Displaced (2 page)

“You were face down. I thought…” He swallowed, and stared at me, his eyes wide and scared. “Christ on a bike, I was freaking out.” He swayed, as though his knees were shaking, the water continuing to swirl around his thighs. “I came early to walk Butch, and then I saw you.”

His eyes widened further when I stood up. “You’re, um.” His gaze darted to my crotch and then up again, to fix on my face. “You’ve lost your shorts.” Colour splashed his cheeks, and I felt sorry for his embarrassment.

“I swim naked. I prefer it.”

He nodded, water droplets sliding down his face, over the now coarse stubble. His T-shirt stuck to his chest, highlighting perfectly sculptured muscles, and for a heartbeat, I was tempted to touch him.

Shaking the thought away, I folded my arms before I had any more random ideas. “Thanks, though. Even though I was in no difficulty, I appreciate it.”

This drew a smile. “Yeah, no, it’s all good.”

The familiar Kiwi phrase struck me as funny, or maybe it was just the situation. It felt like the start of a bad joke: a sea monster and a tour guide were standing in the ocean… And the tour guide was shivering. His jeans looked black, they were so full of water. I knew I’d regret it, but I couldn’t walk away and leave him. “You’re soaked. I live close by if you want a towel and to borrow a change of clothes.” I jerked my chin toward the simple wooden beach house that nestled against the dunes.

A smile lit up his face again. “Thanks.” He turned and splashed through the last few yards by my side. “I’m TJ, by the way.”

“Henare,” I replied, before I thought about it.
Whoa
. We didn’t need conversation; I didn’t want to know his name. I was going to lend him a change of clothes, that was all.

The mutt was obviously torn between hiding from me, and rushing toward its master. It growled as we approached, and bared its teeth. The fangs were tiny compared to mine in my native form, but his bravery amused me.

“I don’t know what’s up with him.” TJ sounded puzzled.

“Dogs don’t like me.” Nor did anyone else, and that was the way I wanted it. I’d no intention of making friends with TJ, so it didn’t matter if I ignored his dog. All the same, with a little sigh, I bent down and showed it my bare hands. This drew a sniff, and a tentative lick across my palm, and then he rolled onto his back and assumed the belly-up-you’ve-beaten-me position. I had to smile.

TJ’s teeth were chattering by now, and I hastened to lead the way across the sand to my cottage, Butch following closely at my heels.

I’d learned early on that to fit into society, I had to follow certain norms. A home. An income, from intricately carved pieces of driftwood. I had no need for food or drink, and I didn’t need to sleep, but the little cottage I rented had come fully furnished. This was the first time I’d invited anyone back. What if he got the wrong idea? He might want to become friends, or come back uninvited.

“Wait here.” I left him dripping in the doorway, while I went to fetch him a towel. He’d need some clothes too, and so I dug out a T-shirt and a pair of board shorts— another concession I made to “fit in”. If they were too big, that was too bad. I was done helping. I dragged a pair of denims over my already dry legs and hurried back to find him.

TJ hadn’t moved. Another tick in his favour. Butch sat by his feet, tongue lolling and perfectly relaxed, and his thick tail thumped when I approached.

“Here.” I handed him the bundle and then realised he needed some privacy. “You can get changed in there.” I gestured toward the bathroom with my fingers and tried not to watch as he padded across the wooden floor, the jeans hugging his perfect ass. I turned my focus to the dog instead. Butch gazed up at me, the fear gone. “What are you staring at, hound?”

He made a whining noise and flopped to the floor, the huge brown eyes tracking my every movement. Maybe he was thirsty? Against my better judgement, I went to fetch a bowl of water, and as I placed it on the floor, TJ emerged from the bathroom.

My clothes were loose on him, but not by much. In the bright light of morning, I could finally see his eyes properly and they took my breath away. Green with gold flecks, they reminded me of the inside of a mussel shell, and they danced with amusement.

“I thought you said dogs didn’t like you?”

I had no smart answer for that, so I said nothing and tried to scowl at him. He was invading my space. Wearing my clothes. Smiling at me as though he liked what he saw.

Falling back on rudeness seemed the only safe option. “You need to leave.”

****

Chapter 3

The sun began its slow glide down the sky and the afternoon drifted into early evening. I watched the families packing up for the day, the fishermen clustering together, and the joggers materialising now the temperature had dropped. The sea had been as placid as an inland lake, and I wondered how TJ’s tour had gone, and then wondered why the hell I cared.

As though he heard me thinking about him, he appeared in the distance, Butch trotting on the end of a long leash. I didn’t move from my driftwood seat.
He might not see me.

I was wrong. He lifted his hand in a cheery wave, and I had to acknowledge him. I’d have looked stupid otherwise. His stride lengthened, and before I knew it, TJ stood in front of me, a now familiar grin dancing on his face. “Henare. I’m glad I caught you.” He tugged on the dog lead and then, with a graceful twisting move, released a small backpack from his shoulder.

“I’ve brought your gear back. Thanks.” He dug into the pack and produced my clothes, neatly folded.

“Umm, thanks.” I set them on the bleached log next to me and stared at the sea while I waited for him to leave.

He didn’t take the hint. Instead, he rummaged in the bag again and produced something with a flourish. I gazed at the four bottles of beer in his hand.

“I brought you a proper thank you.” His smile was too enticing. Jesus, what had I started? Instinct told me to refuse the gift, but curiosity made me hesitate. I couldn’t get drunk, and I’d never tasted beer. Today was a day of firsts. Maybe it would also be the day I put Matiu behind me? The idea made my chest ache, and I tried to push past it.

“Beer. Thanks. Do you want to, uh, join me?”

“Love to.” TJ sank onto the golden sand, and Butch settled down between us. “I just grabbed the first I came to, do you like this one?” He snapped off the metal cap and handed me the cold bottle, moisture clinging to the glass.

I took it cautiously, and pretended to examine the label. “Not tried it.”
Not tried any
. “I’m sure it’ll be good.”

“Cool.” He opened his own drink, and lifted the bottle to tap gently against mine. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I muttered. The scent reminded me of fresh green hedgerows, almost floral. Unusual. I copied TJ when he took a drink, tipping the bottle to my mouth and gulping the liquid. Cold, sharp and yet sweet, a fizz of bubbles filled my mouth and came down my nose, making me cough. What the hell?

TJ raised his eyebrows, but I recovered and took a smaller sip, holding the beer in my mouth for a second before swallowing. Flavours cascaded onto my tongue and exploded on the roof of my mouth. This was good. I drank some more. Really good. Why had I never tried beer before?

The bottle was already half-empty and I stared at it, feeling TJ watching me. “I like it.” What could I give him in return for this experience? I could talk to him. “How was the tour?”

He leaned back against the driftwood and wriggled his shoulders, as though getting comfortable. His dark, silky hair lay just inches away. “It was good. Mostly rich Americans, but they were all fit enough for the climb.” He tilted his head to look up at me, in the way Matiu used to. “You’ve been to Kapiti Island, yeah?” A flood of memories hit me and I was unable to speak, so I nodded. “We took the shortest route to the summit and it only took a couple of hours. The views were awesome today. As clear as I’d seen it.”

The island was designated a nature reserve, and there were only limited numbers of people allowed to visit. Matiu and I had spent time there hundreds of years ago, before the native Maori settlers had even set foot there.
Stop thinking about him, Henare.
With an effort, I listened to TJ’s chatter, and the ache eased a little. I could do this again. Spend an undemanding hour with a handsome guy, even if he did seem determined to become a friend.

TJ opened and held out another bottle, swapping it for my empty one. “Yeah, it was a good day,” he concluded, and closed his eyes against the low sun. “I won’t come running into the sea tomorrow morning, now I know you don’t need rescuing.” His chuckle loosened something tight inside me.

“No, you really don’t need to.”

“You know what?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here now. It’s all good.”

He reached down and fondled Butch’s ear, and the dog grunted. I watched his fingers slide back and forward in the thick fur, gentle and graceful. There wasn’t anything ugly about this man. I took the opportunity to examine his face, noting the long, thick eyelashes and the bruise blooming on his cheek.

“What happened? To your face? The bruise.”

“Some jerk decked me this afternoon. Thought I was ogling his chick.” He didn’t sound upset.

“Were you?”

“Nah.” He opened his eyes and pinned me with the blast from his stare. “I’m not into chicks.”

My mouth instantly dried, and I took another gulp of beer. He was perfect for me. Young, hot and interested. Lust pooled in my gut, and all the blood in my body shot to my dick.

Even as my brain processed his words and my body reacted, I felt another pull, one that could not be ignored. The tattoo on my arm heated, a warning of my imminent change, and I dragged my gaze up to see the sun minutes from setting.

Fuck. How long had we sat here? I needed to go.

TJ closed his eyes again, his shoulders sagging. “Don’t be offended, Henare. If you want to punch out my lights as well, feel free. Every other fucker does.”

The tattoo started to burn. I had two minutes at most.

“I have to go,” I blurted. Before I could change my mind— or consider the implications— I leaned down and cupped TJ’s cheek. His skin was smooth, he must have shaved before coming to see me.

It was the swiftest of kisses. No more than a featherlight touch, my lips brushing over his. “I’m not offended,” I whispered. “But I still have to go.”

****

Chapter 4

For the first time since I’d been cast out of my realm, I looked forward to the sun rising. When I drew breath, I swam through the waves to the shore and splashed through the shallows, anticipation bubbling through my veins. Would TJ be there?

Memories of the kiss-that-wasn’t-a-kiss surged. In truth, they’d not been far from my thoughts all night. The way his eyes had snapped open. The desire that had flashed between us. The disappointment on his face when I hurried away, darting behind him into the cover of the dune, just a couple of strides away.

There hadn’t even been time to strip before my human form dissolved into a cloud of moisture particles and arrowed back to the sea, to merge with the ocean. I’d heard TJ call my name, and then I’d submerged beneath the waves. What must he have thought?

I saw Butch first, trotting along the shoreline, a stick in his mouth.
Not
on his leash. As soon as he saw me, he bounded across and tossed the stick at my feet with a playful
woof
. If the dog was here, TJ would not be far away.

Throwing the stick seemed to be what the hound wanted, and he raced after it while I padded across the sand. Where was TJ? Apart from Butch and myself, there was nobody… and then I saw him. He sat on the dry sand close to my cottage. Watching me.

I blew out a breath, tension leaking from my shoulders, and I fought to hide my smile. He was here. An unusual emotion settled in my chest, one I’d never imagined feeling again.
Pleasure
. His wide smile suggested he felt the same.

I paused, a few steps from him and reined in my first thoughts before they became words. I sought something neutral. “You’ve let Butch run free?”

“There’s nobody about for him to run after.” His gaze darted down my nakedness to my half-hard cock, before rising slowly to my face. “You must have gone out early.” His cheeks coloured, and he shrugged. “I mean, I’ve been here a while and didn’t see you go out. Do you swim far?”

Hundreds of miles
. “Yes, I like to swim.” I tried to contain my delight, wanting to hold onto the emotion. He’d been waiting for me.
Unlike Matiu
. I clenched my fists at the memory of my lover, and TJ noticed.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to stalk you or anything.” He tensed, and I could sense his uncertainty.

“I’m glad you came back,” I replied.

He scrambled to his feet, a hopeful look in his eyes. “The way you disappeared last night. I thought, well, yeah. I couldn’t be sure.” He gave an awkward one-shouldered shrug.

He’d come back, that was what mattered, and I didn’t want him to doubt that. “Be sure of this.” I curled one hand gently in his T-shirt— so soft— and tugged him toward me. He moved fluidly to stand close, our mouths just inches apart. I could smell something sweet on his breath. “I don’t like girls either.”

His answering smile was a thing of beauty.

It felt like the most natural thing to lean into TJ, and claim his lips, even while alarm bells shrieked inside my head. I never kissed. That implied more than physical lust, more of a connection, just
more
. I wanted to fuck him, that was all. I was about to pull back and say something, when he made a broken sound in his throat and opened up to me. His tongue flicked over mine, and I was scorched in a blast of heat.

Sweet, hot and enticing, I wanted more. My cock pulsed with need, and I flexed my hips to brush against his denims. A shockwave of sensation flooded me and I knew in that moment, I had to have him.

TJ lifted his head. “We should move,” he whispered, his eyes bright and pupils dilated.
Move
?

My brain caught up with his words, and I sucked in a harsh breath. “Come.” I stepped behind him and pushed open the door. Another first. I’d never fucked here before. He followed, the dog bounding alongside, and then he leaned against the door to close it. The cottage was dim inside. The morning sun wouldn’t reach the windows for some time, but I didn’t need light for this.