Page 54 of Treasure of the Abyss

He lowered himself into a similar position to keep his eyes at the same level as hers. “It means more than I cansay.”

Chapter 12

Nine days had passedsince Jax brought Macy to the cave. Nine days of eating nothing but fish and Halorian lobsters. She was grateful that he provided food, but she was beginning to feel the effects of an all-meat diet. Her body needed variety, needed nutrients she could only get from plants, but she wasn’t sure how to explain it tohim.

She needed to go toland.

Five days ago, their first trip into the ocean had marked the turning point in their relationship. Conversation flowed between them easily, now; they enjoyed one another’s company. Macy eagerly anticipated their trips, and her fear diminished with each one. The two of them grew a little closer everyday.

But they hadn’t kissedagain.

In fact, Jax seemed very careful about physical contact between them. He took her hand when she offered it, but whenever he took her through the tunnel, he’d release her immediately after emerging and put distance between them. If she hadn’t caught him staring at her with open want on several occasions, she might have thought their moments of passion figments of herimagination.

She craved contact with him, and used any excuse to have it — theaccidentalbrush of her hand against his, having him hold her as they passed through the tunnel, or sliding a little closer to him at night in the hope that one of his tentacles would settle over her as theyslept.

Her mind returned to their kiss often; she wanted to relive it. What would have happened, had he not pulled away? How much further might they havegone?

Macy glanced down at the wadded shirt between her hands, still held beneath the waterfall. She might’ve scrubbed it twice without realizing while she’d been lost in thought; ever since Jax asked her about dreams, she’d caught herself daydreaming with increasingfrequency.

Her daydreams usually involvedJax.

Pulling her arms back, she wrung the shirt out and spread it on the dry section of the ledge in the sunlight. None of the clothing would be truly clean without soap, but this was better thannothing.

She looked over her shoulder. Jax was stacking a fresh pile of driftwood beside her tent. They’d discovered, through trial and error, that a few of the containers were waterproof when sealed. He’d used them to gather more dry fuel for herfires.

Her eyes dipped to watch the play of muscles along his shoulders and back. She’d felt their movement beneath her palm, and longed to feel it again; all she could do now was look away and suffer through heryearning.

After cleaning the rest of the clothes and laying them to dry, she returned to theisland.

“Jax?”

He turned, and his muscles shifted again, and shestillcouldn’t touch. “Yes?”

“I need to go onto land.” There. She’d saidit.

“For what?” His tone and expression were free of the suspicion she’dexpected.

She sat down on one of the overturned crates. “Do you remember when I told you that humans ateplants?”

“A difficult thing toforget.”

Macy smiled; they both ate things that disgusted the other. “Well, I haven’t had any, and I kind ofneedto.”

“Have I not been bringing enough food?” he asked, browcreased.

“You have, but I need more than meat. Humans need a variety of nutrients, and some of those nutrients come fromplants.”

He removed the last piece of wood from the container, added it to the pile, and turned to face her fully. “If you say you need them, we will go and find what yourequire.”

Macy lifted her eyebrows. “You do realize we will have to goinland?”

Jax nodded and brushed his hands together, wiping away sand and debris. “You will be ourguide.”

“I could go alone if you want to remain near thewater.”

“I do not know the dangers on land, but I’m sure there are many. I cannot leave you alone. It will be…an adventure.” Despite his serious tone, his eyes litup.

“Yeah,” she said, grinning, “it willbe.”

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