Whisper

by Lockwood, Tressie

  “My brother has never felt it, that sense of being with the right one. He’s been with plenty of women over the years.”

  “Great to know. Thanks.”

  “No.” Max lifted her chin when she turned away. “You are different.”

  “Oh, that’s original. Listen, I’m not looking to get married, so don’t even worry about it.”

  “It’s deeper than that. I can’t explain or he’d have my hide.”

  Max sighed and tweaked a lock of her hair. The touch was the affectionate kind a brother would give a sister, but they didn’t know each other, so it seemed out of place. For some reason, she wondered where the leopard was. Would he deny they had one if she asked to come in and see it?

  “Hey, girl.”

  Whisper froze when she heard Sheila’s voice. They’d exchanged keys to each other’s places in case of emergencies, but her friend used it as a reason to drop over whenever she wanted. Whisper almost never dropped in on Sheila simply because she didn’t like it done to her. Even though she’d asked Sheila a million times to call first, her friend never took her seriously.

  “Hey,” Whisper responded and put space between her and Max, even though they hadn’t been up to anything.

  The moment she spotted Max, Sheila’s eyes lit up, and she forgot about Whisper. “Hello, there,” she said to Max and sidled up to him.

  Max towered over her shorter, much tinier friend. Sheila couldn’t look more fragile or in need of male protection. In contrast, Whisper felt like a cow that could break his toes if she made one false move. Max didn’t do more than nod, so she figured it was up to her to do the introductions.

  “Max Macgregor, this is my friend, Sheila Tate. Sheila, Max is Alec’s brother.”

  “Really?” Sheila cooed. “You’re finer than your brother. I know people have told you that.” She put her hand in Max’s and waited as if she expected him to kiss it. Max held a half grin, but Whisper couldn’t tell if he was attracted to Sheila or put off by her. He didn’t kiss her hand but raised it to inhale at her pulse. Sheila giggled and simpered, making Whisper want to hurl on her. “I’m free for dinner tonight if you want to grab a bite.”

  Talk about eager. Whisper was beginning to think all Sheila’s experiences with men weren’t about how much hotter she was than Whisper, but rather how forward she was. Whisper didn’t know why she’d never noticed before. The woman was over the top.

  “Interesting,” Max murmured. This time his expression went from amusement to open lust. He let his gaze explore at its leisure over Sheila’s form, and her friend practically primped for his inspection. Whisper rolled her eyes.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get going,” she said. “Sheila, I’ll catch you later, girl.”

  Neither of them answered her, so she strolled across the hall to her apartment and let herself in. She kicked the door closed with more force than necessary. She didn’t know why the scene outside pissed her off so much. Max wasn’t her man, and she wasn’t interested in him in the least. He wasn’t her type. As she stripped out of her work clothes she considered it. Maybe it was the fact that Sheila was so damn confident, and men always responded. After all, hadn’t Alec when they were in the laundry room? He’d denied anything was going on, and she believed him for the most part. That didn’t mean Sheila couldn’t be seduce him, and that irked her. Sometimes she thought it was just a matter of time.

  In her bra and panties, Whisper considered whether she wanted to take a shower now or wait until closer to bedtime. She glanced at her cell phone tossed on the bed and thought of Alec. She really wanted to see him, but it was too soon. Running into him in the hall instead of his brother would have been nice, but no, she had to keep a strong grip on her emotions. Lay low for a bit, and everything would be fine.

  While she considered what else she might do—read or watch TV—a scratching at her balcony door caught her attention. She went to investigate and grinned when she saw the leopard. Without hesitation, she yanked the door open to let him in.

  “You take a lot of risks, you nut. Someone could have seen you.” She dropped to her knees when he was inside and scratched beneath his chin. “Hello, baby, how are you today?”

  The cat purred under her caress, but then she paused. An odd sensation came over her. She had only seen Max the leopard a few times, and by no means did she think she knew every inflection of his beautiful, soft coat, but still, she was almost certain there was something different about him.

  The leopard nuzzled its wide head into her cleavage, and she shoved him back with all her strength chuckling. “No, it’s you. Still frisky, I see.”

  A frustrated mewl was the response, and then the cat seemed agitated, turning his head a little to the side as if to ask her a question. Whisper couldn’t believe how humanlike he was. Maybe that’s why Alec kept him as a pet.

  “Oh, you’re saying you don’t remember licking my butt when you spent the night, huh? Well, keep that tongue in your mouth this time, big boy, or out you go. We won’t tell Alec you stopped by if you leave early. Is it a deal?”

  She stood and padded to the kitchen. Maybe she had a can of tuna she could feed the cat while she made dinner for herself. Having him there made her a little less lonely and the longing to see Alec a dull desire.

  “Max, do you want tuna?” she asked him. The angry mewl made her glance over her shoulder from the cabinet where she was searching for his dinner. “What?”

  He made another protest, and she shook her head.

  “Alec gives you better food than that? What, do you eat at the table?”

  In answer, the cat jumped up with lithe grace to a chair and sat down. She chuckled, and they sat in companionable silence throughout their dinner. Later, she came to the conclusion that Max the cat didn’t like his name. He kind of growled at her whenever she used the name, so she dropped it with the intention of talking to Alec about a name change for his pet.

  In her living room, she forewent pulling a blanket over her while she watched TV and allowed the cat again to jump up to join her. His thick fur warmed her legs, and he rested his wide head on her thigh. She tapped his nose when it ventured too close to her panties, and he settled down. Whisper scratched with absentmindedness behind his ears as she took in a couple of medical drama shows, her favorites.

  When the shows were over, she flicked the TV off with the remote and settled back in her chair. A glance at the coffee table reminded her that she’d brought her cell phone in the room, and she chewed her lip. “What do you think about me seeing your owner? Will he break my heart?” she asked the cat.

  Slanted green eyes blinked up at her.

  “I know he thinks only of what his body wants and never considers the hurt of the other person. Women become attached to men when they sleep together. It’s a bigger deal than just fulfilling the physical needs for us.” She sighed and stared at the ceiling. “Do you know how many times I’ve gotten it wrong?”

  The cat growled in protest. She laughed.

  “Well not that many times. I don’t dive into bed with every Tom, Dick, and Harry.” The cat let out a puff of air, which tickled her pussy. She rolled away from him. “I can’t bear being heartbroken again. I just don’t want to. Maybe I’m closed off, and I can’t take any man at face value anymore.”

  To her surprise tears welled in her eyes and slipped down her face. This was too soon to get all emotional. She’d only gone out with Alec once, but no one understood better than her how hopeful she’d get even with a few conversations. Right now, without any love involved, he could make her sad. How did they do it?

  She sniffed and scrubbed at her face. The cat stood and jumped to the floor. He padded over to the exit, and she wiped away the water works the best she could. “Sorry for becoming a downer. You’re ready to go? All right.”

  She opened the door and let him out, then returned to her bedroom. Ice cream would help, but she had none in the house. Even though it had grown late, she figured a trek to the conve
nience store was in order. She dressed and headed out. Maybe she should have turned Alec down. After all he couldn’t know that the man she’d loved and was close to marrying had dumped her cold saying he’d fallen for someone else. The lover before that had been in a tragic accident, which took his right leg. After the accident, no matter how supportive she’d been, he drew further away until he didn’t come around at all. The various guys she’d dated around those two weren’t about anything. Sometimes she thought she was cursed, that all relationships with her were doomed to failure. Maybe it was true, and Alec should look out. No, he didn’t want a relationship, so he was safe.

  She headed out the door in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. The store wasn’t far, and the street was well-lit. At the corner, she stopped and waited for the light to change. The night might have grown late, but that didn’t slow down city traffic. Everybody had somewhere to be no matter what the time.

  “Excuse me, miss, you have the time?” A man had drawn up next to her in his car. Whisper raised an eyebrow. Was he serious? That was the oldest line in the book to start a conversation with a woman. Did he actually think she was going to talk to him this time of night?

  “Nope,” she replied and started to go around his vehicle.

  “Come on, honey,” he crooned. “Don’t treat me this way. Let’s talk a little.”

  “I’m in a hurry.” Her clipped tone didn’t seem to deter him. The man got out of the car and walked around to block her path. Whisper evaluated him. He was small but wiry. Although he didn’t look like someone ready to rob her, that didn’t mean he wasn’t a bad guy. Making the wrong assumption could get her hurt or worse. Still, something told her he was just some idiot desperate for a girlfriend. “Get out of my way.”

  “How about this.” He held out his hand. “I’m Kal. I have a job and as you can see a car. What’s your name? Maybe we could—”

  A snarl from the shadows caught both their attention. Whisper looked over her shoulder. All she needed to see was the glowing slanted eyes to know it was Alec’s pet. She suppressed a smile and turned back to the guy.

  “My boyfriend’s dog”—A dog seemed more of a threat, and she didn’t want to admit the animal was actually a leopard—“I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you. My boyfriend trained him to devour any guys that try to hit on me.”

  Another low growl that was a great imitation of a dog if she said so herself did the convincing. The guy jumped back into his car and peeled out of there without looking back. Whisper burst out laughing. “Wow, you come in handy. Sorry about the dog thing, baby.” She threw a kiss toward the spot where the cat had been, but she no longer saw his eyes or him. “You better get back home. I’ll be fine now. Thanks.”

  The cat had lightened her mood, and she no longer needed the ice cream, but she went to pick it up anyway. Tomorrow or the next couple of days when she had her date with Alec, she might need it. Whisper didn’t see the leopard, but something told her he wasn’t far. She decided not to tell Alec about his pet protecting her just in case he wasn’t allowed outside on his own, which she was sure he wasn’t. How a wild leopard on the loose didn’t attack people, she didn’t know. The fact that he was smarter than the average cat was obvious, but she still should have her head examined for accepting it.

  All was quiet back at the apartment, and Whisper put her ice cream in the freezer and then took herself off to bed. Tomorrow was another day.

  Chapter Six

  Alec rubbed a towel over his wet hair, frowning. What had he been thinking going to Whisper’s apartment? He could admit in the privacy of his own thoughts that he’d longed to see her sooner than the three days she’d given him. He was a fool. Maybe he should cut this one loose before the situation got out of hand. Of course he didn’t take Max’s words seriously that she was his mate. Alec had never come across any woman that gave him that “feeling” so many of his kind talked about, and he refused to believe whatever draw Whisper held was anything other than a desire for her luscious body.

  To deny excitement coursed through his veins at seeing her tonight and the thought of touching her was to lie to himself, and he wasn’t in the habit of doing that. Another thing he wasn’t in the habit of doing was going out onto the city streets in his leopard form. That was dangerous and foolish. They could not be discovered. Yet, when he heard her pass his place, he knew he would follow. The city wasn’t safe for a woman alone at night, and he’d been proven correct when that bastard had tried coming onto her. Alec found himself using all of his willpower not to attack the guy. If he had touched her… No, that didn’t bear thinking about.

  He tossed the towel aside in anger and sat on the side of his bed. What the hell was this? In an instant, he’d gone from lusting for her to uttering possessive mewls like she belonged to him. The only knowledge that gave him any peace was that he wasn’t behaving the way his brother had when he met Sarah. He’d been like a kitten in love, bouncy and playful whenever he was in her presence. Max had been intolerable at that time, almost sickening. Alec tolerated him only for Sarah, who’d been a sweet woman, one of the best, and perfect for his brother. She’d been devoted to him.

  Now that I think about it, I was almost jealous of him. I wanted what he had found. Well, until I came to my senses.

  He put thoughts of Whisper and how much he wanted her out of his head for the time being. Tonight he would be a perfect gentleman. He’d show her a good time and then drop her at her door none the worse. His plan was to leave her wanting and unable to resist seeking him out. Then he’d welcome her with open arms.

  Alec left his apartment and crossed the hall to Whisper’s place. He’d had plenty of time to find a house now, but he was putting it off. The apartment was convenient. He could watch over her, and when he didn’t Max did. For some reason antagonizing Alec by pretending an interest in Whisper had eased some of his brother’s grief. Alec knew if Max thought she was his, he would not get in the way, so for now, Alec let him believe what he wanted. For the first time in months, Max wasn’t driving him insane acting out the torment that was in his heart. If nothing else, Alec had to thank Whisper for that.

  When Whisper opened the door, he did all he could not to let on how she affected him. Her beauty took his breath away. Wide brown eyes, soft thick lips, and a cute nose. She stood no higher than his collarbone, and although she was plump—which set his loins on fire—she still appeared fragile to him. He didn’t appreciate the sense of wanting to protect her, but it was there inside of him.

  “That dress,” he breathed.

  She frowned and looked down at herself. “You don’t like it? I know it’s a little clingy. I thought it wasn’t so bad.” She swung away from him a little trying to see behind her. He got a view of her curvy ass, and she was right, the dress was clingy. Wonderfully clingy. His palms itched for a squeeze, but he refrained.

  “I love it. You look beautiful tonight, and blue is perfect with your smooth cocoa skin.” He raised her hand, flipped it over, and kissed her palm. The tremble satisfied him that she was affected by his touch.

  She blushed and lowered her lashes. Did she know the power she held in those eyes? He doubted it.

  “Thanks,” she murmured. “So why did I have to get dressed up? Where are we going?”

  He tsked. “Wait and see.”

  When they reached the street, he watched for her reaction to the horse and carriage. Her eyes widened, and her mouth made a little O. He suppressed a smile. After he helped her into the carriage, Alec snapped the reins, and they were off.

  “So cool. I’ve always wanted to take a carriage ride, but I never got around to trying it. No one I’ve ever dated wanted to try either.” She set a hand on his forearm and squeezed gently. “Thanks, Alec.”

  “This is only the beginning of our date.” He winked. “You can save your gratitude for later.”

  She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Boy, don’t even get excited. I am not rewarding you like that!”

  He laugh
ed. “I would never imply such a thing.”

  “Whatever.”

  The carriage took them through the park along lighted paths. He had to hand it to the city in keeping up with safety measures for its residents. Of course, nothing would happen to Whisper while he was at her side. He could guarantee it.

  When the way opened to an area just off the path, Whisper leaned forward. “What is that?”

  Alec said nothing. He let her discover the table and chairs, the soft music, a waiter preparing glasses of chilled wine. Alec helped her down from the carriage and couldn’t resist a slight caress at her waist as he guided her to their table.

  “Did you get special permission for this?”

  He pulled out her chair and seated her. Bending over behind her, he spoke into her ear. “Don’t worry. I want you to enjoy yourself.”

  While she still appeared nervous, her eyes did reflect enjoyment at the scene he had laid out before her. Two dozen roses and candlelight set the mood. Alec planned to take her into his arms after dinner to dance under the stars.