Leopard 01 - The Awakening

she moved, and the smooth rounded curves of her buttocks quivered, drawing his attention. She had a beautiful bottom. Already his body was stirring. He felt the familiar tightness.
    Plucking a piece of ice from the bucket, he held it up. “I think I have a way to cool you off.”
    Her eyes widened. She looked at him warily. “I don’t like that wicked look in your eyes.”
    He lifted her hair and rubbed the ice over her nape, felt her shiver. At once her nipples tightened.
    “Feels good, doesn’t it?” He traced her spine in a slow deliberate caress, lazily watched the heat of her skin melt the small piece, leaving behind a trail of water. He bent forward to lap at her skin, catching the little beads, savoring the liquid.
    Maggie let her head fall on the mattress and closed her eyes. Her body was completely relaxed, pliant under Brandt’s hands. His heart swelled, knowing she was his, that she belonged in his home, in his bed. He would wake up and find her there. He could touch her body, make love to her when and where they wanted. And he wanted.

    The next piece of ice made lazy patterns in the small of her back. The water melted and pooled into the two dimples there. Brandt sipped it as if it were the finest champagne. He found a larger piece to rub along the crease of her buttocks, so that the icy drips trickled to cool the heat at her core. To mingle with his cream and soothe any soreness. He bent his head to nip her gently on her left cheek. “Are you sore?” He pressed kisses into the two dimples, his hand finding her wet entrance.
    “I’m sleeping,” she lied, too lazy to move, but she pushed back against his palm.
    He removed it, disappointing her, but then it was back, his fingers probing deeply. Maggie nearly came up off the bed as the piece of ice met the fiery heat of her core. “You devil! What are you doing?” She could feel the ice-cold water melting, trickling deep inside her body. The sensation was intriguing.
    Brandt caught her hips as she rose up on her knees and dragged her back against him, his body bending dominantly over hers as he took her from behind, plunging deep to follow the ice-cold trail through her hot, tight sheath.
    “You can’t possibly,” Maggie objected, grinding her buttocks hard against him as flames spread through her and hunger shot up fast and strong.
    “Did you know that a male leopard was once observed mating with his female over a hundred times in a two-day period? I can live with that; can you?”
    At that moment, Maggie thought she could.
    Seven
    Brandt answered the knock on the door, waved Drake inside. “It’slate,” he greeted, knowing there was trouble. Drake would never have interrupted them unless it was an emergency. He and Maggie had had only one night and one day alone together, not nearly enough time for him to feel secure in Maggie’s commitment.
    “I know.” Drake glanced at Maggie. “I’m sorry, Maggie, really. I wouldn’t have come if we didn’t need Brandt.”
    “Poachers?” Brandt guessed.
    “We’ve been checking the area you were so worried about and sure enough, one of the bears is missing. We spotted another trap.” Drake paced across the gleaming floor. “I know this is a bad time, Brandt, but there’s too much activity. We think they’ll come tonight to try for more. We have a breeding pair we can’t afford to lose.”
    Brandt shook his head. “Maggie is too close to the Han Vol Dan. I won’t leave her alone. You know how frightening it can be, Drake.”
    “It could happen anytime,” Drake protested, shifting his gaze away from Maggie. “You know we’ll need you tonight if we’re right. They’ll be in force, Brandt. And they’re too close to our people. If we’re discovered, if one person was careless and left a trail . . . Those men read signs almost as well as we do.” He glanced at Maggie uneasily. “And James’s scent was all over the poachers’ camp. He’s nowhere to be found.”
    “Of course he’ll go.” Maggie put a hand on Brandt’s forearm, rubbed her palm gently over his tense muscles. “Just go and get it over with. I’ll be fine.”
    Brandt shook his head, his sculpted lips frowning, his golden eyes moody. “It isn’t safe, Maggie.”
    “You have to go,” Maggie said quickly sensing Brandt’s hesi-tancey. “You can’t worry about me. I’m a grown woman; I can handle things here.” She said it with complete confidence. Maggie had been handling the details of her life a long