We both laugh, nearly in stitches, in our own little corner of the museum. “I’m serious, though, Mr. Sung.”
“Please, call me Reed, Mister, uh…” He points at me, and I snicker.
“Dillinger.”
“Well, Skyler Dillinger.” He wipes his face, and we both smile. “Thanks for being so friendly to this Korean workaholic.” He sticks out his fist, and it makes my heart skip a beat.
“I see your Korean workaholic, and raise you one Polish, gay, marine biology nerd.” I bump his fist with mine, and we both giggle.
He freezes momentarily before we both sit back and stare at all the people chatting. The energy between us seems different now. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him my sexuality so soon?
Reed looks me up and down, then out at the monsters and humans mingling in the lobby. “Would you, uh…would you like to…?”
I don’t even breathe as I wait for him to finish that request. Whatever it is, the answer is already yes.
“Would you like to show me all the new exhibit photos?” he asks in a serious tone.
Ah, so he’s not asking me out yet? A slow burn it is.
I promptly stand up. “As your newest friend, I would be happy to, Reed.” We both crack up as I lead him to the other side of the lobby.
Do my crush and I have sizzling chemistry between us? Yes. Has he friend-zoned me? Unfortunately, also yes. But I’m willing to wait for now. I have no doubt something special is growing between us; now I just need Reed to feel it, too.
CHAPTER 5- REED
THE SALTWATER JACUZZIin my bathroom begins to bubble, putting a smile on my face. I run my hand in the warm water. My skin instinctively knows it’s just like the ocean, and I shiver in delight, knowing I’m about to take a dip. Sure, I could go to the beach, but I don’t want to risk anyone seeing me, not even at this early hour. The disdain my parents had for my tentacle form is a knot of toxic memories that lives in my gut.
So, I strip off my clothes, ready to let my early Sunday commence. After placing my phone at the edge of the tub, I dip my body into the exquisite seawater. I’m grateful I splurged on the private tub that can engulf my five-foot-ten frame and then some. What’s the point of a six-figure salary if I can’t buy things that make me comfortable?
Once I’m submerged, I feel at peace, far away from the stresses of my job. Here in a warm pool, behind closed doors, I can be the sea monster I am deep inside. So I let that part of me out. My skin shifts to a firmer tone, and I know I’m purple all over. My legs morph, and I unfurl the six tentacles below. My lower appendages reach up while my head and hair, now slick with purple skin, stay submerged. My tentacles reach the air and fling themselves over, each one almost sentient. But they are still very much a part of me, and the suckers feel and taste the world around me.
I breathe in through the water. My inner kraken is happy.
As I relax underwater, far from the stresses of life, the blood starts flowing. Like most men, regardless of species, being alonewith nothing better to do leads to one thing?touching myself. The relaxation and solitude cause spikes of arousal across my skin. My purple hands—my upper body is mostly humanoid—begin to trail up my chest and behind my neck. Images of a certain dirty blond researcher with glasses flood my mind’s eye. When the naughty tendrils catch my nipples, I gasp.
“Skyler,” I whisper underwater.
My tentacles outside the tub quiver while my hands don’t stop moving. I can’t shake the thoughts of that friendly, flirtatious twink chatting with me yesterday. He looked so good, and when he mentioned that he’s gay, my inner kraken roared with delight. I wanted to bind him up with my tentacles, and the wine certainly wasn’t helping to control my hormones. I was probably spiking so many pheromones that the whole damn ocean could have smelled me.
He confirmed he’s gay and wants to be my friend. It’s been so long since I’ve wanted someone or gotten along with anyone socially.
I pull back the hood of my lower tentacles to reveal my growing hardness. My dick is usually tucked away in my nude monster form, but now it’s demanding attention. I may not be in my early twenties anymore, but thoughts of Skyler have me rock solid in record time. The way my tentacles desire him is so primal.
So I give in. All alone in my bathroom, I bring two tentacles down to stroke myself. Jolts of that delicious pleasure course through my veins. When I picture Skyler’s perfect smile, I tweak my nipples harder. Jerking off in my human form is nothing compared to this method, one of the few benefits of being a shifter.
Next, I picture him taking off his clothes. I wonder what his chest or ass looks like? He’s so lean, I could definitely carryhim if he let me. With or without his glasses, he looks equally handsome. His smile was so sly, like he wanted me so badly.
His words echo across my mind.“As your newest friend, I’d be happy to, Reed.”
“Fuhh…” I let out a guttural obscenity as my tentacles jerk faster. I play with my chest rapidly, matching my strokes below. In seconds, that beautiful climax encroaches on me. All I can focus on is the thought of kissing Skyler all over.What does he taste like…?
Just as I let out my orgasm underwater, I sense a vibration outside the tub. One of my tentacles detects that my phone is going off. I try to ride out the delicious climax and ignore the damn thing. After ten seconds of living in heaven, the constant vibrations slam me back to reality. I know it’s my job, because they and Aisen are the only ones who get a vibration tone.
My first orgasm in weeks, and it’s ruined by work. Typical.
I emerge from the water and grab a hand towel. I don’t even bother shifting back as I dry my hands and then reach for the phone.
“This is Reed,” I say promptly. One of the many department heads apologizes for disturbing me on a Sunday and spins me a tale about how one of the medical lounges had a water main break.
