A Seacat's Love (Oceanan Trilogy Book 1) by Jessica Kong Read Free Book Online Page B

have to protect the orange –and-black striped tiger.
    “I promise,” he reassured her.
    What else could he do? Being the man that he was, Rick would not—could not—allow anything to happen to Tigif. Leonora thanked him with a smile that could brighten a room. Rick’s heart banged furiously against his ribs at the heavenly sight.
    Looking everywhere but into her hypnotic eyes, he struggled to stay focused. “Leonora, do you…umm…think you can…aah… change your clothes if I…” He cleared his throat. “Help you sit up?” He noticed his hands shook. He hid it by making two fists.
    “My clothes?”
    “Yes, honey, we…umm…ahem.” His eyes rolled in disgust. “We have to get rid of your clothes. The bathroom is next door. I’ve… uh…brought you a shirt of mine. But I’m afraid we’ll…aah…have to buy you a pair of jeans later. We don’t have much time right now.”
    He showed her the shirt and then placed it at her side. “I don’t know if I’ve been discovered yet, but I don’t intend on staying here to find out. We’re leaving immediately to my safe house. No one knows of its location but me. So how about it, darling? Do you think you can do it?”
    “Of course,” she replied, already sitting up.
    Rick smiled at her inner strength. He placed a supportive arm around a shoulder that trembled. “Here, let me help you.” Five sharp blades dug into his left bicep and yanked him from her side.
    “She does not need your help,
human!”
    “Tigif! What are you doing?” Leonora scolded in disbelief.
    “If anyone is going to assist her, it shall be me.”
    “Tigif!”
    “It’s all right.” Rick raised his hand to assure her.
    “No, it is not all right. Tigif—”
    “Forget it, Leonora. Really, there’s no time for this. I need both of your clothes immediately.” Looking into her pale eyes had a soothing effect on him. “I’ll be in, in about fifteen minutes. Do you think you’ll need more time?”
    “All I need is five,” she answered him just as softly.
    This time Rick gave her his most dashing smile and wink. “That’s my girl.” He faced Tigif with a seething expression. “You can change in the bathroom, and you have two minutes.” He held up two fingers for emphases.
    The cat opened his mouth. Rick figured he was about to protest. Leonora cleared her throat, stopping him. Instead, Tigif growled and stormed off to the bathroom. Rick followed him out. Before closing the bedroom door, he took a last peek over his shoulder. A glimpse of firm, young breast, trying to escape a blouse one size too small, caused him to exhale—sadly.
    Man, get a grip
. Rick scowled.
She belongs to someone else. Besides, she’s not even human
.
    He went back to his bedroom to put on his disguise. It consisted of larger clothes that made him appear thinner, a salt-and-pepper wig, black-colored contacts, a silicon face that made him look three times older, and some silicon fingertips. When he had rented the car, he had used an alias.
    While he blended in the edges of his mask with makeup, he thought of Leonora’s deceptor device.
It would be much easier if I had one of those
. Rick stared at the older man in the mirror.
I wonder how I would look as a cat
.
    Back in the guestroom, Leonora gingerly removed her torn, bloodstained denim pants and shirt from her aching body. She detected the sound of running water from beyond her closed door. Not about to wait in the nude for Tigif to finish, she put Rick’s black shirt on.
    It was made of silk and fell to midthigh. His mesmerizing scent, combined with the shirt’s softness, soothed her frail nerves. Since she crashed into him in the research lab, he filled her thoughts. She had felt an instant attraction for the human, the likes she had never known with any male—feline or alien.
    Everything about Rick pleased her. From the top of his golden crown and blue eyes, to his muscular built, down to the soles of his black booted feet. He showed signs of