Chapter Six

Nina felt like a road paver had run over her. She tried to sit up, but her body decided not to. At the same time, it was demanding that she pee. The waves on her back moved faster. Damn it.

She focused and sat up.

Kimo asked, “Going somewhere?”

“Yup. Before you have to change the bedding again for a less fun reason.”

He was at her side and lifting her a moment later. She was brought to the bathroom and settled then left alone. “Call me when you need a lift back to the bed.”

“Great. Shoo.”

She relieved herself and nearly passed out from not humiliating herself. She hadn’t wet the bed in over twenty-two years and didn’t want to start now. The built-in bidet was delightful, and she felt so much better after using it.

The counter was great for helping her up, and she used it to help her flex her legs. She was still naked but slowly moving when she finished washing her face and brushing her teeth and headed back to the bedroom. “I used your toothbrush.”

He smiled. “It’s all good.” He helped her back to bed. “What’s locked up?”

“Thighs, you fiend.”

“Perhaps I should not have taken my time. Can I give you a massage?”

“Please. I don’t care how much it hurts. I just need my legs back under my control.”

He nodded and settled her in bed then sighed and shook his head. “I will be right back.”

She grunted and rolled to her side, curling into a ball. He was back in four minutes and had a jar in his hands. He knelt on the bed, opened the jar, and flipped her to her belly.

“Hey!”

“Zip it, shorty.”

She blinked and was startled into laughter.

He slid slick hands over her butt and thighs, and the scent of coconut reached her. Oh. Oil.

He started slow, and then his fingers went deeper. When her muscles felt loose again, he flipped her over and worked on the front of her thighs and her calves.

He finished and said, “Anywhere else?”

“Shoulders.”

He sat her up and got behind her, rubbing her shoulders and upper arms. “This was from when I rolled to my back, huh?”

“Yeah.” She grunted as he found a knot. “Or it could have been the swimming.”

He tutted. “So, now, after we hit the water, I will give you a rubdown.”

“Gee, I didn’t get you anything.”

“Oh, yes, you did, again and again and again.”

She blushed and groaned. He patted her shoulders when he finished. “Come on. Time to feed the chickens.”

She grunted. “Yay!”

He laughed as she slowly moved to the edge of the bed and got up and moving. She went to her backpack and found some clean underwear, yanking it on. “No swimming today, right?”

“Right. Just walking around the house and learning where everything is.”

“That sounds like my speed.” She got some shorts out of the pack and stepped into them, wiggling them upward over her oiled skin.

She flipped through her tees and found a shirt with a cartoon orca on it.

“You don’t have a lot of clothing.” She could tell he was trying to ask her a question casually.

“I was planning on spending time with my brother at the base or on the boat. I was restricting my laundry options. I had no idea I was going to run into you.”

“You were going to the ocean. That is where I am.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were down the path from my brother.”

“It was a delightful surprise for me as well, but I really want to make this house a more suitable match for you.”

“It’s fine.”

“You need your own space, so today, we are going to discuss what you like to do.”

“Are we?” She carefully strapped her sandals into place.

“Yes, we are.” He said softly. “We don’t wear shoes in the house. Sand.”

“I will take them off downstairs. Right now, they are loadbearing.”

“You can’t bend down, can you?”

“Nope. I got them on and just about cried.”

“Come on, nymph. We will get you some anti-inflammatories and breakfast.”

“No one ever says you need to stretch before sex. They really should.” She muttered it as she moved past him at a glacial pace.

He snorted. He carefully picked her up and carried her down the stairs.

“I am sorry, Kimo, this is going to get old fast.”

“You don’t weigh anything. I think I could sign up for this for the rest of our lives.”

“That’s beta-type talk.”

He chuckled. “Well, I live here on my own, and you will be here with me, so whatever world we design is ours.”

She sighed, and he set her on a chair. He leaned in, and she lifted her chin. The kiss was sweet, and they were both smiling when he backed off.

“What would you like for breakfast?”

“Coffee and pain relief.”

“Done.” He got a med kit out from one of the drawers and put it on the counter, getting a bottle of generic over-the-counter pain relief.

A glass of water and two tablets of ibuprofen were set next to her, and he went to work on the coffee. The birds were excited outside, the heavy scent of flowers filling the room.

She took the painkillers. “I have a friend who would love it here. She loves flowers.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but not for normal reasons.”

“What are abnormal reasons?”

“Cel is a beekeeper. She loves flowers.” She smiled. “She curates the honey carefully, directing her bees for the best result.”

“She... directs the bees?”

“Yeah. She says she isn’t the queen; she’s the empress.” She chuckled and swallowed some more water. “Queens get deposed by the hive. Empresses can take them all down.”

He chuckled. “Does she have a mate yet?”

“Nope. She also doesn’t want one. She didn’t come to the change through a chance encounter. She was hunted and survived it, but now, she wants nothing to do with men.”

Kimo frowned. “Ah. What happened to those who attacked her?”

Nina smiled. “It was the weirdest thing. Massive allergic reactions. Violent and sudden. No idea what caused it. They died next to a river but were gone before they hit the water.”

Kimo blinked. “She’s venomous?”

“I have no idea.” Nina grinned. “Cel is a person all to herself.”

“No sign of her partner?”

“He was one of the guys found in the river. He wasn’t a partner. He was a catalyst just like a trip to the beach triggered me. No guy in sight.” She smiled. “You certainly weren’t there. I would have noticed.”

He nodded. “Probably. I have been told I have a presence.”

She snorted.

The coffeemaker hissed and burbled. Kimo mixed her coffee and passed her the cup.

“Thank you. So, what is on the agenda today?”

“Well, I thought we could take a slow walk to meet the chickens, wander over to the solar panels, and check out the wind turbines and the battery packs. Then back here to cuddle and have lunch.”

“You scheduled cuddling?”

“After last night? Absolutely.”

“It was this morning.” She sipped at her coffee.

“It wasn’t nearly long enough.”

“I think it was plenty long,” she grumbled.

He laughed and got his own coffee. “What would you like for breakfast?”

“I have no idea.” She shrugged. “I am not feeling like myself today. Too much of you in me.”

“You have an interesting turn of phrase.” He chuckled. “Accurate but interesting. Shall I just make something and present it to you?”

“That seems weirdly formal. Can you just point me at some fruit, and I will take it from there?”

“You eat fruit in the morning?”

“I generally avoid morning if I can.” She chuckled.

“Well, here, there are things to do if you like. But we will start with breakfast. It is also nearly noon.”

She blinked. “Oh.”

Laughing, he wrapped his arms around her. “The chickens are not particularly patient, but they have food and water. We just have to collect the eggs.”

She blinked. “Can we do that now?”

“Sure. Leave your coffee.”

She got to her feet. “Okay.”

He took her hand and led her out through the patio door. They walked about fifty feet from the main house, and there was a small version of the big house with a long enclosed run off it. Nina laughed. “Cute.”

“Thank you. It was a personal project.” He grinned. He had a wire basket in his other hand, and he opened the door to the outer enclosure. And when she was inside, he closed the door behind her. Softly clucking chickens were at the far end of the run.

He opened the coop and explained the feeders and the laying boxes. He showed her where to check for eggs while he got some scratch from storage containers inside the coop.

She grinned and lifted the basket. “Five.”

“The others will lay later today then.”

“Two were still really warm.” She smiled.

“That means that the ladies were just here. Do you want to feed them?”

“You mean more than the stuff in the hanging feeders?”

“Yeah. To keep their foraging impulses going, there is this mix called scratch that includes sunflower seeds.” He handed her the scoop. “Take handfuls and throw it around the run.”

She nodded and traded him the egg basket for the scoop. Nina went out and tossed handful after handful on the ground and blinked as the chickens swarmed the grain mix.

When the scoop was empty, she returned to the coop, and Kimo put everything back where it had been and closed everything up.

He grinned. “There. Now we have our breakfast.”

“Really? Is five enough?”

“Enough for a quiche.”

“Oh, I love quiche. What will you put in it?”

“Ham, mushrooms, sharp cheese.”

“Yum.”

“I have some work to do this afternoon, so would you like to nap?”

“Probably. We are still going to check out the power sources?”

“Absolutely, but you look exhausted.”

“Your fault.”

“I know, and I am stifling my pleasure at that little fact.”

She laughed, and they were back in the house. Time for brunch. She made the salad while he got the quiche underway.

“Nerina, we can finish the tour now.” His fingers on her cheek were as gentle as his voice.

“Okay.” She sat up, and leaving the bed this time was a lot easier.

When she was ready, they went for a walk outside, and she was introduced to the enormous array of panels that provided the house with everything it could need. They were bolted down in a pattern that would reduce storm effects, and the wind turbines had locks that could keep them from burning out in wild wind.

“So, the storm is going to be easy for you.”

He chuckled. “They are usually claustrophobic, but I think tomorrow’s storm will be fine. I will show you the storm shutters that I have put in place. They drop from inside and can be manually raised if necessary.”

“What do you do for the chickens?”

“When the storm starts, they head into the coop, which is storm-rated. They will be fine. My garden will be less so.”

“I am sorry.”

“We share resources with the other islands and have a delightfully long growing season. We will recover.” He shrugged. “We always do. When the tourists and holiday makers run for it, we stay because this is home.”

“Why don’t you have more tattoos or any for that matter?”

“I have been waiting for life events. My family believes in celebrating life and those who make it worth living.” He walked down one of the gravel paths with her.

She nodded. “Sensible. I have seen quite a few ridiculous tattoos in my day.”

“You don’t mind featuring prominently?”

“Well, it would have to be an official mating.” She pushed her hair behind her ear.

“Of course.” He sounded confused. “What do you think this is?”

“Fun? I mean, you didn’t mark me, and while we are enjoying each other’s company, I am not sure how things work from here. You, literally, hold all the cards.”

He sighed softly. “You are my match, Nerina.”

“That’s a cop-out; it reduces all free will to written in the stars . It’s garbage.”

He paused and then chuckled. “That is a delightful assessment. Right, well, I respect you and your efforts. I respect your family. I love the feel of your tattoo against my hands and your body rubbing against mine. I do that all with conscious thought.”

She tilted her head. “Well, there have been unions built on less, but what will I be? Mistress? Lover?”

“Definitely lover, but I was thinking wife. Ah, there is the drone with the delivery.” He nodded to a small helicopter with a fairly large box strapped to it.

“Wife?”

“I am an alpha; you are a beta. Marriage is possible.”

“Oh. Right. I guess. I just hadn’t considered it. Sure, there are plenty of groups getting married back in the city. Well, one alpha and the beta get married to give her stability in the eventuality of loss of her alpha.”

“Sensible. Would you sign a prenup?”

“Sure. Why not?”

He chuckled. “It just makes sure that you continue the rental of some of the islands in this chain to certain families.”

“Oh. Right. Okay.”

They walked to the drone, and he unbuckled it and pressed a button that sent the unit back the way it came.

He picked up the box and grinned. “Come on. Most of the contents are for you.”

She followed him. “They are?”

“Sure. As you have stated, you arrived with a limited wardrobe. This will be a step toward remedying that.”

There was another hum in the air, and he grinned. “And those will help as well.”

She looked up, and three more drones were flying in with parcels. “When did you do this?”

“Last night, I woke up in the middle of the morning, I suppose, and placed the orders.”

“How does that work?”

“I placed the order from island boutiques; they got on the ferry. At the ferry, they were weighed into boxes, and the drones took flight.”

“Oh. Why so many?”

He chuckled. “I probably should not shop while looking at you with only a sheet on you.”

“Yeah, the fact that you had the urge to buy clothing for me isn’t flattering.”

He snorted. “Find out what has been delivered, and then let me know if you are actually offended or not.”

“I didn’t say offended. I said it wasn’t flattering.”

He grinned and started making a stack of the boxes as the drones arrived.

“How much did you buy?” Nina looked skyward and saw a final box flying toward them.

“Enough for a solid start. And a fashion show.” He waggled his brows.

She watched him collect the last drone and release the final parcel.

She tried to lift one of the boxes and grunted. “What the hell?”

“Oh, they are all max weights. Perhaps you should go in and make some coffee while I bring these boxes inside.” He gestured at the stacks of boxes. There were nine.

She nodded and walked to the house. She figured out the coffee as he carried in three boxes at a time.

The coffee was still dripping when he finished bringing the boxes in and was opening them with a dive knife. He sorted the boxes and pushed four aside; one was settled next to them. The remaining four were lined up, and he looked pleased with himself.

“Is the coffee ready?” He looked at her.

“No. Not yet.”

“Good. Come and see these, and try some on.”

She sighed, walked over to him, and blinked as she pulled out the first garment bag. It was a lace-up cropped top and a skirt with lacing up the side panels to mid-thigh. It was in a lovely blue with embossed wave patterns.

“I am sensing a theme.”

He grinned. “You keep going through this; I will get the coffee.”

She went through blues, greys, greens, a lot of strapless tops and skirts. There were a few gauzy coverups that wrapped over but remained translucent. Apparently, he liked looking at her because a lot of her would be on display.

There were shoes in the colour groups, panties, and only a few sets of sports bras with matching leggings and wave patterns. Exercise shoes and even a water bottle were there. “I noticed that there were no jeans or tees in this collection.”

“The environment doesn’t lend itself to denim. It irritates the skin.”

“Oh. Sensible, I guess.”

He took her coffee cup and looked at her hopefully. “So, fashion show?”

“You pick. You obviously have a favourite.”

He smiled and leaned past her to pick out a set with blue, grey, and silver embroidery with a cover-up in gauzy blue.

She looked at him and shrugged, getting dressed change-room style.

She stared down at the lacing as she tied it in a bow. The skirt showed skin from waist to mid-thigh between the lacings. The gauzy wrap gave her a bit more dignity.

He sighed and ran his hand through her hair. “Very pretty.”

“Thanks. You have good taste.” She smiled up at him.

The kiss that ensued was soft for a count of ten before he lifted her up to his height, and the kiss became intense. She was hanging on with her arms around his neck.

He smiled against her mouth. “Nymph, this is possibly the best day ever.”

“Um. Why?”

“I got a nymph; she can swim, mostly. She is gorgeous and bright and perky. She loves family and tolerates my bulky self. She deserves the best.”

“I never understood that. The best is just what folks say it is. I just want enough. Enough friends, enough family, enough affection. Anything else just perpetuates the previous.”

He chuckled. “That is a good way to think. So, do you think we can have kids?”

“Um, probably. Most of my friends who pair off end up with little ones. There are exceptionally few that haven’t produced kids yet. I am guessing that is the entire idea behind the tattoos that are popping up. They make sure the compatible betas meet the compatible alphas. You guys can be a little dense.”

He snorted.

“And several of the enhanced alphas have higher sex drives, which means that they tend to have companions already lined up. A few of them have had a rough time when their altered beta was discovered. Are you in that situation?”

He blinked. “No. It has been over six months since I had a lover.”

She exhaled slowly. “Good. I think you mentioned it before, but I am glad you aren’t lying just to draw me in. That would hurt.”

“Have you had a hurt of that nature before?”

“Sort of. My parents told me that I could still visit them at holidays, but I couldn’t tell anyone about the mark. So, they wanted me to reject something that is part of me.” Nina sighed. “That was a lot of stress.”

“So, you contacted your brother and came out here.”

“Correct. It took a while to get the travel visa. Private island chains have bitchy bureaucracy.”

He smiled and stroked her back. “If I had known who you were, I would have gone to Wonder to get you myself.”

“So, your mate or Drake’s sister?”

“My mate would probably have won out.”

“Okay. I will make sure to use that as a notification.”

He chuckled. “It will get my attention.”

“Good. I am not confident about meeting my grandparents and terrified of meeting your family.”

“They will love you.”

“Um, that’s doubtful.”

He put his hands on her hips. “One word against you and I cut them off. And, hopefully, deprive them of grandkids. Do you go into heat?”

“Yeah, every six months, but I still have a period.”

He cocked his head. “Fair enough. What do you need for that?”

“Chocolate, a hot pack, and a day in bed. I packed enough supplies for two months.”

He nodded. “Good. The next time I place an order, we can add whatever you need. I just got a little excited, and you were down for the count.”

“Uh-huh. You know that these strapless tops don’t offer much support, and I certainly can’t sprint. I will put my eye out.”

He nodded. “I will have something for that tomorrow.”

Nina cocked her head. “What happens when you tire of playing dollies?”

“Then, you get better at diving, and I get to show you some of the world I spend my time in.”

“What then?”

“Then? Then, you find something you want to spend your time on. Businesses, investments, charities, projects. Arts and crafts, if that is your thing. Flowers, gardening, creating a chicken empire. Whatever you like.”

She blinked. “What if I have to travel for stuff?”

“I will go with you.”

Nina looked at Kimo. He was calm. “Really? It is a lot of early education stuff. I like to help kids safely explore the world. Here, there is a ton of stuff to explore. School trips to the mainland wouldn’t be bad either.”

Kimo smiled. “I hate going there.”

“Well, you are right about the denim. It would be a nightmare.”

He laughed. “It isn’t just the fabric. The cities smell; the people are tense. Very little good comes out of the city.”

“I came out of the city.”

“Via the islands.”

“Oh. Right.” She sighed. “I keep forgetting that part.”

Kimo stroked her hair. “So, do you want your brother over for dinner?”

“No. My grasp of my ability to sit down is tenuous.”

He smirked. “I would apologize, but I don’t regret any of it.”

“Neither do I, but I think the painkiller just wore off.”

He moved quickly and was at her side with two more painkillers and a glass of water. She smiled and took them. “So, how long does the caretaking last?”

“Until you are no longer suffering from my attentions.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

“Do you want to know what is in the rest of the boxes?”

“Sure.”

He opened the four boxes, and when she opened the first, she gasped. “A wetsuit?” She pulled it out and held it up to her. “It’s purple!”

He laughed. “I felt you getting cool in the water, and I think this could help.”

She didn’t bother telling him that she would balance out when they were mated. For now, her body was playing games to keep him close.

The rest of the boxes had masks, snorkels, flippers, a dolphin-style flipper, and more wetsuits of different configurations.

Nina thanked him for the haul, and he gave her a you’re welcome . The last unopened box was sitting there, and she pointed. “Yours?”

He nodded. “You will see what they are later. I will just put it in my studio.”

He picked up the box and carried it down a hallway she hadn’t noticed because she had always been busy when she was on the main floor. Keeping track of Kimo had felt really important.

He was obviously unpacking several things wrapped in plastic, but she couldn’t see what they were from the doorway. He glanced at her and smiled. “No peeking.”

She nodded and returned to the kitchen. She tried to think about what she wanted for dinner and could only think of one thing. She got the ingredients together with a bit of hunting and thawed the meat. While that was happening, she boiled pasta in a skillet and prepped the evaporated milk.

She hummed to herself and got the ground beef sizzling in another pan. In fifteen minutes, she had the meat browned and seasoned and the pasta mixed with the evaporated milk and shredded cheese. The mac and cheese with hamburger was complete.

A little salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder and she was blowing on a spoonful to try it.

“What is that?”

“Mac and cheese with meat. I used to make it for Drake before practices, and now, it’s my default stress food.”

Kimo looked at her. “Why are you stressed?”

She turned to him in astonishment and started laughing. When the laughter faded, she whined, “I just wanted to spend time away and see my brother.”

He turned the pan off and pulled her in for a hug. “Sometimes things don’t happen the way you think. For example, the guys are probably mocking Drake for you and I being here together.”

“Probably. I am going to eat some mac and cheese.”

“Load up a bowl, and we will cuddle and watch a movie.”

She smiled. “Okay. Something funny. Or maybe a shark-attack show.”

He blinked. “Wow. You have a dark side.”

“Hey, most of the folks survive and are interviewed.”

“True. What do you want to drink?”

She zipped to the fridge and pulled out a cherry soda.

He laughed. “Get your food and see you in a few minutes.”

She got a bowl, filled it, got a fork, and tucked the soda in her elbow. She scooted out to the living room and curled up in a corner of the couch. The obscene sounds of the noodles made her grin, and she was soon looking at Kimo.

He smirked. “I get the corner. Scoot.”

She wiggled off the couch, and when he settled, she turned and dropped onto his lap. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against him.

He reached for his bowl and turned on the television. Shark shows began, and she ate her mac and cheese. When her bowl was empty, Kimo reached out and set it on the table, getting another bowl filled with pineapple. “You need more vitamins. Have some.”

She snorted and ate some pineapple. She snacked on it, and when he tapped her shoulder, she held some up for him. She felt his lips against her fingers and smiled.

“So, what are you doing when you watch these shows?”

“Learning why they do what they do. What the effect of global warming is, and why not swim at night when there are cookie-cutter sharks in a jellyfish area. Like that. I want to learn about whales, too, but they are a little big for me.”

He snorted softly.

“Pervert. For me, it’s like a bus that thinks. I can’t imagine Drake and the others just swimming amongst them.”

“They love the whales, and they learn how they move and what motivates them.”

“Yeah. It’s way too advanced for me.”

He kissed her temple. “We will get you there.”

She exhaled. “What if I don’t want to be out there with those blinking buses?”

“Then, you can meet some dolphins in a nice matriarchal pack.”

“Why no guys?”

“Because dolphin males are... not the most moral of creatures.”

“Oh. Can we go to bed now? It feels late.”

“The proper term is early.”

“Oh.”

He stacked the bowls and left them in place, carrying her up to bed, getting her undressed and tucking her in bed.

He disappeared for a few minutes, so she got up and went to brush her teeth. When she came back, he was frowning as if the rumpled sheets had dissolved her.

She slid back into the spot she was supposed to be, and he relaxed. When he curled around her, she smiled. “Good night, Kimo.”

“Good night, Nerina.”

He kissed her shoulder, and they fell asleep.