Текст книги "Valiant"
Автор книги: Laurann Dohner
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“I would never hurt you.”
She believed him. He’d terrified her when they had first met but after what he’d just told her about New Species, she understood he hadn’t meant to. He had instincts and urges that most people didn’t. He’d wanted her and he’d taken her. It was kind of sexy.
Valiant’s hand eased away and he stood to kick off his shoes. He reached for the front of his jeans next.
Tammy didn’t protest as she watched him strip out of them. No underwear again. She stared at a naked Valiant with a little fear. The guy was so big. Her eyes lowered.
A ll over. She forced her gaze to his face.
Valiant bent, gripped the blanket covering her, and yanked it to the foot of the bed. Tammy tensed but didn’t try to use the pillow to hide her body. Valiant’s gaze raked down every inch of her exposed skin, which was all of it that she wasn’t lying on. He suddenly growled viciously. It made her eyes widen and her heart race.
“I want to kill all of your attackers. Look at what they did to your beautiful body. It infuriates me. I want to take them apart with my bare hands and watch them die a painful death.”
“I’m fine.”
“I still want to kill them. I would have bathed in their blood if they had raped you.”
She stared at him. Gross. But the meaning is sweet.
She believed him. Well, the part about wanting to kill th em . Valiant put his knees on the bed and slowly crouched over Tammy. She stared up at him. He held her gaze but didn’t touch her.
“You will stay with me forever and no one will ever hurt you again.”
She didn’t correct him. She couldn’t really stay with him indefinitely. She’d have to get back to her life soon.
She licked her lips. Valiant watched her tongue and groaned. He moved, backing down the bed toward her feet. She wondered if he’d changed his mind about wanting to have sex with her until he stopped when his face hovered over her lower stomach.
“Open your thighs for me.”
She spread them wide apart. Valiant gripped her ankles, lifted them out of his way and scooted over until he sat on his legs where hers had just been. He eased her legs down until the backs of her thighs rested over the top of his parted ones. A foot of space separated his lap from hers while his gaze studied her from head to pussy.
“You are so small compared to me. I’m always afraid I’ll accidentally hurt you.”
Yeah, she silently agreed, I understand that fear. He weighed twice what she did and was a foot taller. His chest was massively wide and as she glanced at his buff arms, she knew if she measured them against her thighs, he would come out the winner for more inches around.
“Trust me not to hurt you.”
She decided to use humor. “I’d be screaming right now if I thought you would.”
He smiled. “I want you screaming but not in terror of me.”
Tammy suddenly pushed up off the bed and used her elbows to prop her upper body to get a better view of all of him. She appreciated the sexy sight of his tan skin and beautifully sculptured body. He growled again before a soft purr came from his throat.
“A re those good or bad sounds?”
He flashed a grin. “I’m deciding on what I want to do to you first.”
“What options are available?”
His smile widened, revealing more of his sharp teeth.
“I growled when I thought about flipping you over and mounting you from behind. Riding you hard and fast makes my blood boil. I purred because I want to feast on you. I’d enjoy lapping at your pussy with my tongue to taste you again.”
Her heart pounded and her body heated up. “We could do both.”
He nodded. “Good plan.”
Tammy stared at him as he lifted up and shifted his position to flatten on his belly until his legs dangled off the end of the bed. He adjusted her feet to rest on his broad shoulders, her knees bent. His tongue came out and his eyes locked with hers. He licked the hollow of her hip.
She took a shaky breath. The guy’s tongue wasn’t human feeling. It was soft but kind of rough. The sensation was strange but in a really good way that made her hot. He opened his mouth and raked his sharp teeth gently over the curve of her hip. Tammy took another shaky breath as desire began to burn inside her. She really wanted him to inch lower, the memory of his mouth something she’d never forget.
Valiant suddenly reached under her and his hands cupped her ass to tilt her the way he wanted. He leaned forward. His shoulders were wide and pushed her thighs farther apart to make room for his mouth.
“I grow impatient. Patience is not my strong suit,” he growled. “I know you deserve more foreplay but I want you too much.”
“Okay. I’m not complaining and I wish you’d go for it.” She knew she blushed over being so bold but she really wanted him to touch her throbbing clit, which seemed to have grown a pulse.
He lifted her ass a little off the bed. She fell back and her head hit the pillow. He spread her wider open and his wonderful tongue started to lick her. Tammy squeezed her eyes closed and moaned in pleasure. Valiant wasn’t a tease. He zoned right for the good spot. No side ventures. No taunting by licking her anywhere but her sensitive bundle of nerves. This tongue pressed tight against it and began to move, rubbing with enough force to assure her she wouldn’t last long. He seemed to know the exact spot that sent sheer ecstasy straight to her brain.
Tammy dug her fingernails into the sheets, her nipples hardened and moans tore from her throat.
Valiant growled and she moaned louder. Good God! He’s a licking vibrator. His lips closed over her clit and he began sucking on her along with the vibrating and rubbing of his tongue. Her body tensed until she wondered if her back would snap. A scream tore from her as she climaxed so hard she almost passed out.
Valiant lifted his mouth from her. Tammy panted.
She couldn’t even open her eyes. Her body had that floating,
limp-as-a-noodle,
couldn’t-move-if-the-bed-
caught-fire feeling as spasms from her climax still twitched her vaginal muscles. His hands gripped her and then she gasped when he easily flipped her over onto her stomach.
Tammy forced her eyes open as Valiant gripped her hips and lifted them. He pulled her to up onto her knees.
His strength probably should have frightened her but she wasn’t alarmed when the bed dipped from the weight of his knees when he moved behind her, spread his legs on the outside of hers and trapped them to keep her pinned.
She tried to rise into position on her hands and knees but she didn’t have the energy. Valiant snarled, a wild, animalistic sound, as the bulky crown of his cock pressed against the entrance to her pussy. One of his hands kept hold of her hip to keep her in place while she assumed his other one gripped his shaft to make sure he didn’t slide away because of how wet she’d become from the climax he’d given her.
Her body shook as Valiant slowly eased inside her, pushing forward, forcing her vaginal walls to stretch to admit him. She moaned at the wonderful sensation of being filled. She wasn’t sure she could stand the intensity of it with her climax still vibrating through her body but he didn’t give her a choice as he sank deeper into her. A thrill of arousal surprised her. She hadn’t realized how much it turned her on to feel helpless while he remained totally in control.
Her clit was a little oversensitive after what he’d done to her but he didn’t give her time to recover. His hand on her hip slid on her skin to wrap around her waist. His other hand grabbed her breast and squeezed. She cried out in surprise at how sensitive her nipples were from their earlier abuse. He didn’t pinch though, instead his fingers massaged the mound he gripped.
“Sensitive,” she panted.
He released it instantly and gripped her hips with both hands. He withdrew almost totally from her pussy but slowly slid back inside, deep. She moaned, encouraging him as he worked his cock in and out of her, made her take him a little deeper each time. He suddenly released her hip with one hand and dropped it onto the mattress to brace his upper body as he curled around her. His hips slammed against her ass as he seemed to lose control. He pounded into her fast, hard and deep.
Snarls tore from his throat to match her panted cries of pleasure.
Tammy lost the ability to think. The feeling of him inside her had to be the best sensation in the world, even superior to his tongue licking her until she came. She enjoyed every rock-hard inch of him hammering in and out of her pussy while she made sounds she’d never made before.
Valiant’s grip around her waist changed and he slid his thumb between her vaginal lips, pressed the side of it against her clit and fucked her harder. The rubbing sensation against her already oversensitive, swollen clit became too much.
A nother orgasm built, her inner muscles tightened around his driving cock and it blew her mind when pleasure tore through her again. She screamed his name, climaxing hard, and Valiant roared from his own release.
His hips ground against her ass, he buried his cock into her deep and heat spread inside her as he kept coming.
Valiant groaned softly with each jerk his body experienced as his semen shot into her, until he fell over on the bed with her still locked in his arms.
Tammy panted, her eyes closed, and a smile curved her lips while her inner muscles gripped Valiant still, clenching around his shaft. He snuggled closer, kissed the curve of her shoulder and that was last thing she remembered.
Valiant held Tammy close, wrapped his body tighter around hers to spoon her in front of him, and ran his fingers along her skin to make sure she wasn’t chilled.
Her breathing had slowed, he knew she’d fallen asleep, and he tried not to feel guilty. She’d been through a lot but he couldn’t regret taking her.
She’s mine and I’m never allowing her to leave me. I couldn’t survive without her. That realization slammed home. The woman in his arms meant that much to him.
She did the one thing that some of the meanest, cruelest humans he’d ever dealt with hadn’t been able to do. He suddenly knew terror at the thought of losing something that mattered so much to him. His arms tightened around her and he swore he’d show her she belonged with him.
He’d make her happy, feed her, fill her every need and she’d have to see how much she meant to him. He nuzzled her wet hair, enjoying having her so close.
He’d show her that he was the right male for her. A good protector, a lover who would see to her pleasure, and he wanted to make her smile all the time. He loved it when she laughed, the way her blue eyes sparkled, and the sound was infectious. It made him happy. She made him happy.
I can’t lose her. I just can’t.
Chapter Eight
That feels so good, was Tammy’s first thought. She smiled, having the best dream ever, where she lay on her side with a big, hot body pressed along her back.
Someone nipped her shoulder and a hot, wonderful tongue teased the spot. She shivered, warm breath tickling her skin as teeth gently raked across it, creating an erotic jolt through her body. She moaned.
A hand slid from her hip to the inside of her thigh, gripped it, and spread her legs when it was lifted. She groaned from pleasure as a hard, thick cock teased her clit, then lowered enough to enter her pussy in one slow, fluid thrust. She grabbed at the arm connected to the hand that held her leg, just for something to cling to.
Valiant slid into her deeper and a sexy purr rumbled from his mouth next to her ear. He started to fuck her slowly and she moaned louder. The hand gripping her leg adjusted it higher and she hooked her foot behind his thigh. He released his grip to trail his hand along her inner thigh to her clit where his fingertips drew circles over the swelling bud. She threw her head back against Valiant’s chest and bucked her hips to meet his thrusts.
I’m not dreaming. It feels too good not to be real.
Tammy opened her eyes. She moaned and her nails dug into the sheets and his skin where she gripped his upper arm. Valiant shifted his leg between hers to drive into her pussy a little deeper and kept up the slow, steady rhythm that began to drive her mindless. Her breathing grew choppy and her nipples hardened. Her body tensed and bucked against him more frantically, seeking release.
“Faster,” she begged.
“Not yet,” he growled.
Tammy gripped the bed hard to get a good hold on the sheet and moved her hips, shoving back at Valiant.
He groaned as he slid into her harder and faster. His finger matched his hips, sliding over her bundle of nerves rapidly, applying more pressure. He knew exactly what she needed while his cock pounded inside her and he manipulated her clit to make her come.
Tammy’s muscles tightened, the ecstasy became so intense it was nearly too much, and she screamed, jerking violently against Valiant with him deeply buried inside her pussy as the climax tore through her.
Valiant roared. His hand left her clit and he gripped her hip. His hips jerked, his body tensed and he seemed to turn to stone behind her as every muscle in his body tightened. He suddenly relaxed as his climax ended.
She smiled as warmth spread through her from his release, amazed she could feel him jetting into her body when she’d never experienced that sensation with other men. Each time, he shivered a little and pulled her tighter into his embrace. It was soothing when his heat poured into her after making love to him. She smiled. Valiant bit her shoulder.
Tammy yelped. “Hey. Watch the teeth.”
Valiant licked where his teeth had just marked her skin without breaking it. “Sorry.”
She turned her head to stare at the man who always gave her such intense sex and decided that he looked sexy in the morning. His hair was messed up, his wild mane fuller, and he had a lazy, happy glint in his beautiful eyes. They really did remind her of melted gold and it was absolutely stunning. There were swirls of different shades of shiny yellows when she studied his irises up close. He had a gaze she could happily stare into forever.
“What did you bite me for?” She wasn’t upset but curious.
“It was for passing out on me last night. I wanted to…” He paused. “Make love to you again but you were dead to the world.”
“I was tired. You blew me away, sexy.”
His eyebrows arched and he frowned. “I don’t understand. Isn’t that a human term for shooting someone? I thought you enjoyed the sex. You seemed to. I made certain to please you.”
She laughed. “I didn’t quite mean it that way. I meant it in the ‘you blew my mind’ way.”
He smiled. “I see. I enjoy waking to take you first thing. I think we should do this every morning.”
“I could live with that.” She grinned at him. “A nd I wouldn’t mind going to bed every night, the way we did last night, on a regular basis either.”
“I can do it. We are known for our strength and endurance. Stamina. I have a lot of that. My sex drive is very active. I’m always ready to mount you.”
She stared at him, realizing he meant it. “How active?”
He studied her face. “I crave sex every day, seven days a week, every day of the year. I could do it more.
We could go to bed after meals and stay in bed until the next time we eat. Do you want to do it again?”
She gaped at him. “I wouldn’t survive that. You’d have to bury me if we stayed in bed every day of the year and only stopped having sex for sleeping and meals. I’m only human, Valiant. You’d kill me.”
His hand slid to her breast, cupping it. “I could revive you.”
She tensed but realized her nipple no longer hurt. His caress was very gentle and it actually felt good. “Okay.
I’d never walk again.”
He chuckled and eased his big body away from her, slowly withdrawing his still-stiff shaft from her pussy.
“You are fragile. I have to remember that. I don’t want to break you.” He completely released her and climbed off the bed. “I already made you pass out. I should feed you.”
“I am starving.” She sat up and glanced at the clock by the bed. “Wow. It’s already eight o’clock.”
Valiant glanced at her. “Is that relevant?”
“I’m supposed to talk to the sheriff at nine, remember? That barely leaves me time to shower and get ready before I have to give him a statement.”
“You will eat. You can shower while I order the food.
He can interview you while you eat or he can wait until you are done.” Valiant’s eyes narrowed. “You need lots of food. You are small and need more of it until you grow bigger and sturdier.”
She stared at him. “A s in fattening me up? Is that what you want? To make me plump?”
He grinned. “I don’t make deals with witches if any exist. I have no plans to fatten you up so I can toss you into an oven to eat you.”
“What is it with you and fairy tales? You know them.
I thought I was the only weird one who did that.” She laughed.
He hesitated. “I was told the stories a lot when I was young. My caretaker said I could learn many things from them. I memorized them all.”
Part of her heart broke for Valiant. She climbed out of bed without hesitation and walked right up to him.
She threw her arms around him, hugging him hard.
Valiant hesitated before his strong arms came around her to clutch her tightly to him. They stood by the bedroom door, naked, holding each other.
“Why are we hugging? A re you thanking me for great sex?”
“No,” she laughed. “I’m hugging you because…” She didn’t want to admit she’d felt sorry for his sad childhood. “Because I wanted to hold you. I enjoy being in your arms.”
His hold tightened. “You can hold me any time you want, Tammy.”
She hugged him for a long minute before she eased back to smile up at him. “I’m going to jump in the shower. I need clothes to wear.”
“I was on my way to get them. I’ll be right back.”
She walked into the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower and stepped in. A contented sigh broke from her lips as the heated water ran over her body. She reached for the shampoo. Seconds later a naked Valiant opened the shower door and stepped into the stall with her. Tammy laughed, backing up to make room for him.
“Did anyone ever tell you that you take up a lot of space?”
He grinned. “A ll the time. Turn and I will wash your hair.”
She shook her head but grinned. “I have to eat and talk to the Sheriff. I’ll wash my own hair and you wash yours. Hands to yourself, Valiant. You touch me and I stop thinking.”
“But—”
She grinned. “Behave.”
His smile died and he nodded grimly. “Fine.”
They rubbed against each other when they switched places to allow Tammy to rinse her hair. Valiant’s body responded. She grinned at the sight of his cock growing, hardening, until it pointed at her.
“Is that your idea of behaving? You could hurt someone with that thing.”
He laughed. “You could let me pick you up and I could fuck you against the wall right here. It would make me behave really well.”
Tammy shook her head. “I’m already limping and not just from my bruised hip. You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”
“No.” He frowned, all traces of humor fading from his features.
“I was kidding. It was a joke.” She reached for the bottle of body wash. “Lean against the wall.”
He frowned but backed up. Tammy spread the soap onto her hands and set the bottle down. She started at his shoulders and her hands scrubbed down his body. He growled at her when she reached his nipples, a very sexy sound coming from him now that she had started to learn the difference between arousal and anger when he made those noises. His nipples pebbled under her fingers and palms while she massaged them.
“You are trying to kill me,” he groaned.
She laughed. “Not yet.”
Her hands traced down his stomach to his hips and curled around the girth of his shaft. Valiant growled deeper, closing his eyes. Tammy leaned closer until her body brushed against his. She used her hands, rubbing and massaging his cock, increasing the pace as Valiant started to breathe heavily. Growls and purrs tore from his throat.
Tammy stepped even closer, until the tip of his cock rubbed against her belly while she stroked him faster, her hands tightening enough to make him react by growing even stiffer inside her hold. He suddenly tensed, threw his head back, and a loud, unusual sound tore from his throat. Not quite a roar but close. Tammy leaned her body in closer, making sure his heated semen spread across her stomach as she trapped his shaft between her skin and hands. Valiant shook slightly in the aftermath.
“Feel better?”
He opened his eyes and his lips twitched into a near smile. “Your turn.”
Tammy laughed, releasing him. “Not yet. I have to finish my shower and get dressed. I need to eat and have that conversation with Sheriff Cooper. You can return the favor after he leaves.”
“You are aroused. I can smell you.” He reached for her hips.
“No!” She laughed. “I mean, yes, I am. You turn me on but we don’t have time right now.”
He sighed. “Does this sheriff mean more to you than I do?”
Tammy had turned into the spray to wash the front of her body. She looked at Valiant over her shoulder. The hurt look on his face was an easy one to read. “No. Why would you even ask that?”
“Because you could have me touching you but you prefer talking to a human instead.”
She faced Valiant. Her hands flattened over his chest until she pushed him back against the wall. He allowed it.
Her gaze met his and she refused to look away, wanted him to see the sincerity of her words.
“It’s because I want to make sure those men stay locked up. He’s the sheriff and locking those bastards away in prison for a really long time is important. I need to help him accomplish that. Without my statement, and if charges aren’t filed, they could go free. Do you understand? No witness, no victim, no crime. That’s how the law works in my world.”
“I understand.” His body relaxed and he nodded.
“The sheriff is also a friend. He and my grandmother were close. He’s almost an uncle to me. He’s not more important to me than you are, don’t ever think that, but I told him I’d do this. He needs my help and I need his to make sure those assholes pay for kidnapping me.”
He nodded. “I could carry you to our bed and lick you until you scream my name if I had just killed them instead of allowing my people turn them over to yours.”
The guy had a point. Tammy grinned. “Yes, but it would have been wrong.”
“Licking you until you scream my name is not wrong.”
“I meant about the killing part.” She laughed. “I love the licking part a hell of a lot. That’s definitely not wrong.”
He growled. “Let the sheriff wait.”
She backed up and her hands dropped away from him. “I’ll talk to him and he’ll leave. Once he does, we can go back to bed. Okay?”
He nodded. “Fine.” He turned, grabbed the pumice stone, and studied his free hand, palm up.
“What is that for anyway?”
He made certain she could watch as he used the stone on his fingernails. “It cleans them.” He opened his hand palm out to her. “It also helps keep the rougher spots on our skin smoother.”
spots on our skin smoother.”
Tammy reached out and ran her fingertips over his fingers. She could feel calluses on the tips of his fingers and at the top of his palm where his fingers began.
“What causes that?”
“Being Species. Some of my kind have this. Some don’t. I do. It helps me climb trees without tearing up my skin.” His eyes narrowed warily. “Does that make me less appealing to you?”
She shook her head. “I kind of find the rough texture of your hands a turn-on. They make me shiver and goose bumps break out. I like it.”
“Good. I worried my differences from a human male might make me less able to attract your sexual interest.”
She fought a smile. “Don’t worry, Valiant. I am learning to appreciate all your differences.”
He stared into her eyes, seemed to gauge her honestly, and smiled. “I am glad.”
Tammy quickly finished her shower while Valiant attended to his nails and his calluses. She quickly dried off, wrapped a towel around her body, and walked into the bedroom. Four shopping bags waited on the bed.
She dumped them out to see what she had to work with.
Two bags contained clothing for Valiant but the other bags were for her. She chose a pair of cotton knee-length pants and a black, oversized T-shirt. They had bought her bikini-cut underwear and two exercise bras that were stretch-to-fit.
Valiant entered the bedroom behind her. His wet hair had been brushed back. He looked different with it combed away from his face. He kind of looked more frightening to her. His mane-like hair softened his features a little and made him look more cuddly and attractive. Tammy smiled but didn’t say a word while Valiant dug through the pile she’d made for him of the large-sized men’s clothing.
Tammy nearly stepped on a shoebox peeking out from the bottom of the bed. She retrieved it and opened it, guessing they were for her since the box wasn’t big enough to contain anything for Valiant’s big feet. Inside was a pair of white flip-flops. She hated them but she at least had shoes. She left them in the box. She wasn’t planning on leaving the suite. She heard a doorbell chime and her startled gaze flew to Valiant.
Valiant smiled. “There are doorbells in the suites. It’s our food.” He had pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs.
“I’ll go get it.”
“I’ll go. I’m dressed.” She smiled at him. “You’re showing way too much skin. It could be a woman delivering our breakfast.”
He laughed. “Would you feel jealous if a female looked at me?”
She hesitated. “Yes,” she answered honestly.
His humor faded. “You are mine and I am yours. You don’t need to feel jealous. I would not allow another to touch me.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Tammy called out as she quickly left the bedroom. She liked that he’d said that.
She walked through the living room and opened the door. “Hi,” she said instantly.
The woman who stood there had to be just over six feet tall. She had long brown hair and dark eyes. Tan skin and strong features made the woman appear intense but beautiful. It was the first time Tammy had been that close to one of the females. The woman had wide cheekbones, the flatter nose, and she looked down at Tammy with a smile that showed off some sharp, pointed teeth. Her expression wasn’t threatening.
“Hello back, small human. I have brought you food.”
Tammy couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you very much. I’m Tammy.”
“My name is Breeze.”
Tammy moved out of the way to allow her to push a cart from the hallway into the living room. Tammy almost winced as she saw food containers nearly slide off the tray. The tall woman didn’t seem to notice or care when she turned, her gaze studying Tammy from head to foot. She chuckled.
“So you are Valiant’s mate.” The woman didn’t hide her amusement. “You’re so small. I believed he would pick Sunshine. She’s as tall as I am.”
“Sunshine?”
“One of us. He has been looking for a mate. I had to see for myself the human woman I heard about from last night. They said you were small the way Ellie and Trisha are. They were right. A re all of your woman about your size? I don’t get to be around many of your females.”
“I met Trisha last night, right? The pregnant doctor?
Who is Ellie?”
“She’s a human mate to Fury. He is canine but they are not here. They live at Homeland. She is my good friend. I came here with some of our women months ago to help with the opening of Reservation. I miss my friend and I wanted to meet you. I enjoy being around human females.” She grinned.
Tammy smiled back at her. She saw the woman’s grin swiftly turn into a tense line when her gaze fixed on something behind Tammy. She guessed Valiant had entered the room. The growl that rumbled a second later dispelled any doubt. The New Species woman backed toward the door, her gaze dropping to the floor. Fear showed on her face.
Tammy spun and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t growl at her.”
Valiant’s angry glare shifted to Tammy. “I don’t want anyone near you.”
“Deal with it. I’m making a friend.” She turned back around and smiled at Breeze. The woman looked surprised as her gaze lifted to meet Tammy’s. “Don’t mind him. He’s,” she shrugged, “protective.”
Breeze nodded. “He has reason to be. Some of our people don’t tolerate humans.”
“Well, you aren’t one of them. You said so yourself that you are friends with women like me. It was really nice meeting you. I hope I get to see you again soon.”
The woman flashed Tammy a smile. “I will be delivering all your food. No one else wanted to.”
“Because they don’t want to see me?”
The woman’s gaze flashed to Valiant as she shook her head. She glanced at Tammy. Her attention returned to Valiant. “I’ll see you again at lunch.” The woman fled, closing the door behind her.
“They are avoiding me.” Valiant walked to the cart to remove the lids on the plates.
Tammy frowned. “Why would they do that?”
“I frighten them. I’m not,” he shrugged, “social.”
“You mean because you roared at them last night when they stared at me?”
“Yes. Exactly.” He nodded. “Let’s eat.”
Tammy and Valiant moved the food to the coffee table. Someone had sent a few different drinks. Tammy lunged for the chocolate milk. Valiant made an unpleasant face.
“What’s that look for?”
“That stuff is disgusting.”
“Chocolate milk?”
He nodded. “It makes me sick.”
She hesitated. “Oh. I see.”
“What do you see?”
“Well, I had a dog once. He ate a candy bar and threw up. It’s probably that animal DNA of yours. I love chocolate.”
“I’m not a dog.”
She managed not to laugh at his horrified expression at the mere thought of being accused of something he obviously thought was insulting. She found it cute.
“You’re a lion. I bet chocolate makes lions sick too. It probably doesn’t agree with your stomach.”
He set the plate of meat in front of him. Tammy noticed for the first time what had been brought to him for breakfast. She couldn’t help but stare. Four thick, partially cooked steaks dominated the plate, nothing else, and they were really rare. Blood pooled under them as though it were gravy.
“That’s what you eat? Is that even cooked inside?”
She managed not to shiver with dread.
He took a bite. Tammy verified the meat was almost raw after he bit into it. She forced her eyes away. Valiant ate barely seared meat. She studied her food, grateful she’d ended up with a typical breakfast of bacon, hash browns, scrambled eggs and toast. She wouldn’t have touched them if they’d brought her mostly raw steaks.
