Page 85 of Sea's Secret

“As this is a stolen ship, most of this is not mine–” he trailed off as he touched the side of the desk.

“Well, regardless, you are using it,” I said.

“I took most of these out of the drawers because they were not mine, and I did not know where things I wanted were kept,” he said.

“Oh–”

“It is fine,” he said with his tight shoulders dropping within an exhale.

I quickly continued on. “If you need something and cannot find it, I will tell you where it is. I have a good memory,” I said with a smile.

“Is this a mermaid thing? Organizing?” he asked, looking up at me with a small upturn of his lip on the right side. Did that mean he was not upset with me?

“No–that is a me thing. You should see my shell collection. I have them all sorted by color and size. Drives my cousin crazy.”

“You collect shells?” he asked, his eyes darting around the desk, but his body was still, as if trying to appear nonchalant, but I could see his interest, and I smiled.

“Yes, I used to do it all the time. Well, I did collect them more before I had to entertain my betrothed. It has been less frequent over the past two moon cycles,” I said.

He nodded, cleared his throat, and lifted his hand up. I then realized he was carrying a sack.

“I brought you new clothing. It's still men's clothing, but it will better protect you while on the isle.”

“I can go?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, if you wish, or you can stay here with the rest of the crew,” he said, setting the sack on the cleaned desk.

“Yes! I mean, yes, I wish,” I said with excitement.

“I don’t believe my sister is on this island. I think she is across the Mirror Sea. But Peter, as I am sure you know, is looking for his friend.”

“Yes, he told me about her. It seems that his theory is that his friend, Gwendolyn, was stolen by misguided pixies and brought here. So dreadful,” I said. I knew very little about pixies, but they sounded horrid.

“Yes, so we must be careful of them if we run into one on the island,” he said.

I nodded. “Of course, yes.”

He pointed to the sack and cleared his throat, his cheeks darkening in a rather adorable way. I never would have thought ‘adorable’ could have been used to describe the strong and rough Dominick, but it fit him right then. “Are you certain that you can put these on in a way that they cover your body? Or would you like my help?”

“Last time you gave me new clothes, I think I did a good job–much better than I did when we were on Marren Island,” I laughed.

“Yes, true,” he said faintly and looked in front of him. “It seems like forever ago when we were on Marren in that cave. I have never slept so well as I did then,” he whispered that last part, and I felt my mouth turn upward.

I felt the same way.

“Me, too–I miss that time, before you had to act like a pirate,” I said with a laugh.

“I told you, or rather, I warned you, that I was not a good man, that I was a wicked pirate,” he said with a wink and a smirk that made me want to throw my arms around him and never let him look at anyone else that way.

“You are a good man, Dominick. You are rough, strong, and fierce, but also kind and thoughtful.”

“If anyone heard such talk of The Cruel Hand–”

“Do you still want to be him? The Cruel Hand?”

“No–but–”

“But?”

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