Page 37 of Riding the Tide

“All that based on a smell.”

“Hey, scent is very important in the animal world.”

“And are you saying you’re an animal?”

“Well, I’m certainly not human.”

Blair nodded slowly. “No, no you’re not. I have a million questions and, and I was wondering if maybe you could answer them. I guess what I’m asking is would you come aboard? I’d like for you to hang around and talk to me. Frankly, I feel kind of silly floating around out here in the water. Will you… Will you spend some time with me? Tell me everything I need to know?” Blair trailed off and gulped.

It didn’t escape him this was exactly what he wanted that night Blair stood him up. Blair opened himself up and it would be very easy to repay the pain Blair caused him. But that wasn’t the type of person he was, and Blair didn’t deserve that.

Yes, he’d been mad, and yes, the pain was almost more than he could stand, but at least he understood what motivated Blair to do what he did. Also, the thought of purposely causing his mate pain disturbed him on a primitive level. This was what he wanted, so why purposely sabotage it?

A grin raced across Marcus’ face. “I’d like nothing better.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

BLAIRRETURNEDtotheboat and paced. Blair said he’d transform and then come aboard. He understood his reasoning—it was daylight. Marcus didn’t have the cover of darkness to help hide what he was.

Blair hated the idea of Marcus out there going through the pain all alone. He didn’t have the isolated caves to use since they were the middle of the ocean. Could a merman drown in human form? He had no idea.

He was seconds away from working himself up into a fine snit when he finally heard Marcus climb the ladder and step aboard the boat. He gulped, willing his body not to react as he grabbed a towel off a lounge chair and hurried to Marcus.

His fingers itched to touch all that lovely, wet skin, but now was not the time. They needed to talk, and if he had any hope of focusing, Marcus was going to have to cover up certain interesting bits. Hopefully later he could uncover said bits.

“Here. I got this for you. Wasn’t sure if you wouldn’t want to—”

Marcus took the towel but dropped it at his feet. Instead he reached for Blair. Blair went willingly into Marcus’ arms and trembled slightly as Marcus brushed his lips across his. Closing his eyes, he gave himself over.

The kiss, so sweet and so gentle, nearly undid him. The stress from the past few days finally bubbled over. Tears tracked down his face, tickling as they fell. He thought he’d never feel Marcus’ arms around him or breathe his subtle oceany scent.

Marcus kissed a path to Blair’s ear. “Why do you cry?”

The words were nothing more than a soft breeze. Still, Blair felt them down to his toes. “I was afraid you had disappeared from my life forever, that… that I screwed up so badly and drove you away.”

“But you came back.”

“I knew I fucked up, and I had to try to make it right. When they told me no one had seen you since I left… I felt sick. Brett told me I needed to talk to Kannon and Nisha. Hopefully I’d get them on my side so they’d help me find you. I was scared, terrified actually—”

“Why?”

“Why? They are your friends. They’re important to you. What if they refused to help? They’re both like you. They belong to the water, and I don’t! But I was determined to do whatever it took. Then Brett told me they were gone for two weeks,” Blair sobbed. “Twoweeks. I walked the beach endlessly hoping you would somehow know I was here.”

“Blair—”

“I know, right? Stupid. You weren’t even around. But I didn’t know what else todo, but staying on land didn’t seem to be the answer. In a moment of insanity I rented the boat. You belong to the water. I thought maybe, maybe if I was out there in the water, too… I don’t know what I thought.”

Marcus cupped Blair’s chin. “You came looking for me.”

The wonderment in Marcus’ face brought fresh tears to Blair’s eyes. “I ran from you. So yes, it only seemed fair I be the one to come looking for you.”

“Sheer luck.” Marcus shook his head slowly, amazed. “It was sheer luck you stopped here. That I happen to be righthere.”

Blair nodded slowly. “It’s almost like something brought us together. Do… do merfolk worship a god?”

“No. The Islanders once considered us gods.”

“Well, there’s not a doubt in my mind something brought us together.”

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