Page 35 of Little Shake of Salt

This was the first sunshine I’d seen in days, I realized.

What the hell happened?

Demi suddenly coughed next to me and shot up, her eyes wide. I put my hand on her thigh to soothe her. “We’re safe,” I said gently. “We’re alive. We must have washed up on shore.”

“Your—tail.” Her voice cracked as she reached for me, her hands running up and down my body as she inspected me. “Where’s the wound? I saw the harpoon go through you. Gods?—”

She choked back a sob as I pulled her into my arms. I let myself cry, tears salty as they rolled down my cheeks.

I’d thought Demi was dead. I’d seen her body and the lifelessness in her sweet brown eyes. There’d been no heartbeat.

“Someone must have saved us,” I whispered.

I wasn’t sure who. The fissure that’d opened on the sea floor—it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. And the shadow . . .

Something had awakened. Something had risen up to the surface. A creature, a monster, a god, abeingthat frightened me beyond all comprehension.

And yet, I was certain that creature had saved me and my mate.

“I’ve never had so much regret as I did in the moment where I thought you were gone and realized I hadn’t told you how I feel,” Demi hiccupped.

“Demi,” I said softly, pulling her legs to straddle my hips. “You don’t need to worry about anything right now, we’re safe. We survived. I’m only a little angry at you for so recklessly jumping into the ocean to try and save me. What were you thinking?”

“But you got into the harpoon zone,” she said. “I saw it go through you. I saw your blood. I thoughtyoudied. When I dove into the water, you weren’t responsive, and?—”

“One of those stupid swordfish hit my head,” I said. “That’s what the harpoon was aiming for and I got in the way. But it knocked me out. That’s why I wasn’t responsive. But my love, a harpoon of that size cannot kill me. We are very tough.”

“I didn’t know,” she hiccupped.

I kissed her again, sniffling. “I’m so sorry I scared you. I just wanted to save your ring. I know how important it is to you.”

Demi let out another soft sob as I lifted my hand. Her eyes widened as she realized her ring was on my pinky finger.

“You saved it,” she rasped.

I nodded and slowly pulled it off, holding it in my palm for her. Demi stared at it for a few moments, more tears rolling down her cheeks as she picked it up.

Then, she carefully turned my hand over, and slid the ring back on my finger.

“It’s yours,” she said. “My heart belongs to you, Marina. This ring is something I want you to have.”

“Demi,” I gasped, my eyes widening. “But this is your mother’s ring.”

“I know,” she whispered. “And I want it to be yours because I love you. I want it to be a symbol for how much I love you. I almost didn’t get to say it to you. I almost didn’t get to tell you that I want you. I almost didn’t get to tell you that I’ve always hoped I’d find love, but stopped believing it long ago. Youchanged that.You changed everything, Marina.I love you.”

My vision blurred with tears as I held her gaze. I’d been waiting so long to hear this. Centuries of dreaming that one day, fate would be kind enough to bring me someone who could love me in spite of my faults and celebrate my wins.

Someone who wanted me, all of me—the good, the bad, the fishy.

The ring on my finger held all of that and the promise of more.

“I love you too,” I whispered. “So much, little sailor.”

Her lips pressed against mine and I fell back in the sand, the granules sticking to our bodies as she kissed me harder. Her tongue slid in my mouth, and I whimpered, rocking my hips.

“There’s one more thing,” she rasped.

“What more could there be?” I asked.