And totally out of place to the beauty, her little contraption was already set up and waiting for her, and somehow it was the little contraption set up with the utmost care that brought tears to her eyes.
CHAPTER 39
“Oh no!” Kallias exclaimed. “Daria, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said, wiping away the errant tear. “These are happy tears.”
“So they are real,” he said, gently wiping one away himself as he sat beside her in the sand. “And here I said I would never make you cry.”
“These are good tears. They don’t count,” she assured. “Did you really do all this just for sleep?” She wouldn’t even get a chance to fully enjoy it if her eyes were closed.
“It’s our first time. I wanted it to look pretty, and I know the rocks aren’t really. I wanted you to like it and to be comfortable.”
“You beautiful man,” she said, kissing his cheek. She had actually always loved these rocks, even if they were somewhat jagged and unruly and dark and sharp—maybe because she had always associated them with the beauty of the crashing waves, one of her favorite things in the world.
In fact, Kallias’s beauty could be compared to the crashing waves. His hair alone was like the droplets sprawling in the sun; the way it floated through the water was like the dancing of the ocean’s spray.
“So beautiful,” she murmured. And by the way he kissed her, she was sure he knew she was talking about him.
CHAPTER 40
When they finally broke apart, she was breathless and not at all ready for sleep.
“Kallias,” she murmured. His face was still so close to hers, his lips inches away.
“Mmm,” he hummed, looking down through icy-white lashes, looking as distracted as she felt.
“Tell me you didn’t have any burning desire to fall in love with a mermaid or have lots and lots of little mermaid babies or something.”
“Why are you saying that?”
“Because I can’t give you those things.”
“I don’twantthose things.”
He said it very decidedly, very easily and simply, but she still had to be sure. “Are you sure? Really, really sure? Think about it now.”
She hated that his smile was a bit sad as he caressed her jaw for that might mean that hedidwant those things. “I gave up on that a long time ago,” he said.
“But that means itissomething you want!”
“No,” he said softly. “Because if it was something I really wanted, I would’ve gone into the deep.”
“But still, maybe one day….”
“Daria, I’m telling you this on my life. I choose you over it all.”
“But why?”
He paused and she hated that she had to pause too. Why Kallias? Why Kallias when she literally had a human asking her to be with him? Why choose the one who wasn’t even her species?
“It just…feels right,” he said after a moment. “I mean, why me, Daria? Why me when you have that human?”
“Because I love you,” she said.
“Is that really the answer to the question?” he asked, laughing. “I could have said that too.”
She looped her arms over his neck. “Fine. I don’t think it feels right. It feelsperfect.”
