“You’re really nice,” Kai said.
“I’m really nice to you.”
Kai snorted.“I’m some idiot selling jams and teas in this armpit of civilization.I don’t get what you want from me.”
“Wantfromyou?Hmm.I never thought about it that way… Oh!I do want you to answer a…let’s say it’s a hypothetical question.”
“Okay?”Kai wiped at his eyes, then blinked at Fian expectantly.
“Hypothetically, if I had to go to a party-like thing where I was supposed to bring someone, a plus-one, you might say, would you come with me?”
Kai stared.Then he broke into laughter.So much of it coming out of that scrumptious mouth that Fian wasn’t sure whether he should be concerned or not.Well, I don’t think it’s a spell but—
“You want me to fake-date you in front of your family or something?”
Fian opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, then pursed his lips.“You are so crass for someone who gifted me jam.”
Kai trembled with laughter.He was bent forward, his hands braced against his knees.“You can have everything in there for all I care.I fucking hate jam.All my jam is your jam.”
Fian’s jaw dropped, but he couldn’t be sure Kai meant it, wasn’t joking.“But jam is so wobbly.You must enjoy the consistency of it at least.”
“Wobbly, hah.”Kai cackled.“I’ll fake date you, no problem, but I won’t pretend to like jam.Fake dating you is the least I can do for you kindly providing an escape route out of this town.”He looked up at Fian.“That is what you needed the fucking flip phone for, right?”
Fian straightened.“Well, yes!I called one of those drivers with their own car.She will be here in just a few minutes.Come, we should wait over there on Main.What kind of clothes were you looking to buy anyway?A swimsuit maybe?I know humans—some people—can get really cold when swimming in the ocean.”
Kai’s eyes flicked to Fian’s, and he got a thoughtful look on his face.Perhaps he was remembering last night, or perhaps he was hoping for yet another night like it.Fian hated that he didn’t know, but whatever the case, he was ready and willing to throw himself at his landbride’s nets, and as far as Fian was concerned, Kai so much as looking at him counted as a net he was more than willing to get all tangled up in.
“I don’t think I ever went swimming here.I know the ocean is basically down the street, but I just never went.”
“Oh?”
Kai shrugged and fell in step next to Fian, walking back to Main Street with him.
“I don’t know.I think Nick didn’t like that?I’m not sure why.The beaches around here aren’t too bad, are they?”
“Not at all.”Fian cocked his head.“What do you like in a beach?”
“Never thought about it.The sound of the ocean isn’t terrible actually.But there’s a lot of trash these days, and dead jellyfish.I wouldn’t want to step on anything and end up in the hospital to get a tetanus booster and stitches.”
Humans really are fragile.When he comes to live with me at least part time, I’ll have to make sure my beach is pristine.And I will need a first aid kit.The Human Liaisons Unit has a course about emergency measures for humans too.I’ll have to ask Mikano to let me take it even if I’m not an agent.
“I’ll guard you from all jellyfish, and as you saw, I’m rather good at keeping things clean.That includes a beach.”
“Okay,” Kai said, and because of how they moved, close, their steps not quite evenly paced, he bumped into Fian’s side.
The back of Kai’s hand brushed against Fian’s.Fian’s heart beat faster.He ached so badly to shift and wrap Kai securely in no less than three of his arms.
That was not an option, not yet, and so Fian was bold.He turned his hand and reached for Kai’s, took it in his.
“Oh,” Kai said.
“What?Is it not good for me to hold your hand?”
“No, it’s—”
Car noises interrupted them, and a big, tall truck sped down Main toward them.
Fian spotted Zazine behind the wheel, the seahorse grinning and waving at him.
