“I’m curious.”
“That’s not a good enough reason for me to pour my heart out to you. Excuse me.”
“Maybe we should talk about last night.”
“What about it? Is there something unresolved?” I put my hands on my hips, er, the top of my tail. I really need to go back to land. I’ll never stop thinking like an air-breathing human with legs.
He gives me a sheepish grin. “I get why you’re mad. That’s why I want to talk.”
“Ugh. Would you take a clue? Go away.”
“I don’t think you really want me to do that.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
He leans closer, barely leaving any water between us. I can smell his rugged cologne, or aftershave, or whatever the heck it is. “I know you’re a good kisser.”
My face burns. What is it about being under water that makes me blush constantly? I was never like this before. “Yeah? Well, that ship sailed. Now every time you think about that, you can wallow in regret. Just think of what you could’ve had.” I twirl around and race away.
Somehow he manages to block my path again.
I try to move by him. Fail.
“Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?”
He doesn’t budge. “Once or twice.”
“Or all the time, is more likely.” I turn back around, but you guessed it, he blocks me again. “You’re seriously exasperating.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He smirks.
Hades, he is full of himself. And yet I want to kiss him again. No, I don’t.
Yes, I do.
“Come on.” He nods down the hallway.
“No, I don’t.”
His forehead wrinkles. “Huh?”
Crap, I said that out loud. “Nothing. I need to study.”
“I can help. I’ve been through all the first-year classes.”
“Did you fail them?”
“Ouch.” He puts his hand to his chest like he’s pulling out an arrow.
I roll my eyes.
He takes my hand and before I can yank it away, he threads his fingers through mine and leads me down a hallway to a door that looks vaguely familiar. Once outside, I recognize it as the area behind the academy where he brought me after I escaped the woods.
Hardly the place I care to return.
“Why are we here?”
“Because it’s quiet. Peaceful, don’t you think?”