“It is your government too. You’re A mericans, aren’t you?”

He nodded. “We have always been separate. It’s hard to try to think any other way. It’s why Justice and our council fought so hard for our independence by acquiring Homeland and used some of the money from the lawsuits to buy Reservation.”

“I heard you guys kind of have something close to diplomatic immunity on your own Homeland and here too. A news guy said it was similar to a consulate and you have your own laws and justice system.”

“I assume so. Your government can’t breach us or force us to comply with your laws. Not on our lands.”

“So I’m kind of in another country right now, huh?”

She suddenly grinned. “A nd I don’t even have a passport.

How cool is that?”

He fought a smile. She was adorable when she smiled and he resisted the urge to reach up and cup her face. He studied the bruise on her cheek and fought back anger at what had been done to her by humans. “Is it cool?”

“Kind of.”

His gaze held hers. “I want to kiss and touch you. Let me, Tammy.”

Her grin faded as she stared at him, chewing on her bottom lip. “I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know? Did I hurt you last time? Did you not enjoy my touch? I know you did.” Hope flared inside him that she’d be tempted. He longed to touch her again.

Tammy couldn’t deny it. The time she’d spent in Valiant’s bedroom had haunted her for five weeks. He had turned her inside out. When he touched her, she lost the ability to think. He seemed to take her silence for agreement when he slowly leaned closer. His hand reached out and caressed the uninjured side of her face.

“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.