“Fire can be good.” Addie dared put one finger to the hollow at his collarbone, touching where a Shifter Collar would be. “It warms you and cooks things.”

“It can also be the most destructive thing on earth.”

Kendrick’s growl came again. He leaned even closer, fists tightening on either side of her head, and licked her from chin to the bridge of her nose.

His tongue was hot, his breath scalding. Kendrick came down again, this time licking across her mouth. The third time, he dipped between her parted lips, stroking inside, nudging her tongue to respond.

Addie took the weight of him, wrapping him in her arms. She slanted her mouth across his, opening for his kiss, which was deeper than any he’d given her yet. Kendrick moved his tongue inside her mouth the same as when he’d gone down on her in the barn. The sexiest moment of her life.

This one was rivaling it. While she was clothed this time, the heat of Kendrick’s bare chest through her thin shirt was intoxicating. She skimmed her hands down his smooth back, his muscles working as he strengthened the kiss. She felt his cock through his jeans as she had earlier today, his wanting clear.

Kendrick moved one hand to her shoulder, pressing down with powerful fingers. She was pinned to the mattress, Kendrick’s hold not letting her move. His kiss turned hard, almost savage, Addie sinking into softness with him on top of her.

Instead of terrifying her—which was what he was trying to do—Addie felt exhilarated. She wrapped her foot around his firm calf and pulled him closer still.

Kendrick snarled and ripped his mouth from hers. His eyes had lightened, the green so pale it was almost white. He lifted his hand from her shoulder, the other off the bed. Bedding tore, the fist that had braced him having become a paw with claws.

Another snarl and he sprang away from her, landing on his feet beside the bed. “No!”

Addie grabbed the edge of the mattress and peered over it. “What’s the matter?” Her breath came swiftly, the chill of his leaving sharp.

“If you have to ask . . .” Kendrick’s eyes held more anger than she’d ever seen in him. His fists balled and she realized he was barely containing his shift.

Addie swallowed her impulse to reach for him again, come what may. “Are you all right?”

“No!” Kendrick swung abruptly away, grabbed a shirt out of the dresser drawer, leaving it open and askew, and headed for the door. “Stay away from me, Addison.”

He opened the door and paused a moment, his head turned deliberately away from her. Then he squared his shoulders, dragged in a breath, and went out.

The bang of the door resounded through the house.

Addie flopped back down on the bed, hugging her arms over her chest. Her heart was pounding, her blood hot, her body still feeling his weight, the imprint of his hand, the sensation of his mouth.

I want you every way I can have you, and I don’t want it gentle.

Addie let out a sound between a sigh and a growl. I don’t want it gentle, either, she longed to call after him. I just want it to be with you.

*   *   *

Addie was up early the next morning, after a night of fitful sleep. She got out of bed at dawn, showered, dressed, and walked out the front door, nearly tripping on a large white tiger who was stretched across the front porch, sound asleep.

The tiger blinked open his eyes when she stopped short, then he gave her a baleful green stare.

Addie pressed her hands to her chest. “So sorry to disturb his majesty. Oh, no, wait, it’s the lion that’s king of the beasts.”

She enjoyed Kendrick’s irritated growl for a few seconds, before her words shot back down her throat. A full-grown male lion with a thick black mane emerged from around the corner of the house and started up the porch steps.