“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.”