Paradise Discovery

  She made a mental note to ask him about that.

  Later, not now. Now they had unfinished business.

  Her body still thrummed with desire for him. He hadn't had release yet, and she was determined to give back some of what he'd given her.

  Astounded by her wild response to him, she shook her head. Guilt panged in her stomach, but she pushed it away. Yes, she was a biologist. Yes, she should be hitting him with a thousand questions about who he was. But the woman in her had taken over, and there was no going back now.

  They swam out for a while, then Dax stopped and pulled her toward him.

  She pushed him away, knowing they couldn't tread water while they were so close. "We'll sink."

  He gathered her in his arms again. "Trust me, we won't sink."

  Their bodies entwined together like a pretzel, their legs caressing each other. She wasn't treading, and neither was he. Surprisingly, they weren't sinking, either. "How do you do that?"

  "Later. I'll explain it later." He reached up and slid his palm into her hair, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck. Then he bent his head to hers and fit his mouth over her lips.

  She sighed, her body quaking with a rush of desire. His tongue tangled with hers, a slow, seductive rhythm that sent shots of intense pleasure between her legs. Instinctively she pressed her aching mound against his erection and wrapped her legs around his hips.

  How he held them both in the water was beyond her comprehension, but she felt no struggle to stay afloat. They bobbed in and out of the waves, weightless.

  The tip of his shaft probed between the throbbing lips of her pussy. With a little maneuvering, he'd be inside her. God, she had no idea until just this minute how much she wanted that.

  "Let me," she whispered against his ear, licking the side of his neck. He rewarded her with a groan of pleasure as his cock surged against her. She reached between them and grasped his long shaft, palming it, stroking it, watching his pupils darken, the gold flecks nearly obliterated by the stormy sea green. "You do want to fuck me, don't you?"

  He sucked in a breath and blew it out forcefully, moving his hips and thrusting his shaft against her hand. "What do you think? Put my cock inside you, Isabelle. Now."

  She shivered at his forceful tone, knowing he was on the brink, loving the fact he wanted her that much. She teased him, rubbing the head of his shaft against her clit. Sparks of intense rapture shot straight to her core and she let loose a loud moan.

  "Now, Isabelle. I want to feel your pussy around my cock."

  Unable to wait any longer, she positioned his shaft against her and slid down over his cock. Her pussy grabbed it immediately, pulling it in. God, he was thick, stretching her. She gasped at the sensation of being so thoroughly filled and rocked against him.

  "Oh yeah, that's good," he groaned, tightening his hold on her.

  He pushed her back until she lay just on top of the water, as if she were lying on a bed. Dax ran his hands over her breasts, pulling at her nipples until she cried out in ecstasy.

  Waves of delight rolled over her, rhythmically stroking against her body like the white-tipped waves of a crashing ocean. She tightened her legs around Dax's waist, drawing him against her. He thrust slowly at first, pulling out and then inching his way back in. Isabelle whimpered at the sensation. The tension built and she knew she couldn't hold off much longer.

  Dax pulled her up and smothered her lips in a scorching kiss, plunging his tongue inside her mouth with hard, deep strokes, using the same tempo to drive his shaft inside her pussy.

  Her gaze met his, the tight, drawn look of his features sending her to the edge. He strained against her, holding back his own orgasm so she could find hers. She felt it. Close, drawing closer, like a flame drawing her ever nearer. She wanted to reach that crashing wave with him. Then it hit.

  "I'm going to come," she whimpered, panting rapidly.

  "Come for me, Isabelle," he urged. "Come all over my cock."

  She pushed her hips against him and rode his shaft fiercely, clutching his shoulders and digging her nails into his skin. The sensations pummeled her, his shaft pulling away and plunging back inside her until she couldn't take it any longer.

  "Now, Dax, now!" she whimpered, and he quickened his pace, stroking faster and harder until she screamed. Her climax washed over her like a stormy wave.

  "Come on, Isabelle, come for me!" Dax was relentless, driving harder and faster against her as her orgasm spiraled out of control. She cried out and held on tight to his back as he crushed her against him, taking her mouth in a devastating kiss.

  She drank in his groans when he stiffened and came inside her, his body shuddering with the force of his climax. It went on for as long as hers did. He pumped repeatedly inside her, filling her with his hot come.

  She'd never felt more connected with someone like she had with Dax. What they had together went way beyond the physical and into the frighteningly emotional territory she'd always tried to avoid. And, God help her, she couldn't stop herself.

  Their lips stayed connected as they both slowed the pace, his tongue lazily tracing swirls over hers. Her body quivered with the aftereffects of her orgasm and Dax caressed her, holding on to her, murmuring against her ear.

  And still, they floated on top of the water, weightless, like flying.

  It was an out-of-this-world experience. She'd never felt like this before--so tied to someone, so connected.

  When he pulled back and searched her face, she nearly turned away. His searching gaze hit her like a lightning bolt. He could see inside her, she was certain of it. He knew what he'd done to her, he realized the connection.

  And it scared her to death.

  Chapter Six

  "I think we need to get out of the water now," Isabelle said, gently extricating herself from Dax's embrace.

  He quirked a brow. "Are you cold?"

  Cold? Hell, no. He just had her in a blazing meltdown and already her body was more than willing to stoke the fire again. And more than just her body was involved, which meant she needed to back off, and fast. "No, I'm fine. It's just late and I need to get some sleep. It's been a long day."

  Without waiting for his response, she swam to shore and gathered up her dress, quickly slipping it over her wet body. She heard Dax behind her, but she needed to get her emotions under control before she faced him again.

  Visions of what she'd done with him raced through her mind, both exciting and appalling her. She wasn't here on vacation, dammit, she was being paid to do a job. And her job did not consist of fucking a man, correction, a whatever-the-hell-he-was.

  Which reminded her that despite the fact she'd become intimately familiar with Dax, she still didn't know a single thing about him.

  And frankly, she didn't want to remain close enough to him to find out.

  "I'll see you in the morning, then." She turned to leave but Dax grabbed her arm.

  "Why are you running away?"

  She met his gaze, already hating herself for what she was about to do. Funny how self-preservation seemed like a good excuse to hurt someone. "I'm not running away. I'm tired."

  "Afraid you've just made a mistake?"

  She didn't like the glint of anger she saw in his narrowed eyes. Immediately on the defensive, she said, "Look. The sex was great. You're a wonderful lover. I came like gangbusters. I'm just tired and I need to get some sleep."

  "I see." His reply was short and clipped, his anger more than evident in the biting words. "Well, I'm glad I managed to get you off. I would have worried, otherwise. You know all we guys think about is our technique. Sweet dreams, Isabelle," he finished and walked swiftly away.

  Waves of guilt crashed over her as she watched his departing form. She tucked herself inside the safety of her bungalow and bolted the door, as if the act of doing so could protect her from her own thoughts.

  Not a chance. Her mind, her entire body, was filled with Dax. She ached in places that had never before been touched. At least n
ot how he had touched her. The delicious remnants of their lovemaking were still apparent in her throbbing body.

  Instead of satisfying her completely, he'd left her wanting more. How easy it would be to invite him inside to spend the night, make love over and over again and curl up together as they rested in between bouts of fantastic sex.

  And then what? She still didn't have answers about him, and even if she did, she'd already vowed that her chosen career as a marine biologist meant traversing the world's oceans, not staying put and having babies with some man who'd just end up leaving her when he got bored. Just like her father had left her mother.

  Long ago she swore she'd never end up like her mother, broken-hearted and pining away for a man who'd forgotten all about his wife and daughter the minute he'd walked out of their lives. No, Isabelle's work gave her all the fulfillment she needed. She wasn't going to base her happiness on a man.

  Her mother never loved again, never lived again, after Isabelle's father left. She swore every time the tears of loss rolled down her mother's face that she'd never let a man do that to her.

  Not ever.

  The first thing she did was connect her laptop and get online, sending out some emails to the Oceanic Institute. She wanted to know who the experts were on humans diving without oxygen tanks, and what the known record was for holding one's breath while in a dive.

  She'd read about it before, but never researched it and had certainly never seen it firsthand as she had with Dax. He had to have been down there at least ten minutes today, much longer than any human should be able to survive without oxygen.

  And yet he hadn't seemed the least bit uncomfortable, not even when she'd heard his words in her mind. Even when he had swum away, it hadn't been in an upwardly direction.

  She'd get some damn answers about him. There was something fishy going on around here, and she wasn't referring to the fish in the ocean.

  After she'd sent out her queries, she closed the laptop and put it away, then readied herself for bed.

  The waves crashed against the shore, the salt-tinged air streaming in through her open window. Night creatures walked the beaches and swam in the oceans, their calls and cries filling her ears with thoughts of Dax. No matter how hard she tried, the ocean she loved so much was now irretrievably connected to a man she'd known intimately, and yet didn't know at all.

  Despite the fact she was still wide awake, she slipped under the covers and turned out the light, determined to put Dax and whatever feelings he'd stirred out of her mind. First thing tomorrow, she'd get some answers to the questions about who he was. Next time, she wouldn't let sex distract her.

  *

  The ocean called to him. Tired of trying to sleep in the bungalow on the beach, Dax paced back and forth. His mind and body stayed connected to Isabelle. Isabelle and his home in the sea.

  But mainly, Isabelle. He felt her tension, her wariness and her desire. Her thoughts filled his head. Her uncertainties registered like a shout in his mind. She doubted both him and herself, and he wanted to go to her and offer comfort.

  Exactly the last thing he should do, and he damn well knew it. The best thing would be to get as far away from her and her thoughts as possible.

  He slipped out of the bungalow, glancing over at hers and noticing the lights were out. Maybe she'd gone to bed, but she wasn't asleep. Her mind was filled with images of their lovemaking. His was, too. In that, their connection remained. Dax's cock hardened at her visions, her wishes, her unspoken desires so similar to his own.

  It was time to get away, and fast. Before he did something really stupid like walk through her door and grant all her secret wishes.

  He ran down the beach and dove into the water, its salty chill somewhat relieving the ache between his legs. The dolphins came to greet him, chirping their hellos and filling him in on their day. He spoke in their language, laughing at their jokes and descriptions of the tourists of the day.

  After he bid them farewell, he headed to the depths of the ocean, going deep for miles, way beyond the level where land humans could survive.

  He swam through the doorway to his sanctuary. The glass enclosure was his haven, and his place to work. The large screens within the lab played a constantly running silent picture of his assigned area. Surveying the action on the monitor, he breathed a sigh of relief. The seas were calm. At least nothing major went on while he was topside fooling around with Isabelle.

  Something he knew damn well he shouldn't be doing. But he couldn't help himself. The situation presented itself, she was warm, smelled good, alluring as hell silhouetted in the moonlight, and he'd taken advantage of her.

  Not that she'd seemed to mind one bit. His cock twitched as visions of the two of them entwined in the water came to mind. Her scent, her sweet taste, the feel of her body merged with his all combined into one irresistible combination.

  And then she'd dropped him faster than a tuna running for its life from a hungry shark.

  But why? What had he said or done to upset her? It seemed as if she couldn't get away from him fast enough, almost as if she were afraid of him. At least the wide-eyed look on her face and nearly dead run toward her bungalow gave him that impression.

  Then again, maybe she was afraid of herself, of how she reacted to him.

  Yeah, right. Like he was some kind of super lover.

  He dragged his hand through his hair, his gaze fixed on the clear wall in front of him. The world's oceans had been peaceful today, thankfully. Of course, if they hadn't been he'd have already heard about it. He'd have known, or one of his brothers would have let him know.

  Someone was always in his damn head, anyway.

  "Pisses you off, doesn't it?"

  He wasn't surprised in the least to hear his brother Triton's voice. He felt the concern of his brothers, of Ronan, of the entire League. He knew it was inevitable that Ronan would send someone to talk some sense into him.

  "Does what piss me off?"

  "Having us in each other's heads."

  Dax turned and grinned at his older brother. Triton's dark blue eyes sparkled with mirth despite his brotherly frown.

  "I can tune you all out when necessary," Dax replied.

  "You mean during those times you're fucking a hot little land lubber named Isabelle King?"

  Dax shot a glare at Triton. "Mind your own goddamn business, Triton. I don't need you interfering in mine."

  Triton raised a dark brow. "I see."

  "See what?"

  "This land human means something to you."

  He didn't want to get into this discussion, knowing a lecture would follow about how he was taking chances he shouldn't be taking. Tell him something he didn't already know. "Tell Ronan I have a handle on things and I know exactly what I'm doing."

  Triton snorted. "Famous last words. Ones I've spoken myself before. And I was dead wrong, if you'll recall."

  His anger forgotten, Dax walked over to Triton and placed his hand on Triton's bicep, over the dolphin tattoo that matched his own. "Your situation was different. It's not the same thing at all."

  Triton's eyes darkened with the pain and anger he clearly still harbored for all land humans. Dax knew his brother's pain stemmed from one woman who'd broken his heart.

  "I'm sorry, Triton. I didn't mean for this to bring up the past."

  "She didn't break my heart," Triton said, replying to Dax's thoughts. "Best damn thing that could have happened was her decision to leave the oceans. I don't need or want a life mate who doesn't want to live with me in the sea."

  Shit. He hadn't meant to dredge up Triton's pain. They all knew how much Leelia had hurt him despite his efforts to show an uncaring front. "You cared about her. She hurt you. In doing so, she hurt us all."

  Triton shrugged it off, then narrowed his eyes. "This isn't about me. I'm here to talk about you."

  Dax sighed and focused on the scanners, comforted by the soft whirr of oceanic images playing across the screens. "There's something special about her
, Triton."

  When Triton didn't respond, Dax looked up. The hard glint in his brother's eyes had softened and he said, "I know. I felt it. Hell, Dax, you know how it is. We all felt it. Whenever one of us connects to someone like that we all know about it."

  He wondered what privacy would feel like. Just for one damn day, to keep his emotions to himself. But that wasn't their way and it had never bothered him before. Until he met Isabelle. "There's nothing going on between me and Isabelle. She doesn't want there to be. It's just...I don't know. Sex."

  "Uh huh. Just sex."

  "Exactly. I'm not tied to her in any way. This will play out and then she'll be on her way and so will I."

  "You don't operate like that, Dax. You never have, although I've tried my damndest to get you out for some fun. I just worry about you getting too close with this woman. Fun is fun, but you know every time we let a land human into our world, that's one more person who knows about us."

  "That's not going to happen. We're not heading in that direction. Hell, right now I don't even think she likes me." Although she sure as hell enjoyed the fucking tonight. And she writhed and panted and screamed to the heavens when he licked her pussy.

  "You know," Triton said, a gleam forming in his eyes, "there are a helluva lot of water sprites more than eager to fulfill every one of your fantasies. And they don't mind sharing you with each other, either. They give the best damn orgies under the sea."

  Dax laughed. "I'm not looking for a fuck, Triton."

  "Then what are you looking for? A life mate? A woman who'll live under water with you, raise some babies? And will this woman give up her life topside to do that? It's a very rare land female who'll sacrifice all she knows to be with one of us."

  He massaged the ache at his temples. The one that had been growing to near pounding size by the minute. "Don't you have work to do, Triton? Surely Ronan has some task more important for you to do besides watching over me."

  "Nothing more important than you, Dax. I don't want to see you hurt like..."

  Dax's gaze met the pained eyes of his brother, and he nodded, knowing Triton's intent was to spare him the same pain he, himself had gone through. "Thanks. Duly noted. Now go watch your corner of the world."

  They grasped arms and Triton said, "Think about what I said."