Page 16 of Rock of Stages
“What a hero,” Caleb muttered. He took my hand and we walked through the sand. I relished the soft bristle against my feet. The sea appeared and inviting, shimmering turquoise and so clear I could see tiny yellow fish swimming below.
When we reached the shore, I stepped right in, but he hesitated as water covered his toes.
“Come on, it’s warm,” I encouraged him.
He paused. “I’m not much of a beach guy. And definitely not the biggest fan of open water.”
I cocked my head. “Then why are you going in?”
He stared at me for several seconds before his lips parted. “To be with you.” His voice came out lower, sounding more vulnerable.
That admission made my heart flutter. I leaned up and kissed his cheek.
Once we waded out far enough that the waves hugged our waists, he relaxed a little. I ducked under the surface and swam around him, playfully grabbing his leg. He swooped a giant arm around me and pulled me close.
“Gotcha.”
I looped my arms around his neck as water dripped down my face and hair and teased, “Mmm, what are you planning to do with me?”
He pushed his sunglasses up on his head and glanced down at me, his blue-gray eyes darkening with heat. “This.” He bent down slowly as he lifted me higher by the waist. He kissed me, softly at first, but then deepened it. My body lit up as heat curled in my belly and shot through every nerve. And my brain sizzled.
When he pulled back, I blinked, dazed and breathless. My lips still tingled from the intensity of it.
“Whoo!” Shouts and hollers from the shore drew my attention to see Van pumping his fist and Piper raising a glass.
Caleb groaned. “I swear I’m going to drown those knuckleheads.”
“Go ahead back to them,” I said. “I’ll explore on my own. Check out the reef.”Get hold of myself and this powerful reaction to you.
“Okay.” He lingered for a couple of seconds before kissing my temple and heading back to shore. His muscular legs cut through the water like cliffs breaking through waves.
I dove beneath the surface, slicing through the welcoming embrace of the salty sea. My magic flowed through me and my legs reformed to a tail and my scales and fins returned. The reef ahead shimmered with bright pink coral and colorful fish. This was my element. My home. And yet…
A part of me yearned to be back on shore with Caleb.
What was going on and what was I going to do about it? While I swam, I wrestled through my conflicting emotions.
The current shifted. Something moved in my periphery. A figure swimming toward me.
A selkie.
Slick dark hair framed his angular face. He swam in an unnervingly smooth way.
“Well, well…didn’t expect to find a pearl in this tide pool,” he said with an oily smile.
I narrowed my eyes, instantly disliking his slick tone. Could this be the same selkie who’d fought Caleb?
“I’m Angus,” he said, confirming my suspicion. He bent forward in a slight bow that made his form shimmer in the water. “In case my reputation has preceded me.” He paused and stared at me. “And I know who you are.”
My heart thudded. “How?”
“Come now, you can’t seriously be interested in that piece of rock.” He ignored my question as he swam beside me.
“What do you want?”
He tsked. “I get it. You’re curious. Playing house on land.” He swam in a slow circle around me. “But sooner or later, you’ll miss the sea. And when that stone-faced statue starts cracking, you’ll want to return to it—and those who reside in it.”
“Goodbye,” I said sharply and swam.
