Siren's Call (11 page)

“I’m glad I did,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t ever want to forget you, Tessa.”

Tessa immediately hit reverse, backing up. “You’re kidding, right??”

Kenneth leaned toward her, his face intent. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but one of the reasons I wanted to live was because of what happened in the water.”

Blinking hard, Tessa swallowed over the lump forming in her throat. She knew she was staring at him, but she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze off his face. The air between them was shifting, thickening.

She gave him a half-nervous smile. “Seriously?” Keenly aware of the heat suffusing her body, she sounded too breathless for her own comfort.

He reached out, caressing her face with the tips of his fingers. “All this time I believed I’d been touched by something extraordinary, some out-of-this-world being that chose to let me live when I rightly should have died. You restored my life, and for that I’m grateful.”

Tessa squeezed her eyes shut a moment, enjoying the feel of his fingers against her needy skin. Clenched muscles trembled. Oh, she wanted him. To pull her close, touch her all over. To fill the emptiness inside.

“I didn’t make that choice,” she murmured. “You did.”

Kenneth cupped his palm around her cheek. His skin barely made contact with hers, as though he held something so fragile he was afraid the merest touch would shatter it. “I kept telling myself the woman in the water couldn’t be real . . .”

Tessa’s internal temperature hitched up another notch. So did the heat in certain parts of her body. Inside, her emotions were threatening to unravel. The emotions of loneliness churning through her were suddenly quelled. This man had sought her out. She didn’t know how or why he had come back into her life at this particular moment. She didn’t care.

“Yet here I am.”

Closing the narrow distance separating them, Kenneth’s mouth brushed hers, deliberately light and excruciatingly slow. “Right in front of me, a dream come true,” he whispered against her lips. His voice was sweetly humble.

Before she could think of a reply, he deepened the kiss. His lips were firm, his mouth eager with passion and a longing she’d never felt from a man before.

Heart pounding fast and furious, a ribbon of pure need knotted inside Tessa’s core. The shock of his mouth on hers rocked her hard. “Oh, my.” The rest of her sentence became little more than a garbled moan.

The voice of reason called out for her to pull away, put some distance between them before something happened. But the hunger for his touch was much more powerful. Every nerve in her body zinged with tension even as a thousand emotions and words tangled inside her mind.

His gaze locked with hers. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made love to you in my mind.”

Tessa gasped. She would have swallowed but her mouth was dry. “It’s all happening so fast . . .” A shudder ripped through her as she realized the implications. And the complications.

Sensing her hesitation, Kenneth pulled away. The warmth building between them immediately vanished. “I’m sorry.”

Tessa blinked. The air in her chest locked painfully. Head still spinning, she tried to corral her hormones. Though her body was willing, it was probably best to slow down and think before things went too far. Kenneth Randall wasn’t exactly the poster boy for emotional stability. For once, someone else’s baggage was heavier than her own.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, drawing a breath to still the unfulfilled energy pounding through her veins.

He ran nervous fingers through his hair, further mussing the short style into an even spikier mess. “I didn’t mean to put the make on you like that.”

She laid a hand on his arm. “Things happen. It’s easy to get carried away.”

Kenneth’s entire body trembled in reaction. “I’m just being a fool.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” she countered softly. “We’re both adults and at the moment it felt right, that’s all.”

The slightest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “I haven’t been with a woman since my wife died.” He hesitated and then blurted, “I haven’t wanted anyone else. Until I met you.”

Silence followed. Silence in which no sound came but the soft hum of the swamp cooler.

Tessa considered her options. Even though she’d been displeased at his arrival on her island, the intervening hours had delivered a revelation. She liked the man. After learning the reasons why he’d gone into the water, he had begun to matter. She no longer viewed him as an intrusive human. He was simply a lonely man, trying to rebuild his life. And if she were to delve a little deeper, she’d have to admit she was attracted to him.

The conclusion, of course, was inevitable. But if they were going to do this, she wanted to be completely honest. “I understand the need to be with someone,” she said slowly, measuring every word carefully. “And I’m open to having company of the adult kind.”

Kenneth nodded. “I see.”

She took another mental step, testing the ground beneath her feet. “But I’m not looking for complications.”

His dark eyes met hers. “Meaning?”

She cleared her throat. “If we were to consider getting together, I’d like to keep things casual.”

A spark glinted in the depths of his eyes. He was beginning to catch on. “How casual?”

Heat scorched her cheeks. “Let’s say we just satisfy each other, relieve a little tension. You know, we could share a bed for fun.”

He cocked a knowing eyebrow. “And when it’s over we each go our own way?”

She nodded. “Right. No complications.”

His gaze cooled. “That’s not what I’m looking for.”

“You’d miss the chance to sleep with your fantasy?” she asked defensively.

Kenneth pinned her under a get-real look. “I don’t want to fuck the fantasy.” His hand slipped under her chin, tipping back her head. “I want to make love to the living, breathing woman I’m looking at now. And when I’m done I want to hold her in my arms until she falls asleep.”

She swallowed thickly. By the look on his face, the man was absolutely serious. Wow. She’d simply assumed he wouldn’t be ready to tie himself down with another woman.

“No shit?”

His hand dropped. “No shit,” he repeated. “Just having sex with you wouldn’t begin to satisfy me. I’m looking for something solid, something real. So if you just want a fuck buddy, I’m not the guy.”

Tessa studied his face. “You’re really serious.”

Kenneth nodded. “Dead serious. Life is too short to play games. I’ve been given a second chance and I’m not willing to blow it this time around. It’s all or nothing.”

A tremor of yearning shimmied down her spine. “And if I said I don’t want to get involved with a human?”

His face was tight. “Then I would say good night.”

The thought made her heart squeeze. “And if I take a chance?”

Conflict warring on his face, he cleared his throat. “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I’m willing to find out.”

Tessa considered. It would be easy to bare her body to this man. But her soul? She couldn’t give him that kind of power over her. When she’d considered taking a new lover, she’d imagined an affair with no strings attached.

Kenneth Randall was making it clear: He wanted strings.

A slew of thoughts crept up from the shadowy corners of her mind. She was tempted to take him on, but she didn’t want to get tangled up in another knotty relationship. Problems invariably arose whenever she dared to let a man into her world. Somehow a Mer woman was too much for a human male to handle.

Just three years ago, she’d come close to marrying the man she’d chosen to be her breed-mate. She’d been ready to be in a committed relationship, even though it meant giving up the longevity of the Mer. She couldn’t make the shift toward fertility until she synchronized her body’s internal clock with that of her mate. After that, she would begin to age normally, like a human.

Jake Massey had backed out at the last minute, leaving her high and dry.

And while she wasn’t ready to say yes to a new engagement and set the date, she had to admit she wanted a partner. Unless she took the first step and let a new man into her life, she was doomed to spend a lot more nights alone.

She had to make a decision. Either she wanted Kenneth, or she didn’t. One way or another he deserved an answer.

Tessa gestured toward her body. “Do you honestly think you could handle all this enchantment?”

“You, I can handle.” He drew a deep breath. “Just take it easy with the Mer-magic, okay?”

She nodded solemnly. “I promise not to lay any more whammies on you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Whammies?” He shook his head. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole sea-witch thing.”

“I can’t stop being a Mer,” she admitted honestly. “What you see is what you get.”

Reaching out, Kenneth twirled a strand of copper-shaded hair around his finger, tugging lightly. “What I see is what I want. Nothing less will satisfy me, tonight or any other night. Just tell me what you want me to do. Stay or walk out.” His gaze darkened subtly. “But I’m warning you now. Throw me out and I’ll be right back on your doorstep tomorrow. I’m serious.”

Tessa lifted her eyes, staring into his handsome face. Her heart beat rapidly inside her chest. “You think it’s that easy? That I should trust and believe a complete stranger?”

A grin tugged at his lips, making her want to lay claim to his sexy mouth. “Give me tonight and I won’t be a stranger anymore.”

 

 

Before she could answer, Kenneth brushed a kiss over her lips. He meant to take it slow, but the fire between them flared fast.

Fantastic
, he thought.
Absolute heaven.

Tongue plumbing her mouth, he worked a hand under her sweatshirt. She wasn’t wearing a bra and her nipple pushed taut against his palm. Finding the sensitive tip, he rolled it between thumb and forefinger.

Her response was instant. And encouraging. “That feels so good,” she murmured against his lips.

“It’s about to feel better.” Reaching for the bottom of her shirt, he eased it up to bare her breasts. Lowering his head, he captured one pink tip between his teeth. At the same time, he slipped a hand into the waistband of her sweatpants. Her knees separated, allowing him full access. His fingers continued their exploration.

Tessa released a sound somewhere between a moan and a whimper. The contentment behind that tiny noise hinted he was definitely headed in the right direction. Stroking her softness, he slid a finger into her moist depth. Her heat simmered under his touch.

Driven by pure impulse, she automatically lifted her hips, pressing against his hand. A purr rumbled deep in her throat. “Oh, goddess,” she breathed. “Don’t stop . . .”

He took her breasts more deeply into his mouth, tonguing her sensitive nipples as his fingers delved below.

Tangling her fingers in his thick hair, Tessa held him close. Breath coming fast and hard, her entire body began to tremble, slowly engulfing her in heated convulsions. She climaxed with a loud moan. After a few minutes she went limp, seemingly stunned in the aftermath.

Kenneth slowly pulled away. Gaze locked on her face, he brushed away a few curls clinging to her damp forehead. A fine sheen of perspiration slicked her tanned skin. “Good?”

Opening her eyes, Tessa slowly dragged her tongue over her lips. “Fantastic.” Heat crept into her face, reddening her cheeks. “But I didn’t mean to come that fast.”

He grinned at her. “It’s not like it’s the only one you’ll have tonight.”

She looked at him through sparkling green eyes. “Don’t go making promises you can’t keep.” Her voice had changed, sounding deeper, huskier than before.

Tugging her sweatshirt over her head, Kenneth tossed it aside. “Oh, it’s a promise I intend to keep.” Her sweatpants followed.

His gaze swept her naked body, appreciating every inch. He wanted to savor the moment, commit every inch of her to memory. “You’re so beautiful.”

Tessa was definitely all woman: peach- firm breasts, long torso, and even longer legs. Her eyes were electric, sparking with the mysterious, primitive power only females possessed.

A faint blush heated her cheeks. “This isn’t fair.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”

A bandit’s grin lit up her face. Her rose-shaded nipples jutted. “I’m naked.”

Kenneth grinned back, savoring the sight. He cupped a breast, thumb brushing the erect nipple. The hard little peak puckered, then blossomed. Her skin was warm, bronzed perfection. “I noticed.”

She laughed and tugged at his clothes. “And you have way too much on.”

He lifted a wicked brow. “What should I do about that?”

“Take it off,” she said coyly. “Take it all off.”

Kenneth groaned in frustration. “I think I can handle that request just fine.” Beyond refusing her anything she wanted, he stood and slipped his shirt over his head. If she would have asked for the keys to his vehicle and every credit card he had in his wallet, he would have handed them over without question.

He’d give anything to make her happy. And keep her in his bed.

Tessa’s hungry gaze eagerly roamed his hard physique. She followed the line of his abdomen down to the top of the jeans hugging his slender waist.

She reached out, eager to take him.

Kenneth shook his head. “Not just yet.” He wanted to make love to her slowly, give her the gift of delicious pleasure without the pressure to reciprocate.

Moving the coffee table aside, he dropped to his knees. Light from the nearby lamp reflected the fine sheen of perspiration on her tanned skin.

Kenneth’s hand brushed her face. “I’ve wanted to do this all damn day.” He leaned forward and nibbled at the soft flesh under her jaw, just below her ear.

Tessa let her head fall back. Lashes a mile long fanned across her cheeks. “Then do.” She moaned softly, encouraging him to continue his enticing torment. “I feel that all the way inside.” Her arms circled his neck. Their mouths came together again with ravenous intensity. She tasted like sweet, tangy apricots—a delicious, mind-drugging nectar.