Page 15 of Ocean's Whisper

"Let me out!" She reached for the door handle, her panic rising.

In one fluid motion, he reached across the cab, capturing her face between his powerful hands. He gently pulled her toward him, claiming her mouth with a kiss that left no room for argument. Their lips connected with electric intensity, and he felt her initial resistance melt away as the mate bond buzzed between them.

He poured centuries of longing into the kiss, letting his calming alpha pheromones envelop her. It wasn't manipulation—it was instinct and protection. Her body softened against his, her tension draining as his tongue traced the seam of her lips.

Outside, the violent waves began to recede, the water gradually calming as Isolde surrendered to the sensation of their connection.

When he finally broke the kiss, her eyes remained closed for several heartbeats, lips parted and flushed. The ocean had returned to gentle lapping against the shore.

"Now," he whispered against her lips, "look at the water."

SEVEN

ISOLDE

Isolde's eyelids fluttered open. Through the windshield, she saw the ocean had returned to its usual gentle rhythm—not the turbulent churning that had matched her chaotic emotions minutes ago. Moonlight danced across the surface in silver ripples, peaceful as a lullaby.

"That's..." Her voice caught in her throat.

"You," Nereus finished, his blue-gray eyes holding hers with an intensity that sent heat spiraling through her body. "Your emotions. Your power."

She pressed her fingertips to her lips, still tingling from his kiss. "I need to grab some things. If what you're saying is true—" she held up her hand when he started to interrupt, "—which I'm not saying I believe yet, but if it's even remotely possible, I can't risk another... incident."

He nodded, the chiseled lines of his face softening slightly. "Five minutes."

"Ten," she countered, surprising herself with the boldness.

One corner of his mouth quirked up. "Seven. And I'm coming with you."

She pulled the handle of her door, aware of his commanding presence behind her.

Her houseboat rocked gently beneath their feet, the familiar creak of wood against water usually a comfort. Tonight, it felt like a taunt.

"I've always loved that sound," she murmured more to herself than to him.

"What sound?" he asked, ducking his head to enter the cozy living space.

"The way water slaps against the hull. Like the ocean's saying hello." Isolde moved quickly to her bedroom, pulling a duffel bag from her closet. "I used to think the ocean loved me back."

Nereus leaned against her doorframe, arms crossed over his broad chest. "It still does. More than you know."

She stuffed clothes into her bag without really seeing them. "I destroyed my workplace tonight. People could have died."

"But they didn't."

"Because of you." She paused, a sudden memory flashing—fur instead of skin, piercing eyes that seemed to glow. "It wasn't a dog that saved me, was it?"

Nereus held her gaze, saying nothing. He didn't need to.

She zipped her bag with more force than necessary. "This is truly crazy."

"Yet here you are packing."

"Because I'm a scientist. I need data and observations." She brushed past him toward her bathroom, gathering toiletries. "And because something happened tonight that science can't explain."

Seven minutes later, they were back in his truck, driving along the coastal road. She stared out the window as moonlight illuminated the ocean's surface, its vast expanse stretching beyond the horizon.

"I've studied these waters for years," she said softly. "Cataloged species, analyzed currents, tracked migration patterns. I thought I knew it. Understood it."

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