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Dylan stood quietly, his shrewd gaze never leaving my face.
And I think...some part of him knew.
Some part of him guessed why I kept avoiding that question.
Swallowing hard, he brushed past me and looped his fingers around Margot’s wrist. “Come along, fellow reporter. Let’s pee so we can return to Nerida’s world.”
“But I—”
Margot’s voice cut off as Dylan dragged her into the pool house, leaving me alone in the blossom-perfumed night.
I turned on the spot, putting my back to the pool and my face to the sea.
My heart tugged me to go home.
Soon.
Soon...
Chapter Eight
*
Nerida
AGE: 17 YRS OLD
*
(Love in Zulu: Uthando)
TEDDY: SO I FEEL A LITTLE STRANGE messaging a complete stranger just because my sister told me to, but she assured me that you’re cool and I wouldn’t come across as creepy. So...if you’re cool and don’t find this creepy, message me back sometime. I have questions about your comment to Honey about living under the sea.
“Oh my God!” I looked up from my phone, shoving it under Aslan’s nose. “Read this.”
“Bloody hell, not so close, Neri.” He winced and pushed my arm away, focusing on the text from a readable distance. His eyes scanned the message before closing again as he reclined against the beach towels we’d spread over the deck of The Fluke.
“Have I told you how sexy I find you using our local curses?”
He smirked. “You like it, huh? How about I start using the word strewth?” He chuckled. “Or how about fair dinkum and dipstick?”
I fanned myself dramatically. “Crikey, you better stop. I’m burning up over here.”
He laughed loudly. “You’re insatiable.”
“For you...absolutely.”
He grinned and tossed a vein-roped forearm over his eyes. His carved belly flexed as he held in another chuckle. The bulge between his legs filled his black boardshorts far too temptingly, and the little trail of darkness running from his belly button and disappearing below made my mouth water. His dark-brown hair had given up fighting the sun, turning bronze-tinted on the ends, making his coal-black eyes all the more intense.
“So...what do you think?” I asked, rereading Teddy’s message. “He sounds super lovely.”
“I think you probably shouldn’t show me texts from other guys.” He raised his arm, glowering at me. “Are you forgetting that I have a minor problem controlling my temper when it comes to keeping you safe, canim? How do you know he’s not going to hurt you?”
“He’s Honey’s older brother. I’ve mentioned him before. He’s gay.”
“Doesn’t mean he won’t still fall in love with you.”
“Oh, that’s almost certainly going to happen.”
