The phone rang again, and Asia scowled. No doubt her aunt this time wanting her to baby sit. “Yes?”
“We know your secret,” the disembodied voice said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Asia hung up and stared at the phone as if it were an orange octopus. It didn’t ring again, and her breath eased out with a relieved sigh.
She strode through to the bathroom and flipped on the shower, regulating the temperature to tepid. Asia stepped under the water and wondered what else could go wrong today.
Asia lathered up with peppermint and green apple soap then rinsed the salt off her hair and reached blindly for a bottle of shampoo. The shower door squeaked and her eyes flew open.
“Roman?”
“I’ve been thinking about us,” he murmured in a husky voice.
Asia’s heart thudded with apprehension as he joined her in the shower cubicle, closing the door behind him.
“I don’t condone lying.”
“I don’t make a habit of it,” Asia said. “It just happened and took on a life of its own.”
“Okay.” He brushed a kiss over her lips, igniting a flash fire in her body. “Don’t lie to me again.”
“I won’t,” Asia promised fervently. Was he giving her a second chance? Asia was frightened to ask. “Do you remember everything?”
“Just bits and pieces so far.” He kissed her again and nibbled on her bottom lip. “I like you, Asia. I want to see where this might lead, despite the problems we might face.”
Asia nodded dumbly, unable to believe her good luck and his generosity.
“So we’re agreed? We’ll get to know each other with no lies between us.”
Asia smiled. “I’d like that. Very much.”
Roman cupped her head with his hands and massaged the shampoo until her hair was clean. He helped her rinse before picking up her soap to lather it rapidly over his body. He rinsed off.
“You all done in here?” His gaze drifted downward and lingered on her mouth.
“I want you,” Asia murmured.
“You read my mind.” Roman shut off the water and shouldered open the shower door. He scooped her off her feet suddenly enough to make her squeak in girly fright.
“The bedclothes will get wet.”
“They’ll dry,” Roman countered. He dropped her in the middle of the mattress and followed her down. Asia didn’t even bounce before he was over her, kissing her with a fierceness to make her heart pound. Asia caught his urgency and dug her nails into his back. Her legs parted and moisture seeped from her feminine core.
Roman wanted to make love to her again.
“I’m glad you’ve remembered some of your past.” She angled her neck so he had better access.
“Yeah. My memories are there, just out of reach. At least I was able to shift. That’s a start.”
“Yeah, that’s great.” Asia pressed a kiss to the base of his throat. “My mother rang.” Best she tell him the worst now so he couldn’t accuse her of keeping secrets. “She wanted to visit, but I put her off.”
“Good. We need time together before we deal with our families.”
“I had another strange phone call. I really think someone knows your identity.”
“We’ll deal with them too,” he promised. “But not right now. I can think of much better things to do with our time.” Roman delved into her mouth, kissing her deeply, feasting and plundering until pleasure hummed through Asia. Her arms crept up around his neck and she clutched him tight. Roman parted her legs and entered her in one long seamless thrust. His teeth scraped over the frantically beating pulse below her jaw. He felt so long, so thick and hard as he filled her.
“Feels good,” she muttered in a husky voice. Damn, she wished he’d hurry. Slow was all very well, but this time she wanted fast.
“Yeah. Very good.” He pulled from her and surged deep again. “I could become addicted to this. To you.”
Asia hoped so. She really did. He changed the angle of his strokes, increasing the pace until they were both breathless. Thank you, God! He slid a finger across her clit, massaging her lightly. A gasp escaped, the hot fire between her legs almost too much to bear. She writhed and twisted against his body, desperate for release. Hungry little noises escaped her, and he laughed until she contracted her inner muscles. Roman cursed softly, thrusting into her with hard, digging strokes, pushing her over until she shattered, gasping out his name.
“That’s it, babe.” His large body shuddered as he kept thrusting, dragging out every last sensation. His ass muscles flexed and he stilled, buried deep inside her, breathing hard. His eyes glowed when he opened them to stare at her while his heart pounded against her breast. “Thank you. That was amazing.”
Asia nodded, the knot in her throat robbing her of speech. She really loved this man, and if she had to give him up, it would kill her.
* * * * *
They woke an hour later to the shrill ring of the phone.
“Stay there. I’ll get it this time.” Roman strode from the bedroom toward the kitchen. He snatched it up. “Yes.”
Heavy breathing sounded.
“Yes,” he repeated with a touch of impatience. He’d far rather spend his time with Asia, repeating the incredible lovemaking. The phone clicked and he listened to the dead line drone. He replaced the phone with a thump. Possibly a wrong number.
“Who was it? Not someone from my family?” Asia stood in the doorway dressed in an oversized T-shirt.
“They hung up. Must have been a wrong number.”
“Oh. Good.” Her shoulders relaxed noticeably.
“Don’t worry, babe. What do you want to do for the rest of the day? Have another snooze? Or go swimming again?”
Her face softened, a look of longing making her seem vulnerable. “I’d love to go swimming with you. We could cruise up to Cape Reinga where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea. It’s beautiful up there. The color of the ocean…” She trailed off when she saw him watching her so closely. “What?”
“You’re beautiful.” He stepped close and brushed his thumb across her swollen lips. He’d done that, and the faint love bites on her slender neck. Marks of his possession. He took satisfaction in seeing them, which probably made him a Neanderthal, but it was the way he felt. This woman filled spaces he hadn’t even realized were empty. “And a bit overdressed.” He glanced down at his erection, his lips curling to a grin.
“That’s okay. Before we go swimming, there’s something I want to do.” Asia sank to her knees and grasped his thighs to balance. She grinned up at him, and he could see the happiness shine in her face. They had a connection, something new for him because his previous relationships had all been about sex. And pleasure. Never before had he wanted to give unselfishly, expecting nothing in return. This thing with Asia was sex and pleasure wrapped up with joy, happiness and laughter. There were a thousand other things he could have added if he were a poet or a writer. Asia had rapidly become his lover and friend.
Laughing, she grasped his cock and set about exploring. With her fingers, she traced his length, leaving a path of fire in her wake. Roman forgot their surroundings, the counters and kitchen cabinets fading away, replaced by the magic that was Asia. His cock thickened further under her ministrations.
With a teasing glance at him, she licked across the crown. “I like the way you feel.” She did a slow lap over the head and a circle around the slit at the end. “I like the way you taste.”
“Is that right?” Roman wondered how far she intended to go with this and if his legs would stand the test.
“Yes,” she purred, taking his tip into her hot mouth. With slow laps of her tongue, she teased him, licking away the pre-cum. Her fingers massaged his tight balls, making him groan.
“God, Asia.” His words weren’t much more than a harsh groan. His legs trembled and he cupped her head with his hands, all his attention focused on the heat of her mouth, the way she sucked and stroked her tongue across the sensiti
ve underside. Unbidden his hips surged forward, forcing his cock deeper into her mouth. She never hesitated, her eyes heavy-lidded when she glanced up at him and full of desire. The urge to thrust deeper into her warmth filled him. Her plump, pink lips stretched around his cock seduced him, as did the rhythm of her mouth and tongue—the hot, easy glides that took him deep, teasing his flesh until he shuddered. She kept him balanced on the edge of an explosive climax. He didn’t think he’d ever had anyone take such care with him and it made his heart swell with emotion for her. The curl of her tongue pushed him to the point of no return.
“Asia, I—” Before he could finish, tell her he needed to pull from her mouth, he came, the intensity of his orgasm blinding and breathtaking. He groaned, his head thrown back as his semen spurted into her mouth. Gradually his heart rate slowed, his shaft softened.
Asia released his cock and grinned up at him. “How was that?”
“Damn, Asia.” He hauled her to her feet and scooped her up, placing her on the table. With his hand, he gently pried her knees apart and moved into the gap he created. “You are amazing.” He kissed her lips before feathering kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. He could smell her arousal and wanted to taste that scalding honey. Soon. He kissed and petted her, touching her body, exploring until she squirmed. His cock rose again, but he ignored the tension in his groin to concentrate on her pleasure. He whipped the T-shirt over her head and tossed it aside.
Lowering his head again, he licked around the swell of her curves. The scrape of his stubble against the side of one breast made a faint rasping sound. Asia drew a sharp breath when he nipped her, smoothing the sting with the lave of his tongue.
“What are you going to do with me?”
“That’s for me to know.”
“Will I like it?”
Roman heard the smile in her words. “You might. You might hate it as well.” He pushed her back so she rested her weight on her hands and grinned at her before bending over her. He blew a stream of warm air the length of her cleft, noting the glistening folds with pleasure. “I like knowing you want me.”
“What’s not to want?” she whispered. “You make me feel good about myself.” Her head fell back when he applied his tongue. “Oh yes.” The words were a ragged whisper.
She made him feel good, made him want to please her even more. He ran a finger over her labia, swirling it through her juices and flicking her clit. Teasing and licking, he pushed her toward climax, loving every sound, every sigh he dragged from her. Asia’s breathing became deeper, labored, and she trembled. Knowing she was close, he worked harder to make her unravel and lose control. He thrust a single finger into her pussy, pulled back and added another while he flickered his tongue over her swollen nub. Asia gasped, her entire body tensed and she sobbed out his name while she came.
“Roman.”
Smiling his satisfaction, he softened his tormenting strokes until she stopped trembling and removed his fingers, allowing her to come back from the high. “You are so responsive. You never hide what you’re feeling, and I like that.”
“Why would I want to hide how you make me feel?” she asked, sounding astonished.
“Some women do,” he said, thinking about Helena, his ex. Now there was a woman who liked getting her own way and wasn’t above manipulation to get it. Frowning, he realized another part of his past had returned and it intruded on the present. That’s when he knew he tread deep water. He’d have to hope his family understood and that things wouldn’t become as bad as Asia feared. “How about that swim now?”
“Sure.”
He lifted her off the table and they walked outside, both still naked. They crossed the black sand, still warm from the midday sun, and headed for the sea. Waves whooshed to shore, the wind coming in from the sea making them much bigger than they were earlier. Roman reached for her hand and his firm grasp brought tears of happiness to her eyes. She skipped a few steps at his side, splashing through the foamy waves as they rushed into shore. They waded into the water until they were waist deep. Roman tugged her against his chest so their limbs tangled and their lower bodies rubbed together.
“I was sure you’d leave once you learned the truth,” Asia murmured as she relaxed against him. She frowned, enjoying the closeness between them but worried it wouldn’t last. Their relationship was so fragile. What if he changed his mind and left?
“Stop.” Roman traced a finger over her wrinkled brow. “Let’s take that swim to Cape Reinga. Last one there is a rotten egg.” With that said, he swiftly turned and powered away, leaving Asia staring after him.
The man was so sexy, so tempting in either form. He paused past the point where the waves started to break and spyhopped to see where she was. Asia waved and with a grin still on her face, shifted smoothly. Diving through the oncoming wave, she chased after him, the surge of anticipation taking her by surprise. Adrenaline layered with sheer excitement whooshed through Asia.
Swimming with a lover. Wow!
Asia swam strongly, sounding with a series of clicks and whistles to get a fix on Roman’s position. Hopefully, he’d understand her without difficulty.
She had no warning. One moment he wasn’t anywhere nearby then he swam beneath her, nudging her to the surface. They sprang from the water together, creating a graceful ballet of leaps and huge splashes when they dived back under the water. Roman did a series of twirls before returning to her with a definite smirk.
Show off, she thought, grinning with joy in the knowledge he was better. She sobered quickly. Now if only he would recover his memory.
Roman seemed determined to enjoy the moment and not let her fret. They frolicked like calves, chasing schools of flashing silvery fish, startling and confusing them by blowing bursts of bubbles. The fish crammed together in a tight mass. They were dinner for the taking, but by common consent they left the fish and swam farther north.
Asia listened closely to the static, the garbled speech and music beneath the sea. No way did she want to run into one of Roman’s family members on this little jaunt. But despite her fears, she heard nothing more exciting than a pod of humpback whales heading for Australia and a marital spat between two hammerhead sharks. They took a detour around them. Nothing more unpredictable and plain mean than a pissed shark.
At the tip of the North Island, the ocean met the sea. It was an eerie place yet hauntingly beautiful, the place where the Maori people believe the spirits of the dead depart for the homeland in Waikiki.
Roman nudged Asia gently, rubbing his snout over the tender skin near her flippers. His touch told her he felt the same magic about the place where the waters met. It was special.
They swam back to Asia’s house at a more leisurely pace. Lethargy made Asia’s stroking through the water slow and easy. They shifted together in a huge splash of water, their laughter ringing out. Their lips touched in the lazy way of lovers who were familiar with each other.
The killer whale came out of nowhere. Two more came from opposing directions, large black forms with slashes of white attacked, tearing Roman and Asia apart.
Asia screamed, stumbling and going under the water when a wave rushed to shore. She flailed in the water, panic making her forget to breathe. Asia came up gasping for air. Roman had shifted, knowing it was the only way to protect them. Four massive bodies fought, thrashing and sending sheets of water in all directions. Sharp white teeth tore at unprotected flanks while flukes struck lethal blows.
“Ma! Luca!” Asia shouted, recognizing the nicks and scars on her mother and curly slant of her brother’s dorsal fin. Her sister ignored her cries too, slamming into Roman with enough force to send him flying through the air.
Asia knew she had to do something before Roman was hurt. She threw herself into the melee, screaming at the top of her voice. “Stop it! Leave him alone!”
A fluke caught her in the gut, bleeding the air from her lungs in one thump.
Asia gasped, a wheezy sound, as she struggled to replace the air
. Blood dripped from her head, obscuring her vision. She wiped the blood away and saw the fins heading for them.
“Shark. Shark!” she cried. Another fluke caught her across the side of the head, and that was the last thing she recalled before she surrendered to the darkness.
Chapter Six
Roman saw the blow that sent Asia face first in the water. An incoming wave swept her toward the shore. She didn’t move. She didn’t come up to breathe. With superhuman strength, he thrust the attacking whales away and shifted to human form.
The sharks attacked from both sides, thankfully keeping Asia’s family busy while Roman attended to Asia. He dragged her into shore and up the sand until they were clear of the water.
“Asia, babe.” God, she had to be all right. Roman smoothed her hair away from her pale face and tipped back her head. After making sure her airways were clear, he started mouth to mouth. Fear stabbed at his heart. Breathe, dammit. Breathe!
Roman kept going, trying not to think about Asia dying. God knows his family would have done the same thing if they’d caught him kissing Asia. This bloody feud had to stop. It was time for the old ways to change. Past time.
Roman paused midway through the next thought. Hell! He’d remembered. He recalled everything. Their tribes were in a long-running feud. And that wasn’t all. Being with him put her in even greater danger than she’d probably realized. The sharks were probably mercenaries for hire and Helena’s doing.
Asia coughed weakly, her eyelids flickering. Roman held her as she vomited out the seawater she’d swallowed. Thankfully, the bleeding at her temple had slowed. He probed the wound with delicate fingers and decided it didn’t need stitches.
Splashing from behind made him glance over his shoulder. Asia’s mother, brother and sister. He watched them shift, his shoulders tensing when they headed toward them with varying expressions on their faces. Roman averted his gaze from their naked bodies. Seeing Asia’s mother naked made him uncomfortable.
Asia struggled from his hold. At first Roman thought she didn’t want her family to see her with him, but he realized she wanted to place herself between him and her family in case there were problems.
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