Page 63 of Kiss for My Kraken
“I told you—you’re not a stranger here. Everyone already knew about you,” she pointed out. “You’ve been watching over this town for years. They just didn’t know your face.”
“Or my name. Or that I wasn’t just a river myth.”
She shrugged, taking a bite of her candy apple. “Details.”
The festival flowed around them, a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and experiences. They tried their hand at bobbing for apples—which Sam, with his aquatic abilities, found ridiculously easy—and a ring toss game that even his precise control couldn’t master. They sampled mulled cider that warmed her from the inside out and watched a troupe of young dancers perform a routine that involved impressive acrobatics and subtle magic.
As dusk deepened into true night, the festival took on an even more magical quality. The fairy lights seemed brighter, the music more enchanting. A space had been cleared in the center of the square for dancing, and couples spun to a haunting melody played on instruments she couldn’t identify.
“Would you dance with me?” The question surprised her as much as it seemed to surprise him.
“I don’t know how,” he admitted, watching the dancers with a mixture of longing and apprehension.
“Neither do I,” she confessed. “Not like this. But we could figure it out together.”
He hesitated, then nodded, a determined look on his face. They moved to the edge of the dancing area, watching for a moment to get a feel for the simple steps. The music had a swaying, almost hypnotic quality, perfect for beginners.
She took her hand in his much larger one, placing his other hand gently at her waist, then stepped closer, resting her free hand on his broad shoulder. They began to move, awkwardly at first.
“Sorry,” he murmured after stepping on her foot for the third time.
“Don’t be,” she said, smiling up at him. “This is perfect.”
And somehow, despite their fumbling steps and occasional missteps, it was. The music flowed around them, the lights glowed overhead, and his strong arms held her as if she were something infinitely precious. She felt a bubble of pure happiness expand in her chest, so intense it was almost painful.
“I never thought I could have this,” he said quietly, his blue eyes reflecting the fairy lights above them.
“Have what?”
“This.” His gaze swept over the festival, the dancers, the town, before returning to her face. “A place. People. You.”
Her throat tightened. “I know exactly what you mean.”
They weren’t dancing now; they were swaying together, barely moving, lost in each other’s eyes. The world around them seemed to recede, the music and laughter becoming a distant backdrop to the connection between them.
“Having fun?”
They turned to find Flora watching them, her sharp teeth gleaming in a delighted smile. She wore an elaborate costume that seemed to be part tree, with living vines wrapped around her body and twining through her white curls.
“It’s a wonderful festival,” she said sincerely.
“One of our best,” Flora agreed. “And made all the better by our newest couple.” She reached up to pat Sam’s arm. “You clean up quite nicely, dear. Though I do miss the tentacles—they add a certain dramatic flair.”
He made a choked sound that might have been amusement. “They’re not practical for dancing.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Flora waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “I imagine they’d be quite useful for certain types of dancing.”
“Flora!” she exclaimed, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.
The old woman cackled. “Oh, don’t be such a prude, dear. I’m merely stating the obvious.” She winked at Sam, who looked simultaneously mortified and amused. “Now, don’t let me interrupt your evening. I just wanted to congratulate you both on finally finding each other. Some matches take more work than others, but they’re always worth it in the end.”
With that cryptic statement, she melted back into the crowd, her tree-like costume making her blend surprisingly well with the decorations.
“She’s impossible,” she muttered, though there was no real annoyance in her tone.
“But kind,” he said softly. “In her own meddling way.”
She couldn’t argue with that. Without Flora’s interference, she and Sam might never have found each other. The thought sent a chill through her that had nothing to do with the cool autumn air.
