He sauntered off back down the beach. His own house wasn’t far and he was in excellent shape on account of all the swimming and walking in town, so it would be a quick trip. She would worry about his teasing tomorrow, when she got to work and had to deal with him for hours on end with no other company.
For now, all Tempest wanted to do was curl up against her handsome merman and hear what his family had said. She took his hand and pulled him into the house with her, rubbing her thumb over his knuckle in a soothing motion. Reassuring herself he was truly there, in the moment, beside her.
His hazel eyes were on her in a moment, and though she had a million questions, she found herself distracted. He glanced down at her lips, one hand reaching out to caress her cheek as they locked gazes. His dark hair stuck to his face, still damp, and his skin felt cold to the touch.
Tempest knew just how to warm him up. She led the way to the bathroom and started the shower, turning the water all the way up to the hottest setting.
“You’ve never taken a hot shower, have you?” she asked softly.
“Hot…water?” Reed sounded thoroughly confused.
“I’ll show you,” said Tempest with a mischievous little smile. “The hot water feels so good on your skin, especially when you’re cold.”
An hour later, as the last of the hot water ran out and the stream became more tepid than warm, she slipped out of the
STORMS AND SUNSHINE
shower and offered the merman a towel. She showed him how to dry off from head to toe, then tucked her towel around her chest and headed to the bedroom.
Reed followed, mimicking her, and she couldn’t stop the laugh that burst from her. “Not like that.”
Carefully, Tempest tugged the towel loose from his armpits and slid it down his stomach. She settled it against his hips and tucked the end in so it would stay put. Her merman said nothing as she touched him so casually, so familiarly.
His eyes had grown dark and his hands were suddenly wrapped around her lower back, pulling her to him. Her breath caught in her throat as he leaned down to kiss her again. Somehow, impossibly, it was even more magical than the last time they had kissed.
Her whole body felt electric at his touch. As Tempest tangled her hands in his dark tresses, Reed changed the angle of their faces to deepen the kiss. She practically melted at his touch, her mind going pleasantly blank as he consumed every ounce of her attention.
When they slipped into bed together, she curled up against him like a satisfied cat and fell fast asleep. Nothing else mattered in that moment except him, here, by her side.
The next day passed in the blink of an eye. Reed had explained the deal he and Elliot had made with his pod and what to expect when the mermaids arrived. While Tempest didn’t love the idea of either of the mermaids his mother had deemed an acceptable match for him being around, she could admit that she was insanely curious about them.
She had helped prepare for their arrival, donating clothes that would hopefully fit the mermaids and inspecting the nearby moon pool. When Reed deemed it acceptable for sleeping, she had laid down fully clothed and crossed her arms behind her head.
“Is this how mermaids sleep, then?” Tempest asked with a giggle.
“Well, not usually. If we must sleep this close to shore, though, this would provide us shelter and plenty of water,” he informed her, playfully splashing her.
Her eyes met his as he pulled up beside her in the alcove. “Should we go for a little swim?”
“I wish we could,” Reed frowned. “Perhaps tomorrow, we can go diving? Elliot says you can bring air and stay underwater for hours!”
“Yes,” she confirmed, delighted.
“I will show you the ocean from my point of view,” her merman took both her hands as he spoke.
Tempest couldn’t help the smile that stretched from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to see your world.”
She stared dreamily into those sparkling hazel eyes, reaching out to gently swipe a few strands of his dark hair out of the way so she could see him clearly. In the water, with his powerful tail keeping them both upright as she leaned on him, Tempest wondered how she had ever gotten so lucky.
Perhaps all that she had struggled with growing up, feeling out of place, had led her to this moment. This merman. The kind of life she could never have dreamed of as a child. If she had known this wonderful person was waiting to find her, she just might do it all again.
Why change a single thing if it risked not finding him? Reed would more than make up for the loneliness of her past. Tempesthad so much to look forward to with him by her side. It gave her a renewed sense of hope for the future.
Our Humble Town
REED
M
