The man he should have been?

“Come on.” Tanner pushed open the door. Led her out. His hand was wrapped around her arm. Did he even realize that he kept caressing the now-healed wound with his fingers?

And why did his touch push away the cold she’d felt? How could he do that to her, so easily?

They didn’t speak again. Just marched out of that dark house. The sunlight seemed far too bright when they hurried back toward the street and the SUV that waited.

So bright.

Marna reached for the passenger door. Before she could grab the handle, Tanner spun her around. “What—”

His mouth took hers. Not easy. Not gentle. Hard. Deep. Burning with lust and need, and she opened her mouth wider. Kissed him back just as hard.

“Never again,” he growled against her lips. “I never want him touching you again.”

Her fingers sank into his hair, and she pressed her body closer to his. Marna rose onto her tiptoes so that she could reach his mouth better. The hunger inside her, the hard lust, was driving her, and she wanted.

Tanner caught her hips. Lifted her higher. Her legs wrapped around him, and the erect length of his c**k pushed against her sensitive sex.

A gasp slipped from her.

Tanner’s head rose. “Not . . . here.”

He managed to get her into the SUV; then he rushed around to the driver’s side. Tanner gunned the engine and spared her one more glance.

The heat from his stare singed her skin. “I tried to do what was right,” he said.

Her body ached for him. How did humans stand it? How did they live with the lust?

And now that she knew what pleasure waited . . .

She wanted to feel that rush of release again.

“Remember that, would you?” His voice roughened as the SUV leapt away from the curb. “I tried, but I was too weak.”

Weak? Not Tanner. He was the strongest man she’d ever met.

And it looked like the shifter would also soon be her first lover.

“What the hell happened to you?”

Paul tried to open his eyes. Couldn’t. He heard sirens and voices, and he wanted to talk, but it was just too hard.

Someone lifted him up. Put him on something soft. The world started to move. Or maybe that was just him. A sharp pain jabbed in his arm. Needle?

“Just hold on. We’ll be at the hospital in five minutes.” Another jab. Somewhere, machines started beeping.

An ambulance. Understanding sank in slowly.

Help had finally come. He tried to open his eyes once more, but he still just couldn’t do it.

“Someone did a real number on him. Poor SOB.”

Paul fought to swallow. He had to tell them what had happened.

“He’s a fighter. I can’t believe he’s still holding on. Jesus, look at his legs!”

Paul coughed, choked, but managed to say, “T-Tan . . . ner . . .”

A hand grabbed his arm. The fingers curled tight around him. “What is it? What are you saying?”

“Ch-Chance . . .” A whisper was all he could manage. “T-Tanner . . . Ch-Ch—”

“You want us to call someone for you? That a friend?”

No. Not a friend.

The machines began to beep louder. Wilder.

“He’s seizing!”

The sirens were screaming.

Something pounded against his chest.

And Paul managed to whisper, “He . . . k-killed . . . me.”

Then he couldn’t talk at all.

CHAPTER EIGHT

He couldn’t make it back to his house. Too far. Tanner needed her, naked and beneath him, needed to be in her, so badly that his whole body shook.

But her first time wouldn’t be in a vehicle. Or up against some dirty alley wall. She deserved better.

He’d give her everything that he could.

He parked the SUV near the river. She followed him out of the vehicle, asking no questions. Just staring at him with eyes that reflected his own hunger. Tanner caught her hand and led her inside the old building and up the winding stairs. Up higher, higher, to the small apartment that he kept as an escape in the city.

He’d never taken anyone else here. Before, he’d wanted to be alone. To be able to stand above the city. To look out at the river.

Freedom.

“Tanner?”

He led her into the bedroom. Threw open the balcony doors and let the sunlight pour in.

She was beautiful with the sunlight on her. As beautiful as she was in the moonlight.

Always so perfect to him.

Don’t f**k this up.

The panther was snarling inside of him. As desperate for his mate as any predator could be.