Temptation (3 page)

Meryl shifted on the bench. Marloth’s words were so how she felt at times, it would have been easy to give in, and say ‘get on with it, please make love to me’. But something held her back. They’d been down that route. After the most perfect month of her life, he’d left. Okay, she’d told him to go, and Meryl still thought she’d done the right thing. He’d been worried and she knew he had to go back to wherever to sort things out. To help him, she acted indifferent. As she watched him lope across the field behind her house, she had stuffed her hand into her mouth to stop herself from calling him back. It would solve nothing, and she’d still be alone in the end.

With a sigh, Meryl twisted round to look at the white crested waves the wake of the boat left. She was alone anyway, so what was the difference? Self respect, yes, she had that, but it was a cold comfort when she rolled over in the middle of the night, stretched out her arm, and felt—nothing.

Now, here he was again within arm’s reach, and still, she wasn’t going to stretch out that arm. Nothing had changed or why hadn’t he contacted her? Meryl turned and looked at the back of Marloth’s head. He stood at the helm and adjusted some button or another on a board in front of him. The sheer beauty of him took her breath away. Talk about sex on legs, sexy cats, and all other things sex. Her mouth was dry, and she opened the bottle of water and took a hefty swallow. If nothing else, she was going to have to be able to stand up and get off the boat without falling into a heap of drool at his feet.

Thank goodness for my eReader.
She pushed her sunglasses firmly onto her nose. The eReader would come in handy as armor later. For now, she’d hide behind her dark glasses. Sometimes life sucked. What had she learned? Not a lot except strong emotions hurt, and mating with a shifter was fraught with difficulty. She touched her shoulder and it throbbed under her finger. The damned mark she’d noticed on the plane seemed to have deepened, almost as if it were permanent. Not only that, she realized it almost matched the one high on her thigh that served as a reminder of her earlier time with Marloth.

Oh, so not good. I need to erase him from my life, not keep him in it.
Surely, she didn’t hear a voice mutter ‘you and me both’ and then as if an afterthought, ‘that’s not going to happen, though, is it?’ As much as she wished she didn’t, she agreed with the sentiment.

“Did you speak?” Meryl asked Marloth, suspicion in her voice. He glanced up from whatever he’d been studying and shook his head.

“Nah. Why?” He switched something on—or off—and pointed ahead. “That’s where we’re off to. Tranquillita—Tranquility. Once there, you can do your own thing. I won’t interfere unless you ask me to.” His tone showed he thought there was as much likelihood of that as Elvis appearing and serenading them.

The tiny dot on the horizon he’d pointed to was growing bigger by the second. Meryl stood up to get a better view. The boat surged and she fell back down onto the bench in a very inelegant sprawl.

“Sorry.” If ever a word didn’t convey its meaning, that was it.

And she could hope that if glares conveyed what
they
meant, he’d be very worried about his balls—human or otherwise. “Of course you are,” she said. “Why wouldn’t you be?” A red tinge spread over his chest and face, and Meryl chuckled. “You might need something for that.” She pointed to his blush and sniggered. “After all, it seems to be spreading at a fair pace. I do hope it isn’t contagious.” He muttered something and growled. An honest to goodness, ‘don’t mess with me, I’m dangerous’ growl. Meryl ignored it. He wasn’t dangerous to her, and they both knew it. Not in a scratch, bite, and maim way.
Unless you count him marking me as his, and we all know what a lie that is.
In a ‘mess with my mind and ruin me for anyone else’ way?
That was a whole different ball game.
Argh, no, don’t even think of ball games.

“One day, I might just tip you over my lap and redden your ass.” Marloth spoke as if he was commenting on the price of wine. “I’ll give you ball games.”

He’s at it again. Am I that transparent?
And redden my ass? Er, no way.
So why did her breath hitch and her skin tingle in anticipation?

“Come on, Meryl, be honest with yourself. We both know you like it, and we also know what was between us is still there. The thing is, what do we do about it?”

Meryl wondered how he managed to keep his tone so level. There they were, discussing—well, what were they discussing? She thought back to his last words.

“Nothing, we do nothing. It’s over and I’ve moved on, even if you haven’t.” But had she? Meryl didn’t want to think that question through. She hurried on. “And if you think you’re going anywhere near my ass, believe me, it’ll be the last thing you do before you have your balls cut off.”

He laughed. The sheer joy of it, along with undertones of danger and passion, wrapped around her and zinged to her clit.

Damn it, even his laugh is more like a ‘come here and stroke my fur’ demand. Or a ‘let me mark you and claim you as mine’. Why the hell is he so sure of himself, and I’m a quivering wreck of anxiety? And need.

“Not a chance love.” He sobered, and the pain on his face made her tummy churn. He looked as if he’d seen heaven and hell, and it was hell that beckoned. “My balls stay attached. Though, we do need to talk. Well.” He must have seen the way she felt because he rushed on. “I do. There’s a lot to discuss and I’m not sure just how to do it. No, don’t say it—I know open my mouth and let the words out. But it’s not that easy. I know this is supposed to be your fantasy, but will you let me share a tiny part of it? So we can talk?” He glanced at her for a brief second and raised one eyebrow, before turning away, to look forward and alter the course of the boat. The tiny atoll wasn’t far away now, and all his concentration was on maneuvering toward a tiny landing stage set just off the sand. A curved and weather-beaten plank jetty stretched from it to the land.

Meryl was relieved not to have the full force of his attention on her. She knew she needed to get off the boat, and think without her mind overwhelmed by him.
Sod the man; he knows how to get to me. One soulful look and I’m toast.
If it hadn’t been for the faint predatory and all-knowing look in his eyes, Meryl might have given in straight away. But for that tiny gleam of macho cat ‘I know what’s best’ in his eyes, she’d have given in there and then. Meryl hardened her heart, even though she felt sick as she did. Marloth might send her channel into spasms and her clit into a frenzy of ‘touch me, help me’ pathetic stings, but for once she had to try and be sensible. It was difficult.

“Maybe. I’ll see how I feel after a swim, a rest, and my fizz.”

His shoulders tensed, as if he’d been expecting it, and Meryl squashed her instant response to say ‘okay’ there and then. That wasn’t the answer.

“I guess that’s better than a flat out no.” There was a slight jolt as the boat nudged against the landing stage. “Give me one moment to get the boat secure, and I’ll help you off.”

Meryl admired the way his muscles rippled as he secured the rope. No doubt about it, the guy was X-rated.

“Meryl? Are you ready?”

She’d been so tied up with her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed Marloth waited to help her off the boat. Beside him, sat a large picnic basket, several big fluffy towels, a cool box, and what looked like a mess of ropes. For one moment, she thought of bondage and Shibari, and her body tightened at the thought. Why did it excite her so much? She’d freaked when Marloth had suggested it before. Now her juices were in danger of showing just how she felt.

“I thought you might like a hammock slung between a couple of trees,” Marloth said as she flung her bag over her shoulder, and took his hand to climb over the gunwale of the boat. “But if you want bondage and Shibari, that’s fine by me.”

Damn and blast, I forgot he could read my mind.
“That’s just rude. People’s thoughts should be private.
How’d you like it if I nipped in and out of your head like a yoyo?” Meryl let him help her onto the jetty. It swayed. She grabbed hold of a post, and hitched her bag up again. It was a nuisance when it kept slipping off her shoulder and down her arm. However, if she slung it over her head and let it rest that way, she knew fine well it would make her boobs look like melons, and that scenario she could well do without.

“For goodness sake, woman. They don’t look like melons. Nice ripe juicy peaches I’d love to taste, yes, but melons? No way. And if you weren’t so bloody open to me, I’d not read you. Sheesh, Meryl, I hardly needed my gift. You were in my own mind so loud, I was thinking of earplugs.”

Meryl saw red. She swung her handbag hard in his direction. Whether he was prepared to let her, or she caught him by accident, Meryl had no idea. One second he was standing next to her, the next she got a view of his feet as he went headfirst into the water.

Bloody stupid idiotic . . .
Marloth just had time to take a deep breath before the water covered his head.
Damn lucky I enjoy swimming.
He was a strong swimmer either as a human or a tiger. At least he landed in the deeper water, or his head would be stuck in the sand, and even with his shifting abilities, he’d be a gonner.

Marloth held his breath as he twisted around and pushed up toward the surface. As he stretched his arm toward the posts of the jetty, he felt a hand grab his shorts and twist the material. Marloth wasn’t sure whether to fear for his balls caught up in the knots or worry the force of the hold would pull the shorts down and leave him butt naked. Whichever was the outcome, they needed to move.

Mind made up, he took hold of the arm and propelled both himself and he presumed Meryl, upward. As his head broke the surface, Meryl shot up next to him without losing her grip on his boardies. Her fingers curled under the edge of the material and stroked his skin. The hairs on his legs stood stiffly at attention as her body brushed his. Even with the buffering effect of the water his skin tingled at her touch. Marloth yearned to grab her butt and to pull her closer, but stopped himself from acting on his wish. Behaving like an adolescent schoolboy wouldn’t gain him any kudos. Her nails raked over his thigh and he winced.
Damn, you’d think she was the mind reader, not me.
That was too close to his crotch for comfort.

“What on earth,” he asked as soon as he caught his breath. “Did you do that for?”

She shook her head. Her hair was plastered to her scalp and he thought her t-shirt could well be transparent. Somehow, he managed not to check.

“Well, how the hell did I know if you could swim or not? There wasn’t a lot of chance to show me during our oh-so-brief time together, and you went down like a stone.”

She had a point. However, could she really be that unaware of the ability of a tiger?

“I’m a fucking tiger shifter. Of course I can sodding swim.” The pitying look on her face was enough for his tiger to snarl.
No, not now.
“Look, take it as read,
I swim
. The next point is—can you swim ashore?” The glare she gave him should have shriveled his cock and make his balls retreat into themselves. Why then was his prick perking up and his balls tight and ready for action?
Weird.
“Okay, then go for it it, and I’ll do a monkey up a tree act and get what we need.”

“Monkey? Ape, more like. Big stupid up yourself, ape.” She didn’t wait to see what Marloth did or said before she set off toward the shore with a stylish crawl. Marloth grinned. She’d manage about ten strokes before she hit sand. He rolled over, grabbed the struts under the jetty, and hauled himself upward. He stood on the edge of the planks and let the water stream off. He’d been right. Meryl was wading through calf deep water and splashing like a kid. She laughed and the noise echoed over the gentle waves toward him. She sounded happy.

And no doubt, I’m going to fuck that up for her.
There wasn’t a thing he could do about it. He picked up the bags he’d dropped and made his way to the beach. Meryl’s shoulder bag mocked him from where he’d slung it over his chest.
Melons, indeed.
He had long decided no one else came within a country mile of Meryl in any way. That included all her physical attributes. As he stepped off the jetty and onto the soft sand, a glimpse of something precious slipped into his mind. Meryl had perched on a fallen log, under a tangle of scrubby bushes. She squeezed water out of her hair, and looked up at him. In that look was the signs of attraction he’d bet she thought hidden.
Maybe there is hope?
The prosaic words didn’t give him much hope.

“I seem to have lost my hair bobble. I don’t suppose you’ve got one on you?” Her good humor stayed with her. Her cream-colored t-shirt was a second skin, and showed clearly the outline of her dark colored bikini top. She’d taken off her shorts and hung them like a flag on a branch. He let himself glance down and was rewarded by a glimpse of navy and white striped bikini bottoms.
Damned, if I wouldn’t like to take them in my teeth and rip them to shreds.

“Er no, sorry.” Marloth realized Meryl was waiting for him to answer her. “Though will a thong do?”

“Eh?” Her eyes were wide and puzzled. “Oh, right.” She giggled. “I thought you meant a pair of knickers and I was more than worried that you might have some kink I didn’t know about.”

“Nah, I think we explored all of them when . . . well, you know when. Anyway, here.” He untied the thin strip of leather that was tied tightly around his ankle and handed it to her. “Be honored. I never take it off.”

She took it and ran it through her fingers in one fluid stroke. His mouth was dry. He decided the beauty of her movement was in the pleasure he got as he imagined it was something else she touched.

Me, anywhere. I need to feel her touch again.

“Is this what I think it is?” Meryl looked him directly in the eyes. “My hair tie from then? The one I lost in the park?”

Marloth nodded. He’d gone back on that last day, and spent time he didn’t really have to spare to search where they’d been until he found the tiny insignificant band of hide. He’d wrapped it around his ankle and vowed to himself never to take it off until he could be with Meryl again. It was his way of feeling close to her. He hardly expected her to understand the significance of it, but she laughed shakily.

“Ah, right.” She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and secured it. “Um, then it was you I felt near me? When I was down. I didn’t imagine you all of the time? You were with me in spirit?”

He nodded, and prayed to all he held important that Meryl wouldn’t probe deeper. His gifts as a shifter were not necessarily those of others and were personal to him. Only a few others were gifted in a similar manner. Over the years, as his own gifts were explained to him, Marloth had learned how each person was special in their own way. Some people never discovered what they were capable of and others chose to ignore it. A few decided to embrace and explore their capabilities and use them as they were intended. He shied away from the thought of those who accepted their abilities and used them for evil. Those people were the scum of every entity.

He decided to change the subject before she thought of other questions. Something along the line of visitations and planes.

“How about you stay in the shade whilst I set the hammock up and make a canopy for it? This is your fantasy, after all. Then I’ll skedaddle.” He paused. “Unless you
are
up for a talk?”

Meryl lifted one leg to rest it on the log. The elegant way she moved made his heart miss a beat, and then speed up. As she ran her hand from her knee down her leg and hooked her fingers around her ankle, Marloth wished it was his hand doing the rubbing and holding.

“I think we’d better. You do your Robinson Crusoe stuff and then we’ll talk. I’ll sit and do the ‘little woman watching the hunter-gatherer admiration’ look.”

He grinned and rummaged in the overlarge picnic basket, and found a rope and a machete in a leather holder. “Amazing what you can find in with three lettuce leaves and a pineapple.”

She grinned. “I hope there’s something more substantial than that, I’ll fade away otherwise.”

“Give me five, I’m gonna get some leaves to make a shelter, then I’ll show you. Want a coconut while I’m at it?”

“Go on, then.”

He looped his rope around the bole of a palm and began the steady climb upward, his machete strapped to his back.

“Maybe it should have been Black Jack the pirate.” Meryl called up to him. “Or Captain Pugwash.”

Trust Meryl to know about the ancient children’s cartoon. “Thanks a bunch.” He reached the canopy of the tree, and set himself at the right angle to cut some fruit down. He wanted some juice even if she didn’t. “Mind your head.”

He checked that the area below the tree was clear and chopped off two ripe fruit. They dropped onto the sand with a satisfying thud. “Leave them for now, I’m going to let the leaves fall now.” He worked as swiftly as he could and soon, had harvested as many of the leaves as he felt it was proper to cut. They fell around the base of the palm, like giant confetti. Marloth fixed the machete back in its holder and began the scramble downward. He achieved it in a lot less time than the climb up.

Meryl waited at the bottom as he dropped the last few yards and then leant the machete against a log, well out of harm’s way.

“My hero,” she said and curtsied. “Does it help or hinder? You know, your tiger side?”

Marloth rubbed his chin and picked up a handful of palm leaves. “Hinder, I guess. A tiger is too heavy to do much climbing tree-wise. But that strength helps me as a man. Swings and roundabouts. Right, let me sort out what I’m going to do. I reckon if I put the hammock between those two trees there” —he pointed to where two tall palms were around six feet apart— “it’ll work perfectly.” The palms stretched toward the sky, their trunks bent slightly from the constant exposure to the wind. Their leaves rustled and to his sensitive hearing it was a song of benediction.

It will work as it should. You will find out. Soon now, soon . . . .

He hoped so, because if it didn’t, he’d have one hell of a lot to explain. A shadow crossed the sand and he looked upward to see a sudden cloud scudding in front of the sun.

With a mental
oh, please,
Marloth prayed to all the gods it wasn’t an omen.

“Let me get this shelter done and you can swing away as I sort out your lunch,” he said. “Can I set lunch up over there?” He pointed to where the sand gave way to an area of scrub, a few straggly bushes, and a circle of palms “It’s out of the sun and there’s a soft breeze to cool the air a little. Or does that mean I’m too close to you for your fantasy to work?”