Merry & Seduced Read online

  Amme pulled a face. Too bad. She couldn’t tell him these experiences were brand, shiny new. Her jobs had confined her to cities, mostly big ones with not a trace of plant material. Earth with its gorgeous scenery and lack of technology thrilled her.

  “What are those trees with the red flowers?” The trees clung to cliffs and banks all along the coast road, the scarlet red of the flowers drawing her eye.

  “Those are pohutukawa trees,” Marcus said. “They flower during December, and they’ve become a symbol of a New Zealand Christmas.”

  “Pretty,” Amme said. “I should’ve brought a…” She frowned while trying to remember the correct word.

  “I have a camera,” Max said. “We’ll take some group photos if you want. You’ll see more pohutukawa trees at the beach. I can email the photos to Camryn.”

  “Yes, camera. Thank you. There’s the van,” Amme said. “Will the water be cold?”

  “Maybe at first.” Marcus parked beside the black van and pulled out his phone. He keyed in something and winked at Autumn. “There, now we won’t forget the Christmas parade.” As he placed the phone back in his pocket, it buzzed. He glanced at the screen, scowled, and shoved his phone under the car seat out of sight. “Who wants a swim?”

  “Me, me!” Luke jumped up and down and reminded Amme of Camryn.

  “He reminds me of Camryn,” she said and took Autumn’s hand to stop her tearing after Luke.

  “Swim,” Autumn said.

  “As soon as we get organized,” Marcus said.

  “How long?” Autumn asked, her delicate brows puckering.

  “We need to stake our place on the beach first,” Marcus said.

  “Suntan lotion first,” Max said to his excited son, once they’d settled in a flurry of rainbow-colored beach towels, buckets and spades, picnic baskets and a red-and-white umbrella. “Put on your hat.”

  “What is the purpose of the lotion?” Amme said in an undertone to Camryn. “Should I have some for Autumn?”

  “Yes. Max won’t mind sharing. Humans need it to stop the sun burning their skin,” Camryn whispered. “That’s the reason for the hat too.”

  “We don’t have a hat for Autumn,” Amme said to Marcus. “We don’t want her face to burn.”

  “Good point,” Marcus said. “From memory, there’s a shop just down the road. They’ll sell hats.”

  “I want to swim,” Kaya said.

  “You’re all as bad as each other,” Max said. “Don’t you have beaches where you live?”

  “No,” Jannike said. “I’ve never seen the sea before.”

  “Okay,” said Camryn, and she started flinging off her clothes to reveal her red bikini. “Last one in is a rotten egg.”

  Ry let out a kitty purr and yanked his T-shirt over his head. He chased after his mate with another rumble that made Camryn screech out a laugh.

  “They growl a lot,” Max said, grinning after his sister.

  “It’s a feline thing,” Amme said without thinking.

  “A feline thing?” Marcus asked.

  “Family joke,” Max said smoothly before he turned away to supervise Luke.

  Marcus cast a quick glance at Amme who was chewing her bottom lip. A sign of guilt? But guilt about what? She had clearly said feline, which was plain weird. Lots of things didn’t add up when it came to Amme and her friends. Their odd expressions and the way everything seemed new to them. His gaze cut to Max as he pondered the facts he’d gathered. Nah, nothing to worry about. Amme was fantastic with Autumn. Hell, he liked her too and didn’t want his nosy questions to upset their current situation.

  Amme dumped her bag and two beach towels onto the shell-strewn beach. She crouched beside Autumn and helped her strip down to her swimsuit.

  Amme glanced up at him and smiled. Something twisted inside his chest, pulled tight until he had to concentrate on breathing. Last night with Amme…the sex had been amazing and the lazy loving this morning was the perfect way to start a day.

  “Are you just gonna stare?” she asked.

  “I like looking at my girls.” The words slipped out naturally—words he’d never thought he’d hear himself utter.

  “Your girls are going swimming,” Amme said. “Right, Autumn?”

  His daughter nodded.

  “Swim. Swim,” Luke chanted.

  Marcus took off his T-shirt and reached for Autumn’s hand. “Ready?”

  “I want Amme,” she said.

  “Just a sec,” Amme said and she stripped off her T-shirt and shorts with economical movements to reveal a bronze-colored bikini.

  “I want Amme too,” Marcus said in a low voice, which only she could hear.

  She tossed him a grin and took Autumn’s other hand.

  The rest of Amme’s friends were already in the water, shouting and splashing as if they’d never swum in the sea before. Their behavior raised those questions again. He cast a glance at Max who was shaking his head at their antics. He didn’t seem surprised. Maybe he’d ask Max a few questions when he could speak to him in private.

  He and Amme walked to the water’s edge at Autumn’s pace. They lifted her over a small wave and she shrieked. Marcus chuckled and stepped into deeper water until Autumn was up to her waist. His happy mood took a hike, though, at the blatant interest two teenagers showed in Amme. The two teens—more men in truth—had their gazes glued to her backside.

  Suddenly he understood Ry’s need to growl, a low rumble of displeasure building in his chest. He caught the attention of one teen and winged him a black scowl. The kid elbowed his friend and hurriedly moved down the beach.

  “I saw that,” Amme said.

  “Saw what?”

  “The demonstration of ownership.”

  Crap. “I—”

  “I always wondered how Camryn felt when Ry pulled his possessive act. Now I know. It makes me feel special, as if you care.” She reached over and pinched his biceps. “Don’t do it too often. Now and then works for you. Overdoing will make it lose impact.”

  Marcus knew his mouth was opening and shutting more than usual and not a squeak emerged. Confusion. Amme tangled his brain in knots. He wanted her, naked and willing in his arms, yet this outing with her and her friends rated as a fun experience too.

  “Oh,” he managed finally while trying to get his mind around the fact sex had always been the end goal for him. Something in Amme had made that change.

  “Do you go out with women often?”

  A trick question? He hesitated.

  “Just curious. Autumn, do you want to practice your swimming? Try to float between the waves. I’ll stand here and you float to your daddy.”

  Their skin resembled prunes on exiting the water, but everyone wore broad smiles. While Amme took care Autumn, Marcus dried himself off and grabbed his wallet.

  “I’ll go and buy Autumn a hat,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Amme said, and he experienced the tightening of his chest again.

  It seemed as if she cared for his daughter. She dried her carefully and applied the suntan lotion Max handed over.

  “Camryn, will you keep an eye on Luke for me?” Max asked. “I fancy an ice cream. I’ll go with Marcus and bring back ice cream for everyone.”

  “I’ll be careful with him, Max,” Camryn said.

  “I know you will,” Max said, his face softening as he regarded his twin.

  “Can we build one of those sandcastle things?” Kaya asked.

  Max laughed while puzzlement filled Marcus. At least he’d have a chance to grill Max and find answers to some of his questions.

  He waited until they’d crossed the road before he started. “Amme says she’s from Romania. Do her friends come from there too?”

  “As far as I know.” Max’s expression turned impassive, the equivalent of those Marcus saw during tough business negotiations. This look screamed knowledge.

  “Is that where Camryn has been?”

  “She’s been with her friends.”

  Max’s words—cagey—and his imagination raced with possibilities.

  “Sometimes they speak in weird clicks and grunts.”

  “They do?”

  “Come on, Max. I’m not stupid. Something doesn’t add up here.”

  “They’re good people, Marcus.” Max stopped walking and met him head-on with determination. “When Camryn left, her life was on a downward spiral. She was depressed and drinking way too much. Hell, she was an alcoholic. She almost set the barn on fire and she let Luke wander onto the training track while responsible for watching him. She slept around and pulled all-nighters. I was ready to commit her to a clinic. That’s how bad things were. Now, she’s clean and she’s got a good man in her life. It’s easy to see he loves her. Their friends…” He shrugged. “Sometimes they’re a bit odd, but they have each other’s backs, and that means a lot to me. They’ve given me back my sister.”

  “Wait. You said Camryn was an alcoholic. She was drinking wine yesterday.”

  “I know,” Max said, moving again with long ground-eating strides. “She’s perfectly healthy now and seems to manage a few drinks without losing control. It’s a miracle, one I intend to enjoy instead of questioning. I’ll get ice creams. You want one?”

  “Sure. I need to focus on buying a hat. Any idea what a girl would want?”

  “Nope.” Max laughed and the bark of sound bore a huge streak of humor. “You’re on your own there, mate.”

  Back at the beach, Marcus handed over the straw hat with trepidation. A bunch of tiny pink and white flowers decorated the brim. He figured even if it was a bit big, it wouldn’t matter. They’d make it work.

  Autumn gazed at the hat with wonder lighting up her tiny features. “I love it,” she said and promptly ran over to Amme to show her the hat
. Relief rushed from him along with his held breath.

  “Job done,” Max said, slapping him on the back. “Who’s for ice cream?”

  “Me. Me!” Luke said.

  “I got your favorite lemon ice pops,” Max said to his son. “Here you go. One for Autumn too.”

  “I’ll take ice creams to the castle builders.” Marcus carried the bag down the beach to the water’s edge. “Ice creams. Time for a break.”

  “Thanks,” Camryn said, accepting one first.

  Her friends took the ice creams he offered, but they waited and watched what Camryn did with hers before they followed suit.

  “Good choice, Marcus,” Camryn said. “I haven’t had one of these for years.” She took a delicate bite. “Delicious chocolate coating.”

  “Yum, chocolate,” Kaya said and took a huge bite. She took a second bite before she’d swallowed the first. Suddenly, she groaned and held her head. She spat out the ice cream. “Stop! Don’t eat it. It’s poison. Ow, my head.” She glared at Marcus. “What have you done to me?”

  Camryn started laughing, and Kaya whirled to face her friend, her fingers pressing into her head. Beside her Jannike howled and dropped her ice cream on her lap. She pushed at her head. Camryn laughed harder, and Ry and the others stared at their ice creams in suspicion.

  “Brain freeze.” Fascinated, Marcus scanned their faces. Kaya’s hair appeared extra blue today, so bright it almost dazzled his eyes. He was sure the color hadn’t been so vibrant earlier. “It happens sometimes when you eat cold foods. The blood vessels in your head are constricting and trying to preserve the heat in your body. It will pass. Lick the roof of your mouth to warm up your soft palate.” He lapped at his ice cream to stop it from dripping.

  Camryn chortled and took another bite of hers.

  “I’m really not dying?” Kaya asked, still rubbing her head.

  “No, you can read about it when we get home,” Camryn said with a smirk. “You’ve wasted half of your ice cream. It’s chocolate in the middle. Yum!”

  Kaya growled and bared her teeth, and Camryn sprang to her feet and hid behind Ry.

  “I’m not sharing,” Camryn said.

  “This chocolate is yummy.” Gweneth nibbled on her ice cream, savoring each bite.

  Marcus’s gaze moved on before returning. “Gweneth, you have sand or mud on your cheek.”

  Her left hand shot up to the exact spot. Weird. He glanced at Mogens. The man’s features were pure white. His gaze shot back to Camryn and found her watching him.

  “Mogens, you need some more suntan lotion to stop from burning,” she said calmly.

  “What?” Mogens glanced at his arm. “Oh, I see what you mean.”

  “I’ll get it,” Jannike said. “Is it in your bag?”

  “Yes,” Mogens said. “The salt water must have washed it off. I didn’t factor that into my salve.”

  “Race you up the beach,” Jannike said and took off.

  “You’re going to lose,” Ry said. “She’ll never let you hear the end of it.”

  “Right,” Marcus said. He sprinted up the beach, but his mind wasn’t in the race. It was stuck back down at the sand castle with Camryn and her friends. He wasn’t imagining their oddities. And he suspected Max knew the answers, except he wasn’t talking.

  Marcus plopped onto his towel and opened his ice cream. Feeling the weight of a stare, he glanced up to find himself the center of Amme’s attention.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “Funny, but I was going to ask you the same thing,” she said.

  Chapter Six

  One week later

  “I like Christmas,” Autumn said.

  “Me too,” Amme agreed with a fervent air.

  Camryn laughed and whisked another tray of chocolate chip cookies into the oven. “You both have chocolate spread from one side of your mouth to the other. I was lucky to get enough dough to make the cookies with you two around.”

  “When can we decorate our Christmas cake?” Gweneth asked.

  “So impatient.” Camryn tut-tutted. “It needs to cool. We’ll do the frosting tomorrow. But I can show you how to make fondant snowmen and Christmas trees to go on top of the cake.”

  “I want to decorate the chocolate cupcakes,” Kaya said. “You said we can make the ones we saw in the shop, the ones with the white chocolate twirls.”

  Jannike nodded. “Me too.”

  “I want to do everything,” Autumn said in her little girl voice.

  “What she said,” Kaya said, her head bob-bob-bobbing like Luke at his most excited. All Kaya required was the arm waves and they’d make creditable twins.

  Warmth shimmered through Amme. When Gweneth’s father had offered Gweneth’s hand in marriage to the winner of the Dowry Derby, Amme had expected to remain on the planet Ornum, at least until her charge wed. That hadn’t happened. Ry’s hell-horse had won the race, and Amme’s life had changed in a heartbeat because he refused to mate Gweneth. Instead, he’d offered to take Gweneth with them. Amme had traveled with the crew of the Indy because she’d wanted to keep Gweneth safe. She’d never expected to find personal happiness during the process.

  “I think Marcus needs a translator. Nanu keeps forgetting to speak his English,” Amme said. “Marcus is clever. He’s noticing.”

  “Max said Marcus questioned him, but he put him off.” Camryn checked the oven timer. “Ry and I discussed this. We think it’s better if we don’t tell him. I’ll send Mogens over with a translator later tonight. That’s the easiest way to divert suspicion.”

  “I’m keeping him distracted,” Amme said, the smugness in her voice making her friends chuckle.

  “How many sleeps until Christmas?” Autumn asked.

  Amme counted the days on the nearby calendar, proud of the Earth knowledge she’d amassed under pressure. “Twelve sleeps.”

  “That’s a lot of sleeps,” Autumn said.

  “We have lots to do,” Camryn said. “We have to choose a Christmas stocking for you, so you’re ready for Santa Claus. We have a play date with Luke tomorrow. Max is bringing him over to swim in the pool.”

  “Can we visit the ’pacas?” Autumn asked.

  “You need to ask your daddy,” Amme said.

  “Ask him what?” Marcus asked. “It smells good in here.”

  “Chocolate chip cookies,” Ry said, entering behind him. “I’m sure that’s what I can smell.”

  Camryn went straight to him, and Amme wished she had the freedom to do the same with Marcus. She forced herself to remain at the kitchen counter. He wasn’t a child and she shouldn’t experience this compulsion to keep him safe. She frowned inwardly, testing her system, analyzing. No, not the same response she experienced with Autumn. Similar, true, but different in that she wanted to spend time with him, be with him and bask in his smile.

  “Camryn will smack your hand with a spoon,” Autumn said without warning.

  “Why?” Marcus asked, cookie in hand.

  “You’re not meant to steal the cookies yet.”

  “Busted,” Camryn said, waving her wooden spoon at him. “But I think they’ve probably cooled enough. Anyone want cookies and milk?”

  “I’ll make a pot of tea,” Amme said and a tremor of pleasure tore through her when Marcus smiled at her with thanks.

  “What’s on the schedule for tomorrow?” Marcus asked.

  “Camryn is going to teach us to sing some Christmas carols. Something about deers while we decorate the Christmas cake,” Kaya said. “Does a Christmas cake contain chocolate?”

  “No.” Camryn pointed at Kaya with her spoon. “You’re putting on weight. Even Mogens has noticed your arse is getting bigger. And he was muttering about clouds and readings.”

  Kaya peered behind at her shorts-clad butt and scowled. “Does my arse look big in this?”

  “Yes,” her friends chorused.

  Marcus just stared because he had no idea what they were talking about. Kaya wasn’t fat and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky today.

  “We’re going to sing a Santa Claus song,” Autumn said.

  “We also need to do some S. A. N. T. A. shopping,” Amme said, spelling the word just as Camryn had told her she should. “We’re going to buy a Christmas stocking for Autumn to hang near the fireplace.”

  Marcus frowned. “Where do we get one of those?”

  “Max said there is a stall at the Farmers’ market in Clevedon. We’re all going on Sunday morning.”