Merman's Kiss (Merman's Kiss, Book 1) Read online

  Leah tugs her towel tighter around her body. “I met him on the beach a few days after we rescued your merboyfriend.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Jace. My shift ended and I wanted to go for a swim. He was with those same guys. He asked me if my friend was doing okay. Then we started talking a bit. He’s into art, which is cool, and he has a weird fascination with action figures. He has a huge collection in his basement.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “He collects action figures?”

  She shrugs. “I know I don’t go for guys like that, but I don’t know.” She shrugs again and looks out into the ocean. “I just feel something, you know?”

  I nod because I know exactly what she means. Damarian and I come from two different worlds, are two different species. Science would claim our kinds shouldn’t mix, just like a zebra and a bird would never work out. Yet, there’s something that pulls us together. With so many differences, we still have a lot of similarities.

  My leg twitches. I need to think of something other than Damarian. He’ll be back tomorrow morning. I can wait that long. I need to have a life outside of him.

  “So you broke up with Frankie?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Our relationship was never headed anywhere. I think it’s time I go out with someone I actually can have a future with.”

  To be with someone she can actually have a future with. The words ring in my ears. I shove them out of my head before they can settle in and attack my mind. I won’t think about it. I won’t.

  “Has he asked you out?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “I think I’ll ask him out tonight.”

  “Oooh.” I punch her shoulder playfully. “You go, girl.”

  She smiles.

  We sit in silence for a few seconds before she says, “How are you holding up?”

  “Fine.”

  “Uh huh.”

  I dig my finger in the sand. “I feel like half my heart’s been sucked out of me and thrown into the ocean.”

  She nods. “Love will do that to you.”

  My gaze snaps to her. “Love?”

  She shrugs. “Like-like?”

  I punch her shoulder again.

  “It’s okay to miss him,” she says.

  I sigh. “But to miss him this much? It hasn’t even been five hours.”

  “My parents have been married for twenty years and whenever my dad goes away on business, my mom is a complete mess. Even now. When you care about someone, it’s hard to be apart.”

  “Says a lot about my independence,” I mutter.

  “Hey, look at me.”

  I do.

  “You are an independent person. You’ve had to fend for yourself many times growing up when your mom was working late. Now you have someone to lean on, at least on an emotional level. It scares you.”

  It does. I have come to lean on him, in many ways. That makes all of this even harder.

  “Hey, we should totally check out a movie tonight,” Leah says. “Gotta squeeze out as much as I can of you until lover boy returns from the sea.”

  Guilt eats away at me. “I’m sorry we haven’t been spending a lot of time together.”

  She waves her hand. “I care more that you met a guy and that you’re happy.”

  I lean forward and hug her. “You’re a really good friend, you know?”

  She grins. “I know.”

  The rain splats down on us. I cover my face. “How about we head back?”

  “Good idea.”

  ***

  Leah and I are curled on the sofa, watching the number one romance movie of the year. We’ve seen it over ten times, but it’s the kind of movie that never gets old, the kind that brings me to tears and moves something deep inside me.

  Watching it when I didn’t have a guy in my life made me yearn to experience what the girl on screen did. To have a guy love her so much he’d do anything for her, even betray those he holds dear. Even after my breakup with the Ex, I watched the movie. It didn’t repulse me like I thought it would. In fact, it made me realize that kind of thing could never happen to me, so I lived vicariously through the main character.

  But things are different now. Now, a guy washed up on shore, into my arms. Instead of living vicariously through the girl on screen, I close my eyes and imagine what could lie in store for me and Damarian. It makes me love and appreciate the movie in a way I never did before.

  “Fantasizing?”

  My eyes snap open. Leah’s looking at me with a teasing smile. I kick her. “Shut up.”

  She laughs.

  My phone rings. When I glance at the screen, I see my mom’s name. “It’s my mom.”

  “So answer it.”

  “I don’t know…” Lately, it’s been hard to have a normal conversation with her. She tends to gush how awesome her job is, which means her new life is awesome. Her life without me.

  “You haven’t spoken to her in a while.”

  She’s right. It’s been a few days—since the night before Damarian showed up at my house.

  She pokes me with her toe. “Well, go on. Want me to pause the movie?”

  I wave my hand. “It’s okay. I’ve seen it too many times. Lower the volume, please.”

  Like the last time, I feel the excitement leaping off my mom. “Hey, how’s my favorite daughter doing?”

  “I’m your only daughter,” I mutter.

  “You doing okay, Cass Bass?”

  My fingers squeeze the phone. “Why would you call me that?”

  It was Dad’s special nickname for me. He and I used to go fishing when I was eight or nine, and unlike a lot of the other girls, I wasn’t afraid to touch the bait or the fish. Actually, I loved unhooking the fish. That’s why he named me Cass Bass. It made me feel so special.

  “Sorry.” Mom’s voice is above a whisper and full of regret. “I thought it would invoke happy memories of you and your father. I understand you didn’t call him.”

  I don’t say anything because I don’t want to say anything. I know perfectly well that I’m acting like a spoiled brat. Boo hoo that my dad left me as a kid. Lots of people would kill to have their fathers reach out to them. I don’t know what it is. It’s like this whole thing with my dad is locked up deep, deep inside me, and something is blocking me from letting it out. The thought of rebuilding a relationship with him makes me want to hide in a cave and never come out.

  Mom sighs. “I can’t make you call him. I wish you would do that on your own.”

  “When are you coming back?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret them. I want to change the subject, but I don’t want my mom to come home. Not when I need the pool to supply a merman with seawater so he won’t die. Going back and forth to the beach with so many people around is risky.

  Mom sighs again, except this time, I sense the guilt. “Not for some time, honey.”

  I feel relieved, but also hurt. Damarian’s a great distraction—hopefully, more than that—but the fact still remains: my mom sort of abandoned me.

  “I promise that the next time I’m home, I won’t fly out for at least two weeks.”

  I believe her for a second, and that makes me smile. But my lips turn upside down when I remember she said the same thing the last time. “It’s okay, Mom.” I shrug. “Take all the time you need. I mean it.”

  She’s quiet for a little bit before saying, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

  “Okay. Good night, Mom.”

  “I love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  As soon as I hang up, Leah says. “You okay?”

  “Fine.”

  She taps her finger on her thigh. “Was that about your dad?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Are you going to call him?”

  I hug my upper arms. “I don’t know. I want to. I really do. But the thought scares the shit out of me. I wish I were up to the point where he and I already have a relationship. Taking the first step…”

  “Is very scary,”
she finishes.

  I nod.

  She wraps her arm around me and yanks me close. We bump heads in the process and yell “ouch!” at the same time. Our eyes connect before we burst into laughter.

  Leah pulls me to her again and hugs me close. “Taking the first step is the hardest. It’ll only get easier after that.”

  I twist my mouth because I’m not sure I believe her.

  “Think about it,” she continues. “He wants to have a relationship with you. Half the work is already done.”

  She makes it seem so simple, and I know it can be. I just need to push myself to do this. The worst that could happen is that he’ll reject me. I survived it the first time. I’m pretty sure I could survive it again.

  Except, I don’t know how true that is. Getting rejected by my dad again? Could anyone survive that?

  “Your fishman should be coming back soon.”

  My entire body lights up. For a second, I completely forgot about Damarian. Picturing him makes my heart dance. I glance at the time. Nine thirty. Only six hours until I’ll see him again. Until I can bury myself in his arms.

  “When are you going to ask Jace out?” I ask.

  Leah grabs some potato chips from the snack bowl. “I don’t know. Not yet.”

  “Why not?”

  She shrugs.

  I study her. She’s munching on the chips, her gaze on the rug. “Are you nervous?”

  She snorts. But I see the unease in her eyes.

  I touch her arm. “Hey, it’s okay to admit you’re scared.”

  She picks up the remote and pauses the movie. Then she shifts over until she faces me. “You’re right. I am nervous. But I don’t know why.”

  “Maybe because Jace is the type of guy you can settle down with. You’ve never had a serious boyfriend before.” Her relationships usually last no more than a few months. It’s not that she’s afraid of the commitment or that she’ll get her heart broken. She’s afraid to settle down and start the next chapter in her life. Just like I am.

  I wrap my arms around her. “The first step is the hardest, remember?”

  She rolls her eyes. “This is the first time someone’s using my advice against me.”

  “I’m not using it against you. It’s really great advice.”

  She waves her hand.

  “Really. You should start an advice column.”

  “Uh huh.”

  We watch the rest of the movie. When it’s over, Leah sends Jace a text to see if he’s awake. When he responds, she disappears in the kitchen to call him. As soon as she returns, I see the light shining in her eyes.

  “I’m guessing he said yes?” I ask.

  She leaps onto the couch and covers her face with her hands. “He said he was just about to call me.” She uncovers her face and squeals. “We’re like telepathically connected.”

  I laugh. “So he said yes?”

  She nods eagerly. “Yep. He’s taking me out tomorrow afternoon. He told me he wished he could talk more, but he had to cram for a test.”

  “So he’s in college.”

  She squeals again. “I’m officially going out with a college guy!”

  Her enthusiasm makes me bounce on the couch. “Hey, we’ll be college girls in two months. Please, it’s not that impressive that you’re going out with a college guy.”

  She grabs a couch cushion and rams it into my face.

  “Oh, no you didn’t.”

  She shoves it into my face again.

  I retaliate by hitting her with two cushions. Somehow, the snack bowl flies off the couch, and the potato chips and pretzels scatter the carpet.

  “You are so cleaning that up,” I tell her.

  “No way. You started it.”

  “You started with the hitting!”

  “Seriously, are we five?”

  “Yes, you are definitely acting like a five year old.”

  She leans back on the couch and lays her legs on my lap. “Cass, what am I going to do without you?”

  I stare at her. “What do you mean?”

  She looks straight at the blank TV. “You’re going to school in Texas. I have no idea where the hell I’m going. Nothing will be the same anymore.”

  Lifting her legs off me, I scoot closer until my shoulder bumps hers. “I’ve never really sat on that. It’s always been pushed to the back of my mind. I guess I’ve never wanted to face it.”

  She puffs out some air.

  “People do it all the time,” I say.

  “Yeah, and they grow apart.”

  “That won’t happen to us.”

  She moves her gaze to mine. “How can you be so sure?”

  I don’t answer because that’s just it—I’m not sure. I’m so focused on comforting her that I don’t even know if I’m telling the truth. We all hear how college is the best years of your life, that you make long-lasting friendships with people. Leah’s a social girl and makes friends easily. If anything, she’s the one who might outgrow me.

  I rest my elbows on my knees and place my forehead on my palms. “With my mom and my dad and Damarian and college, I think I might explode.”

  She sighs. “Who said life gets easier after high school?”

  I shrug.

  “Because he’s one big liar.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  I’m standing on the rocks by the beach.

  The wind blows my hair into my eyes, blocking my view for only a second. The waves hit the bottom of the rocks in a steady rhythm. My hands tighten on the shirt, pants, and towels I brought with me. When I push the light on my watch, I see it’s well past 3:30 AM. He’s late.

  I lower myself onto the rocks and cross my legs, hugging the clothing and towel to my chest. Merpeople don’t have a sense of time like we do. The fact that he’s late shouldn’t worry me.

  But it does. I’m worried he’s hurt, that he got caught. That he decided not to return.

  Raising my gaze from the ocean, I scan my surroundings. No sign of anyone. A sigh of relief escapes my lips. If only he’d get here already.

  After another ten minutes, I see movement near the rocks. I scramble to my knees and peer over. Something splashes in the water. My heart soars when I see the familiar sapphire crystals. It blinds me for a second. Then his head pops out of the ocean.

  Time stops. Damarian, with his beautiful blue eyes and sexy golden hair, looks like the god of the ocean. Lame, I know. But seeing him in there, knowing he’s my guy, it stirs something in me. I can’t help but smile like a love-struck teenager.

  He waves his webbed hand, then dives back in the water. I follow his movement in the ocean. He’s heading toward the shore. I gather my stuff and hurry down the rocks to meet him. As soon as I reach the sand, Damarian has already pulled himself out of the water. I rush toward him, and when he sees me, he holds out his arms. I launch into them and wrap my arms around him, squeezing him to death. A rumble travels down his chest as he laughs. He whispers into my ear, “Oh, how I have missed you, Cassie.”

  Those words ignite something warm in me. It travels through every cell in my body. I press my cheeks to his. “How I’ve missed you.”

  We stay in each other’s arms for a while. As the minutes tick by, I know we need to get moving. It feels so good to just stay like this, but he needs to be safe.

  I reluctantly pull out of his arms. “We better get you dried off.”

  I unfold the mint green towel I brought. It’s the largest one we have in the house. I wrap it around his tail and start drying him off. “Use this to wipe yourself.” I hand him the smaller towel.

  Working my way down the length of his tail and fin, I can’t help but marvel at how stunning it is. I glance up at Damarian and find him watching me. “You’re beautiful,” I say.

  He puts his hands on either side of my waist and gently hauls me toward his chest. I fall into him, inhaling that ocean scent that makes me feel protected. “You are beautiful, Cassie,” he murmurs.

  “I’m so glad you’re back,�
� I say into his chest. “I don’t know if I could have survived another day.”

  He runs his hand up and down my back. “Your feelings match mine.”

  I tighten my arms around him. I can’t believe how close I feel to him right now. It’s like we’ve known each other all our lives. A tear pricks my eye. I can’t lose him. I don’t know what I’d do.

  “The shift,” he says, his voice weak.

  I look up at him.

  His eyes shut before springing open. “It is beginning.”

  I quickly get off him and rest my hand on his back, lowering him to the sand. A grunt escapes his mouth and his eyes close. I back away a little and watch as his body convulses. I press my knuckles to my lips. It hurts so much to see him suffering like this.

  His sapphire scales slowly fade into legs. His fingers are no longer webbed. When he stops shaking, I edge closer and stroke the side of his face. His eyes flutter open. He smiles softly.

  “I hate watching that.” I run my fingers through his hair.

  “It eases me when you are here.” His voice is faint.

  I adjust the towel and crawl closer, lying down on him and folding him in my arms. “We can rest here for a bit. Swimming and shifting must have tired you out.”

  He says something, but his voice is so weak that I don’t hear. I raise my head and glance at his face. His features that were contorted in pain a minute ago are now relaxed. I slide my fingers through his and bring his hand to my mouth, pressing my lips on the back of it. “I’m so glad you’re back,” I tell him again.

  ***

  The sun beats down on my back. When I move, I feel something hard and soft beneath me. My eyes fly open. The right side of Damarian’s face is buried in the sand. The grains stick to his lips.

  It’s really hot today. I glance at my watch and see that it’s past ten AM. I lift myself off Damarian. Stretching, I search the area. The beach is full. Little kids play in the sand while their parents work on their tans. The ocean is filled with people.

  I look back at Damarian. He’s out cold. I brush some hair away from his eyes. Then I bend toward his ear. “Hey, we need to get up.”

  He moans and his eyes slowly open. When he sees me, he smiles. “It was not a dream. I am here with you.”