Page 13 of Kringle and the Kraken

I followed his gaze, but I didn’t see a single cloud. “How do you know?”

“I just do. By the end of the week we’ll have snow on the ground.”

I pulled my coat around me a little tighter. The weather in Lifeboat was definitely colder than what I was used to in Ireland. While we occasionally got snow, it mostly passed us by. The winters in Baleen were generally wet and a little cooler but not like what I expected winter in Maine to be like. I was going to need a heavier coat so I could blend in even if I wouldn’t need it to stay warm. I could easily control my own body temperature, which made it easy to swim in frigid or warm water.

“I’m looking forward to it. We didn’t get much snow in Baleen, and when we did, it usually fell in February or March. Maybe I’ll get to see one of those, what do you call them? White Christmases.”

“I thought you said you don’t celebrate Christmas.”

In Baleen, where human and sea monster culture were inextricably linked, we celebrated our winter holiday, Poseidonia, alongside Christmas, Hanukkah, and others. While I didn’t personally observe Christmas, I wasn’t unfamiliar with the general concepts surrounding the holiday, both those tied to human religion and those tied to the secular aspects of the season.

“I don’t.”

“Me either.”

That didn’t make sense given what he’d told me about his family. “Really? Not even with your family’s business?”

“Maybe because of it. I dunno. It’s just not my thing.”

“Well, maybe I can teach you some of my holiday traditions.”

Kris’s hand found mine, and we crossed the street, heading for the record shop. “I think I might like that.”

“Okay, but I also expect you to take me out to your tree farm.”

He squeezed my hand. “Deal.”

The walk was far too short, and before I knew it, we were standing in front of my store. My hearts were racing with anticipation, my tentacles tingling under my jacket as Iwondered if Kris would kiss me goodnight. I wasn’t normally the kind of kraken who kissed on a first date, but when it came to Kris Kringle, it wouldn’t take much to convince me to be the sort of kraken who did a whole lot more on a first date.

Kris kept his hand locked with mine and took a half step into my space. My breath caught in my throat. This was it.

“Thank you for dinner. I had a great time.”

“My pleasure. I had a great time too.”

Kris’s gaze fell to my lips. “I really want to kiss you, Levi.”

“Gods, yes. Please.”

Before the words were barely out of my mouth, Kris’s lips landed on mine. The second our mouths touched, a pulse of magic rushed through me. I’d never felt anything like it, and my tentacles unfurled, straining the seams of my coat as our lips molded together. The magic continued to hum around us as heat pulsed in my veins from where Kris and I were connected to the tip of each tentacle and back again.

When Kris finally broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine.

“Wow,” he breathed.

“Very wow.” I smiled and pressed another kiss to his mouth, loving the contrast between his pillowy soft lips and his rough beard. I wasn’t ready to let Kris go yet. The magic rose in me again, feeling like a fourth heartbeat that was coming up through the ground—from the ley line itself—and filling me up until I thought I might burst.

The sound of a ripping seam made me break our kiss. Cold night air blew over my now exposed tentacle.

Shit. Not good. I needed a way to end our evening that didn’t make it seem like I was running or make Kris ask questions I couldn’t answer. At least not yet.

“Damn. I could kiss you for hours, Levi, but I have to get home to prep a lecture. Rain check?”

I beamed at him, grateful for the out so I could get myself under control. “Absolutely.”

He pecked one last kiss on my lips, then dropped my hand. “Goodnight, Levi.”

“Goodnight, Kris. Sleep well.”

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