* * *

Tiger’s world stopped. The press of Carly’s lips against his cut through his jangled confusion, the need to kill falling away.

Her lips were a place of warmth, satin smooth, the softest sensation he’d ever felt. The touch of her mouth was light, yet he felt it in every part of his body. Every part—especially his cock, which was becoming tight.

Carly’s lips formed a slight pucker, pressing moisture to his mouth. The gentle pressure was both featherlight and firm at the same time.

She brushed her lips over his, moving across them, ending at the corner of his mouth. Her movements were so slight, and yet Tiger thought this was the most important thing that had ever happened to him.

Carly touched her lips to the corner of his mouth again, then she lifted away, her brows drawn down over her gray green eyes.

Her scent had changed, ever so slightly, but Tiger sensed it. She’d been nervous, worried, angry, confused. Now into the mix came wanting. She desired Tiger. That fact spun around and settled in a hot point deep inside him.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, her puzzlement rising again. Carly touched his face with light fingertips, then she gave him a surprised smile. “Haven’t you ever kissed anyone before?”

“No.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No.”

Tiger had had a mate, the female ripped away from him after he’d impregnated her, but they’d never kissed. It had been animalistic, that mating, though he’d become fervently attached to her, had come apart in grief when she’d died. What Carly had just done was different from anything he’d ever experienced.

“Wow.” Carly skimmed her fingertips across his lips, drawing fire. “I don’t think I’ve met a man who was a virgin.”

“I had a mate. She had a cub.”

“Ah. Then not a virgin. But you’ve never kissed?”

“No.”

“That’s weird. Wait, you had a mate?” Carly asked, her smile going away. “Where is she now? And your kid?”

“They died.”

The words came out flat and didn’t say everything he needed them to. Words couldn’t. Ever.

Carly’s look became shocked, her scent tinged with compassion. “Oh, Tiger, I’m so sorry.” She ran her hands over his shoulders, as though trying to soothe the tension there. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tease you.”

“Their deaths were not your fault.” Again the words fell flat. Tiger couldn’t explain, couldn’t make her understand why he wanted her to feel better.

“I mean, I’m sorry for you. That she died. That the child died. That must have been awful.”

“Yes.”

Carly’s voice softened. She exuded sympathy, even more than had Iona, or any other Shifter. “There’s more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?” she asked.

Tiger wasn’t sure what that meant—he knew English, but he’d learned it from scientists, who didn’t so much talk to him as at him or over him.

When he wasn’t certain, he didn’t answer, but Carly didn’t seem to mind. She continued to touch his face, her eyes on his, her smile returning.

“Aw, Dad, what the f**k?” Liam’s Irish tones boomed.

Tiger saw no reason to turn from Carly as Liam banged his way into the living room where his father was wrapping more duct tape around Walker on the floor. Tiger scented Liam and his daughter, Katriona, but not Kim.

“Dad, what did you do?”

“Talk to your nephew and Tiger,” Dylan said calmly. “The man on your rug is Shifter Bureau.”

Liam went silent as he contemplated the situation. Tiger noticed that Connor had disappeared upstairs.

Liam, a talker, didn’t stay silent long. “Why is he here, passed out and trussed up, and why are you here?” He pointed a blunt finger at Carly.

Liam’s daughter, a year and a few months old, was perched on her father’s shoulders, her dark curly hair and blue eyes proclaiming her the Morrissey she was. She saw Tiger and stretched out her hands.

“Tigger!”

Tigger was the name of a character in a children’s story, and Katriona insisted on giving the name to Tiger. Tiger didn’t mind. He turned away from Carly and walked slowly to Liam, indicating he’d take the cub if Liam was willing to hand her off. He wouldn’t reach for her uninvited, no. Liam needed to make the decision.

Liam’s stance exuded more annoyance than anger. He hauled Katriona from his shoulders, holding her out to Tiger before joining his father over Walker’s body.

Tiger closed his hands carefully around Katriona’s torso and lifted her high into the air. She squealed and laughed as she always did, then cuddled down against his chest as he held her close.

Katriona’s curly hair tickled Tiger’s chin as she looked around with interest at everything happening in the living room. Tiger’s body unclenched, as it always did when he was around the cubs. When his instincts got out of control, a cub’s presence could make his animal nature stop and his thoughts cease whirling.

“Well, aren’t you the cutest thing?” Carly poked Katriona in the tummy. “What’s your name, honey?”

“’Trina,” she said.

“Katriona,” Tiger rumbled. “She can’t say the whole word yet.”

“A pretty name for a pretty girl.” Carly seemed delighted with Kat.