Tanner's Scheme by Lora Leigh

expected.
    “Getting fucked will be an added benefit,” he said. “Go get your bath; we can discuss terms later.”
    Fine. They could discuss it later. Just chickie. Suited her. She didn’t know if she had enough mental capabilities to discuss the weather right now, let alone the terms to anything.
    She gripped the sheet, intending to pull it with her as she rose.
    “No sheet.” Hard. Growling. The tone had her gaze jerking back to his and then to the hand gripping the sheet through the quilt that covered it.
    Now, why hadn’t she just expected that one? Son of a bitch, she was supposed to be protected from Breed kidnappings or attempted hits by Jonas. What? Did the director of Breed affairs forget to send out that memo? Tanner was supposed to be contained and his movements reported to her if he came anywhere close to her, because of his rumored declaration to see the Tallants wiped off the face of the Earth. And she was after all a Tallant. What the hell had happened to Jonas protecting her? First she had seen he had ditched that stupid party, and now this?
    “Fine. No sheet.” She rose to her feet, letting the sheet and quilt slide over her body.
    She had learned a long time ago not to let her own nudity distress her. No weakness was her father’s motto as well. And that meant none. He had raised her with the same iron fist that he had trained his marines with when he was in the Corps.
    Holding her head high, she gave him a mocking little smile and moved without haste to the bathroom.
    Suck it in, Breed, she thought with a spurt of amusement as his eyes heated and his hard body tensed. It was like teasing a hungry animal, and something inside her decided it was fitting punishment. For both of them.
    ———
    Tanner leaned against the thick post of the bed, crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. Bad mistake. It was all he could do to keep the mocking amusement on his face rather than go to his knees and drool like a cur dog as she walked past.
    Bengal Tigers did not drool.
    But damn if she wasn’t a sight worth drooling for. Sleek, well-toned flesh, long silky hair and a grace that had him clenching his teeth to hold back a sliver of respect.
    Small, high breasts, a rounded little tummy and curl-covered pussy. Most women waxed or shaved their pussies, keeping the flesh there soft and silky smooth. And Breeds had no true body hair themselves. Which meant he was fascinated by it. Loved it. He couldn’t wait to find out what those soft curls hid from his gaze, flesh only his fingers had known so far.
    Long sable hair fell to her waist, tangled but silky and thick, caressing her back and hips with a flirting sexiness he found definitely appealing.
    She was beautiful. Simply beautiful. And weaker than a kitten. He was going to have to have a little talk with Jackal about the strength of the dosage in that sedative. Fuck, he was a mess and he hated being a mess. Calm and controlled, that was his motto. Unless he was between a pair of beautiful thighs belonging to a hot woman. That was worth letting go of a little control. But not this much. Never this much.
    Tanner sighed wearily as he heard the water running in the bathroom, before pacing to the cabinets Callan had set along the side of the cavern wall, while keeping a careful ear on Scheme in the bathroom.
    She was muttering to herself. He couldn’t catch what she was saying, but if he had any parentage, it was definitely being called into question.
    Shaking his head, he drew the microwave, hot plate and coffeepot from below the counter and set them in place before plugging them into the outlets set into the stone wall.
    Getting electricity down here had been a pain in the ass. He bet Callan had spent three years running their asses into the ground to wire this place. It was their last safe hole—caverns so deeply imbedded beneath the ground and layered with so many different minerals and ores that even the ground-penetrating satellites above the earth