Chapter 18 Home Again #2
Nyree blinked at the confident man striding up to her.
Even dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, his long black hair loose, he oozed power and attracted glances.
Before she could catalog more, he drew her in for a kiss.
For an instant, she froze, shocked, and her brain took long seconds to jolt back into gear.
Not understanding any of this, she just enjoyed the moment.
She leaned into Tāwera and kissed him back, reveling in the physical contact and not caring they were blocking the line from advancing.
Finally, Tāwera pulled back, his grin wide on his familiar tattooed face.
Other people continued to stare, but it might have been because of his vibrant personality and the sheer happiness spilling from him.
He commandeered her suitcase and clasped her hand in his free one.
“Come on. Manu came with me to pick you up. He’s waiting in the car park. ”
Bemused, Nyree walked at Tāwera’s side, her mind crazy with a blur of thoughts.
What was going on? She was awake because the rain was dampening her face.
Tāwera had emailed her a few times, but they’d tailed off, and she’d honestly thought he’d moved on without her. But this…this was something else.
“We’re this way,” Tāwera said. “Your plane was late. Do you know what happened to it?”
“They had to replace a part before take-off,” Nyree said.
Tāwera led her to an SUV and loaded her gear in the rear.
“Hi, Nyree,” Manu said from the passenger seat. “Good flight?”
“The actual flight was okay, but everyone was grumpy because of the delay. I’m glad to be here.”
Tāwera opened the rear door for her and waited until she’d settled herself before he climbed behind the wheel.
“You’re driving?” she blurted.
“Yes, I have my learner’s license.” Tāwera’s gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. “I am an excellent driver. Manu taught me.”
“I see,” Nyree said, glancing at a grinning Manu. An understatement. None of this meeting was going as she’d suspected.
Manu laughed outright. “Tāwera is a fantastic driver. You’ll see. You should be proud of him. He has mastered many tasks.”
“I have a job,” Tāwera said, and pride filled his voice as he started the vehicle and pulled away from their parking space.
Nyree held her breath, tension sinking to her passenger-driver feet.
She prepared to brake then discovered Tāwera drove with a natural deftness and competence. He pulled up at the barrier arm and was soon zooming south to Papakura. Nyree relaxed another increment.
“What sort of job do you have?”
“I work for Manu and do many things,” Tāwera said, leaving Nyree none the wiser.
“Did you visit your home?”
“Yes,” Tāwera said. “Russell or Kororāreka, as I once knew it, is much changed. During my time there, it used to be a busy port, and it was the first true European settlement in Aotearoa. Now, it is a sleepy town.”
“Did you find any family apart from Eve?”
“The descendants of Rāwiri. I have not told them the truth. Manu suggested I tell them I discovered a common DNA when I was searching my family history.”
“That worked because we got Tāwera’s DNA tested and waited to learn if he had any close connections,” Manu said. “We’ve discovered close relations and many more distant.”
“I have also searched through old documents and church records to learn what happened to my father and other people I knew. Rāwiri was a very famous tattooist. I hope no other man crossed him and ended up cursed.”
“We’ll probably never know, although we could search records to learn if any other men or women disappeared around the same time. We tracked down an early newspaper that noted Tāwera’s abrupt departure from Kororāreka,” Manu said. “It mentioned Aroha and how Rāwiri comforted her in her grief.”
Tāwera snorted as he merged with the motorway traffic. “We know why he comforted her. Aroha was his plan all along.”
Tāwera drove them to Manu’s house. Manu got out there. “See you tomorrow,” he said to Tāwera and disappeared inside.
Tāwera backed out of the driveway and drove farther down the road. He pulled onto a private driveway and navigated the rutted track before pulling up in front of a tidy, white bungalow. Flowers bloomed at the front of the house, giving splashes of purple and red against the white of the exterior.
“This is my home. I rent it from Manu. Your mother and sister live nearby. They are away at present, which is why I volunteered to collect you.” He stopped the vehicle. “You’re staying with me today. Longer if you wish. We have much to discuss.”
No kidding. Nyree stared at him. So many questions. So many questions.
He opened the vehicle door for her, and she scrambled into action.
“I can’t wait to show you my home. I have worked hard to make it a place you would like. Come. This way. I shall collect your bag later.”
Bemused, Nyree let Tāwera urge her to the front entrance. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. He stood back and ushered her inside.
By habit, Nyree slipped off her shoes before entering.
He guided her straight into an open-plan living room. The kitchen was white and spotless with all the usual contents. The lounge contained a combination of Tāwera’s Māori heritage in carvings and the cushions and that of European—a blend that genuinely worked together.
As Tāwera guided her through his home, she became increasingly off-balance. She thought… But maybe…
A shudder worked down her spine, and it wasn’t one of fear but more akin to moonlust, which was crazy since the full moon wasn’t for another two weeks.
“I have two bedrooms,” Tāwera said to her, stopping at the first. “You can use this one.”
Her heart sank, and she realized she’d been kidding herself. She wanted Tāwera, and it was going to be hell to step back and let another woman scoop him up. Wait! Her thoughts skidded to an appalled halt.
That was her when she’d been with Ari. She’d let him walk all over her to hide her otherness. She’d promised herself she’d never do that again—let a man have that sort of power. It was possible to have an equal partnership. Her friends with their mates were all proof of that.
“Nyree?”
Belatedly, she realized she’d drifted into her thoughts—a product of spending much of her time alone during the last two months. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep on the plane.”
“I asked if you wanted this room,” Tāwera said, “or you can share mine. Either choice is fine, but my preference is for you to sleep with me. I have missed you.” His gaze was solemn.
“I’ve missed you too.” She closed the distance between them. “I will share your room.”
Tāwera beamed at her. “Excellent. Would you like to sleep now?”
Nyree placed her hands on his broad shoulders and took in his handsome face with the sweeping curls of his moko, his black hair, and his broad smile. “I would like to take a shower since I’ve been in these clothes for too long. Then I might go to bed, but I don’t wish to sleep.
“No?” His brows rose, and she couldn’t make out if he understood her meaning or not.
She spelled out her desires. “I’d like you to lie with me and give me a hug or two. Naked hugs.”