Trancing the Tiger (Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 1) Page 14

  It must have been excruciating, but he just crouched, grunting every so often.

  Admiration for this intense, tough man sang through her, spiking her feminine senses.

  He was both nude and in immense pain so she wavered on whether or not to touch him. Beasts often lashed out when in pain and, in this moment, Sheng just might be more beast than man.

  Her instincts won out.

  On her knees, she crawled closer to him and placed a hand on his back. When he didn’t flinch, she rubbed her hand in a slow, soothing circle.

  The gashes were nearly healed by the time she detected Rabbit condensing back into her. Sheng groaned and she assumed Tiger had done the same. The coalescent cloud around them shrank back with their animals. He collapsed to the ground, sprawling on his back.

  Although her cheeks burned, she bit her lip and forced herself not to focus on his nudity. No matter how torturous it was to ignore.

  A deep sigh escaped his lips. She crooked her head at him. Thick lashes lifted, his dark eyes penetrating her. “Thank you.”

  “What happened to you?”

  “Talk…tomorrow.” He yawned, reaching for her, but she jerked back and stood. Her body and mind went to war. Sheng was deadly sexy, lying nude on her living room floor. Barely recovered from lethal injuries. This was not the right time.

  The man deserves a breather before you jump him, Luce. Sheesh.

  “What’s wrong?” Dark slashes drew across his forehead.

  “I, uh…naked.” She stammered the obvious which, judging by his nonchalant shrug, he either hadn’t noticed or didn’t care.

  Confident the flaring heat in her cheeks meant her bright red blush was visible even in this semi-darkness, she angled her face away.

  “Why don’t you, ah, sleep on the couch?” Keeping her face averted, she pointed to the enormous plush sofa. She’d offer him her bed, but she guessed he’d refuse. Besides, the bedroom was too far to move him. He might be healed, but his skin remained pale.

  “Good idea. Mind helping me?”

  Her gaze shot back to him to confirm that yes, indeed, he was still quite naked. The curl of his lips was more wicked than compliant. He did an excellent job of making a show of his desire for assistance, grunting and huffing as he attempted to haul himself to his feet.

  She shifted her stance, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. He clearly required her help, but groping his smooth, muscled skin would send her hormones into overdrive.

  Impetuousness won out. She shuffled to his side and slid her hands around his waist, delighting in the warmth of his skin. He flung one arm across her shoulders, forcing her hand to rest precariously low on his hip. Her other gripped his torso. Their stance pressed her cheek against his delectably hard pecs. His decadent, masculine musk assaulted her nostrils, and she found herself helpless not to soak it in.

  He might pretend not to notice how dangerously close they were, but his pounding heart beneath her cheek strummed a different tune. She helped him limp the three feet to their right and lowered him onto the couch.

  “Uhn.” He groaned as he stretched on his back.

  The sheer lack of modesty he displayed in her presence toyed with every emotion in her chest. Was he simply unabashed? Or trying to seduce her?

  “You’re, ah, still n-naked.” Damn, she felt like an idiot for repeating the inanely obvious. Even worse for the tremor in her voice. “I’ll grab you a blanket.” She rushed toward the hall closet.

  “Too hot.”

  At his protest, she made the mistake of glancing back at him. He’d crossed his arms over his head, one leg lifted and bent at the knee. He appeared comfortable and in no hurry to cover himself.

  She clenched her hands at her sides. Her breathing grew shallow as she gawked at every ripple of muscle on this decadently exotic male specimen. He was precisely like the Tiger. Unapologetically beautiful. Advertising his nudity as if he had no idea—or concern for—how it heated her blood.

  His intense gaze followed her as she marched back to his side. “Well, I would appreciate it if you’d cover yourself up.” Good girl. Her tone sounded firm, holding none of the uncertainty she stamped down inside.

  His thick brows lifted. “Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

  His words were innocent enough but, oh, no remorse glittered in those mischievous eyes.

  She fisted one hand behind her back, struggling not to ogle what he so clearly flaunted. Her throat tightened so she didn’t answer him. She gave him her back as she rummaged around on the ground, packing away the medical kit and gathering his bloody clothes in her arms. There was no rescuing his garments so it wasn’t as though she could ask him to dress.

  She dumped his clothes in a wastebasket and returned the kit to the bathroom. While inside, she detected the low huffs of Sheng grunting. Concerned he might have hurt himself, she dashed back into the living room.

  “Happy now?” he grumbled from the couch. He’d flipped onto his stomach, head pillowed between his crossed arms. The rays of moonlight shining in from the terrace perfectly highlighted the gorgeous curves of his ass.

  “Ah, that’s not really any better.” Her voice came in a breathy utterance.

  He adjusted, those sexy muscles flexing. His tiger tat rippled as he rolled his shoulders. She peered closer and swore the beast winked at her. Sheng crooked his leg, his strong, thick thighs parting and revealing a glimpse of the generous sac between his legs.

  She rocked back on her feet, her sex clenching in answer. Her nails cut into her palms while she fantasized about him thrusting into her. She’d grip his ass, urging him deeper. His balls would draw up tight as they prepared to release his warm essence into her.

  True, she’d never had sex, but she’d given enough blow jobs to know when a guy reached his peak, the telltale grunts and spasms that seized his body just before his hot cum shot into her mouth.

  What would Sheng taste like? She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, suppressing a moan.

  He tilted his head, peering at her through those heavy lashes. Her body was so on edge; she wasn’t certain if lust ignited inside his eyes or she imagined it.

  Reason enough to retreat from this room, immediately. She swallowed against her dry mouth, unable to tear her gaze from his delicious ass. “Fine.”

  Hell. She’d moaned the word. Clearing her throat in case there was the slightest chance he hadn’t picked up on her arousal, she added, “That’s fine.” A jerky shake of her head, and she cut her gaze from his body, turning to head into her bedroom.

  “Lucy.” His hand grazed her hip as she passed and his face contorted in a yawn. He was exhausted, and no wonder from that ordeal. “Stay with me.”

  It was a request, but sounded more like a command. His large body claimed the entire couch. The only other spot was the armchair. After what he’d been through, perhaps he shouldn’t be left alone.

  Casting one remorseful glance at her bedroom, she curled up in the chair, settling in for a long night of staring at Sheng’s glorious ass.

  As he lifted his lids, Sheng’s eyes burned as if sandpaper scrubbed them. Memories of the night before flashed through his mind. He rolled his shoulders. Why the hell was he sleeping on his stomach? His usual morning hard-on made its appearance, digging uncomfortably into the plush cushions beneath him, battered down by his body’s weight.

  As he was about to twist around, he recalled why he shouldn’t—whose couch he was sleeping on.

  Lucy. A grin tugged at his lips as the events of last night zeroed into focus. Rabbit had finally cooperated but, more than that, the reason behind him sleeping on his stomach flooded heat through his veins, making his abating erection jack right back up.

  She’d been about to jump him, right there, right then, but he’d been too damned beaten and bruised to take her up on the offer.

  Rather than admit his lack of energy, he’d fallen asleep to the sight of the golden highlights in her hair glinting in the moonlight. Her soft skin had glimm
ered as smooth as ivory in that light.

  Today was a different story. His body surged with invigorated energy when, normally, he would have slumped beneath the weight of his recovery.

  Lucy accepted what she was. He’d taken one step closer to claiming her.

  He angled his body around to glimpse at the chair. Lucy moaned, her body twitched, and she lifted her head, yawning. The delicate, graceful movements of her sensuous body as she awoke heightened his predicament. Let her spy his reaction to her? Or conceal his attraction for a little longer until the timing was right?

  He didn’t want to jump straight into bed with her. Okay, so he did, but that had never ended well for him. Every woman he’d been with, he’d fucked them straight away, never bothering to develop a relationship of any consequence. Never touching them beyond fulfilling both of their carnal needs. Tiger reserved any act of true intimacy for those it accepted into its pack.

  Lucy was different. She’d become his family, but Sheng would be damned if he considered her the sisterly-type. No, she was much closer to wife material. Casual sex with her was out of the question. A girl like Lucy, one didn’t just take to bed, screw her brains out, and leave right after.

  Which meant, he had no clue what one actually did do.

  One thing he sensed was that Lucy was an all-or-nothing kind of woman. A virgin, to boot.

  Sheng had never ventured into the waters of commitment. The truth was, he’d never considered marriage. A wife, possibly children, weren’t in the cards for a man who kept the Tiger leashed within himself.

  With her, a yearning for a deeper connection burrowed inside his chest, but he couldn’t have her both ways. Couldn’t sleep with her and have her as his family.

  Not unless he planned to make higher vows.

  Him asking to marry Lucy would please the shit out of the Matchmaker, right? But maybe that bitch did have a point about keeping things professional…for now. Lucy was in his life for the next indeterminate number of centuries. If things didn’t work out between them, he couldn’t just pretend he’d lost her number…not that he’d used the tactic before.

  Plus, Tiger had finally begun to make progress with Rabbit. Too much hung in the balance for him to screw up this relationship because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.

  Concealing the precarious turn of his musings, he offered a grin as Lucy focused on him. “Morning.”

  “Morning.” She cleared her throat but, damn, he loved the sultry way her first morning vocalization slid out. If they woke up together someday, what would she say to him?

  A dangerous treading of thoughts, that.

  She rose with languorous grace from the armchair and padded to his side. Concern drew her brows tightly together. She bent and stroked his hair back from his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

  Her touch sparked something other than comfort through his veins. “I don’t think you want me to answer that.”

  Her eyes flashed confusion before her cheeks tinged pink. “Oh.”

  He kept his hips tilted down, but if her quickening pulse proved any indication, the arousal he experienced was smeared across his face.

  She hovered above him, hugging her arms across her middle.

  Shit. He didn’t mean to confuse her. If he wasn’t so bloody perplexed himself, he’d clarify things for her.

  The Matchmaker had forbidden him to touch her but, as he gazed at her soft lips, the temptation proved too much. Have to taste her. Need overruled reason…and fuck, since when did he play by the rules?

  Raising in a push-up, he wrapped his hand behind her neck and brought her mouth straight to his, snaring her lips in a kiss.

  She gasped in that sexy, startled fashion of hers, making him even more eager to witness how she’d respond to the other plans he had for her.

  Forcing her lips apart, he thrust his tongue inside the warm velvet of her mouth. Lucy’s sweet taste and luscious fragrance made his balls tighten and his shaft stiffen to the point of pain. Breaking away from the temptation of coming like this, he cupped her chin and angled her mouth to bring their kiss under his complete control. He directed the sweeps of his tongue across her lips, tangling with her tongue, beckoning her to open wider.

  She moaned against his mouth and pressed her slender hands on his bare chest. The pads of her fingers skimmed upward, slipping around his neck. Her body hedged forward and he shifted to sit back, drawing her to him. Her knees crawled onto the edge of the couch until she straddled him, and there was no hiding his erection as it throbbed between them.

  Sheng growled and gripped her ass through the flimsy silk pants she wore. The temptation was too great. With one swipe of Tiger’s claws, he could shred this fabric from her body and plunge inside.

  And in doing so, break every one of the Matchmaker’s commands.

  ***

  Lucy moaned against Sheng’s mouth. No need to glance down and confirm the impressive size of his sex because it ground against her stomach, demanding. He hauled her closer, his hands digging into her hips while his mouth continued to plunder for her surrender. Seemed like the most brilliant idea in the world to her lust-fogged brain. If only sleeping with him would get him out of her system.

  It wouldn’t. Of that she was certain.

  A sigh on his lips, he pulled back, breaking their kiss. “We should take this slow.” The gruff tone of his voice hinted it pained him to say that. His thumb rubbed her swollen lips, his hungry gaze stalking her mouth. “I didn’t mean to take things beyond a kiss, but you’re so damn sexy, I don’t wanna stop.”

  His words sent her heart into a pitter-patter. He could’ve taken advantage of her on so many occasions, but this man appeared intent on, well, courting her.

  Getting to know her. Understand her.

  His sincerity was the worst weapon he could have assailed against her panties.

  “Me neither.” She leaned in to nip his lips. “But you’re right.” They were still getting to know each other. If what Sheng claimed was true, they’d be together for a very long time.

  He blinked, the passion drained from his gaze. She wrenched out of his arms even though he nuzzled her, taking his time in letting her go. She’d always preferred ripping off bandages. No point in dragging out the agony.

  Rising, she turned her back to him, giving him privacy even though he didn’t ask for it.

  He cleared his throat. “Ah, since my clothes are in the wastebasket, would you mind heading to my apartment and grabbing me some new ones? Your uncle has cameras in the halls. Probably not best if I left here naked.” His chuckle caused a smile to tug at her lips.

  “My keycard is right here.” His footsteps padded across the floor and halted as he likely dug through his shredded pants. In between his muttered curses, she caught the words, “leather jacket” and “wastebasket.”

  Oops.

  An instant later, his balmy heat pressed against her back, making her shiver. “Thank you,” he whispered against her ear and, as his tongue slipped out, he sucked the lobe into his mouth, giving her a gentle nibble.

  The temporarily abated hunger struck straight through her core. Damn him. He made even the simplest of instructions incredibly sexy.

  She didn’t bother answering, just plucked the card from his hand and left.

  Stepping into the hallway, she shot a fake smile at the blinking red light in the top left corner of the corridor. Keeping an eye on me, Shūshu? The security cameras posted outside her door weren’t for her benefit, she was certain. That’s what the guards at the lobby doors, elevators, and stairs were for. The two cameras, opposite one another so they’d cover the entire hall, had been placed to spy on her.

  She huffed, but decided to save that conversation for another day. Aside from sharing an occasional meal with her uncle, she’d spent most of the past two weeks with Sheng’s friends. Xiaodan claimed to be busy with his enterprises. The excuses worked for both of them. Despite him being her father’s brother, the flares of familial warmth hadn�
�t sparked further between them. Their lack of fondness for each other didn’t bother her as much as it maybe should have.

  The events of last night, mingled with her roller-coaster emotions regarding Sheng, were enough to deal with.

  After inserting and removing the card, she swung the door open and stepped inside.

  His apartment was a mirror image of hers—maybe how he knew where she kept everything. But the space appeared even less lived-in than her apartment. No personal items graced the magazine-styled décor. Sharp blacks contrasted against bright whites. Entering the bedroom, she wasn’t surprised the bed looked as though it had never been slept in. She’d bet it hadn’t. He lived at the temple, so his accommodations here had been a front to get close to her.

  Hmm. Sounded familiar. Clash as they may, both Sheng and her uncle kept a tight watch on her.

  She opened the closet and discovered a large walk-in about half-full. Sheng’s shirts, pants, and other garments hung neatly in rows. The faint hint of his scent drifted over her nostrils. Tempted, she leaned in and rubbed the sleeve of his shirt against her cheek. They’d known each other only a short while, but already her brain recognized his scent, associating that dark spice with comfort and something more intense.

  Desire.

  Shaking herself, she snatched two sets of everything, stuffed the garments into a duffle bag, and headed back to her apartment.

  As she wandered into the living room, searching for him, the ripe, pungent stench of bleach blasted her nostrils, eradicating the last traces of Sheng’s decadent musk.

  She wrinkled her nose, scanning the room. He’d cleaned up. The glass doors and white tiles had been scrubbed, revealing no trace of the blood from last night. Everything looked precisely how it had before. As if he hadn’t been bleeding out on her floor.

  Water trilled, and her head jerked in the direction of the sound. The bathroom. Sheng was in her bathroom, naked, showering.

  A grunting cry echoed down the hall and the duffle bag dropped from her fingers. She sprinted in the direction of the source. Bursting through the door, she scoured the room. “Sheng?” Her gaze settled on the large figure hunched in the shower stall. The room had filled with steam, masking most of his body. His naked body.