“Why shouldn’t you do that?”
“It isn’t hands-on. My father wasn’t that thrilled when I talked to him about it.” A flush of heat slid over Ania and her breasts suddenly felt swollen and achy. Her nipples pushed against her lacy bra, rubbing, hurting, yet at the same time, a flame of desire. She touched her tongue to her upper lip. “Excuse me, Evangeline, I think I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
Ania got to her feet and started to turn just as the little bell over the door sounded. She glanced over and her heart dropped as Alessandro Caruso strode through the door.
You horrible little hussy, she hissed at Jewel. You wouldn’t even talk to Dymka, but the moment he shows up, you’re rolling over and trying to get laid.
She didn’t so much as wave before practically running to the restroom. Little beads of sweat trickled between her breasts. Her clit pulsed and throbbed like a living flame. She burned between her legs. Staring into the mirror, she could see that her eyes looked dilated, a dark purple that resembled two drenched pansies pressed into her face. She gripped the sink as another wave of heat rushed through her. Her sex clenched emptily. She could barely breathe.
Jewel, what are you doing? I can’t betray Mitya. I won’t. I’ll live in this restroom before I do that.
Jewel seemed to be in a state of complete chaos. Fear, need, hunger and desperation were all mixed together in one terrible churning storm. I’m sorry.
The moment the female leopard apologized, Ania realized both of them couldn’t be out of control. The leopard had no idea what was happening to her. She was still very much afraid of Dymka. She’d stayed as still as possible, huddled in a miserable little ball while the hunger and need continued to wash over her. She’d delayed her rising. Prolonged the agony. All to save Ania from Mitya and his fists.
Ania took several deep breaths to try to get past the rising need. It came in waves. She was on fire. Every part of her body burned until she wanted to scream. She couldn’t imagine what poor little Jewel was experiencing, and yet the cat hid, refusing to allow her mate access to her so that Ania would be safe.
We can handle this, sweetheart, Ania crooned. She kept breathing deeply, putting her head down as if to stop a faint. Give me a minute and I’ll get us out of here.
She should have gone to the back, where the kitchen was. Where Mitya was in another seemingly endless meeting with Fyodor. The cousins liked to get together and talk. It couldn’t all be business, but they pretended it was.
“Ania? Kotyonok?”
She closed her eyes, savoring the sound of his voice. Her savior. He was always there. Always ready to do whatever was necessary. She knew he was very aware of the condition she was in. The moment he opened the door to the ladies’ room, he would smell her raging hormones. Every male in the shop was most likely aware.
“Tell me what to do, Mitya.” Her voice wasn’t her own. It was sultry. Sinful. Temptation itself. Lower than her own pitch, mixed with the chuffing sweetness of a leopard. “She’s so scared and so am I. She’s fighting it and I don’t know how to help her.”
“Can you make it to the car?”
Ania swallowed hard. It seemed a very long way to go, yet if she and Mitya went crazy in Evangeline’s restroom, she’d never be able to face anyone again. “I have to make it,” she decreed, not at all certain she could.
Her skin felt too tight for her body and she itched everywhere. Wave after wave of something moved just under her skin, adding to the discomfort. Her clothes felt like a terrible weight on her, and the fabric added to the irritation until she wanted to rip it off of her and shred it so it could never touch her again.
“Come here.” Mitya held out his arm. He had his coat off. He almost always wore that long trench coat. Long, heavy trench coat. All the cousins did.
She went to him on feet that were locked into shoes that felt too small. Every step hurt. She kept breathing, concentrating on her little leopard, trying to make the cat feel as if Ania knew what she was doing and was confident and in control. When she reached Mitya, she raised desperate eyes to him.
“We’ve got this, baby,” he crooned gently.
He swung the coat around her shoulders, enveloping her in his warmth. In his scent. In him. Her heart turned over and then pounded. Everything he did felt caring. His arm followed the coat, sweeping her under his shoulder, next to his side. Tucking her in tight, her front to his ribs, so he sheltered her completely.