Chapter 14 Let’s Take a Shower
Let’s Take a Shower
Tāwera’s grip tightened on hers, and in an unspoken agreement, they increased their pace, picking their way through the moonlit rocky landscape toward the cemetery.
Her heart beat faster, and arousal slid through her veins with every inhalation of the salty tang of sea air.
A hint of taniwha and Tāwera’s green scent reached her, driving her desire to fever pitch.
Despite knowing this was a bad idea, she intended to sleep with him tonight.
She could tell herself this was an experiment to learn if sex helped to steady Tāwera, but the truth was she ached for him.
Once was not enough, not when it had been so fast.
No, Nyree craved a night together where they learned what each liked best. A night where she could touch at will and explore his magnificent body without restrictions. She craved his caresses in return. A slow loving. A tender one, plus a little fast and furious action to warm them up.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Tāwera broke into her musing over which type of loving she’d prefer first.
“It is for my benefit too. I like you, and if we can help each other this way, I have no objections to physical contact between us.”
“Thank you.”
Nyree nudged him with her hip as they walked along the sandy and rock-strewn beach.
Gentle waves whooshed to shore, threatening to dampen their boots.
“Thanks are unnecessary. In my time, we call this friends with benefits. It is a mutual agreement to sleep with each other until one of us wishes to call off the relationship. It is sex without complications.”
“I see.”
Nyree shot Tāwera a sideward glance and caught his frown. “Sex and relationships are different in our time. No one will censor us if we sleep together without the commitment of marriage.”
“This is common?”
“Yes, a lot of couples live together, but for various reasons, never get married. They have children and are like a regular family, but they do it without the benefit of a marriage.”
“Your time is strange,” Tāwera said as they approached the settlement.
By common consent, they slowed and listened for any of the scientists.
Not one wandered outside to study the stars or the penguins or anything else.
All was quiet as they crept past Keith and Carolyn’s prefab building.
A distinct snore sounded, followed by a masculine grumble.
Nyree giggled and slapped her free hand over her mouth.
Tāwera dragged her through the shadows, his steps more certain now. Confident. A combo of the food and physical touch, or maybe it was the promise of the intimacy to come. Nyree wasn’t sure, but the same eagerness had her striding at his side.
Their steps slowed as they approached her place, and they listened for foreign sounds. Tāwera nodded, and Nyree opened her door. They stepped inside before turning on a light and removing their footwear.
Nyree laughed when she saw Tāwera more clearly. “You look terrible. Come, we’ll have a shower. You’ll be sore tomorrow. It looks as if you bled through your shirt. Let me have a look.”
The wound wasn’t as bad as she’d expected, but it bled sluggishly.
“I used to heal faster,” Tāwera said.
“All right, but we can’t count on you having the same benefits from your taniwha heritage now. It pains you to shift. That is not normal.”
“I want sex,” Tāwera said bluntly.
When she glanced at him again, she spotted the tenting of his trousers. “Shower first,” she said. “I’m sweaty and want to shower.” She took his hand and led him to the bathroom. She’d give him part of what he needed now and indulge herself in exploring his body at the same time.
In the plain bathroom, she tugged off his T-shirt and unfastened the fly of his trousers. She maneuvered the fabric over his erection, and he let her. Once he was naked, she shunted him toward the shower. “Wash off the blood while I undress.”
He turned on the shower and followed her instructions without argument.
Nyree took a moment to enjoy the vision.
He was all sleek muscles and masculinity, and not even his bumps and scrapes spoiled the spectacular sight.
She hustled out of her clothes and opened the door to join him in the cubicle.
She washed briskly before turning her attention to Tāwera again.
The scrapes on his belly had healed a fraction.
The skin had knitted together enough for her to cease worrying about first-aid.
Reassured, she gave into temptation and ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. When she cupped his hips, her gaze slipped to his erection.
Broad and rigid and almost beautiful, the head swollen and perfect for what she ached to do next.
Using his body for balance, she kneeled in front of him.
Her fingers traced the lines and whorls of tattoos on his buttocks.
The tattoos, created in the old way with toothed combs and mallets, had fashioned a tapestry of decorative scars with intense personal meaning.
She couldn’t wait to explore them with her tongue.
Tāwera watched her the entire time, his brown eyes full of questions.
She didn’t give him time to voice them but took his cock into her mouth. He groaned, the masculine sound reverberating in the cubicle.
She smiled up at him as much as she could with her mouth full of masculine flesh.
His eyes were wide now, and she got the sense this was something new to him.
Nyree gripped his thickly muscled thighs and set about teasing him.
She licked and sucked and glanced up when his hands came down to tangle in her hair.
“I didn’t know this would feel so good,” he whispered.
Another experience for him. Satisfaction writhed through her as she upped the pace.
Her breasts grew swollen and heavy, and she ached for more, but first, she wanted Tāwera to have this pleasure.
Ari had liked her sucking him off, but he’d been rough and enjoyed pushing her until she’d almost choked.
Tāwera held himself still, and she pulled off his shaft to glance up at him.
“You can move but let me control how deep you thrust. Okay?”
Still wide-eyed, he nodded, and she resumed her teasing.
She licked and stroked, taking him deep and using her tongue to torment him.
His bulky thighs started to tremble, and his hips jerked in involuntary thrusts.
He groaned and shuddered, and she continued her torture by stroking him and pressing firmly on a spot she knew would push him higher.
“Nyree,” he gasped. “I’m going to explode.”
Excellent. Seconds later, he came with a gasp. Nyree swallowed and continued to stroke until he stilled.
“Nyree,” he whispered again, his hands cradling and caressing her head now.
She released him and rose. His arms came around her, and they kissed.
The water had gone cold, but she didn’t care. They were clean now, and that was all that mattered. She turned off the water and reached for a towel. She dried Tāwera, taking particular care around his scrapes.
They no longer bled, although he wasn’t healing as rapidly as she did from injuries. Nyree dried herself and took Tāwera’s hand to lead him to the bedroom.
“How are your ouchies?”
He grimaced. “I need more.”
“More sex?”
“My body is still throbbing. It is strange. The level of pain eased after you took me in your mouth, but I’m still off-balance, and I need more to regain my normal level.”
“Let’s have more then,” Nyree said.
They toppled onto the mattress together, and Tāwera took her into his arms. Their mouths met, and Nyree fell into their kiss.
It was soft and tender, bold and seductive.
It was everything she’d ever wanted from a kiss, and she clung to him.
He ran his hands down her back, and she felt safe and happy. She felt loved.
Nyree paused as that thought rushed through her mind.
Tāwera didn’t love her. She didn’t want his love or anyone’s love.
Friendship—yes. But love wasn’t for her. She wanted her independence, and after Ari’s example, she figured she was best on her own.
Tāwera’s hands wandered everywhere, stroking her back, her arse, and her thighs.
Heat built in her as they continued to kiss.
She’d thought Tāwera would hurry since he’d mentioned his eagerness.
But he didn’t push for speed. He seemed content to build their passion layer upon layer before it overwhelmed them both.
Nyree shuddered and gasped, dug her fingernails into Tāwera’s back.
He grunted in return and hastened the pace of his strokes. With each thrust, he hit the right spot, and Nyree couldn’t hold on any longer.
She plunged into her orgasm, the pleasure/pain so sharp, she froze.
Tāwera thrust twice more and stilled too, his big body shaking.
He held her tight—too tight—but his possessive touch was exactly what she needed right now.
The comfort and intimacy that came with sexual release had always eluded her with Ari.
It was different with Tāwera because she could be herself instead of worrying if she’d set off his temper.
He kissed her shoulder and separated their bodies before tugging her back against his chest.
“Do you ever lose your temper?” she asked.
“Most people do at some stage,” he replied, his finger tracing patterns over her upper arm. “Whenever I think of what Rāwiri did, my anger rises.”
“Not surprising,” she said lightly. “How are you now?”
“The pain has vanished,” Tāwera said. “It faded as soon as we started kissing and touching.”