Page 41 of Whispering Waves

“Uh-huh. You know that these strapless tops don’t offer much support, and I certainly can’t sprint. I will put my eye out.”

He nodded. “I will have something for that tomorrow.”

Nina cocked her head. “What happens when you tire of playing dollies?”

“Then, you get better at diving, and I get to show you some of the world I spend my time in.”

“What then?”

“Then? Then, you find something you want to spend your time on. Businesses, investments, charities, projects. Arts and crafts, if that is your thing. Flowers, gardening, creating a chicken empire. Whatever you like.”

She blinked. “What if I have to travel for stuff?”

“I will go with you.”

Nina looked at Kimo. He was calm. “Really? It is a lot of early education stuff. I like to help kids safely explore the world. Here, there is a ton of stuff to explore. School trips to the mainland wouldn’t be bad either.”

Kimo smiled. “I hate going there.”

“Well, you are right about the denim. It would be a nightmare.”

He laughed. “It isn’t just the fabric. The cities smell; the people are tense. Very little good comes out of the city.”

“I came out of the city.”

“Via the islands.”

“Oh. Right.” She sighed. “I keep forgetting that part.”

Kimo stroked her hair. “So, do you want your brother over for dinner?”

“No. My grasp of my ability to sit down is tenuous.”

He smirked. “I would apologize, but I don’t regret any of it.”

“Neither do I, but I think the painkiller just wore off.”

He moved quickly and was at her side with two more painkillers and a glass of water. She smiled and took them. “So, how long does the caretaking last?”

“Until you are no longer suffering from my attentions.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

“Do you want to know what is in the rest of the boxes?”

“Sure.”

He opened the four boxes, and when she opened the first, she gasped. “A wetsuit?” She pulled it out and held it up to her. “It’s purple!”

He laughed. “I felt you getting cool in the water, and I think this could help.”

She didn’t bother telling him that she would balance out when they were mated. For now, her body was playing games to keep him close.

The rest of the boxes had masks, snorkels, flippers, a dolphin-style flipper, and more wetsuits of different configurations.

Nina thanked him for the haul, and he gave her a you’re welcome. The last unopened box was sitting there, and she pointed. “Yours?”

He nodded. “You will see what they are later. I will just put it in my studio.”

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