Masks of a Tiger by Doris O'Connor Read Free Book Online Page A

anymore. Something
about Neeve's vulnerability—hidden as it was under
her tough words, snarkyness , and devil-may-care
attitude—had dragged the past up kicking and screaming. The fact that he'd
caused her earlier breakdown, albeit without meaning to, did not sit well with
him.
    He took a step away from
her, and he suppressed a grin at the way her body followed his, before she
startled and pulled back, chewing her bottom lip. He hardened to the point of
pain, and he balled his hands into fists to stop himself from touching
her.   Sex with Neeve would blow his mind, even vanilla sex, if the sexual chemistry hovering between
them was anything to go by. The problem was Grisha wanted more than just sex. His tiger whined, and Grisha shut his eyes and shook his head. He wasn't expecting the tentative touch to
his chest that burned as though she'd branded him.
    There was concern in her
topaz eyes before she dropped her gaze to her hand resting over his heart, and
she frowned. He covered it with one of his own, and she drew a raggedy breath
into her lungs. Her scent increased again, this time laced with the sweet musk
of her arousal, and Grisha cupped her chin with the
other hand to make her look at him.
    "Why shouldn't you
have come here, sweetheart?" Her eyes fluttered to his face, and she
swallowed hard.
    "I only came to
drop off your jacket.   But then you were
starting your show, and I couldn't … I mean … I'm not sure what happened back
there, but I'm okay now, and I need to get home." She glanced briefly into
the dungeon, and a shudder went through her. He squeezed her hand and increased
the pressure of his fingers on her chin. She blinked and brought her focus back
to him, like he'd wanted her to.
    " Neeve , don’t ever lie to me. If this thing between us is to
have any chance of working, then you need to be honest with me. Any
relationship needs honesty. In a Dom/sub relationship honesty is of the utmost
importance. Communication is the key, or I could end up hurting you badly, or
trigger something in your past, that will cause you emotional pain or worse.
Just like my show tonight. That's why you had such an extreme reaction, didn’t
you, sweetheart?"
    She fidgeted under his
stare, and tears filled her vision. She resolutely blinked them away and stuck
her chin out.
    "What thing between
us? I told you before I'm no sub, and I'm not going to jump into bed with you.
I don't even like you." She dropped her eyes back to where their joined
hands were still resting on his chest, but she didn't pull away, and Grisha leant in close, crowding her back against the wall.
    Heat crept into her
cheeks, and her breaths grew labored, but she defiantly held his gaze.   He pointedly stared at her rapidly beating
pulse point and then back into her eyes.
    "Liar." He whispered
the words, satisfied to see her eyes darken as he licked a path along her jaw
and then took her trembling bottom lip between his teeth and bit down slightly.
She whimpered in response, and he traced her lips with his tongue, willing her
to open for him. When she did, he tasted heaven. The scent and taste of her
drove his tiger wild, and it took every ounce of his self-control and years of
being a Dom to not give in to his baser instincts. The need to brand her, to
see his marks on her skin, to demand her complete submission, burnt through his
veins like liquid fire.
    She melted into his
frame when he took the kiss deeper, her feminine sighs spurring him on. He
allowed her to tug her hand free and grasp his shoulders, sensing her need to
be in control, to push him a little. He ran his hands down her sides and cupped
the globes of her ass, lifting her farther up his body. Her legs went round his
waist, and when she returned his kiss with all the passion he'd sensed in her,
he knew she'd surrendered.
    A chuckle behind them
broke through the lust filled haze surrounding them, and Neeve froze in his arms. She tried in vain to disentangle herself.
    "Please, let me