“No. I will not allow it.” Releasing her ankles, Emory pushed her legs down and to the side so he could crawl over her once more. She watched him with trepidation as he brought them nose to nose. “That wasnotan acceptable first kiss, my Clementine. It was nothing.”
Her words were little more than a whisper between them. “It didn’t feel like nothing to me.”
“Thenthiswill feel likeeverything.”
Careful to keep his weight balanced on one hand, Emory grasped a handful of her hair, tilted her head back, and kissed her how a mate ought to be kissed: with all he had to give her.
Her lips were plush and sweet and pliant under his as he coaxed her to relax with seeking touches and sensual swipes of his tongue. She trembled under him, her breathing ragged, and when he gently scraped her lower lip with his teeth, her lips popped open with gasp he felteverywhere.
Precious and soft. Must be gentle.
Emory kept a firm leash on his desire as he wiped away the memory of his pitiful, nothing little kiss and replaced it with a sensual meeting of mouths and breath. The scent of saltwater, magic, and the spice of her desire filled the air and the cavernous spaces of his lungs.
Clementine was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted, and when she tentatively, oh-so-shyly touched her tongue to his and made a delicious little noise, he sent a prayer of thanks to the Hungry God for a mate so perfect, sodelicious?—
An acute pain behind his right eye sent a spray of white lights exploding across his closed eyelids.
Before he could so much as rear backward, his mind went black.
ChapterTen
What’s up?
Clementine sat on the rubbery floor of the pool room, her legs crossed and her back stiff. She’d been stuck there for some time as she knocked on the psychic door that linked her to her sister’s mind.
After nearly an hour of panicking, it was an unspeakable relief to feel the familiar warmth of Nelly’s mind at last.
Working hard to keep her mental tenor even, Clementine said,I need some advice.
Shoot.
She blinked slowly, moistening eyes that had gone painfully dry from staring at the man sprawled out on the floor. From her angle, she could almost pretend that he wasn’t knocked out and bound with rope, his huge, powerful body rendered limp by a psychic strike.
So, I met a neighbor on my way home,she began.A merman. His name is Emory.
The hum of Nelly’s mind was familiar and sparkling, like a comforting sip of a warm beverage on a cold day. Her surprise bubbled across the connection that spanned the continent when she exclaimed,Whoa! You finally met a merman? What was that like? Was he hostile?
She swallowed around the nervous lump in her throat.No, he wasn’t. He was… nice. Pushy, but nice.
Pushy?Nelly’s tone sharpened.What do you mean by pushy?
Clementine rubbed her sweaty palms on her thighs. There was no way she could tell Nelly everything, not if she wanted her sister to believe that she was handling her new life well, but she couldn’t figure this problem out on her own.
So while she couldn’t tell her the entire story, she wasn’t above begging for advice.
He likes me, Nell.Her pulse stuttered in her ears — terror and exhilaration and longing all blending together.He said that he wants to, um, date me.
There was a long pause as her sister took that in. Of the two of them, Nelly was the only one who had any experience with romance or friendships, and most ofthathad ended badly. She kept trying, though. That was who her sister was: determined, always seeking more from life than what they’d been given by fate.
She’d once asked if Clementine was lonely and why she’d never even tried to find a romantic partner like she had. The answer was a complicated mix of fear borne of inexperience, the problems inherent in her abilities, and her lack of interest. She’d never experienced desire for another person, being around unfamiliar minds was extremely difficult, and she was content with her life. What was there for her to long for?
Clementine guessed that her sister was recalling that same conversation when she cautiously asked,And how do you feel about that, Em?
I don’t know.There were way too many feelings bouncing around in her mind for her to articulate them, but she knew she didn’t hate it. She might evenlikeit, if she could just get a handle on how overwhelmed and uncertain the situation made her feel.
Knowing that her sister would understand the enormity of what she was about to say, Clementine shored up her courage.He kissed me and I… I enjoyed it.
What? Holy shit? Em, that’s— Em! Your first kiss! That’s huge!Nelly’s shock and delight rippled through her mind.Are you okay? How are you feeling? That must be— Wow, that must be really overwhelming for you. How’s your head?
