Page 9 of Hooves & HeartStrings

“She’s… she’s actually my mate,” I say, looking up at him nervously.

“What! Oh my god, Lucius, that's amazing. Congratulations.”

“Yeah, well, she doesn’t really know yet, or the fact I’m a monster.” I sigh, setting my cup down.

“Are you going to tell her?”

“I’m going to show her today. She invited me to hang out with her friends. I'm about to head down to the beach now.” My stomach rolls with nerves. I hope Marley doesn’t hate what she sees.

“You know what,” my uncle says. “I think she’s gonna see you for who you are, not what you are, and that’s what matters. You're smart, kind, and a good person. You just so happen to be part centaur.”

“Thanks,” I snort.

“You got this.”

I hope so.

* * *

I can see her standing with one of her friends by a blanket that's laid out on the sand. A few people are sitting on it with a beach umbrella and a cooler next to it. My nerves kick up again when I see how many people are with her. But the moment she looks past her friend and notices me, they turn into an excited flutter as she gives me one of her stunning smiles.

“Luci!” she shouts cheerfully, stepping around her friends and running over to me.

“Hey there, pretty girl,” I say, automatically wrapping my arm around her waist to pull her close to me. Using my free hand, I grip her chin, tilting it up so that I can kiss her softly.

“Hi,” she says softly as she smiles up at me, a blush painting her cheeks. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” I say, looking at her friends.

“Everyone, this is Lucius. He’s here for the summer.”

I nod my head in greeting as they all let out a few ‘hey’s.’

“Come on, Marley! Let’s go swimming.” The girl Marley was talking to laughs as she pulls her tank off, revealing her bikini top, and takes off toward the water.

“Wanna go for a swim?” Marley asks me. “You must be dying of heat.” She giggles as she looks at what I’m wearing.

Well, here goes nothing. “Yeah, ahh, sure.” I feel like I’m going to puke as I pull my top over my head. From the waist up, I look human, so the only thing I see in her eyes is lust as she takes in my muscles, her eyes running up the full sleeve of tattoos on my left arm, licking her lips.

I look away, not needing to get a fucking boner right now when I’m about to be in just shorts. Next to go are my shoes, my hooves sinking into the warm sand.

“What the…” someone says from behind Marley, but she doesn’t hear him. Fuck, this is a bad idea. Maybe I should have done this with just the two of us.

No turning back now. Grabbing the waistband of my pants, I pull them down and off. I’m in swim trunks, but you very much can tell that my legs are not human legs and I have a full-blown tail flowing through the bottom of my trunks.

“Marley, what the hell!” One guy barks out a laugh. “You didn’t mention you were bringing a Monster to beach day.”

“My name is Lucius,” I snip.

“You're…” Her eyes widen as she slowly takes in my legs. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for the rest of her reaction.

“I’m half human, half centaur.”

“Wow…” she whispers.

“More like full freak.” One of her friends snickers.

“Can horses even swim?” another asks.

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