Page 47 of Echoes of the Tide

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured, his hand ghosting up her side again. Those webs were like velvet sliding against her skin, so soft and yet somehow so wicked as he’d pressed them against her own velvety lips between her legs.

Just the mere thought of it had her wanting to press her thighs together to ease the ache between them. But they had already crossed a line that friendship usually drew. So now she just... she wasn’t sure what to do with him.

“Thank you,” she whispered in response. “So are you.”

Which was a true statement, even if it made him laugh at her. He rolled them both, sliding into the water with her in his grip.

Immediately, she braced herself for the icy chill that would steal her breath, especially without the added layer of her shirt to protect her. But instead, she found the water to be quite pleasant. Almost warm, even.

Blowing out the breath she’d just sucked in, she looped her arms around Maketes’s neck and instead looked around them. The green glow turned into sparkling green stars as he disturbed the water. They scattered around them, looking like he had lightning attached to his body.

“What is this?” she asked.

“They glow when touched.”

“They?” She’d heard of bioluminescent creatures before, but this just looked like water.

“Algae. There are millions of them all throughout every wave in this place, and even more out in the sea. They feed the ocean just as the ocean takes care of them.” He curled his arms under her butt, sinking them lower until the glowing waves lapped at both of their chins.

And then she just... stared. How could she not? This otherworldly creature was grinning at her, those eyes showing far too much of his emotions, and she wanted to kiss him again.

Ace had never felt this way about another person in her life. She was always the reserved one. Always the person who saw responsibility and grabbed onto it with both hands.

“I don’t know what we’re doing,” she said. “Everything feels different, though.”

“It should.”

“Oh.”

What was she supposed to say to that? It felt different. He agreed. And that was that. It wasn’t like there was more to say, even though it terrified her that maybe there should be a lot more to say.

He leaned forward and nipped at her neck with those sharp teeth, right over the spot that still stung a bit if she focused on it.

Then the menace said, “Are you going to ask me about this?”

She waited for the original rage and fear to come bubbling up like it had when she’d first touched her neck and realized he’d done something to her. But instead, all she could feel was the smallest sense of warmth and maybe a bit of irritation. But it was irritation that also made her want to tease him.

“I guess.” Ace released one hand from his shoulders and touched the soft spot on her throat. “I did notice that something was different here.”

“My people have found a way to connect with yours.” His hand shifted under her bottom, one broad finger slowly stroking between her legs before he retreated back to holding onto her. “Besides that, of course.”

Her cheeks flamed bright red. “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” This time his opposite hand moved up her side, gently brushing against her breast before retreating. “Do you not want me to touch you, kefi?”

“No.” Wait — “I mean, yes. It’s fine if you touch me. You’re just distracting me from this conversation.”

“Maybe.” Those talented fingers pressed down against her ribs, hauling her a little higher in the water until her breasts were at eye level for him. She could see the heat in his eyes again, and it made something in her squirm. “Perhaps I need to distract you better.”

“Maketes, we need to talk about the hole in my neck you added without my permission. What do you mean, it’s a connection between our... our… species?”

Fuck, that broad tongue slipped out from between his teeth. He licked first one breast, then the other, the ridges moving over her nipples in that distracting way that had her seeing stars. Then he drew one into his mouth, sucking hard enough that she felt it all the way between her legs. The slick heat of his mouth was in sharp contrast to the body temperature of the water.

“Hm?” he murmured, the sound vibrating over her sensitive nipple before he released it with a pop. “Oh, I can breathe for you underwater.”

He licked her again, somehow coiling that long tongue entirely around her breast and the sensation...

No, hang on. “You can breathe for me?”

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