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Everyone keeps saying that, which I’m starting to get. They’re willing to let me take them for a test spin. My inner mermaid hasn’t popped up wanting to drag anyone into a darkened corner. Not yet.Home.
I smile. “Have a good evening.”
“You as well.” He kisses my hand. It’s not creepy. But it doesn’t do anything for me either.
The next dance goes the same way, minus the kiss on the hand.
“Have a great rest of the ball,” he says. “I’ll leave my number with the duchess for you. I’m in the tower only a quick lift ride away.” He bows again.
I’m not into him, but my mermaid is certainly appreciating how his pants grip his bottom. When I turn to pull myself out of my daze, I think maybe my hormones are starting to stir.
My next partner is there. Mid-thirties, maybe a tad older. It’s hard to tell with both mermen and mermaids.
“My lady.” His voice is deep, and when he takes my hand, he definitely knows how to dance. He glances behind him. There is a group of older males watching intently.
We’re on the other side of the dance floor. This isn’t a dance I practiced. But I’ve learned they’re all similar. And he’s not letting me step on his feet. He does keep looking back at the group of males, though.
He smiles at me, his lips cocked to the side. “Arabel, Annabelle.” It’s nice that he’s at least done some research and is calling me by my name. But he keeps glancing back.
“Are those your dads?”
A nervous laugh rumbles between our bodies. “No, those are my pod mates.”
“Oh.” It’s everything I can do to keep from dropping his hands and running. It’s my turn to glance. There must be twelve. I swallow, pulling my lips in. My hands are sweating. I want to run to the bathroom. Kai said something about if you’re not having a good dance to go to the bathroom. But he hasn’t done anything wrong. Off to the side, I spot Nico. Even from here, I can see his eye twitch when he looks at my dance partner. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. She was lovely. It would be a lot to take on. I understand. But we would treat you like a queen. Better than a queen. Forrest, he’s the governor of Stele. You met him at the docking ceremony. He asked me to tell you he knows he came on too strong. We would like to ‘date’ as the humans say. You can see that we are good and kind.”
“I don’t want to be a duchess.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be, not unless you took more mates. The Duchess of Stele Dome has twenty mates.”
“Twenty.” It catches in my throat like a fishbone. “That is not something I’m interested in.”
“I see.” The dance slows, winding to a finish. “I respect your decision. But I do hope there comes a time when you change your mind.” He lets out a sigh. “Is it weird for me to ask to be your friend?”
“No.” I glance back at Nico.
“The commander might have a different idea about that.”
“I suppose he might.”
“I would like to learn more about human culture and customs.”
I laugh. “Is this your way of getting me to change my mind?”
His laugh comes naturally. “Perhaps, but if there are more like you out there on land, if they choose to join us, I want to know everything I can.” The dance ends.
“All right. First lesson.” I put my hand out for him to shake. He bows his head to kiss it. “Don’t kiss it. Shake it. Like this.” I wrap his hand in mine. “Thank you for the dance, my friend.” Then I curtsey to him.
And the rest of his pod descends around me.
“No,” he says and approaches his pod.
The governor of Stele has a package. “Oh, well. We wanted you to have this.” He hands me a thin package.
I’m not sure what to do. No one else has tried to give me something. And while Kai and Ophelia went over a lot of details—not as many as the docking ceremony, but still a lot—I’m a fish out of water. I want to laugh because I’m already thinking in fish-isms.
I check up with Ophelia, who’s watching. I make eye contact long enough that she has to understand I’m asking for help. A few more seconds and it’s moving into rude territory. She glances away, and I take that asopen the damn thing.
