Page 38 of Undo Me

He sat up and slid off the bed, giving her a wonderful view of his rear end before turning to gather her in his arms.

“Where are we going now?”

“To the shower. Grab one of those condoms for me, love. There’s a good girl.”

When he set her down, she stood silently, watching as he moved about the bathroom. He removed his used condom, turned on the water, and pulled the shower curtain closed so water wouldn’t spray out onto the floor. All while she was studying every finely sculpted inch of his body. Flawless, but for that one jagged scar on his side. It looked like it must have hurt a hell of a lot.

“How old are you?”

“Rude.”

“Only for women.” She was dying of curiosity. “Come on, tell me. It’s not against Loa law, is it? You look twenty-three, which is disturbing because I’ve never been into younger men before. But according to the mambo, you’ve been around for a hundred years at least.”

He tilted his head without turning to face her. “I remember the first and second World Wars. We’re all called upon more often during times of upheaval in the world.”

She gasped. “And you remember it? How fascinating.”

“Frustrating,” he corrected. “No one called me to fight or protect a family member overseas, Blue Eyes. I had one purpose, and it wasn’t witnessing history.”

She sucked on her lip thoughtfully. For the first time, he sounded resentful. Had he wanted to fight? Or do something more than offer pleasure?

“What about before that? I mean, how far back does your memory go? Loas are immortal aren’t they?”

He stripped her, leading her into the shower where he began to methodically soap her body. “There are several types, so I’m led to believe. The main families were human once, or close enough. They walked the earth the way they do tonight. I was never very good at my lessons,” he said apologetically, almost absently as he washed her breasts.

She blew out a shivery breath. “Are you different from them?”

“I don’t know.”

Bethany frowned. “You don’t know? How can you not know?”

He shrugged. “I have very little memory of how I came to be. Only that I am. I come when I’m called, and I help those in need of my particular talents.”

“Your sex talents.”

His hands left her and landed on his hips, his patience obviously at an end. “Yes, my sex talents. But without good sex, there would be no romantic weddings or the babies that come after. Without good sex, women would be miserable and men more barbaric than they are.”

She placed her hands on his wet chest, caressing him with soothing motions. “I’m sorry. And I’m not against sex, in case you hadn’t noticed. I’m just curious about you. I want—I need to know you.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “He said I needed to be wary of human emotions today.”

“He?”

“A mentor and friend. He’s the Loa who met me at the crossroads when I first arrived. Who told me what would be expected of me. And no, I honestly don’t recall when that was or why it happened. Only that he was there for me.”

The crossroads. Why did that sound so familiar?

Before she could open her mouth to ask another question, he was kissing her into submission beneath the hot spray of water. She melted against him, unable and unwilling to resist.

“No more questions now, Bethany. They’ll come looking for you soon, come to take you away from me. And I need you again.”

Tears attempted to form at his words, because he had it backwards. He was going to be taken away from her. She was the one running out of time. She pressed her bare breasts against his chest, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck.

He lowered his head to kiss her throat, her shoulder, anywhere he could reach. “I am addicted to you, love. The feel of you against me, your taste. I can’t seem to get enough.”

He needed her.

“Speaking of tasting.” She let go of his neck and slid down his body, her breasts caressing his smooth torso as she dropped to her knees. “I think it’s my turn.”