Page 52 of Cruel Tides

“Get moving, Lee.” I grunted, urging him backward with an insistent press to his shoulders. Unfortunately, his muscles were rock solid, and I had to wonder if pushing an actual golden statue across the deck would have been easier.

“Why?” He barely took half a step backward, pointing to the starboard side of the boat. “The ocean’s that way.”

“Why?” I threw back sharply. “Why areyoualways so eager to take off your pants?”

Leander surprised me with a laugh, and the sound gradually deepened as he allowed my strength to move him across the deck. “See, you keep complaining about that.” His lips curved, going smoother than the suggestive lilt of his voice. Then he planted a foot abruptly behind him, cutting off our momentum so I would fall into his chest.

As his arm hooked around me, he leaned in, his voice a dark whisper in the wind. “But I notice you’re always the first to look.”

“Now isnotthe time, Lee,” I grit out, putting my elbow into it to get him moving again. There might have been some truth to that, but I sure wasn’t going to admit it. Not when my dad was across the boat from us.

I didn’t stop pushing until I’d blocked Dad’s view of Leander’s naked princely glory, using Barren’s great size as a shield. “There.”

When I stepped back, Leander folded his arms over his chest like he’d realized what I’d done. “Kai’s got his dick out, too,” he said flatly, though I could hear humor in his voice when I whipped my head back to check. “But I’m flattered that you looked for mine first.”

“Stay right here, Lee.” My voice was low with warning. And maybe some panic. “Don’t you dare move.”

He laughed again, the last trace of his earlier moodiness dissolving. “Wouldn’t dream of it, beautiful.”

Embarrassment spread through me like wildfire. The way Leander saidbeautifulwas like a ribbon of velvet wrapping over me. But in front of my dad?Ugh.

“Kai,” I groaned out, dashing over to grab him by the wrist. At least with Kai, his shirt would be long enough to cover his?—

“What’s up?” Kai spun around to face me, and my eyes grew wide.

His shirt billowed out against his chest as the wind blew around him. Completely unbuttoned. All the way down.

Kai’s face was pink—so, so pink—and his lips were a tight line of intent. “Uh…”

Why now, of all times, had he decided to work on overcoming his modesty?

I inhaled deeply, my heart pounding, before forcing my face into a pleased expression. If I overreacted or asked him to cover up with his shirt, the damage to his self-esteem could be irreparable. He returned my smile, and although he looked relieved, his face went at least three shades pinker.

“Right, okay. Well, come over here,” I said, pulling him along with me. Unlike Leander, Kai was excited to follow me wherever I went. When I had him out of Dad’s line of sight, safe in Barren’s shadow, my head finally cleared enough I could think.

“All right,” I said, composing myself. At least Barren had the sense to keep himself presentable for my dad, only worrying about removing his shirt to secure his brace back over his bare chest. “If you guys could wait here a second while I grab my?—”

Barren moved his hand, and the buckle of his pants released with a dullclick. Half a second later, his pants fell to the deck, pooling around his ankles. Laverne and I gasped in unison before I spun around, releasing a groan to the heavens.

A familiar whistle rode the wind. “This is quite a sight.” There was a tinge of hesitation in Dad’s voice, like he was trying to figure out how he should be feeling. “Not what I expected,” he said with a low, nervous chuckle, “but I’m sure merfolk ain’t modest like regular folk, eh, Claira?”

My hands flew to my face in an attempt to block out the embarrassment. “Their legs will be covered with scales as soon as we hit the water,” I answered through my hands. There was no way I could bear to look at him. Or them, either.

Would I ever be able to see any of them naked without thinking of this moment? “Sorry, Dad. I’m so,sosorry.”

“No need to apologize, kiddo.” He sounded amused. The wind quieted as the boat slowed. “You ain’t the one who made the rules. That was your Poseidon, wasn’t it?”

I dropped my hands from my face, my head tilting. “How did you know?” I’d never talked to Dad about Poseidon—or much of anything to do with merfolk, really.

He let out a hearty laugh. “You’ve only been cursing him under your breath since the moment Jeanette accidentally taught you how to curse.”

I vented a laugh as the memory came to me. Although Gram insisted we used proper manners at the house, she sure had a sailor’s way with words on the boat.

“We’re slowing down,” Kai said, and Dad nodded.

“That’s because we’re here,” Leander cut in, his eyes on the water’s rippling surface.

“You can tell from up here?” I returned to my bag, diving into the front pocket this time, and pulled out a small tie bag I’d filled earlier. “Can you feel the portal’s magic or something?”

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