Nova's eyes narrowed at the command in his voice, how it reverberated through her like a low growl. The 'independent woman' side of herself wanted to defy him, act out, and snap back at his order. But then warmth slithered beneath her skin as Yoa's mouth brushed alongside her throat.
Surrender.
Nova's lips parted on a shaky exhale.
Surrender.
With a single touch of his lips gliding along her skin, Nova's body surrendered to him, softly, delicately taking away the choice to defy him. Unknowingly, she let it. She allowed him to have this power over her like none other before.
Nova's hands slid to his chest. She meant to push him away, create space between them, but her head angled subtly to the side for him instead. Her hands that were meant to push, relaxed.
It was like an invisible wall halted the actions of her brain. The healthy beat of Yoa's heart slamming against his chest relaxed her fingers further.
The delicate touch sparked a shockwave of awareness through Yoa. He was acting on instinct alone. Only seconds passed between them in this heated, silent battle of desire and will, but it felt like hours of growing tension crackling in the air.
A muscle feathered in Yoa's jaw as his lips paused by Nova's pulse point, feeling it thump rapidly beneath his lips. "Do I make myself clear?" Yoa enunciated each word with a rumbling growl, barely containing the beast underneath the surface at his following words. "You could have been killed."
Nova swallowed, her body slumping more against the tree and moulding somewhat around Yoa. The remaining energy, holding her hands up, doused out as they slid down his chest, grazing along his abs, which were as smooth and hard as marble to rest by her sides.
She nodded, exhaling shakily. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice dropping even more. "You… scared me."
Yoa's head dropped onto her shoulder with a sigh. "Then I am sorry too, little mouse. You did not trust me enough."
"No, I… panicked. A lot was happening. Everyone… those monkeys, the tribe… they were chasing me… They were so aggressive, and then you… you're a… jaguar… A huge jaguar. Honestly, what have you eaten to get to such a size in both forms? You know what, don't answer that. That tribe, even as aggressive as they were, still fled as soon as you appeared. It makes sense now you're an apex predator and-"
Nova's eyes widened, inhaling sharply and freezing. Yoa was nipping gently at her neck, his teeth grazing and pulling on her skin. "I thought you said you wouldn't eat me?!" She blurted out, trying not to think about the shiver that rippled through her body.
"You're rambling," his voice rumbled against her skin. Her toes curled to the sound, to the vibration thrumming down her body.
Nova swallowed, forcing herself to push past her body's reaction to this man. "That doesn't mean you bite me!"
"Actually, it does."
Yoa smirked, enjoying the way her body reacted to him, even if she couldn't seem to admit it to herself. It was certainly refreshing to see a female not intentionally try to mate.
Yoa pulled back, his forehead still almost touching hers as they stared into each other's eyes, gauging one another.
"Why?" A breathy whisper was released from Nova's lips, and she felt her cheeks heat from the way she sounded. Who was she, and why did this man affect her so much? She'd seen beautiful people before. Heck, she'd dealt with them in the workplace.
But Yoa wasn't just good-looking. He was untouched by society, untamed, wildly and so masculinely beautiful. Yes, he was a giant with a body any man would kill for, eat so clean and bust their asses in the gym for, but it was also his mannerisms. There was no bull or second-guessing. When he speaks, he means every word. Perhaps that is why they could traipse through the forest at times without speaking for hours.
Yoa smirked and stepped back. The moment he did, Nova's body almost instinctually leaned forward like they were connected by rope or a magnet pulled her towards him. Noticing her strange behaviour, she embedded her nails into the bark of the tree behind her, grounding herself.
"It stopped your overthinking," Yoa said quietly as his eyes roamed over her. For some reason, Nova didn't sense that was the real reason. It was plausible, but then again, Yoa didn't strike her as the type to lie. "And my beastly nature urged me to do it."
Nova's eyes snapped up to his at that. "Ah." Was all she could say in response. What else could she say?! What did it even mean?!
Yoa chuckled and the deep tune sank deep into her skin, warming her. Get. A. Grip. Girl! Nova cleared her throat. She had the urge to fan her face, no, her body or maybe even slap herself, or check her phone and ask the internet why she was reacting like a silly school girl for someone she knows there will never be any future with. Logically she was an idiot, but her body seemed to be a little bit of hussy.
Wait. Where's my phone?! Nova's eyes almost bugged out as she patted down her chest. Yoa arched his eyebrow at her as she cupped her chest. "That is one way to grab a male's attention…" He murmured, sounding more intrigued than anything.
Nova wanted to smack him. "Get your head out of the gutter." She rolled her eyes and dropped her hands with a loud huff. "I lost my phone."
"What is a gutter?" Yoa asked then he looked away, like it usually did when something else caught his attention from those super heightened senses. "It doesn't matter. This phone… It is to locate your people? Is it important now if you are near the resort?"
Nova sighed again, pressing her fingers to the side of her temples and gnawing on her lip. Not once had she ever lost or broken her phone. "I can get a new one when I'm on the mainland…" she murmured as her heart sank. It shouldn't matter as much as it did not after the bizarre days she has had on this island.
But like most in the 21st century, her phone had her entire life on it. Unaware or dismissing her strange behaviour over that strange tool, Yoa nodded and took her hand. "Come. The beach isn't far from here. You'll be reunited with your people soon."
Nova looked up at him as he began leading her away. "Yes… I'll see them soon." Her voice lowered as she felt a small part of her that was disappointed. That was ridiculous. How could she be disappointed in returning home? In returning to her life of comfort?
She would return to work, the job she loves so much, and return to her family. She definitely wouldn't take anything else for granted now. But as she watched those back muscles flex and those faded jaguar splodges just beneath the surface of Yoa's skin shimmer under the filtered light through the trees, she knew deep down the reason why. Their short time together was coming to an end.