"So we're ok then?" he asked, even as she continued to kiss his face and neck.

"Wonderful." She sat up and pulled him with her, wrapping her legs around his waist.

The tiger cub trotted over and pushed between them, carrying a rubber ball in his mouth. Dee ruffled its fur and tossed the ball, delighting in watching the animal chase the toy. The cub raced back over, tripping over his too big paws, and somersaulting against the two. Laughing, Dee pulled the cub back between Eddie and herself, resting it on its back.

"You really didn't have to get him for me, Eddie. Knowing that you found my favorite flower would've been enough."

"Perhaps. But I wanted to, and I had a perfect opportunity to get both." He leaned forward and kissed her neck. "He came with the name Makari."

Dee looked down at the cub who was sucking on the end of her hair. Eddie felt a bit dizzy as she half shifted into a tiger and grumbled something at the animal. He was surprised to hear what sounded like a response, followed by a short conversation between the two felines. Laughing, Dee shifted back as the cub gurgled happily, waving his paws in the air.

"What was that all about?"

"I asked him if he liked it here. He says he misses his mom. I asked if I could be his mom. He said yes. I asked if I could call him Tangram instead of Makari. He likes Tangram better."

"Tangram?"

"Yes. Tangram. You know, the Chinese seven piece shape puzzle," she teased, tilting her head up at him.

He grunted. "Funny, Kitten."

She smirked and licked his chin. "Don't think this lets you off the hook. I still expect some making up tonight."

"You do, do you?"

Ruffling the cub's fur, Dee tossed the ball, watching the animal skitter after it. Turning back to Edward, she grinned wickedly at him. Her tongue ran along his jaw, stopping under his ear where she kissed him again.

"Yes, I do," she breathed into his ear, nipping the lobe lightly.

Eddie shuddered underneath her, but could not move otherwise. The girl knew too many switches on him. Knew exactly how to turn him to her will. She was proving to be rather feisty and sensual, which he found to be quite thrilling. Sexy without being trashy. Seductive, yet romantic.

Still grinning, she kissed the tip of his nose before shifting into a tiger cub herself and running off to play with Tangram.

You are in so much trouble! his mind cackled. Are you certain you can handle her?

"I'm going to damn well try," he muttered, watching her tumble around with her new pet. He had to smile at her coat of choice, wondering if it was intentional, or just an unconscious choice that her stripes were elongated question marks. Luck, Ed. For once luck is on your side.

His stomach growled and he realized he had yet to eat dinner. Getting up, he went to the kitchen to see what he could find. Pouring himself a healthy dose of scotch, he sipped that as he perused the contents of the fridge. He picked up the foil packet, sniffed it, and took it to the counter to investigate the contents. A grumble rose in his throat as he opened the packet.

"Dee Lemma! You get in here right now!" he roared.

The sound of galloping feet echoed from the living room and toward the kitchen. Two tigers burst into the kitchen, sliding to a stop in front of him. Dee changed back, panting and smiling. She noticed the packet on the counter and quickly washed her hands.

"Oh, good. You found the food Li Mei sent back for you," she smiled. Taking the packet from him, she tipped the contents into a bowl and popped it in the microwave. "She made you some pork dumplings, special. Said that if you were going to be pigheaded, you might as well have pork."

He grunted. "Why didn't you tell me you were over there?"

"You didn't ask," she replied filling a bowl with rice from the rice cooker. "Wanna go to the Iceberg after you eat?"

"They told me you weren't there. I asked and they said you weren't there!"

She blinked as she took the dumplings from the microwave, placing them on top of the rice. "They said you only came by to ask if they'd help you figure out how to apologize to me. Manchu said..."

"Yes. Manchu. Manchu and Jiaoshu. I asked them and they asked why you weren't with me. I told them we had a fight..."

Calmly she drizzled the ginger sauce over the dumplings and rice. "So neither actually told you I was there or not."

Red faced and scowling, he waved his scotch glass at her, and said, "Let's not quibble about the semantics. Why didn't you come talk to me?"

The bowl in one hand, Dee grabbed his belt buckle in the other and dragged him into the living room. She motioned for him to remove his jacket and have a seat. Once he was settled, she handed the dish to him and climbed onto the back of his seat.

"Eat," she insisted, massaging his temples as he ate. "Manchu is Jiaoshu's successor. He's also my co-conspirator from childhood. Pardon the pun, but ever since Manchu was accepted as Jiaoshu's successor, those two have been as thick as thieves." Tipping his head back into her lap, she kissed his forehead, nose, and chin. "Do me a favor and don't trust either one of them alone, and especially if they're together and I'm not around, ok? They like messing with people, even me. And they know we've slept together now."

"Yes," he said bitterly as he recalled the interrogation he had suffered. "Jiaoshu demanded I tell him if we had."

She sighed, chuckling as she shook her head. "He already knew, Tiger. I told them before you got there. It was a test to see if you would tell him the truth."

Another grunt. Dee laughed softly as she slid around into his lap. He scowled, setting his empty bowl aside and picking up his scotch.

Putting her finger on his nose, she said, "See, that along with the fact that you like me - you reaaally like me - just makes it all the more fun for them to push your buttons."

"Push my buttons?" He snorted, taking a sip of scotch and swishing it around. "No one pushes my buttons."

Raising an eyebrow at him, Dee smirked. Walking her fingers up his shirtfront, she said, "I could push your buttons. You can push mine."

"I thought you would be busy with your new child," he replied, smiling now as he pushed his hand under the edge of her shirt.

"He's sleeping, Mr. Nigma." She pointed to the couch where the cub was happily curled up, twitching away in his feline dreams. "And he ate right before you took him. So it's just you and me, Tiger."

"Unless we go to the Iceberg. See who's around. I could use another drink after the day I had," he said, taking the last sip of scotch.

Before he could swallow it, Dee kissed him, sucking most of the liquor into her mouth. She licked the dribble of scotch from his chin, giggling as his hand under her shirt froze. "Oh, yes. You've had such a trying day," she teased.

What a dirty game to play! Gathering himself together, he coolly said, "My foot hurts."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Yours. So you had better take care of it." He pulled her shoes and socks off, squeezing her toes and tickling her feet. "It hurts badly."

"That is entirely your own fault. Not mine. But I think I know something that will make your foot feel better," she said, kissing his neck.

"If that's it, then you've got a lot of kissing to do."

Her throaty laugh gave him goose bumps. She stood up, pulling him with her. Backing down the hall, she took her shirt off, tossing it at him. "C'mon, Tiger. You owe me a dance."

A smirk tugged at his mouth as he hobbled over and swept her into his arms. Yes, fighting with her was going to be fun. Making up with her was going to be better. The endorphins swarmed his body as she softly sucked a spot on his neck, making him feel lightheaded.

"I can't dance on this foot. Besides, you'd just step on it if we tried."

"Oh, hush. I've never stepped on your feet." She hooked a leg around his hip and pulled herself up into his arms. "But since I know you can't dance, how about we go make some music? I'd like to try again. No awkwardness this time."

He put his arms around her, supporting her weight. "Do you think you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Besides, I had a really good time last night, and I liked it." She kissed his neck again and nibbled on his earlobe.

There was no way he could suppress or hide the shiver of delight that ran through his body. Slowly he swallowed, leaning his back against the wall. "I don't think..."

Her voice was breathy in his ear; a mere whisper. "I'm not asking you to think, Tiger. I'm asking you to make love to me like you did last night. You got me past the main hurdle. That's all I needed. Prove to me that I wasn't just dreaming what I felt last night. Please, Eddie?"

"No pressure on a guy, huh?" he asked, adjusting her in his arms as he made his way into his room.

"No, Eddie. No pressure." She nuzzled his ear. "Never any pressure. This is to relieve pressure."

At that point, he let her will take them to the bed. He followed her as willingly as he had followed every woman who led him to bed. However, he knew that like last night, this time, and every time after, would be completely different. No more would he feel disgusted with himself for giving in to a woman's advances. There was no worry that she would take his money and run, or stay to manipulate him.

Later, he held her as she slept, his nose buried in her hair. With his arms wrapped around her, he sighed. Once more it had been amazing. The awkwardness wasn't there, and Dee claimed no discomfort this time. Now she sighed in her sleep and pressed herself more firmly to his body, her hand cupping his hip as she held him. Eddie smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"You're right. I'm not letting you go. And like it or not, I'm staking my claim on you. You're mine. All mine..." he yawned just before falling asleep himself.
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