I return his query. “How do you feel?” After all, he apparently got hit with the thing too, maybe not as bad as me, but he still got a blast. Not bad enough to stop him serenading his daughter, I reminded myself.
“Incredible,” he said, shaking his head, perplexed.
“That’s dolphin medicine for you,” I laughed, feeling a million miles from cheerful.
He moved over to sit next to me on the low, wide bed. It was laid with a mattress of lamonola, these buoyant, fragrant weeds that ruin you for land beds forever. As he came to sit next to me, his eyes held mine and I know where all this was going to lead. And this time it wasn’t some vision. It was just that girl intuition you get just before a guy kisses you. It sits thick and real in the air between you. And I couldn’t wait. I felt like I’d wanted it forever.
Since the shower.
Since I saw him standing at the buffet with his wolf’s smile.
I tried to stop it. “Where’s your wife, and child?”
“Tila lives here, Rania, but not Leisen. And I told you before, I can explain.”
I knew it was wrong. Goddamit I knew it was wrong, but I put my hand on his arm and didn’t let him finish. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. I had no idea what it meant, but just for now I wanted to taste him. I knew I’d regret it, thinking about it later. I am, at heart, a good girl. And there were too many unanswered questions about him now. I’m Sicilian. Suspicion was burned into my cells at conception. And I’m a cop too. Trusting’s never been a great help in the field. Especially when someone lies to you from the start.
I felt myself shiver, like my skin was trying to shake off all threat and doubt.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered, dark and close. He traced one finger around the curve of my face, starting at the place where my hair meets my forehead, then sliding down the outside of one cheek, rubbing my chin with his thumb. “I will protect you.”
I knew it was true, somehow I knew it was true. But I had no idea who was going to protect me from him. Because right now he could do anything to me he wanted.
When he kissed me, it was like my whole body rolled over and said: Well, finally, that’s what we’ve been after all this time. It was hot and fierce, but endlessly comforting at once. His tongue was warm behind the cool of his lips, and his hands traced slow, deliberate circles across my back and through my hair. He laid me down beside him and ran the flat of his hands all over me, like he was trying to imprint the very image of me onto them. The sensation was like nothing I’ve ever felt. The rough rasp of his warm palms through the cold press of the water.
There was a low, slow ache in my breasts and my nipples were tight and tingly as my stomach slid into a jittery dance, the very center of me on slow burn. I watched, mesmerized, as the finger that had caressed my face slid down my neck, across my chest and towards my belly, circling my navel in long, slow loops that had my hips starting to buck a little in impatience.
“Rania, Carragheen, it’s time.” We jumped in horrified unison at Mom’s voice. I wondered if Aegir himself kept sending people to interrupt us. And if that should make me worry. As I leapt up, he caught my arm. His hand was so strong it frightened me and I thought about what I’d heard in his head. What choices had he meant? What the hell was I doing?
I pulled away, but he cupped big, warm hands around my face. “Be careful, Rania.”
He didn’t try to hide the thought that echoed in his brain as I left. I will not lose you.
Chapter Nine
A Link and a Hidden Thing
Dirtwater
The mist was clearing and I felt like I could almost drag myself up out of Mom’s Jacuzzi. I looked over at her, floating on the top of the lightly rose-scented water, a tiny blue-green fish darting around her like she was an interesting island. She looked peaceful, but she was still scattered. She’s older, so it takes her longer to come round.