Secured Heart (Timberon Cat Book 1) (7 page)

“
You won’t see me again.” Ben shook as he pulled the soaked material away from his legs.

Kal heard the swish of the elevator doors and chatter from the first wave of people leaving work. “Get your things and get the hell out of here.”

Not needing to be told twice, Ben stooped down and scrambled to grab his stuff, then shuffled away to his car, not looking back.

Moving up wind of the stench the professor had left, Kal went and sat on the hood of his car and returned to his watch station. He took several breaths to bring his anger under control. When he saw Lana he wanted to have all of his focus on her.

The high squeal of tires let him know Ben had left the area.

Seconds later, Lana came out of the elevator smiling and talking to a woman. In one hand, Lana carried her briefcase and in the other she held the vase of orange and white roses he’d sent to her two days ago, representing his passion and their new beginnings. Evidently, she didn’t want to let leave them unattended at her office. That made him smile.

Rising from the car he stepped in her path. “Hello, beautiful.”

She stutter-stepped but remained sure-footed. “Um, hi.” Lana spoke in a soft, wistful, but sultry voice.

“
Is this him?” The mixed woman, who appeared both Asian and Caucasian, beside her that they both had forgotten for a moment, drew their attention as she spoke to Lana.

Lana’s light brown skin darkened as her eyes shied away from him to her friend. “Yes, Connie, this is the guy we were speaking in
confidence
about.”

He didn’t know which he enjoyed more, seeing Lana blush, or discovering that she’d been sharing her feelings about him to a friend. “I’m Kal.” He held his hand out to Connie.

“
Nice to meet you.” She gave him a wide smile that caused her eyes to practically disappear and slipped her small hand into his for a shake. “He is hot.” Connie bumped her shoulder against Lana’s.

“
Don’t you have a dinner date to get ready for?” Lana spoke through tight teeth as she faced her friend.

Stifling a chuckle, he remained silent as he observed the co-workers.

“
Yes.” Connie gave him a once over from head to toe, then raised a brow at Lana. “Can’t wait to hear all about your weekend next week.” Fluttering the fingers of one hand at Lana, Connie sashayed away singing
Wishing Well
by the old eighties artist Terence Trent D’Arby.

Shaking her head, Lana glanced from her retreating friend to him. “Dare I ask why you’re here?”

“
I need my mate.”

He thought she would balk at his words as she’d done days ago.

She didn’t. Ignoring all the people passing by them rushing to their cars, she stepped closer to him. “You’re one hundred percent sure that’s me?”

Cupping her cheek, he brushed his thumb over her warm silky skin. “Not a doubt.”

“
Then I’m going to take my friend’s advice and go for it.”

“
I’m sure Connie is a brilliant, perceptive woman.” He stroked her face again. “But, I want to know if you believe in us here.” He tapped a finger gently in the center of her chest above the V opening of her blouse and below the pendant he’d sent her.

“
I tried to fight it. Because of our history, all the things in the past that scream to me that we should remain friends. But, it doesn’t quiet the feelings I have for you. So, I’m choosing to believe in you believing in us.”

“
That’s all I need to hear, right now.” Angling his head past the large bouquet in her arm, he kissed her. Keeping it light, he couldn’t allow his passion to be ignited. Stepping away, he took the vase from her. “I’ll follow you home. You will need a few things for the weekend then we’re headed to Timberon.”

“
Your Pride’s land?” Her brows furrowed.

“
Yes. I will explain it all when we get to my cabin.”

Her light brown eyes were filled with light and adoration, revealing her affection for him. “I’ll follow your lead this weekend. However, that doesn’t mean you’re always going to get your way in this relationship.” She wagged a finger at him.

Relationship
. He liked hearing her say that word. Tempted to lick the narrow, long digit before him, he stepped back. “Never thought I would.”

She gave a hard nod before she sashayed away.

He watched the swinging ass of the woman he loved. Love. The word froze his body to the spot. He knew he cared deeply for Lana and that his cat recognized her as its mate, however, he’d never taken the time to really process his own feelings for her. Love wasn’t a requirement to lifelong mates, compatibility and attraction were.

Now that he’d said it mentally, he knew it was true. He loved Lana.

Seeing her arrive at her car and get in, he carried the flowers to his own ride. He settled the glass vase on the floorboard in the back then got in.

This weekend was going to be more intense than he’d anticipated. The physical aspect was one thing, but the emotional was a whole other journey.

~YH~

“
I can’t eat all of this?” She glanced from the pile of meat and sides spread out on the table before her to the male who claimed her as his mate.

Kal tilted his head back and laughed, then he set a large empty plate in front of her. “We won’t eat it all in one sitting, Lana, but by three a.m. Sunday we will have most of it consumed.”

The food smelled wonderful. The aroma of the roasted, barbequed and seared poultry filled the two-room cabin. The caterer that prepared it for them had done a wonderful job making her mouth water just getting a whiff of the chicken and fish. There were potatoes made several different ways and rice. Not to mention the fact Kal had made a huge bowl of trail mix and had it on the table.

“
Why? Can’t I just make a plate and be done with it? That’s how normal first dates happen.”

“
True.” He claimed his seat beside her. “However, as you know
Amofeli
are not normal men.”

“
I know this now for sure.” She shook her head, not even sure where to start or if she should just serve herself a handful of nuts and dried fruit and be done with it. “What is the point of this besides having your girlfriend gain thirty pounds in a day?”

“
You will burn every bit of it off, trust me.” His amber gaze held hers. “Mate of mine, our mating time is coming up. Sunday.”

“
I remember you saying something about that in the car when we drove here. Explaining this weekend was important for me to be with you. That sex was involved.” She felt her heart rate kick up. Since last Monday, she had found it hard to go longer than twenty minutes without thinking of Kal feasting between her thighs. If she ever had desire for him before, it seemed like a small infatuation compared to how her body wanted him now.

“
Not just sex, lovely Lana.
Nonstop
sex.”

She frowned. “Nonstop… As in over and over—”

He cupped her hand on the table. “And over again. Which is why we gorge on protein and starch the day before. Because there’s no stopping to eat only drink water during the thirteen hours, and energy is important for stamina.”

Stamina. As sexy as that word was coming from his perfectly shaped lips, she felt her body shake with nerves. “Umm, I don’t know if I can take that much…banging.”

Tugging her closer to him, he rested his cheek against hers, cinnamon and sage enveloping her as he spoke. “My energy will renew your energy, mate. You will not only take but give.” His voice was a low husky timbre, seducing and drawing her in as he stroked the back of her hand. “Since tasting you, I’ve been slowly going out of my mind wanting to be inside of you…feel your warm, slick cream coating my cock. Know the warmth of your tight pussy holding me. In just a few hours, you will truly be
mine
, Lana.”

Days ago she had believed it was a wonder that she had come just from his kiss, now she was teetering on the edge of another orgasm from his words. She squeezed her thighs together as she reminded herself she still had several hours to go.

Pressing her cheek tighter to his, she traced the edge of his ear with her tongue and whispered. “Can’t we just rehearse a little first?”

Growling, he squeezed her hand and stepped back. “Even with the wondrous aroma of your wetness soaking you panties and jeans, I have to hold out. We need to be patient. Food then fuck.”

She laughed at his coarse, sexy words. “Got it.” Picking up her fork, she asked, “Where do I start? Is there an order to eating this?”

“
Nope.” He passed her a blue cloth napkin from the table and set one beside his plate before reaching in and grabbing not one but two Cornish hens and setting them on his plate.

The birds looked beautiful, but she went with something more her size, the seared chicken breasts under apple-cranberry chutney.

“
Since all we can do is eat and talk over the next twenty-four hours,” she sliced a chunk of meat off, “tell me about why you went to Afghanistan.”

The bone clinked the plate as it dropped from his fingers, clean. He took a moment to swallow down the bite from the bird. Wiping his mouth, he glanced over at her. “The long and short of it is to say you. But, I’m sure you want more than that.”

“
I do.” She added a heap of mashed potatoes to her plate.

“
I wanted you, Lana. I realized when you started being courted by Stellar that I had royally screwed up things with you. Even though my cat knew you were mine, I was a little stubborn and immature.”

“
Keep going.” She smiled as she forked in potatoes, then moaned. The spuds were buttery and creamy.

“
Hey, save all those sounds for later.” He groaned, bawling up the napkin in his fist.

“
I’ll try.” She pushed out her lip, pretending to be sullen.

He laughed, then continued. “Honestly, I thought you would always be there. Besides Dwayne, you were my best friend. I had been honest with you in a way I had never been with any other woman.” Releasing the cloth, he cupped her face. “Selfishly I thought because you knew the truth of my kind that you would just wait around.”

“
You were wrong.” She turned her face into his palm. “Not because every fiber of my being didn’t want to be with you, but because I didn’t know if there would ever be more than a friendship with us. You never let on to anything else.”

“
My mistake.”

“
Maybe both of ours. I was a big girl. I could have told you how I felt. A few weeks after I started working for Stellar and I knew he had an interest or fascination with me, I went on a spa weekend with Tresa.”