As she stepped around the couch and back into his view, he sucked in a breath. Her teal hair had been braided in two sections down her back, the tresses still damp from her shower.
A soft cream-colored dress hung snugly on her body, the delicate little straps on her shoulders tempting him to tug at them. Those blue-green eyes, so like the ocean he adored, watched him nervously. She bit her bottom lip and his eyes were immediatelydrawn to those plump, rosy lips.
Suddenly, Reed wanted to kiss her more than he’d ever wanted anything else. More than he’d ever wanted anyone.
“Tempest…can I kiss you?” he whispered, his throat tight.
Her eyes grew wide and he felt like he could drown in them. “W-what?”
“I want to kiss you,” Reed said huskily. “Please, Tempest.”
He could think of nothing else as she stood in front of him, looking as tempting as the chocolate croissant he’d had on his first trip to land. Her lips parted on a soft exhale as she nodded her assent. He leaned in, unable to resist the electric pull of her proximity.
Ever so gently, Reed pressed his lips to hers. The absolute rightness of it hit him. Warmth and desire swirled in his stomach as he wrapped one hand behind her head, pulling her incrementally closer.
The small sound she made in the back of her throat at the motion made himferal. It was the only word he could think of for the feeling.
“Moon above, you taste like magic,” he whispered into her mouth before diving back in for another kiss.
Tempest’s eyes opened at that. She blinked slowly at him, as if her mind was hazy and she couldn’t remember what they’d been doing before this. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and drew lazy circles on her tongue, lightning dancing through his veins when she returned the favor. Her hands tangled in his hair, tugging ever so slightly.
This might just be perfection.
When a guttural groan escaped his own lips, Reed finally pulled back long enough to allow them each to take a desperate breath of air. He sucked in the oxygen his lungs needed while on land, an unfamiliar burning in his chest as he caught his breath.
In his arms, Tempest gasped for air as well, and he could feel herracing heart under his touch.
“If I didn’t know better, I would swear thatyouare a siren,” Reed muttered, his voice rumbling and deep. “You captivate me so, Tempest. As bright as the stars and as mercurial as the sea.”
“That’s…” she breathed out with a little laugh.
“Do you disagree?” he smirked down at her, those bluegreen eyes meeting his.
“Of course I do. I’m just a woman. There’s nothing special about me, Reed,” Tempest said, her voice tight with emotion.
He watched her throat bob as she swallowed hard and he frowned. “No. You rescue the creatures of the sea and control the storms with your feelings. That is magical.Youare magic.”
This time, Tempest didn’t argue with him. Instead, she leaned her forehead against his shoulder and curled up against him. Reed didn’t know how to comfort her, but he rubbed soothing circles into her back in hopes that it would help. They stayed that way for a long time, the silence thick in the air around them as he held her close.
After a while, he realized that she’d fallen asleep. Tempest slumped against him, her arms around his waist and her hair tickling most of his exposed skin. He gently laid her down on the couch beside him, resting her head in his lap so he could play with her braids.
When Reed realized she was cold to the touch, he looked around for something to cover her with. Hanging over the back of the couch he found a fluffy cloth that looked quite warm. He tugged it out from behind his shoulders ever so carefully, doing his best not to disturb her as he moved.
The cloth unfolded into a large rectangle that covered her entire frame when he shook it out and Reed smiled. Now, she would be comfortable. She would rest.His beautiful Tempest. The merman wondered at that—at the possessiveness he felt for this human woman that he barely knew.
From the first moment he’d seen her, he had been fascinated. The joyous smile on her face as she chased her companion sea lion shifter through the clear waters had been infectious. The moments he had spent with her since then? Their one-on-one interactions, where he had her full attention? It felt like lightning in his veins. Reed could think of nothing else that exhilarated him the way she did. Even now, with her sleeping soundly against his thighs, he had no desire to move, to do something else. He would gladly stay here just like this forever, if it brought her the comfort that Tempest clearly needed.
Could this be the love his parents spoke of? The overwhelming desire to be beside someone, to make them happy, to live for the moments you could make them smile. He had never experienced something like this with any of the mermaids he was meant to consider for his match. None of them had made him feel needed the way Tempest did.
Reed watched the moving pictures as he held the storm witch close, his concern eased by the steady rhythm of her chest as she breathed softly. He had no idea how much time had passed when she finally stirred, but he didn’t care in the slightest.
“Mmm,” Tempest murmured, rubbing her eyes. “I must have fallen asleep. I’m sorry.”
“It seems you needed to rest,” he offered her a smile, watching her stretch her arms over her head.
For a moment, she just looked at him. Then Tempest returned his smile. “Thank you for letting me use you as a pillow for my nap.”
“Any time you’d like, Tempest,” Reed replied, placing one hand over hers. “I am at your whim.”
