Cassandra Pierce - Diamonds in the Sand [The Aquans 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Special Edition)
Page 3
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Maura sympathized.
“Don’t waste your pity on her. Cyra can take care of herself.” Ivar grinned. “Anyway, you’ll find out for yourself. She’s bound to wash up again in a day or two. Forewarned is forearmed, I always say. So be prepared.”
“My sister’s not as tough as you think.” Daq’s voice grew defensive. “A lot of that is an act.”
“Was it a long relationship?” Maura asked.
“Not really. I would call it more of a fling,” Janko said. “With five guys. And every last one of them turned his back on her at the same time. Ouch, right?”
“Five guys?” Maura choked out.
“Yup.” They all spoke in unison and then paused, expecting her to comment further. Maura was so shocked she wasn’t sure what to say.
“Well…I suppose everyone’s needs are different,” she said noncommittally. Privately, she wondered how that could work, logistically or emotionally. Would Cyra be…intimate…with all five at once? Would they take turns? She couldn’t even imagine an answer.
On the other hand, she thought as she looked around the table, she could see the appeal in having five guys lusting after her at one time. It presented a delicious fantasy.
“Enough of this. Why don’t you tell us more about the research you came to assist Septimus with?” Daq suggested. He seemed eager to change the subject. “Maybe it’ll help us come up with a clue where to look for him.”
Grateful to move on to a less incendiary topic, Maura nodded. “Well, he wrote and told me he’d made some exciting new discovery, and he wanted to discuss it with me. I took that to mean he wanted help publishing the results, or having me verify his findings. But I don’t know for sure. He was very mysterious about the whole thing.”
Ivar frowned. “What do you think he meant?”
“I honestly have no idea. Knowing Septimus, it could be anything from mapping out a shipwreck to documenting a new species of snail. Or it might simply have been a finding that contradicted some long-held scientific trope.”
“Doesn’t give us much.” Daq ground his teeth. Maura couldn’t help but notice how sexy he looked when he did that.
“I could go through his notes and computer,” Maura offered. “Maybe I can find a clue about what he was working on and where he went.”
“Okay. That’s a plan.”
“Well, we’re going into port today,” Tagin said, glancing at Ejan. The two grinned at each other, no doubt remembering their night together. Maura knew the feeling. “We need to get the boat serviced and pick up some supplies.”
“Go ahead. Daq and I will do the dishes,” Ivar said. “Janko made breakfast, so I guess it’s our turn to pitch in.”
“That means I get to take Maura to Septimus’s work area,” Janko said. “Come on.”
Maura got up and followed him out. They crossed the beach, made their way up a slight incline strewn with rocks and wild vines, and walked into the small bungalow she’d spotted earlier.
Inside, Septimus had set up a crowded but functional office. Books lined the sagging shelves he’d pushed up against every available inch of wall space, and a desktop computer sat in one corner with piles of notes scattered around it. Maura seated herself and shuffled through them.
To her surprise, Janko leaned over her shoulder to look on with her when she opened a lined journal and began flipping the pages. She felt his chest brush her shoulders, and his long hair touched her neck. If she turned her head, his lips would be so close to hers. Did he suspect she and Daq had become lovers last night? Or was “lovers” the wrong word? Maybe they had just been indulging a physical itch?
She thought about Cyra and her allegedly wild lifestyle. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have both Daq and Janko pleasuring her at the same time.
Janko’s hot gaze drifted over her shoulder as if he sensed her naughty thoughts.
“You’re thinking about Daq,” he said.
“What?” she jumped, startled, and dropped some of Septimus’s notes. “Why do you say that?”
Janko laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not psychic or anything. It’s just a feeling I have. I know the two of you were together last night.”
Maura blanched. “He told you?”
“No. He has more respect for you than that. I just saw the way you interacted this morning and figured it out. How was it?”
“Well…to be honest, it was wonderful,” she said with a sigh.
His arm slid around her as his lips settled against her ear. The tip of his tongue traced the shell-like curves, and Maura felt a tingle creep down her neck. His fingers strummed her nipple through her shirt. The writing on the pages in front of her grew blurry.
Soon his hand moved inside her shirt. She closed the journal, as if she could somehow prevent Septimus from knowing what she was doing instead of looking for him, and turned her face into Janko’s. He continued to kiss her lightly, undid her buttons, and moved his hand down to the waistband of her skirt.
She heard voices, and suddenly Daq walked in…with Ivar. She and Janko broke apart.
“How is it going?” Ivar asked. “Come up with a lead?” Apparently he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. His expression, at least, remained neutral.
“We haven’t had enough time to do a careful analysis.” Maura searched Daq’s eyes for any hint about what he was thinking or feeling. She detected nothing. Either he really hadn’t noticed what she and Janko had been up to, or their encounter hadn’t inspired a reaction.
He and Ivar came and sat on opposite sides of her at the desk. She returned her attention to the journal. Its pages were filled with years’ worth of her mentor’s scientific observations. Between paragraphs and lists of numbers were interspersed drawings of shells and exotic fishes, diagrams showing the directions of currents and the times of tides, notations concerning water temperature, and other things that would have been meaningful only to someone as precise about oceanography as Septimus.
“That just looks like scribbles,” Ivar said.
“What little I saw of his notes over the years didn’t make much sense to me,” Daq admitted. “He used a lot of notations and shorthand that only he could read.”
“Not uncommon among scientists. They don’t want anyone to steal their research. Since I was his graduate assistant, I learned how to decipher some of these snail trails.”
A wave of sadness hit her. Was she holding her mentor’s last legacy to her?
“Don’t worry.” Ivar noticed her troubled expression. “We’ll find him. Or he’ll come back on his own. He’s a tough old oyster.”
She bit her lip. “I know.”
“Want to go for a swim?” Janko asked. “We can do this afterward.”
“Yeah,” Ivar said. “Clear your mind a little and then return to it. We’ll help.”
Now that he mentioned it, she was feeling rather hot.
She stood up. “Why not?”
Chapter 3
To her surprise, the guys jogged down to the sea’s edge, flung their clothes on the sand, and waded into the surf naked. Maura held back, unsure what to do except stare. She had no control over that—they were all such perfect specimens of maleness, with their sun-bronzed skin and rippling muscles. Watching them cavort in the sea in their natural state proved nothing short of breathtaking.
“Come on,” Janko called out. He paused in waist-deep water and motioned for her to follow him. “It’s warm and there’s almost no current. I’ll keep an eye on you if you’re worried you’ll get in over your head.”
Was he talking about the ocean? “No—I’m a good swimmer,” she said. Drifting into deep water didn’t seem to worry Daq and Ivar. Already they were pretty far out, plowing through the waves like flesh-colored missiles.
Janko stirred her from her reverie. “What are you waiting for, then?”
She watched the crystal blue-green water eddy around his waist. He was so comfortable in his own skin—and noth
ing else, in this case. She remembered what Daq had said about island culture. Still, she wasn’t an islander. She felt far too self-conscious to do what he asked.
She twisted her hand into the front of her shirt and shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet, anyway.”
He grinned. “Okay. I understand. When you change your mind, let me know and I’ll come back.”
She couldn’t help but return his smile. When, he’d said. Not if. These guys were certainly sure of themselves, but not in a way that made her feel pressured or inadequate. A certain innocence and charm lay behind their appreciation of life’s pleasures.
He plunged into the water and paddled out toward his friends. As his figure grew smaller, Maura’s eyes turned from him and swept the shore instead. She wished, perhaps irrationally, that the brush would part and Septimus himself would come striding through the palm trees. With any luck, the guys were right, and he was just off enjoying some remote slice of the island.
Meanwhile, her three new friends swam on ahead. Never had she seen such graceful and powerful swimming outside of an Olympic pool. She could have spent hours watching their sleek limbs and sinewy-strapped backs split the waves, speeding out to deep water and then effortlessly pivoting and racing back. Now and then, one or the other ducked underwater for what she considered a remarkably long time. With anyone else, she would have felt nervous, but they reappeared without fail, looking refreshed at hiding from the world for a while.
Before long, Janko circled back to shore. He stopped a few yards away from her, floating with his arms outstretched, the picture of relaxation. When was the last time she’d really felt that loose and carefree? Maybe never.
“Doing okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Must be kind of hot up there on the sand,” he observed. “You’re already turning red.”
Maura glanced at her arms, which were indeed looking a little sunburned below the rolled-up sleeves. The tropical sun was full and intense, even at this early hour. “I’ll be all right,” she said.
“Just be careful. This kind of weather takes some getting used to.”
In an effort to change the subject from her own slowly baking skin, she gestured toward the other two men. They were out so far that their heads were mere specks. “You guys must swim all the time. You’re excellent in the water.”
“We do,” Janko agreed. “In fact, we need to. It’s in our blood.” He paused, his grin widening. “You ready to jump in? It’s a lot more comfortable out here than where you are.”
“I don’t know.” Averting her face, she pretended that the sun bothered her and shielded her eyes with her hand. Janko was right about one thing. The heat was becoming more intense…in every sense of the word. A swim did sound refreshing. And her shirt probably hung long enough to double as a smock.
More good-natured cajoling from him brought her to her feet. Slowly, her fingers stiff with self-consciousness, she undid her skirt and folded it neatly. Then she tugged the shirt down as far as it would go and walked slowly into the water. To his credit, Janko avoided looking at her as she waded in. Maura kept walking until she was submerged up to her waist. Janko stayed by her side as she stretched out and let the warm current take her deeper.
Even through the shirt, the water felt like a caress. Shutting her eyes, she reflected on how life here really did move slowly, sensually. The balmy air and water seemed designed for human comfort. The bay itself, so quiet and serene, felt as safe and comfortable as a gigantic bed. No wonder Septimus loved this place, a gentle haven where he could live out his golden years.
Soon Janko drifted close. She didn’t object when he drew her body to his and pressed his muscular frame against her back, spoon style. She felt his cock, thick and hard, brush her thigh, just below the area still covered by her panties. The thrill of his flesh touching hers made her want to melt into the sea.
“I won’t play games,” he said into her ear. “I want you as much as Daq did last night. I’m pretty sure Ivar does, too.”
She pulled away a little, embarrassed not only by his words, but by the instant effect they had on her. “Well, I don’t know what to say. I’m flattered, don’t get me wrong, but still….”
“If you’re worried what Daq might say, don’t bother. He’s not the possessive type. None of us are.”
“Is that part of this island culture all of you keep talking about?”
“Sort of, but there’s more to it. You don’t need to worry about that yet. In fact, you don’t have to worry about anything. Just sink back and let things happen.”
His hand crept across the front of her thigh and dipped between her legs. Maura gasped as his fingers kneaded the crotch of her panties and then slipped inside the leg hole. He massaged her sensitive folds, sending thrills up the middle of her body. Was it wise to combine such intense bursts of electricity with water?
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” he whispered. “There’s a lot more where that came from.”
“Mmmm. I’ll bet there is.” Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back, resting her weight against his chest. His hand probed, pushing the panties aside. She began to wish she’d been bolder and left all of her clothing on the shore. Of course, nothing prevented her from shedding it now.
Her own fingers soon drifted to the buttons of her shirt. Janko used his free hand to assist her. Before long the shirt was floating toward shore.
“We’ll find it later,” he said. Maura nodded, but truthfully, she didn’t care. Her mind was on other things…like the way his cock, hard and hot, even under the water, slid between her thighs. He eased the panties away and slipped them down her legs. This garment, too, went bobbing after the shirt, a tiny pink blotch in a vast expanse of blue.
Ready for each other now, they fitted their bodies closer together. Janko used one hand to skid his cock down the small of her back, tickling the sensitive nerves at the base of her spine, while the other went on teasing her pussy.
“Do you like this?” he asked, sliding his cockhead into the space where his fingers had been only a heartbeat before. He stroked her outer lips the way he had her back, sending shudders of anticipation through her.
“Yes,” she whispered, reaching around to grip the taut curve of his thigh. “Very much.” He leaned into her, his erection prodding her flesh more insistently. Maura readied herself for his welcome invasion, opening her legs and willing her muscles to relax.
To her surprise, an entirely different sensation distracted her from what was going on between her legs. It started when something brushed over her right nipple, followed half a second later by a similar contact on the left. She knew even before she opened her eyes what she would find.
Sure enough, two figures bobbed in front of her, with one set of hungry lips attached to each breast. Janko continued to support her, his cock rubbing just below the point of entry, while Daq and Ivar enthusiastically sucked on her tits.
She marveled at the way the three of them worked in perfect tandem. Daq slid one arm around her waist, while Ivar wrapped one around her thigh. Janko supported her weight from the back, helping to keep her afloat while his friends applied pressure from the opposite side. Between them, they kept every erogenous zone on her body stimulated.
Still, things couldn’t remain as they were for very long, mostly because she couldn’t bear to be teased and tickled indefinitely. She needed something stronger…or harder…and soon.
Janko pulled her closer as Daq and Ivar began to move apart, though they kept their lips on her skin. Daq trailed his upward, kissing his way along the slope of her breast and then her shoulder, finally pausing to nibble her ear. Ivar, on the other hand, drifted lower, actually ducking his head underwater. A moment later she felt his tongue tracing the outline of her pussy.
He encircled her swollen bud and gave it a playful squeeze as Janko finally, and fully, pushed inside her. Daq’s mouth found hers, and they enjoyed a fiery kiss above the waves while other arousing events took place bel
ow the surface.
Pleasure more intense than any she’d ever experienced before, or even dreamed of experiencing, raced from three different parts of her body and collected in her center. Because of the water encasing them, Janko had to move his hips slowly and rhythmically, rather than fast and hard, the way she wanted him to. Still, she found herself getting caught up in the almost hypnotic motion of his measured, steady thrusts. He timed them to perfection, each push diving in a little deeper and stretching her a little wider. Climax built in her like a storm, gathering force and fury as it rolled across the sea.
To her amazement, Ivar’s head remained submerged. He hadn’t drowned—the flicking of his tongue against her clit was proof enough of that—but his ability to hold his breath for so long, while using his mouth with such expertise, seemed nothing short of miraculous.
She didn’t have much time to dwell on his talents, though, as an equally incredible pressure surged in her middle. No doubt sensing the quiver in her body, Daq lifted his face from hers. He dragged his teeth along her lower lip, setting off another shower of sparks.
“Let yourself go,” he cooed. Rather than hearing them in the usual way, Maura felt the words brush her mouth. “Show us that we’ve pleased you.”
“Of–of course you have,” she wheezed.
“No, don’t tell us,” he whispered back. The vibration of his voice reached deep inside her, joining with the swirl of Ivar’s tongue and the thrusts of Janko’s cock. “We want to see it.”
An inane thought crossed her mind. How could Ivar see anything when he was underwater? Still, she was literally in no position to argue. Daq drove his lips back down on hers, and Janko tilted his hips upward in a final energizing push.
It was like thunder and lightning striking together, with a volcano erupting nearby for good measure. Maura’s voice caught in her throat, her heart seized in her chest, and the lower half of her body turned inside out with excitement. She came.