Tawera 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 hismoko, 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.”
19
What of the Future?
Tawerasmiledsowideit hurt his mouth.“I worried you wouldn’t like me as much, that we might’ve grown apart.”
Nyree pressed a soft kiss to his mouth, her eyes shining as if she wanted to cry while her lips smiled.He thought it was happy emotion, but he found it better to ask because he didn’t always pick up on social cues.“I am becoming better at reading people, but men and women differ from my time.Manu told me this is because we value different things and have more opportunities now.We can travel as you did on a plane.I wish to do that one day, but I must wait until my passport arrives.Are you happy?I can’t tell.”
“I am thrilled.These tears are happy ones.”
Tawera hesitated, impatience simmering through him.He knew his mind, and he preferred to govern his future with positivity rather than remaining unsure.“Since I left you in South Georgia, I have been thinking about my future.The first thing that came to my head was you.I wish to have you standing at my side.”
“Iamstanding at your side.”
“No, you misunderstand.I want marriage.With you.You are a good person, and you are beautiful.You saved me from the curse and gave me a second chance at life.”
She tugged from his loose embrace and took a step back.“My saving you didn’t come with obligations.”
Ah,he hadn’t explained well enough.He placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled.“I love you.I wish to share my life with you, and at a later time, have children.Say you’ll step into the future with me, Nyree.”
For long seconds, she remained stiff in his arms, her eyes stormy and uncertain.Then she relaxed.“Are you sure?You might change your mind.”
“My mind is positive.I hope to explore this unknown world with you.I want to stay at your side and grow old with you.”
“It will be a long life if you change your mind.Taniwha live longer than humans.”
He met her eyes as he caressed her cheek.“If you’re trying to frighten me, you’re doing a poor job.”
Nyree snorted and turned her face into his hand, nuzzling his fingers and palm.
His heart flip-flopped before it resettled and continued with its regular beat.“Manu believes you and I are mates.His theory is our lives can still diverge because we come from different times, but the more days and months we spend together, the tighter the connection will become.He believes this is why I have missed you so much.”
Nyree met his gaze directly.“I ached for you, but I also missed your company and our talks.”
“It was the same with me.”Manu had also been correct when he’d told Tawera he’d need to talk to explain himself rather than act.Tawera had never spoken like this with Aroha and bared what was in his heart.“You are my heart, my soul, my very breath, and I am a better man when I’m with you.”
Nyree raised on tiptoe and silenced his next words with her mouth.Her fingers crept behind his head and anchored him.Not that he wanted to move.He was right where he wanted to be.
When their lips parted, they were both breathing hard.
“Shower,” he said.“Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” she said, sounding surprised.
“Go.I shall bring food, and we will speak a little more before we have those naked hugs.”His pulse jumped as his mind leaped ahead.
Manu had told him he must explain the sexual aspect of his moonlust, that Nyree must know the entire truth, so she understood what their future entailed.He strode into his compact kitchen, taking pleasure in the clean counters and the abundance of food in his pantry and fridge.
Earlier, before Nyree’s arrival, he’d asked Emma and Jessalyn what he should get to make Nyree a celebration dinner.They’d informed him she’d probably not want an enormous meal but guided him toward cheese and crackers and fruit along with a nice bottle of wine.Bubbles, they’d called it, and shown him how to open the bottle.They’d given him other advice too, which upon reflection, he’d decided was perfect.
Honesty.
