Cassandra Pierce - Diamonds in the Sand [The Aquans 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Special Edition) Read Free

and heavy lidded, his lips parted slightly as though he were concentrating on her to the exclusion of every other thought.
    “Where did you say you and your friends stay?” she asked. The idea of him sleeping near her, probably in the nude considering the heat, made her quiver. She busied herself with pressing on the mattress as if to test its softness.
    Daq shrugged. “Outside, sometimes. Not in this house. You’ll have the place to yourself.”
    “Until Septimus gets back, you mean.”
    “Yes. Of course.”
    Once again, an unpleasant scenario flashed through her mind, involving Daq and his strange friends taking advantage of Septimus in some way. Almost as quickly, she dismissed the idea. Septimus might have been seventy years old, but his e-mails and letters to her, not to mention his scholarly work, betrayed no weakness of mind or even of body. Taking off in pursuit of a rare shell or sea creature seemed perfectly in character. And Daq appeared sincere in his concern. He had a sweet quality, even if he didn’t talk much.
    She looked up to see him beside the sliding glass door beside the bed, motioning to her. “Come on, I’ll show you the best part.”
    He pushed open the door, and she followed him onto a private verandah, positioned exactly above the one she’d admired from the living room. A wicker loveseat faced the sea. Daq held out his hand, indicating that she should sit. As she did, she stole a glance at Daq’s smooth, sinewy legs. Good grief, every inch of the man was gorgeous. She sure hoped he didn’t turn out to have some nefarious agenda against her and Septimus.
    “This is lovely,” she said, smiling up at him. Hopefully, she could lower his defenses and find out a bit more about his relationship with her—or maybe their—missing mentor. “I’m amazed that Septimus can keep the place up as well as he does at his age, considering he still spends twenty-three hours a day on his research. You and your friends are obviously a great help to him.”
    “We try to be. He’s been like a father to us…but without all the intrusive, judgmental stuff you get with a biological parent.”
    “Point taken. I don’t spend a lot of time with my parents, either. Septimus sort of took on that role for me, too. He understood my passion for academics in a way my own family never did. They couldn’t understand how science could possibly appeal to a woman more than chasing down a wealthy husband and popping out babies. With Septimus, I never had to justify my choices.”
    The ghost of a smile played around the corners of Daq’s mouth. “He’s very protective of you. Talks about you all the time. I know he looked forward to sharing some of his new discoveries with you.”
    “That’s why I can hardly believe he isn’t here to meet me. Still, as you say, he’s always had his own way of doing things. So do you guys assist him with his scientific work at all? Do you have any idea what he was so eager to show me?”
    Daq shrugged. “We help him with whatever he asks us to. We take care of the house, run errands, that sort of thing.”
    He spoke of Septimus in the present tense, she noted. That was good. “Does he pay you?”
    “Not exactly. I’d call it a barter system. We look after him and he lets us live on his property.” This time Daq did smile. “Island life is different than what you’re used to. We move at a slower, less modern pace, and we try not to worry too much. I’ll let you get settled. We stocked the kitchen for you, but if you need anything else, just let us know. We’re easy to find.”
    He left her alone with her thoughts and the heat. Grateful for the opportunity to shed her damp clothing, Maura shut the bedroom door, stripped, and rinsed off in the shower. When she returned, she lay down on the bed, still wrapped in a towel, and closed her eyes in total exhaustion. She expected to hear Septimus tap on the door or buzz her cell phone at any moment—but when she finally woke, it