“Connor!” Adonis cried out, interrupting Laurence.
“Don’t beach yourself!” Connor trotted to the dock, quickly making his way to the end before Adonis dragged himself onto the sand. He was in the shallows but turned back to follow Connor to deeper water. The idea of Adonis dragging himself out of the water in desperation perturbed Connor greatly.
“Don’t get him wet,” Laurence said. “Dad will lock him up in his room if he finds out about this. I’ll keep watch.” He turned and walked back to the sandy path.
Connor knelt at the end of the dock. Adonis set an elbow next to his knees and reached up to touch Connor’s cheek, stroking his skin affectionately. His dark eyes darted around as he looked Connor over, a low whine coming from his throat as he carried out his inspection. Connor covered Adonis’s hand with his own and bent down to kiss Adonis’s ocean-cooled cheek. “I’m feeling better.”
“Sick.”
“Not anymore,” Connor reassured him. It took a few minutes of circling worry and reassurance before Adonis was placated.
“Board?” Adonis questioned.
“Not today,” Connor said. He sat back on his heels, letting his mind drift from Adonis’s immediate needs to the events in his life that crept up on him, demanding attention. Connor couldn’t bury his head in the sand forever. No matter how much he tried to ignore his case, it wasn’t going away, and he’d rather be prepared for what was coming next. No matter how the investigation ended, there was bound to be a retrial. “I have to take care of some things on land. I’ll visit you later, though, I promise.”
Connor thought Adonis would whine. Instead, he captured the hand in his hair and kissed Connor’s wrist. “Connor. Water. Forever.” Adonis said it with a grumble.
Connor’s lips twitched. He leaned down, pressing a dozen small kisses to Adonis’s face, who made a pleased noise in his throat at the attention. “I’m working on it,” Connor promised. He sat back on his heels, legs cramping from crouching for too long. “You get something to eat. Laurence said you’ve been staying here the whole time I’ve been sick.”
“Hungry. No.” Adonis shook his head adamantly.
“Go for a swim, at least.”
“No.”
“Hmm… well, those scales could do with a polish, couldn’t—”
Connor didn’t get to finish the sentence. Adonis cried out so furiously all words were lost. He departed from Connor, vanishing beneath the water.
“No! No, I didn’t mean it. Come back!” Connor didn’t even think. He dropped into the water, reaching for Adonis. He had not gone far, and Connor got his hands on his cheeks and drew him back to the surface. Adonis caught Connor’s sides as the chill of the waves washed over him. Adonis came up growling, a sneer away from a hiss.
“Your scales are beautiful like they always are. I was only joking.”
Adonis was still too worked up for speech, but Connor got the gist of his complaints readily enough. Connor wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pressed his mouth over Adonis’s. The protests were replaced with a gratified rumble. Adonis kissed Connor like he always did; all in, hard, consuming.
Connor quivered in desire when his back hit the post of the dock, and Adonis’s hands strayed to cup his behind.
“Connor!” Laurence called.
“Don’t tell me he—” Trevor sounded outraged.
Connor tore his mouth from Adonis. “Go on; I’ll see you later.” He, as gently as possible while still being quick, pushed Adonis under the water. He tried to get onto the dock before Trevor crossed the bend in the path. Instead, he was caught rotten rising out of the water.
“Connor!” Trevor was aghast.
Connor tried not to look too guilty, but it was hard when he dripped everywhere as Trevor reached him. “I was covered in sweat,” Connor spoke first to seize the opportunity to abate Trevor’s annoyance. “And I was all hot. I would have died if I didn’t get some refreshment.”
Trevor listened. And as Connor reached the end of his excuse, he saw there wasn’t a hint of annoyance in Trevor’s expression, only worry. As soon as he saw that, he felt guilty for thinking Trevor was annoying.
“I feel better,” Connor added. “And I brought Laurence along.”
“You brought Laurence along to be your lookout,” Trevor said without missing a beat. He stepped into Connor’s space, putting his arm around his shoulders. He guided Connor toward the sandy path. “Your fever broke last night, and I hoped you’d wake up with more energy today…I should have been prepared for what that entailed.”
“It was just a little dip,” Connor said, embarrassed.
Trevor gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as if he didn’t want Connor to feel bad about doing something he knew Trevor didn’t like. “I’m aware by now you’re half fish. But, for my sanity, please give the ocean a rest for a few days. A bad storm is coming in, and you’re not recovered enough to be out in the cold.”
“Laurence mentioned you were meeting with a lawyer,” Connor said, intending to divert from the fact that he didn’t promise anything. On the porch ahead, Laurence paced, looking guilty and worried. “And he filled me in on the case…can I borrow the car?”
