Page 59 of Dryad, Try Again
He guffaws, and part of me wants to entertain him until I’m old and wilting. “That’s awesome! I told you she’d understand your decision.”
“I know.” I scratch my eyebrow and look down. “I tend to overthink things.”
“Yes, well, you’re lucky you have a super cool, wise, and handsome boyfriend.” He teases me and pokes my abdomen.
“Okay, Mr. Cocky,” I mutter through a fit of giggles.
“Not cocky, confident and accurate. I’m a great sounding board of sage wisdom.”
“You’re something else,” I mutter. We’re both cracking up as I try to wrap my arms around him in a tickle play-fight.
“Ha! Haha! It’s true, you’re lucky to have someone like me in your corner!” He’s barely keeping it together and we’re bothlaughing as I hold him. No one’s paying us any mind while I attempt to tickle him.
“Ha! Well, you’re lucky I love you!”
My words cause us both to freeze. When something else happens in the pool, the crowd goes wild. We’re in our own little bubble in the stands, and I’m still wrapped around him. Tanner’s shoulders go tense and he mutters, “You…what?”
We dart off each other and I look away.Stupid Kovi, letting your feelings slip.We’ve only been dating for a few weeks, why would he want to love me?
“Uh…these acoustics are crazy…” I tap my fingers on my lap and stare intently at the pool, trying not to shift.
“Kovi,” Tanner says.
“Those water polo monsters are kind of hot. See how big that sasquatch dude is?”
“Kovi—”
“And I heard about the nøkk on the team. Him and this human, they—”
“Kovi!” He grabs my hand and I gaze into this precious green eyes. “I love you, too.”
My heart feels like the first day of spring. “Really?”
He bites his lips and shrugs, and an adorable blush creeps on his cheeks. “I think I fell in love with you when you made me soup and helped me study. And going to the dance only confirmed it.”
“Seriously?”
“But I was waiting for the proper moment, then you had this crisis about your employment, and I was trying to study…and I wasn’t sure if you felt the same, so I just…” Now it’s his turn to look away in embarrassment.
Monster god, I love him so much.
So, I squeeze his hand, getting his green eyes to look at me again. “I very much feel the same, Tanner McGregor. Maybe some would say it’s too soon…”
“We’ve known each other since we were little,” Tanner points out.
“And here we are as grownups. So yes, I love you.”
His eyes light up, and I don’t take for granted the fact that I get to bask in his presence. “I love you, too.”
Pure joy bubbles out of us in laughter, and when he leans in, I catch his sweet mouth with mine. The crowd roars, my heart is pounding, but all I can focus on is the man in my arms—a gorgeous, sweet human has stolen my heart, and I’m the luckiest monster alive.
When we pull back for air, he leans his forehead on mine. “Glad we’re on the same page, Kovi,” he murmurs.
“Get a room!” a male voice says.
We both look up to see a guy in glasses eating popcorn, and two girls file in in front of him. I recognize them from Tanner’s human classes and the bonfire.
“Aw, you two…” the girl in front coos. The second girl gives us a look of adoration, and I quickly feel exposed.
