was completely closed off from him. She’d shut him out. He felt the distance between them. He didn’t just feel it, Shturm felt it as well. His cat prowled and snarled, pacing back and forth as if afraid she might bolt, taking his mate with her.
No matter how many ways he’d opened the conversation, trying to explain, she had shut it down, turning away from him, acting indifferent, uncaring, curling into the smallest ball he’d ever seen in the middle of their bed while he was so restless, his body raging at him for relief, desperate to rid itself of the buildup of aggression that was worsening by the moment. He didn’t want to use the ropes. He wanted to talk to Flambé, to try to sort out what was between them, to come to terms together and commit to each other.
Her leopard had to emerge soon. The few glimpses he’d manage to catch, the female had been potent, bordering on desperate. She was so close. Heaven help him, but she needed to make her appearance before Rolan made his. Somehow, and he wasn’t certain how, he had to make this right with Flambé.
The fragrance with little hints of freesia, Moroccan rose and Egyptian jasmine spiced with cinnamon, cloves and coriander drifted to him. He inhaled deeply, taking her into his lungs. She smelled like heaven to him. The moment he scented her, he tasted her on his tongue. That set up a craving. He was addicted to that taste, the combination.
He turned to greet her. She looked pale, dark circles under her eyes. She’d slept restlessly. “Good morning.” He didn’t have a great opening line and he needed one. Desperately. They had to talk things out.
She nodded to him. To get to the coffee pot, she’d have to walk past him. She could skirt around the long kitchen aisle, but that would only prove she was avoiding him. She didn’t even look at the coffee pot. She went straight to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water, and went out the door to the verandah.
Sevastyan sighed and followed her. “We’re going to have to talk about it, Flambé.”
She leaned against the railing, staring out over the expanse of property. She didn’t even turn her head. “I don’t see any point. You explain. I accept the explanation. Then everything goes to hell all over again. It’s kind of a vicious cycle, Sevastyan.” She took a sip of water. “Do you know what I like about plants? About trees and shrubs? You can count on them. They’re always going to perform the same way.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I’m beginning to see that in you. I just had different expectations.” Her half smile held no humor. “Leopards don’t really change their spots.”
“What does that mean?”
She turned away from him. It never failed to amaze him how much she appealed to him. Everything about her. He should have been telling her that from the start. Now, if he said it she wouldn’t believe him. He tried to think what Mitya did for Ania. Mitya could be tough, even brutal, and Ania and Mitya had a very healthy sex life, but what were the small things that his cousin did that made Ania know he loved her beyond all else?
Actions were always so much better than words. He’d made the mistake of relying on their sex life, their connection through the ropes, and not putting any real thought into the little things that would have reassured Flambé that he meant to put her first in their life together. Had he done that, what had transpired the night before wouldn’t have caused such a visceral reaction.
“You have to be who you are, Sevastyan. I have to be who I am. It’s that simple when you really come down to it.”
“What do you think I’m like?”
“You know what you’re like. I don’t have to tell you.” She pushed her hair back and then pressed the water bottle to her temple. “I’ve got a bit of a headache. I think I need caffeine. If you’ll excuse me.” She turned away from him and went back inside.
Cursing under his breath, Sevastyan followed her in. The moment the door swung closed, the strobes went off, indicating someone had driven onto the property. “We’ve got company, Flambé,” he called out and snagged a gun, going to the front door, eyes on the security screen. “Stay out of sight.”