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“And that’s going to suck big octopus balls.”
I chuckled, my heart panging for the past few weeks that’d passed far too quickly. We’d all returned to work on The Fluke. Neri had spent most of her days diving with her parents while I manned things above. Twice, I’d been coerced into diving with them as a family, and I had to admit, it’d been fun.
Pretty fucking cool actually, to finally see the humpback whales that Neri sketched and spoke about. The grace with which they swam and danced, their huge bulk effortless in the salt. Their songs swirling around us, echoing in our bones.
We’d all been rather quiet that night at dinner, reliving the majesty of nature and all its beasts. Neri had snuck into my sala when her parents were asleep, and we’d kissed and writhed with a primordial desperation that felt both light with love and heavy with loss.
We were so insignificant compared to such giant creatures. Yet the way I felt about Nerida made me feel both immortally invincible and terribly breakable.
Each day, as we counted down to leaving, had been a rush of emotional addiction, sexual gratification, and I’d been lucky enough to reach another level in my relationship with Jack.
Something had changed between us.
He no longer saw me as a boy he’d protected with lies and kindness but a man in my own right. A man who’d done such violent things, all in the name of love. Anna looked at me differently too, her eyes catching every touch and kiss Neri and I shared. I did my best not to slip in front of them, but when I did, Anna seemed to hoard our affection, tears twinkling in her eyes, watching us like we were her favourite Hallmark movie.
She’d pulled me aside the night before we left and hugged me as if I was her own son. I had no idea who my biological mother was, I’d lost the woman who’d raised me, and now I had a third mother who I would always be so grateful to because she gave me Neri.
It fucking hurt to leave them.
Hurt to pack up Neri’s new Jeep and say such awful goodbyes.
It wasn’t forever.
But as Jack hid his tears and Anna stood on the street waving farewell, it’d felt like it.
And standing in this apartment, on the cusp of a new adventure, I was both torn by the past and teased by the future. I just prayed that we’d be as safe and happy here as we had been back there.
Hugging Neri tighter, I sighed as I let her go. “Only three years. Then you’ll be qualified and can either work for Jack and Anna or open your own research team.”
“Would you work with me?” she asked softly. “Would you be okay returning to the ocean after a three-year break from it? It might be impossible to get you back in once you’ve been away from it for so long.” She pouted adorably. “I didn’t think about that. What if you get stubborn again and refuse to put your big toe in? Let alone go diving with me.”
Her eyes held genuine worry, and I pressed my finger beneath her chin. “I’ll go wherever you go.” Lifting her face to kiss her, I captured her mouth. “Always.”
The moment we touched, all our tiredness from the long trip and the weight of what we were now facing faded. I only meant for it to be a quick peck, a flurry of affection and acknowledgement that we were in this together, but she moaned against my mouth and stepped into me, her arms lashing tight and lips parting.
My mind swirled; my body reacted. Cupping her jaw, I kissed her deeper, plunging my tongue between her strawberry-tinted lips and—
“Oh, good. You figured out how to get in.”
“Shit.” I jerked away from Neri and shoved her behind my back. My eyes locked on the stranger standing in our bedroom. “Who the fuck are—”
“Griffen Yule,” Neri snapped quickly, giving me a wide-eyed look to behave. “Hi, Mr. Yule. Thanks so much for sending us the keys. And for letting us lease this place.” Marching in front of me, she extended her hand politely. “Sorry about him. He’s just—”
“Protective.” Griffen Yule, our new landlord, held out his hand and shook Neri’s offered one. “And please, call me Griffen.” His green eyes met mine as he grinned. Bald head, weathered face, stocky build, and a face covered in three-day-old whiskers. His skin was most likely meant to be white, but he’d spent so much time on the ocean and in the sun that he’d turned a little leathery. “I did knock, but no one heard me. I was driving past on the way home and wanted to welcome you to the building. Make sure you know how everything works, that sort of thing, settle you in before night falls and you can’t figure out the power and water.”
