Clementine drew her legs up to her chest and hugged them close. She watched the steady rise and fall of Emory’s muscled chest from across the room. Itwasoverwhelming. So overwhelming that she’d panicked and knocked Emory out with a tiny, precise strike to his beautiful mind. It was pure defensive instinct.
Shewantedto kiss him. Shelikedhow he tasted and the strange, luscious glide of his tongue against her own. She even enjoyed the weight of him on top of her and the way his large, oddly-textured hand held her head still for his enjoyment.
But it was also so much to take in, especially when he’d just gone on and on about mating and breeding andmounting!
I panicked,she admitted.I liked it, but I didn’t know what to do and it was all so much and I just— Well, now I’m not sure if he’s gonna want to see me anymore. Which would make me really sad because his mind is… I can’t even describe it, Nell. It’s not like anything I’ve ever encountered before. It doesn’thurtwhen I listen. It’s like music but more. So much more.
Nelly’s tone softened.Oh, Em. It’s okay. It’s your first time. A little bit of panic is natural, I promise. It’s incredible to hear his mind actually feelsgoodto you. And of course he’s going to want to see you after this. You’re Clementine fucking Ortega. You’d have to do something really crazy to drive a guy away.
She winced.Well…
There was a pause, then,Oh Glory, what did you do?
Dropping her forehead to rest on her raised knees, she admitted,He was kissing me and I liked it but he also started talking about how I’m his mate and— and other stuff and I got overwhelmed so I… I knocked him out.
You knocked him out.
Yeah.
She didn’t admit that she’d briefly considered pushing him back through the moon pool before she recalled that he was mammalian and would in factdrown.Then she panicked some more, checked his breathing, had a small anxiety attack over what he’d do when he woke up, rifled through his bag to make sure he hadn’t brought some sort of weapon, found some long rope, and, in an anxious frenzy, tied his powerful arms behind his back.
…Only for her to realize roughly five minutes later how insane that was, because he obviously hadn’t come with any intention of hurting her. She’d then attempted to untie him, but he kept twitching like he was going to wake up every time she tried, which spooked her enough to abandon it altogether.
Speaking with a disconcerting amount of calm, Nelly asked,Is he dead?
No!Clementine’s heart seized at the very idea. She’d checked his breathing several times, and when she probed his mind, she found his mental currents roughly the same as any other sleeping person’s.
Okay, then you’re probably fine. He’s a merman. They’re, like, legendarily tough, right? I bet he’ll barely even care. For all you know, he’ll see that as foreplay. But I want you to know that if you killed him I wouldn’t tell anyone.
A gurgling sound erupted from the back of her throat.Nelly, no.
Listen, Em. You’re fine. Worst case scenario is he wakes up mad and you have to kick his ass out. You can protect yourself, so I’m not worried about that. What I am concerned about is your feelings. You said he was talking about being yourmate?
Clementine let out a slow exhale and dared to peek over her knees. Emory had turned his head toward her when she wasn’t looking, giving her a perfect view of his striking markings and aquiline features. In sleep, they were softer, younger. There was no predatory edge to those sharp lines. Just a man out of his element and at her mercy.
Hewasjust a man. A man who thought she was pretty and precious and was apparently determined to stick around. Her stomach swooped low at the thought.
Emory didn’t just want to have sex with her. For reasons she couldn’t understand, he wanted to be hermate.He wanted children with her. He wanted to provide for her in his own merman way. Helikedher.
Her chest tightened with a heavy feeling. Mates didn’t leave. Mates were forever. Mates loved each other even when life was hard.
Was it so wrong to be tempted by that?
Yes,she replied, her mental voice a whisper.He said he’d chosen me and I chose him. I think we had a cultural misunderstanding, but he also sounded very, very sure.
She expected her sister to tell her how crazy that was. She expected a scoff, a laugh, perhaps even a stern bit of advice about boundaries. Instead, Nelly gently asked,How did that make you feel?
A hot prickle took root behind her eyes and nose.Overwhelmed. Out of my depth.
Scared?
Clementine went to respond with an affirmative, but stopped herself at the last second.Wasshe scared? Certainly it was a shock, and she felt every bit of her inexperience when she attempted to handle the situation, but when she really dug into her feelings, she realized that she wasn’t afraid.
No,she finally answered.I’m not scared. I’m… excited, I think. And now worried that I might have totally blown it. Is that crazy? I’ve never met this man in my life. We’re not even friends. What if it turns out I don’t want to be his mate? Shouldn’t I— I start casual? Learn how to date first?
Perhaps sensing how anxious that thought made her, Nelly replied,No. I think you should do exactly what feels right to you, exactlywhenit feels right to you. If this is the first and only person you want to be with, then what the fuck does it matter? As long as you are safe and don’t feel pressured into anything, then explore the possibility that you might have gotten lucky for once, Em.
Before she could say anything, Nelly added,And if he turns out to be a huge dick, kill him. I’ll help you bury the body.
