Ta-Mara didn’t reply. She instead went to the door and opened it. A step outside and she stopped, her gaze locked on blue eyes. Levi leaned against the wall waiting for her. He held out his hand and, without hesitation, Ta-Mara took it. He led her down the hall then through the crowd and outside. Both were silent as Ta-Mara got in the vehicle and started it. On the drive home there were no words exchanged. The short ride felt like an eternity but once they arrived, she quickly got out and went to the house. The sound of his steps behind her made her move faster. Her hands shook as she opened the door and went in. He grabbed her and spun her into him.
“Levi.” Ta-Mara gasped. “W—”
He kissed her and Ta-Mara melted. It was claiming and she was powerless to resist it. Levi kicked the door closed behind him, turned her then swept her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around him, moaning as she returned his kiss. She was on fire and the only thing she wanted…no…
needed
, more than her next breath, was him inside her. Levi quickly carried her to her bedroom and each step made his erection rub against her. She rocked then gyrated on him, wanting him now. He set her on her feet then took off her clothing. Ta-Mara helped him remove his then pressed herself against him. She whimpered at the sensation of his warm flesh against hers.
Levi picked her up again then stepped to the bed before placing her on the surface gently. He retrieved the condom from the bedside table and put it on. Levi stroked his erection and her mouth watered while her pussy clenched as she remembered how he felt inside her. She was already addicted to his touch. He lay on her then lifted her leg before he thrust deep into her. Ta-Mara came apart, flooded with need. She put her other leg around him, moving with him, countering each deep thrust.
“Yes.” She hissed at each glide of him. “Take me, Levi.”
He continued to move, his body bowing tight as he pleasured her. Ta-Mara’s heart raced and she didn’t know if she would ever be the same. Hell, she didn’t want to be— each touch of his would be in her mind forever. She closed her eyes, not wanting to cry.
“Ta-Mara.” At Levi’s urgent tone, she stared into his fierce gaze. “Mine. I’m staying.”
“You can’t promise that, Levi,” Ta-Mara roared.
“I—”
“Don’t promise things that you can’t.” Ta-Mara gripped his face. “Let’s just enjoy now.”
Levi’s reluctance was clear on his face. Ta-Mara tightened her inner walls and his eyes glazed. He kissed her and thrust harder. She held him, letting the passion overcome her.
Levi was lost in her and he didn’t want to go anywhere. Yet Ta-Mara was right. He had no way of knowing what was to come. He couldn’t make promises to her and it angered him that he didn’t have that control over his own life.
Why am I here with this woman with the possibility of it being taken away hanging over us?
Levi had no answers but he cursed whatever fate currently ruled his life. He stared at her and determination filled him. Even if time decided to draw him away from her, Levi would leave her something—he didn’t know how yet—so she knew, no matter if centuries separated them, he would be thinking if her. He pushed in and she accepted him into her wetness. Heat pooled in his belly and he increased his motions. He braced his elbows on either side of her head, staring into her eyes.
Her gaze darkened then went slumberous as she arched under him—coming. As she broke apart in his arms, Levi’s sac tightened and he joined her in pleasure. Levi shook under the power of his climax. He slumped on her and gathered her close. Levi pulled out, disposing of the condom, then cuddled her against him. He held Ta-Mara to his chest, kissing the side of her face. Ta-Mara relaxed into his arms and her breathing deepened as she went to sleep. It felt so right for her to be there.
Levi thought of the song she’d sung to him. He hadn’t heard it before but then again since he was new to this century that wasn’t such an uncommon thing. But the words and the way she had delivered the song to him had made his throat tight. He didn’t want her to feel like she had to beg him to stay, share him with anyone else. Levi frowned wondering how she even knew about Calliope. He studied the side of her face, trying to recall if he had told her about Calliope. He couldn’t remember. Come to think of it, he hadn’t shared much with her beyond his being from another time. Ta-Mara hadn’t asked but she seemed to know he had faced pain and lost.
How would she know that?
Chapter Eight
Levi stared at the woman making him dinner. She had such graceful movements—like a dancer. So light on her feet, and with elegance that emanated from her. He’d gone to work with her a few more times but most often he stayed at her house and learned more about this time he’d been sent to. He didn’t want to mess up and cause any questions to arise about him that could affect Ta-Mara.
They’d not gone out with her friends since the karaoke two weeks ago, but the women had come over here. It had amazed them that he had his own room. He didn’t want his own room but respected Ta-Mara enough he wouldn’t push it. After the night they had sung together, then her singing to him, things had changed with Ta-Mara. Although he still wondered about her knowing details from his old life, the next morning he’d realized he’d made an assumption of things she said with no basis of fact. Ta-Mara, since that night, had been more open with him and demonstrative—touching him at random times. There was no denying the attraction between them, but he knew Ta-Mara was trying to avoid getting attached to him. She’d told him with the song she sang as well as many times since then…He would be leaving soon. He couldn’t fault her for wanting some space between them, yet he longed for her to let down the wall she kept between them.
“Can you grab something for me from my room, Levi?”
He stood instantly. “Of course.”
“On my dresser there is a card. Can you bring that out here? My neighbor will be stopping by and it’s for her.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He pushed up from the stool and walked from the kitchen through the living room and hall to her bedroom, which was done in caramels and burgundy. It was warm and sensual, much like the woman herself. Once in her room, he paused by the dresser and stared out of the open door, which led to the screened porch with fireplace. Her house was amazing, that was for sure. Shaking his head, he fought to keep his mind from what he’d like to do to her before that fireplace out there—or the one in here, as well as the one in the living room.
She was like a drug that’d gotten under his skin, and though some were bad, with Ta-Mara he had no desire to rid himself of the craving. On her dresser sat an envelope with the name Jessie Mae on it. He’d not met this person, so figured it was the one he needed.
He paused before leaving and turned a complete circle as he glanced around. These past few weeks, he’d been studying all he could about this time he’d landed in. He loved her computer and while she worked, he tended to spend hours in her office catching up on what had happened since his time. It hadn’t hit him until now what was so different about her room. Heck, her entire house.
Heading back to the kitchen, this time opting to go from her room through the screened porch then living room to the final destination, he sat once again on the padded stool, placing the letter beside her.
“Why don’t you have lots of little knickknacks around your room?” he asked, reaching for the glass of wine she’d poured him earlier.
“Knickknacks?”
He sipped and nodded. “On the television most times, the women have umpteen of them lying around, especially in their bedrooms, making it frilly and girly.”
She burst out laughing. “Umpteen? Girly? Someone’s been watching a lot of television.”
He smiled at her gaiety. “I’m learning.” In truth, it had mesmerized him. He’d no idea people lived like that. Yes, women in his time had a lot of things as well but compared to now? Well, it was a whole other type of thing.
“I don’t have a lot of use for things like that. I prefer a clean house and all that requires a lot of dusting, plus it wasn’t anything I had growing up. I have the large stuffed bear in the chair in my room. That’s about as frilly and girly as I am. I have my umpteen out in my garden with my flowers—or as you’ve seen, in the den with my books.”
That was true. He’d spent quite a bit of time in her den, reading book after book. She had a wonderful collection—fiction, nonfiction, biographies and more. Although he did tend to leave the romances alone, he really enjoyed the military fiction. He’d even tried out the e-reader she had, but he much preferred holding an actual, physical book in his hands.
Ta-Mara tucked some hair behind her ear before lifting the pot from the stovetop and draining the water from the spaghetti noodles. The doorbell rang and she placed the stockpot back on the stove. Wiping her hands on the towel hanging over one shoulder, she swiped the card from beside him, touched his shoulder then went to the door, carrying a covered pan of something.
He wanted to follow her. Wanted to meet her neighbor, but she’d not told him to come so he forced himself to stay right where he was. She wasn’t gone that long and when she came back, she was shaking her head.
“Everything okay?”
“A bit. That was Jessie Mae’s daughter. She came over to get some things so they’d have some food. I have to do some cooking tomorrow. Jessie Mae was in an accident and can’t do any cooking right now. I didn’t think she was getting out until tomorrow and when Susie—that’s her daughter—called to say she was on her way home, I told her to come get something so they didn’t have to cook, which is why we are no longer having casserole, but spaghetti.”
“They don’t have a housekeeper to do it for them?”
She burst out laughing. “More of that television. Most people around here don’t have the money for that. It’s not common anymore. There are a few who do, but Jessie Mae isn’t one of them. We’ll stop by tomorrow and see if there’s anything we can do. I’m sure she’s just going to want to sleep tonight.”
He drank some more wine, appreciative of how she included him in her plans. They ate dinner right there at the counter. They sat on the stools with the wine between them. He helped her clean up and after with an all-too-brief goodnight kiss, he went to his room. Unless Ta-Mara showed that she was interested in being with him, he wouldn’t push. There were boundaries she’d set, and Levi did his best to respect them. Lying back on his bed, he yawned as the cool night breeze blew over him. The day hadn’t been as muggy as previous ones, yet he still wore nothing but boxers.
Closing his eyes, he conjured up the image of Ta-Mara. He tried to bring up Calliope but couldn’t quite manage to. He didn’t feel as bad anymore. He’d loved Calliope when they’d been together, but she was gone. He couldn’t hold on hope of having her back. Ta-Mara was real, alive and right here with him. What he felt for her shocked him and worried him a bit—such powerful feelings for a woman he’d not known very long.
It didn’t matter. She was something special. His cock stiffened as he allowed himself to fully envision Ta-Mara. Hell, even tonight while she’d worn an old, tatty T-shirt and jean cut-offs, she’d taken his breath away.
Reaching down to free his shaft, he stroked it, fixated on the mental image of Ta-Mara. Up and down he moved his fist, slowly at first, only growing tighter around the length in his hand as he increased his speed. Feeling his release approaching swiftly, he slowed, pinching the head of his cock to stave off his ejaculation. A bit more in control, he began again.
Up and down, easy strokes. His hand was warm but nothing like the woman. Hell, a touch on his shoulder nearly burned him. To have her before him on her knees with his cock sliding in and out of her full lips… He groaned as he moved his hand faster still. He imagined her before him, eyes on him, hunger in her gaze as she swallowed all he had to give her. Her name slipped free as he bucked beneath his touch and came on his belly and chest with thick strands of his release.
Once he’d cleaned up, he crawled back in bed. Levi ignored the urge to go to her room and take her, then finally drifted off to sleep. He woke the same way he’d fallen asleep—his hard cock demanding attention as visions of Ta-Mara teased him.
They had a quick breakfast then he sat in the office reading while she cooked. He assisted her in loading her Mariner with all the things she’d made.
“Let’s go,” she said, tossing him the keys.
He caught them purely out of reflex. “You want me to drive?”
“You’ve been practicing around the property and now it’s time for the next step. We’re not going that far. If you want to get better, you need to practice on the road too.” She closed the hatch and walked away from him.
Pivoting, he tracked her movements. Graceful. Alluring. Today she wore a pair of white pants, which stopped around mid-calf. Capris, she called them. A striped red and black shirt hugged her upper body. Although he’d never been a man to notice such minute details before, he was hyperaware of everything about Ta-Mara. He’d watched her slip on some red shoes as she’d gone out of the door.
Blowing out a breath, he climbed behind the wheel and fastened his belt. He’d been driving often since she’d first started teaching him. Yes, he practiced on her driveway, but that was hugely different than actually going out onto the road. She didn’t look at all concerned—quite the opposite, in fact—as if she had full confidence in his ability.
He started them down her drive and stopped at the end, waiting for her to direct him on where to go.
“Left.”
He made the turn and soon they were heading down the road. As he did, Levi was feeling better about driving outside his comfort zone.
“Not very far. You’ll take the next left actually, just around this bend coming up.”
He slowed and soon they bounced as they traveled over the rutted road. A smaller house sat at the end and he parked beside a rusty sedan. It looked as though both house and car were falling apart.
He got out as Ta-Mara did. She went up and disappeared inside the screen door only to return shortly with a younger woman following her. Blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders and she wore very little tight shorts and a shirt, no shoes.