Chapter 9 Mountain Picnic #2
Aghast at her thoughts when she’d only escaped her last relationship—a toxic one—with the help of her friends, she yanked from his embrace, each breath seesawing up her throat.
Tāwera stilled, and she’d bet his watchful brown gaze saw more than he should, more than she was comfortable with him seeing. They held a stare for a long, tension-filled moment.
Tāwera broke the silence first. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” The word emerged with a snap, and she winced.
He cocked his head, reminding her of an inquisitive pīwakawaka, the fantail that flicked through the forest and long grasses hunting bugs on the wing.
Nyree sighed. It wasn’t fair to cast any blame for her confusion on him. This was all her. “I…” she started and sighed again. “I’m sorry.”
“Did you not enjoy my kiss?”
Nyree gaped at the arrogant tilt of his chin, the smug male glint in those ever-changing brown eyes of his. Right now, they reminded her of an expensive Scottish whisky.
“Nyree?”
The verbal prod had Nyree shaking herself. “I loved your kiss. Too much. I liked it too much, and that’s a problem, especially with the coming of the full moon. I don’t trust myself, and I shouldn’t be looking at any man, not after my disastrous relationship with Ari.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Nyree shrugged, impatience surging through her. “I should take half the blame. I should’ve walked away earlier or fought back. Stood up for myself.”
“Protecting others is never wrong,” Tāwera said.
At his words, tears formed in her eyes, and she blinked hard to keep them at bay.
“What if I want to kiss you again?” Tāwera said. That sexy glint in those whisky eyes of his hinted that he wanted way more than a kiss.
A slippery slope, for sure.
“It wouldn’t be right,” she said and bent to pick up her pack. “I need to go before Carolyn and Keith worry about me.”
“What should I do?”
Nyree hated the idea of making him sleep outside.
That didn’t seem fair. “I’ll try to find you clothes to help you to blend, and we might need to experiment with makeup because your moko is so distinctive.
One good thing to come from my relationship with Ari.
I became an expert with makeup. We’ll work out a basic disguise. Maybe one or two different ones.”
“Thank you, Nyree. I owe you much.”
“You’re welcome.” He didn’t owe her a thing. If anything, he was helping her, giving her someone to talk to, and ease her loneliness. A fellow taniwha, which was something she’d never have with Ari. “I’ll pack the leftover food in my daypack. We can have it for supper tonight.”
“Ernesto was a most generous man.”
“He wanted to avoid pandemonium in his restaurant and worked out that food was a way to make you cooperate.”
Tāwera chuckled. “This is true.”
They cleaned up together, making sure to leave no trash behind in the pristine environment. Once they were ready to depart, they lifted off.
“What will you do for the full moon? You have plans?” Tāwera asked.
Nyree startled even as she marveled at the ability they had to communicate. No one she knew connected in this manner. Only family members or mates—shock punched through her at this thought.
She’d never considered this angle, but now her mind seized on it and rejected the information. Tāwera might have the ability to speak to others, but…
“Can you hear me?”
“I was thinking.” Boy, was she ever. She needed to send another message to Manu, and this one would be harder to write, but she suspected Manu and his wife might have answers for her.
“I’d intended to sneak out at night and go flying.
Probably for the nights leading up to the full moon and for one night afterward.
For me, once the moon wanes, I no longer experience the pull.
I know this isn’t the same for all taniwha, but it seems true for me. ”
“For me, as well. Some men in my mother’s family used to sleep outdoors during the height of the full moon. When they slept deep in the mountains, they did not have to worry about others witnessing their flights or expecting them to return.”
“I could go camping. That is what we call sleeping outside now.”
“We.”
“We could go camping. I have a tent and attended the survival camp training. That is a brilliant idea because we wouldn’t have to sneak around.
It will depend if there is a cruise ship in during the day.
It will be even busier soon with cruise ships coming in the morning and the afternoon.
Grytviken is a popular port because of its association with Shackleton. ”
“Tell me about this, Shackleton. I wish to know the history.”
Nyree spent the rest of the short flight telling Tāwera about the English explorer who spent much time in Antarctica and about his ill-fated voyage where he saved his men from certain death.
“I’m still reading about the voyages he took, but I know he spent some time in New Zealand.
Aotearoa,” she added since this name was more familiar to Tāwera.
“Shackleton’s wife agreed to have him buried in the cemetery here because he loved this region so much. I usually walk from down here.”
Tāwera landed at her side and shifted. They dressed in silence.
“I thought I might vanish again,” Tāwera said, glancing at his arm. “I do not think that will happen.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll work out something. I should’ve thought of clothes for you before, but you didn’t need them as much when you were invisible. We’ll search the wardrobes in the spare rooms for clothes. I’m certain I saw some on the hangers.”
“No one will see me. I will sneak.”
“Most of the scientists are away at the glacier, and the contractors are eradicating noxious plants at the far end of the island. It’s tomorrow night we must worry because everyone is coming back then. Keith mentioned they usually have a party when everyone is here.”
Tāwera slipped an arm around her waist and drew her close. “Don’t worry. We will make this work.” And then he kissed her.