“I’ll have Gedeon escort you away from here as soon as you’ve rested. He’ll make certain you’re completely clear of all shifter territory. I never should have allowed Rogue to put you in this position.”
Maya sighed. She knew she wasn’t capable of a relationship with Gorya. What could she possibly give him? She was damaged goods. How could she fight for him if she wasn’t prepared to live with him? She struggled to think of a way out for them both. She knew there wasn’t one. Either she accepted the situation and his claim on her or she took the out he was giving her and walked away, leaving him to do whatever he felt he had to do.
Gorya still faced the window, refusing to look at her. He might have regained control, but that only added to the determination in every line of his body. From the back, he looked relaxed, once more the man who appeared to command everyone around him when he chose. She found it interesting that he could appear so easygoing and charming, and yet the moment he entered a room, those around him knew he was in charge and listened to every word he said.
“Maybe before we make permanent decisions, we should just slow everything down.”
Maya couldn’t think what else to say to him. She needed time. Sliding the pack from her back, she placed it on the bench at the end of the bed.
“It’s best if you just go now, Maya. I’ll text Gedeon and have him come get you. Grab a bottle of water. Use the bathroom. If you’re hungry, Gedeon and Meiling can feed you before you take off. He’ll let me know when you’re safely away.”
She noticed his fingers had curled tighter into fists. The fists were pressed against his thighs. His hands were back to displaying tension.
“Are you saying you’ve finally come to your senses and realized from my panic attack that I’m too much trouble and you don’t want to be with me after all?” She forced a note of self-deprecating humor into her voice.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Maya. I’m doing my best to save you. It isn’t easy letting you go. I have no idea how to have a relationship. None at all. But I can’t imagine living in this world without you. I’m doing my best for you. You have to get out of here now.”
There was sincerity in his tone. Her stomach rolled, and heat rushed through her veins unexpectedly. He didn’t want her to leave any more than she wanted to go. He was in the same dilemma as she was. Neither one of them knew what they were doing or how to fix what was broken in them.
“I think we should slow things down, Gorya, and not make decisions so fast. We’re both a little tired and hungry. I’m not quite ready to say we can’t make this work.”
“Really? You’re prepared to be my partner in every way? Sleep in my bed?”
There was a harsh rasp to his normally charming voice. A note of desire. Maya winced, grateful he wasn’t looking at her. She swallowed the first six things she considered saying, choosing her reply carefully.
“I have no idea if I’m even able to be a partner in every way. Honestly, I very much doubt it. The idea of it terrifies me, but I’m willing to consider ways to do this. We haven’t explored any possibilities. If you really want to give up this easily, go ahead and text Gedeon to come for me. I won’t believe for a moment that it’s because you’re trying to save me. You have a leopard. No one wants to deprive their leopard of its mate if they find the right one.”
She poured a wealth of challenge into her voice, daring him to deny the truth of her statement. She had no idea what she was doing. What if she couldn’t stay with him? What if she had another panic attack in front of him? She didn’t want to appear weak to him.
Maya spun around and stalked toward the primary bathroom. She needed to find some breathing room. She didn’t spend a lot of time with other people, and she needed space—especially from Gorya. She never expected to be the one fighting for something she didn’t even believe possible.
Fingers settled around her wrist. Gently. Firmly. A shackle, yet barely felt. She swung around, prepared to fight, her heart wild, adrenaline rushing through her system. She recognized his scent. His touch. Yet she was still wary. No one put hands on her, yet she hadn’t pulled a knife and stuck it into his chest. That was something. That was progress.
Her eyes met his, her heart skipped a beat and her stomach did that funny flip. She didn’t know how to interpret his look. It was soft. No one had ever looked at her like that before, and she wasn’t certain how to respond. There was a melting sensation she didn’t want to admit to. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but it was a half- hearted attempt and they both knew it.
“Maya.” His thumb stroked over the inside of her wrist, sending a thousand fiery embers sparkling through her veins. “You don’t want this. Once we commit, you know there isn’t going to be a way to turn back.”
She knew he was right. She knew, but she couldn’t let him go. She detested that he could feel her trembling. It made her look weak when she wasn’t a weak woman.
Maya lifted her chin at him. “At least we need to give ourselves time to sit down together and discuss the possibilities.”
He had to stop brushing her bare skin with the pad of his thumb. An electrical current flowed from Gorya to her and back again in a continuous loop. She felt sparks over her skin, in her bloodstream and even in her mind. She told herself to pull away from him but found she couldn’t.
“You don’t find my touch entirely repulsive?”
She wanted to lie, but he was a man who could read women. He could see he was affecting her breathing. She was fairly certain he would affect any woman’s breathing.
“Not entirely, no.” She interjected a teasing note into her voice in an effort to show him she wasn’t as affected by him as he might think.
Excerpted from Leopard’s Hunt by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2024 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
