent for a
bit.
I don’t know, Aida. I have walls up
to keep people out but you get in easily. Call to me often,
solnyshko moyo
. I enjoy
hearing your sultry voice in my head.

Be careful, Dane.

Aida closed the link she’d opened and went
on getting breakfast ready. All day long, Aida fought the urge to
call out to him again. That night, Kees came by for dinner, and
when she went to the kitchen for dessert, Aida had a grin on her
face. Kees was like a member of the family. After sending him on
his way, Aida went to her shop and found her father in there
looking around.

“
Hi, Papa.”

He smiled at her. “Have a minute for your
old man?”

Walking easily into his arms, Aida kissed
his cheek. “You’re not old, Papa, and I always have time for
you.”

“
It’s about your
mother.”

Aida jumped up on a workbench and placed her
gaze on him. “I’m listening.”

“
It’s about,” he paused
then said, “the person who did your roof.”

She narrowed her eyes but understood the
switch. Aida shrugged. “It was done by a guy I met in one of the
villages, the one where Christopher is actually, he’s who
introduced us. He helped build the new schoolhouse there and came
with me to get the rest of the stuff I had for them.”

Her father picked up a flat-edged chisel and
ran his finger along the end. “He?”

Aida laughed and looked
over her shoulder to where her mother lingered all too interested
in the conversation. “Yes, a he. A very nice man. His name’s
Dane.”
Very, very nice man. Does wicked
things to me with just his voice.

“
Just Dane? No last
name?”

Just? Ain’t nothing ‘just’
about him.
Sliding to the floor, she
grinned. “Dane Sidorov.”

“
That who has the
necklace?” Joe asked his daughter.

His question startled her. She flicked her
gaze to the shrewd eyes of her mother. No help there. “Yes.”

“
I see.”

What he saw, Aida hadn’t a clue. She dragged
her fingers along the smooth wood of the bench she just
vacated.

“
I’ll leave you two to
talk. I’m going to clean up.” Skylar left as silently as she’d
arrived.

Aida resumed her seat on the table while her
father rolled the chisel in his fingers. Licking her lips, she
waited for him to say something.

“
I’d like you to come to
the house for your mom’s anniversary.”

“
You mean your anniversary
of your wedding? Yours together?”

“
Yes. They want to have a
grand deal for us at the church, and I’d like you
there.”

America. She fought down a shudder. “Of
course.”

“
It needs to be a secret
though. I’ve never managed to surprise her with
anything.”

With her fingers, Aida, locked her lips and
threw away the key. With a wink, she said, “I’ll even rent a car so
you don’t have to come get me.”

“
I have the best kid in
the world. Thanks, honey.” He put the chisel down and stood at her
knees. “Now, let’s go play some cards, and
you
can fill us in on this Dane
Sidorov.”

“
Can’t just let it go?”
she asked, sliding down and walking to the door with
him.

“
Hmm,” he said, dropping
his arm around her shoulders. “Let me think. I’m a father and this
pertains to my only daughter and a man I’ve never met. Nope, not
letting it go.”

Of course not.
“Fine,” she huffed playfully.

“
My job is to protect my
daughter,” he said all surly.

“
Love you too,
Papa.”

When Aida slipped into bed
that night, she did so with a smile.
Today
was a good day.
“Night, boys,” she
muttered. Burrowing deep into her blankets, Aida sighed.
Night, tiger-mine.

Dream of me, my love.

She smiled, amazed at how
just hearing his voice made her feel so protected and loved. It
didn’t hurt he called her his love.
More
orders?

His husky laughter skated
through her.
Think of it as gentle
persuasion,
solnyshko
moyo
.

Are you okay?

I’m fine. And you? Are you enjoying having
your parents there?

Yes. It’s going well. They went home today,
so I’ll miss them. Papa wants me to go to America for their
anniversary as a surprise for Mama.

Do you not normally go?

She shifted on the
bed.
They…come here most of the
time.

There is more of that fear. Talk to me,
Aida.

Aida shook her
head.
What are you doing?
she asked, desperate for a change of the current
subject. In her mind, she saw down a slope to a house, the lights
shining through the darkness.
What the
hell? What is that?

This is what I’m doing. The traitor is in
there. I’m waiting.

How can I see what you see?

There is much I have to
teach you, my love.
The scene
disappeared.
But, for now, tell me your
aversion to the States.

She blinked back tears as the image of her
cousin came to her mind. Her heart hurt, and she bit her lip so
hard to keep the whimper inside, the metallic taste of blood filled
her mouth.

Who is he, Aida?

Who is who?

This man you think of. Handsome with the
scar.

You can see him?

The sorrow and agony you feel, Aida, is
tearing me apart. Who is he?

You’re not jealous of him like you were
Kees, Christopher, or Kgosi. Why?

Your feelings to this man are different.
Similar to the ones I sense when you think of your parents. Your
love for him is familial. Who is he?

My cousin. Can we not talk about him?

Aida.

Yes, Dane?

He didn’t say anything but she could feel
his touch on her body. His hands caressing her skin, his warmth
surrounding her, chasing away her sorrow and carrying her off to a
night of peaceful dreams.

Chapter Nine

Dane lay hidden and stared down to the house
Slim called home. The man was definitely nervous. He had
twenty-four-hour guards and dogs as well. A mocking smile curved up
one side of Dane’s mouth. Patience he had. Slim had no chance of
out waiting him.

Even so, as he lay there staying hidden,
waiting for the light in the bedroom to be extinguished, Dane’s
thoughts drifted back to Aida. Never had he been willing to abandon
a mission. She hurt, and it killed him. Whatever her aversion to
the States had been born from, the man he’d seen in her thoughts
tied in somehow.

Dane didn’t like not knowing nor did he like
being away from her. He flexed his fingers in time with his tiger
doing the same with his claws. The light went out, and he stood,
looking down from his vantage point. With a ripple of power, Dane
began running soundlessly toward the house. Using his beast to keep
alert for any lurking surprises. The darkness rose up with the
release of his iron grip on the tiger. Dane ignored it for the
moment, knowing he still had some control over the animal within
him. His focus on one thing and one thing only for the time.
Slim.

He barely slowed and leapt from the ground
to land noiselessly on the roof. Scents of his target and some
others reached him. Slim wasn’t alone. Dane’s lips peeled back in a
suppressed snarl. Padding in silence to the edge of the roof, Dane
hopped to the rail and stared in through the sliding glass door
into the darkened room.