Page 12 of Kraken Cove

I groan and palm down my cock, willing him to behave. I still grew up human. Back when I was young, monsters and thewhole paranormal world was still a secret. My family and I did our best to fit it. Which means we follow human customs for the most part. And I know it’s weird to have vivid dirty dreams after ten years... about another guy’s woman? About a woman who is far, far too good for me. Always has been.

“Everything alright?”

I turn fast, pasting a stupid grin on my face. “Yeah. Don’t mind me. I just remembered I forgot my phone. I mean I didn’t remember it before. That’s why I had to—”

I shake my head at the word vomit spewing from my mouth. You’d think I’d never met a woman before, when that is blatantly not the case. There’s always been something about Mia Sinclair that scrambles the five actual brain cells I possess.

“You know what? Nevermind. You want a coffee? I picked up an extra at Coral Breeze Cafe.” I hold out the tray and Mia gives me one of her gorgeous smiles that crinkles the end of her cute nose and makes the freckles on her cheeks stand out more.

“Oh, thank you so much. That’s so lovely. I’m actually not really a coffee person, but I was just about to have some tea. Wanna come inside?”

“Yeah, I definitely want to come inside.” I could slap myself. I don’t know why every second thing that comes out of my mouth when I’m around Mia sounds like an innuendo. OK, I do, but I’m trying not to think about it.

I make a mental note that she likes tea, not coffee, then scold myself for bothering.

Not. Mine.

Mia’s warm voice cuts into my thoughts. “Hey, I was thinking, none of those samples you showed me yesterday isquite what we had in mind. Do you mind if I head up to the tile shop in Nowra? I might be able to find something there.”

“Absolutely. Anything you want. It’s my job to make you happy.” I need to shut up. Immediately. I take a sip of coffee to cover my awkwardness.

Mia smiles. “So you’re laying the floor in the ensuite today, right?”

I nod and dumbly follow her into the pastel pink nineties-style kitchen next on my list to renovate. The smell of raisin toast and tea and coffee permeates the space, making me think of lazy Sunday breakfasts and sunlight streaming through the large glass windows of my childhood home. It’s somewhere between a dream and a memory and so vivid. For a moment, I’m shaken.

When I look over, Mia is watching me with a quizzical look on her face.

I clear my throat. Pointing at the wall, I tell her, “You know, I’ve been thinking. It’s a shame to waste this northern aspect you got right here. If we knocked down this wall and put in a big window here you’d have the winter sun all season and this room would be so much brighter. I know your fiance wanted to keep the living room separate, but I just thought I’d mention it. I hope I’m not overstepping.”

She beams. “I agree! I’ve been thinking that, too. And then we could have a big table right here.” She stretches her hands wide to indicate where she’d put the furniture. “Imagine sitting here on a Sunday morning with a steaming hot cup of tea and a book.”

I stare. Because I can imagine it. All too well.

Only in my mind, I imagine her with her cup of tea, hair tucked up in a messy bun just like it is now, wearing my jumper with nothing underneath and having just escaped from my tentacles after I’ve wrung more orgasms from her than she ever thought she could have.

I suck in a breath, on my way to being rock hard again beneath my worn jeans. Snatching the piece of toast she hands me, I lift it in a half salute. “Better make a start lifting those old floor tiles, huh? Thanks for the toast.”

THREE

Mia

I stare at the shelves and shelves of blue tiles, chewing my lower lip and scowling. Each shelf has a small display every metre or so, showing the tiles stacked in pallets on the shelves. Nothing comes even close to matching the pictures Oliver sent me.

I’ve been at the tile store for at least an hour and I’m no closer to choosing. Fishing my phone out of pocket, I check my messages. Oliver still hasn’t read the one I sent him this morning. I guess maybe he’s still mad at me. I told him I want to stay in Kraken Cove for the weekend. I probably should go back tonight. It just seems a waste when it’s so much nicerdown here. I mean obviously it would be even nicer if Oliver was here, too.

It doesn’t help that I'm completely distracted. I’ve been fighting to avoid thinking about the awkward moment Luke brought to my attention I’d accidentally put on his jumper yesterday, not Oliver’s. How awkward I’d felt about how much I loved the smell of it.

Of course, I took it off and offered it back to him. I am ashamed to say when he did the gentlemanly thing and let me keep it, I put it back on later and pulled it up over my nose, inhaling the scent that somehow became my new favourite smell in the world.

Oh, my God.

There’s got to be something wrong with me. I’m engaged to another man.

I wrestle my thoughts away from Luke and type out a new message.

Mia: Hey. Hope the trial is going well. I know you and Dad are killing it. If you have a moment, could you give me a call? It’s about the tiles for the ensuite

I wait for a long moment, but the screen stubbornly refuses to show a second tick to indicate Oliver read my message.

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