Page 64 of Kiss for My Kraken
Sam, ever attuned to her reactions, pulled her closer. “Cold?”
“No,” she said, resting her head against his chest. “Just grateful.”
They resumed their swaying, less self-conscious now. Around them, the festival continued its merry chaos. Molly and Annabelle danced past, both in elaborate costumes, their laughter bright in the night air. Ben supervised a rowdy game of pumpkin bowling, his ears twitching with barely concealed amusement despite his gruff expression. The sheriff had hisarm around a pretty redhead standing by the cider booth, occasionally glancing towards them with approving looks.
These people—these wonderful, magical, accepting people—had become her community in a matter of weeks. They had taken her in, given her work, and offered her friendship. And now they had embraced Sam as well, drawing him out of his solitude and into the heart of their town.
“I love you,” she said suddenly, her heart full.
His arms tightened around her. “And I love you. More than I have words to express.”
The music swelled around them, and she closed her eyes, committing this moment to memory. The solid strength of his body against hers. The mingled scents of autumn and river water that clung to his skin. The laughter and music of the festival. The absolute certainty that she was exactly where she belonged.
When she had fled Haven’s Grace, she had hoped only for freedom. She had never dared to dream of finding true happiness.
Yet here she stood, in the arms of a kraken who adored her, surrounded by a community that accepted them both, with a future stretching before her brighter and more beautiful than anything she could have imagined.
This is it,she thought, a sense of wonder washing over her.This is my happily ever after.
The phrase should have felt trite, a cliché from the fairy tales Mel had given her. But in this moment, in this place, with Sam’s heartbeat steady beneath her ear and the festival lights twinkling overhead, it felt like the simplest truth she had ever known.
She had found love. She had found acceptance. She had found home.
And all three were embodied in the remarkable being who held her as if she were the most precious treasure in his river kingdom.
As the music changed to a livelier tune, he spun her unexpectedly, his movements becoming more confident. She laughed in delight, following his lead as they joined the other dancers in a more spirited dance.
“Where did you learn to do that?” she asked, breathless from both the dance and the joy bubbling through her.
His eyes twinkled mischievously. “I’ve watched a lot of festivals from the river.”
“So you were just pretending not to know how to dance before?”
He shook his head, guiding her through another turn. “Not pretending. Watching isn’t the same as doing. But…” He smiled, a rare, full smile that transformed his solemn face. “I’m a quick learner.”
“That you are,” she agreed, following his increasingly confident steps. She found herself wondering what other hidden talents he might possess, what other aspects of himself he might reveal now that he no longer needed to hide.
The thought sent a pleasant shiver through her, anticipation for their shared future—a future neither of them had dared to imagine before finding each other.
The dance ended with a flourish, and the crowd burst into applause for the musicians. They joined in, their hands finding each other’s again as the applause died down.
“One more dance?” he asked, his expression hopeful.
Her heart swelled with tenderness. “As many as you want,” she promised.
The musicians began a slower, more intimate melody. Other couples around them drew close, swaying gently to the haunting tune. He gathered her against him, his movements more natural now, more confident. They fit together perfectly, her head tucked beneath his chin, his arms encircling her protectively.
As they danced, she caught glimpses of faces she now recognized—Grondar lifting Elara in an exuberant spin, Molly gracefully leading a human partner whose besotted expression spoke volumes, Ben grudgingly allowing Annabelle to drag him onto the dance floor. Each sight reinforced her sense of belonging, of being part of something larger than herself.
“I never want this night to end,” she murmured against his chest.
He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “It doesn’t have to,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “This is just the beginning, little minnow. Of everything.”
She lifted her face to his, her heart so full it threatened to overflow. “Promise?”
His eyes, those incredible blue eyes that had first captivated her in the river, gazed down at her with such naked adoration that it took her breath away.
“I promise,” he said, sealing the vow with a kiss that tasted of cider and honey and forever.
