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to blurt out she’d been joking when his frown lifted, his lips curving in a smile. Relief flooded over her.
    Standing, he moved closer to her and took her hands in his, pulling her toward him. She stood, toes sinking in the sand, heart thudding as he stroked her palms with his thumbs.
    “You want to play with me?” he asked mischievously.
    What a great way to put it . “Yes please,” she said breathlessly.
    He gave a little laugh, his eyes crinkling with affection and amusement. “How British! So polite.”
    She didn’t know what she expected him to do next. She’d practically given him carte blanche to do anything he wanted, and wondered if he would grab her butt, or her breasts, and try to tune her in like Phil used to do, thinking it turned her on to have her nipples squeezed until she winced.
    She didn’t expect him to link her fingers with his, still by their sides, fix her with a gentle smile and lower his mouth to hers.
    He kissed her softly, just a brush of lips, but it made her zing all over, an ice-cube running down her spine, her breasts and thighs tightening. Her heart pounded, but she made herself remain calm, though she knew her breath was coming quickly, and her nipples were standing through her dress like buttons.
    He pulled back and looked at her. His brown eyes were warm as melted chocolate, full of smiles. “You know what a hongi is?”
    “Is that the Māori greeting?”
    He nodded. Leaning forward, he pressed his nose gently against hers. “When we hongi , we share the breath of life. You’re not a manuhiri anymore—a visitor. You’re tangata whenua . One of the people of this land.”
    “Oh.” She blushed. “What a nice thing to say.”
    He chuckled. “A gift from me to you.” He released her fingers and stepped a bit closer, resting his hands on her hips. “And here’s the same thing in pakeha —that’s non-Māori.” He lowered his lips again.
    Merle rested her palms on his bare chest as they kissed. His skin was warm, dusted with a light coating of sand. He slid one hand onto the small of her back, pulling her gently toward him, pressing their hips together. She felt him against the flat of her stomach, hard as a rock, and sighed, her mouth opening under his. He inhaled in response and his tongue brushed hers, warm and soft. It was an incredibly erotic, slow kiss, with the sun warm on their skin and the rush of the waves in the background. She raised her arms around his neck, slipping a hand into his damp hair, pressing fully along him, her breasts touching his chest. He ran his hands up her rib cage, then slipped them around her back, tightening his arms around her. It was the nicest kiss she’d ever had, and she wanted it to go on forever, trying to capture the moment so she could replay it in the future when she returned to cold, wintry England.
    When they eventually drew apart, they were both breathing heavily. He widened his eyes with the mischievous look she’d begun to realise was his default setting. “You’re sexy as,” he said, brushing her cheek with his hand.
    “Sexy as what?”
    He laughed. “That’s what we say here. Sweet as. Hot as. Sexy as. All three of which you are.” He glanced back at where the rest of their group were starting to pack up. “Time to go back.” He looked at her. “I’m sleeping outside tonight—I’ve got a tent. It’s small, but if you want to join me, you’re very welcome.”
    “Really?”
    He laughed again. “Absolutely. Only we’ll have to keep our voices down—the tent is hardly soundproof and there’s no lock. Think you can do that?” His eyes gleamed.
    She felt breathless with anticipation. “I’ll do my best.” Heart thumping, she gave him a saucy look. “You’ll have to cover my mouth if I cry out.”
    His eyes went hot. “Oh my.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s get dinner over with. I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait.”
     
    The next few hours passed with agonising slowness. Merle