Hone stood in the doorway, watching Cassie. So engrossed in her painting, she hadn’t noticed his presence. His taniwha hummed and a surge of lust bolted straight to his dick. Kissing her had been awesome. He’d enjoyed the hell out of himself. He’d craved more, but he’d forced himself to go slow.
No reason he couldn’t do more kissing and groping tonight though. He grinned and pushed away from the doorjamb. “You’ve been painting for three hours.”
She squeaked before turning around to glare at him. She patted her left breast. “There’s no need to sneak.”
“Wasn’t,” he said cheerfully.
She rolled her shoulders and winced.
“I knew you shouldn’t overdo it after yesterday.”
“You never said anything.”
“Figured you’re an adult and you’d stop if you hurt.”
“My mother would have ordered me.”
He folded beefy arms across his chest. “I’m not your mother.”
“Lucky for me. Yeah, I’m sore. I’ve overdone things. Pleased with the progress though.”
“You should take a break tomorrow. You want to be fighting fit for your show.”
“You’re right. I don’t like to sit around doing nothing though.”
“We can find something to do.” He winked and laughed at himself because his mind zapped straight to sex. He burned with the desire to touch her. “Let’s go. You can soak away your aches in the spa pool.”
Less than an hour later, they were back in Papakura. Manu was waiting for them and pushed away from the porch when they pulled up in the driveway. His expression…something wasn’t right.
“What’s up?” Hone opened the window, battling his urge to find privacy to know Cassie better, work out the tangle of emotions buzzing through his head, overshadowing even his dragon’s determination to keep Cassie. With foreboding, he climbed from his vehicle.
“My mother’s temper. She’s poised for battle because in her mind you stole Cassie from me. Wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“Who told her?”
“No idea, but she’s eager for a confrontation.”
The slam of the passenger door indicated Cassie was listening. They’d have to be careful of what they said in her presence.
“That makes me sound like a toy. We’re adults.” She frowned at Manu, before turning her scowl on him. “Surely June isn’t that angry? A few days’ acquaintance doesn’t make a relationship. I should talk to her.” Cassie grimaced at Hone’s low growl. “Stop rumbling. It’s not cool. What do you think? Should I talk to June?”
“No,” Hone snapped.
“No way,” Manu echoed. “I’m going to my lab and not coming out until Dad tells me the smoke has cleared.”
“Auntie June is angry at you, too. You heard of fire-breathing dragons? That is Auntie June when she gets riled.” The truth as much as he could warn her. He pulled a face at his cousin. “How do you feel about a couple of days up north? We can go to Goat Island, check out the vineyards and relax on the beach. Do some snorkeling, and it would be nearer to…” He trailed off as he glanced at Manu. Not his secret to tell, confidentiality and all that. “It might give Auntie time to calm down.”
“I don’t understand why you’re tiptoeing around June. Is her temper really that bad?”
“Yes,” Manu said bluntly. “The cops didn’t catch the prowler. You should leave town.”
“I suppose a few days away might be nice,” Cassie said. “Emma and I visited the Goat Island marine reserve when we were kids, and I haven’t been since.”
“Excellent. We can leave tomorrow.”
“Head off tonight,” Manu prompted. “Ma is irate because your father gloated about your new lady. She connected the dots, even though Uncle George didn’t mention names. She’s angry enough to visit and voice her displeasure.”
“Hell.”
“Not even Dad has managed to calm her down.”
“We’ll go tonight,” Hone agreed.
Cassie didn’t understand why Hone and Manu seemed almost terrified of June. Manu’s mother. Hone’s aunt. It was weird. Totally weird. Yet, the truth was she’d be happy to leave Auckland. Ever since the accident, she’d been jumpy and kept looking over her shoulder. It was as if someone was spying on her. She thought back—no, she’d only experienced this creepy itchiness since the truck had run her off the road. The clown episode had compounded her nerves.
On cue, the ants-under-the-skin sensation scraped over her skin. A shiver worked through her, rippling along her arms and legs. Slowly, she surveyed the street behind them. Two children played with a large orange ball in the section opposite, their mother watching them as she hung out the washing. Farther down the street, a woman deadheaded her rose bushes.
Ordinary things.
Nothing to cause her anxiety.
She issued an irritated sigh, impatient with her over-active imagination. Too many late nights or something like that.
“Cassie?” Hone’s tone indicated this wasn’t the first time he’d called her name.
“Sorry. Zoned out for an instant there. What did you say?”
“Are you okay with leaving now? Did you want to ring Emma before we go?”
Her stomach let out a loud grumble of hunger. “I need food.”
Manu and Hone exchanged a look and burst into action. Cassie blinked as Hone hustled her indoors and Manu strode into the kitchen.
“I’ll organize food while you pack,” Manu said.
“Better ring a motel.” Hone pulled out his phone and tapped several buttons. “That looks good.”
Cassie sank onto a barstool at the kitchen counter and watched their frantic hurry. “You two are acting weird.”
“Ring Emma,” Hone ordered without taking his gaze off his screen.
Shrugging, she did as he said. “Hey, Emma.”
“How are you?”
“Fine. Is June really as fierce as Hone and Manu are making out? Evidently, she’s crabby with me because she’d decided Manu and I were a couple. Now she’s found out that Hone and I—well, I’m not sure what we are since I’ve only known him for a few days. Hang on for a sec.” She slid off the barstool. “I’m going into the spare bedroom so I can talk without ears flapping.”
“Are you sure?” Manu asked. “Things were just getting interesting.”
Cassie ignored them and hurried to the spare room. She shut the door and sank onto the end of the bed. “I don’t hurry into relationships, but I like Hone. When he kissed me…I felt beautiful and desirable.”
“Hone kissed you?”
“Yes. He made me feel feminine and my size doesn’t seem to worry him. But now he’s behaving strange. Is he a weirdo? You’d tell me, right?”
“There is nothing wrong with Hone, apart from the fact he goes through women like tissues,” Emma said dryly. “Kissing is bad.”
Cassie ignored the comment. “Why are they being so odd about June?”
“Because she has a fierce temper and she holds a grudge,” Emma said. “What did Manu suggest you do?”
“He and Hone have decided we’re leaving town for a few days.”
“Not a bad idea. You seem to be attracting trouble. Where are you going? Wait, don’t tell me. Then if June asks me, I don’t have to lie.”
“You’re frightened of her.”
“You haven’t seen her in a rage,” Emma retorted.
“So you think I’ll be safe with Hone?”
“Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed for him to act as your bodyguard.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Cassie said.
“He’ll treat you well, the sex will be excellent, and you’ll have a laugh. If you want more than that, you should keep your distance and aim for friendship. I’ve told you that already. Wait, you said there was kissing. It’s too late for warnings.”
“Yeah.” Cassie rearranged her fringe with a swipe of her fingers. “He’s gonna break my heart, isn’t he?”
“Probably.”
“A broken heart won’t kill me. I’ve had one before. As long as you ply me with chocolate I’ll get through it.”
“I can do chocolate. That’s what friends are for,” Emma said lightly.
“I might get some songs out of it too.”
“There you go. Silver linings. Look, Cassie. Just enjoy yourself and worry about everything else later.”
“It worked out okay for you with Jack.”
Emma remained silent for a few seconds. “Jack and Hone are different. Jack wasn’t as big a player as Hone and his cousins.”
“So if I was interested in Manu, you’d give me the same talk?”
“Yes.”
“Right then.”
“Have you heard from your mother?”
“Buzzkill,” Cassie said. “Now she’ll leap into my mind when I’m with Hone. If I were a man that would give me performance issues.”
Emma snort-laughed through the phone. “Go. Enjoy yourselves. Send me a text or two, okay?”
“I’ve organized tickets for you and Jack for Saturday at the Matakana vineyard. They said to give your names at the gate. My segment starts at eight.”
“Cool. We’ll see you Saturday night. Gotta go. This sleazeball is on the move. Need to take photos. Bye.”
“Right.” Cassie tossed the few belongings she’d unpacked the previous night back into her bag. She frowned, removed her glasses to check the lenses. No wonder her sight was fuzzy. She cleaned them, put them on again and squared her shoulders.
Despite all the naysayers, she liked Hone, and if he wanted to take her to bed, she was all in.
Hone’s gut bucked, and his dragon growled warnings and complaints during the drive north from Auckland, despite Cassie sitting in the seat beside them.
“I have this weird feeling.” Cassie glanced over her shoulder and studied the traffic behind their vehicle before turning back to the scan the motorway in front of them. “I keep looking without trying to be obvious but my neck is prickling as if someone is watching me. Am I crazy?”
“No, I sense it too.” Hone sped up and took the next off-ramp.
“Hope we don’t attract a cop.”
“A friend lives not far from here. We’ll see if we can shake our tail and swap vehicles for the weekend.” He darted down a side street, taking the corner fast but competently. Beside him, Cassie didn’t squeak or go all girly on him. Instead, she braced and watched the road.
Five minutes later, they shot up a tree-lined driveway and came to a halt behind a wooden bungalow.
“Stay here,” Hone said. “My friend is a recluse and doesn’t take well to strangers.”
“Sure. I’ll do some work while I wait.” Cassie pulled out her notebook and a pen.
He relaxed a fraction. What he didn’t tell her was that Roderick was a handsome bastard and women gravitated to him. Hone wanted to keep Cassie well away until he’d claimed her as his own.
That he didn’t even hesitate told him how gone he was on her. A week ago, he’d have laughed himself silly. He always rolled his eyes when his father and mother reminisced about their courtship. Their short, short courtship. They’d known after one day. Sooner, his mother had insisted. No more smartarse remarks from him, because now he understood the magnetic attraction.
Understandably, Cassie was cautious. From the little he’d heard while eavesdropping on Cassie and Emma’s conversation, Cassie had suffered bad luck with men and that had made her wary. Now he had a chance to show her how it could be between them—the sex. Hell, who was he trying to kid? His thoughts, prompted by his mulish taniwha, were deviating toward something more permanent.
“Hone, long time no see,” Roderick hollered. “How’s it hangin’?” He lifted his nose and sniffed. “You’ve got a lady with you. Bring her in and introduce me.” The tall muscular man yanked open the front door. He wore black shorts and nothing else, his black hair loose and past his shoulders.
Hone clasped his hand and pulled Roderick in for a man-hug. “Hell, no,” he said once they’d released each other.
Roderick’s gaze spewed mirth. “A bro could get his feelings hurt.”
“Pull the other one,” Hone retorted. “I need a favor. Someone is giving Cassie a hard time. They’re following us, but I can’t see them yet. Can we swap vehicles for the weekend?”
“Cassie.” Roderick rolled her name around his mouth with a dragonish purr. He sniffed, his top lip curling as he processed the layers of air. “Her scent is all over you.”
“Yeah.”
“She smells divine. Describe her to me.”
“No.” Hone didn’t even try for polite.
“Ah.” Roderick cocked his head, his gaze intent. “Interesting.”
“Yeah.”
“First Jack and now you.”
“Cassie is Emma’s friend.”
“Ah,” Roderick said again.
“Can I take your vehicle?”
“No prob. Let me get the keys and I’ll walk you out.” No questions, just easy acceptance. Hone liked that about Roderick.
“Just give me the keys. We’re in a hurry.”
“You want to borrow my vehicle, then you have to introduce me.”
“You touch her, and I won’t keep control,” Hone warned.
“You’ve already figuratively pissed on her and claimed your territory. What kind of mate would I be if I didn’t say a friendly hello to your girl?”
“How do you keep your pretty looks?” Hone asked through gritted teeth. “Everyone who knows you wants to bash in your face.”
“Not the women, my friend.” Roderick chuckled. “It’s good to see you like this, fighting for a woman instead of using them to sate your taniwha.”
“And you don’t?”
Roderick fell silent, his amusement fading. “Not while I was with Marina.”
Crap. “Sorry, I’m on edge because I’m trying to go slow with Cassie. I’ve known her for three days—”
“I get it.” Roderick disappeared and came back with the keys. “Introduce me.”
Hone fought the snarl building in his mind. He curled his hands to fists, felt the prick of claws as they gouged his palms. Despite his apprehension, he acquiesced with a don’t-push-me shrug. Trust. He could give Cassie that, and if Roderick managed to flirt and seduce her away, he’d get over the betrayal. Somehow.
He forced his feet to move, and couldn’t have described a single item he passed on the trip back to his vehicle.
Roderick strolled to the passenger side and grinned while Hone watched with nerves bouncing around his gut. Cassie had climbed from his vehicle and leaned against the front in the shade. She wore one of her pretty dresses, this one green and covered with red roses. His dragon growled, low and mean, but Roderick didn’t hesitate.
“Hello, darlin’. You must be Cassie. I’m Roderick, a friend of Hone’s.”
The woman whisperer. That’s what they called him, and now that he was single again, his job was to attract maidens from other tribes. Not many unmated women could resist him, and Hone steeled himself for the fallout.
“Hi.” Cassie’s gaze flicked over Roderick’s naked chest and back to his face. “I’m pleased to meet you. Hone said you’d lend us your vehicle. Thank you for helping us.”
“You’re welcome, darlin’.” He picked up her right hand and lifted it to his lips.
Hone growled the entire time, and he almost lost it when Roderick pressed a kiss to her wrist.
Cassie tugged her hand free. “Are you related to him?”
“Distant relations.”
“Figures. You’re all flirts.”
“You wound me,” Roderick said and winked at Hone.
“I doubt it,” Cassie said. “Every one of Hone’s cousins are terrible flirts. It must be something in the water.”
“It’s bred into our genes,” Roderick replied.
Hone leaned into his vehicle and grabbed a hat from the glovebox, his pulse lowering to a more regular speed. “Put on your hat, Cassie. I’ll grab our bags.”
“Hone, I’ll park your vehicle in the garage and won’t use it unless the weather changes.” His nostrils flared as he tested the air. “Won’t happen this weekend.”
A few minutes later, they were on their way, driving down tree-lined streets, past wooden bungalows that were some of the oldest and most expensive houses in Auckland.
“Want to listen to music?” Hone asked, still not believing Cassie’s reaction to Roderick. Deep in his gut, he sensed Cassie was the one for him.
“Yes, please. Actually, I wouldn’t mind listening to the news first.” She leaned forward and turned the power switch before Hone could use the driver’s controls.
A deep male voice came through the speakers. “…a scrub fire north of Whangarei is causing concern. Firefighters and a helicopter are on the scene. Police suspect the fire was deliberately lit…”
“How can people do that? It’s so dry at this time of the year.”
“We have relatives up there,” Hone said. “It can’t be too bad yet because they would have contacted Auntie June.” He spoke without thinking and silently cursed at Cassie’s arched eyebrows. “Auntie June is the organizer in our family. She gets things done,” he added before she could ask her questions.
The news ended, and Hone switched to the music system.
He took the turning to the motorway and drove over the Auckland harbor bridge. Yachts and small fishing boats darted across the water, leaving swirling white waves in their wake.
“There’s a cruise ship in today,” Cassie said as she glanced back at the cityscape.
“Yeah, we get quite a few over the summer months.”
“Where are we staying?”
“I’ve booked a room not far from Matakana. One room.”
“One bed?”
“Yes.” Hone waited for her reaction.
“We’re going to share the bed?”
“I’d like to,” Hone said.
“Good. I’d like that too.”
And just like that his cock grew full and his balls started to ache. It was a different feeling from when he needed sex to maintain his taniwha shape. This desire came from deep in his gut, seared his heart, and his dragon gave a sexy purr. He couldn’t wait to get to their accommodation and was glad he’d listened to Manu and gone for an upscale place rather than a basic motel.
* * * * *
“Boss, I’ve lost them. They took a motorway off ramp. I followed, but they vanished.”
Matthew frowned. “As long as they stay away from the house. That’s the main thing. I’ll station Jerry as lookout and get him to give you a call if she turns up there.”
“And if she does?”
“We keep a close eye on her. If she remains at the house, it won’t be a big problem, but if she takes it into her mind to wander the rest of her property that’s another matter.”
“Pity we can’t plant another crop.”
“Too risky,” Matthew said. “Have another drive around and see if you can locate them. If not, come back to the farm.”
“Okay, boss.”
Matthew hung up and pondered the problem. The temptation to plant another batch of plants gnawed at him. It was easy money, and once they shifted this current crop, he’d never need to worry about money again. A hazard to contemplate.