As we pull up to her houseboat, I kill the engine but make no move to get out. Rose turns to me, her eyes shining in the dim light from the dock.
“Thank you for today, Levi,” she says softly. “It was perfect.”
I smile, bringing her hand to my lips and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “The pleasure was all mine.”
Rose laughs, a sound that sends warmth spreading through my chest. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” she teases. Then, her expression turns more serious. “I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” I assure her.
After one last kiss, Rose slips out of the truck and makes her way to her houseboat. I watch until she’s safely inside, then turn off the engine and head into my place. As I’m about to head inside, a light flicks on in her bedroom. Through the shaded window, I catch a glimpse of Rose’s silhouette moving past. The sight makes my thoughts splinter, and I find myself frozen, unable to look away.
After a moment, I shake myself out of my trance and head inside my home.
I watch moonlight spill across the harbor through my bedroom window, painting a silver path on the gentle waves. The sight tugs at something deep inside me, an invitation I rarely refuse. After a day like this – after that kiss – the water calls to me even more strongly than usual.
I check carefully to ensure Rose is safely tucked away in her houseboat before making my decision. Usually, I’d head far out to the deeper waters, but tonight, I want to stay close to the harbor. Close to her. Just a quick swim, I tell myself, just enough to feel the cool embrace of the sea while keeping her twinkling houseboat lights within view.
I slide silently into the water and transform into my scout form. I swim lazily around the harbor, staying far enough below the surface to avoid disturbing it or being seen. As I glide through the cool water, I hear noise from Rose’s houseboat and swim closer.
Rose exits her houseboat with a sketchbook tucked under her arm. She moves gracefully across the deck, her bare feet padding softly on the wooden planks. Finding a comfortable spot at the edge, she settles down and lets her legs dangle over the side, her toes skimming through the water, creating gentle ripples.
I stay below the surface but move closer until only a few mere feet separate us. From this vantage point, I observe as Rose shifts slightly, getting comfortable. She opens her sketchbook, balancing it on her lap. With a look of concentration on her face, she begins to draw.
The darkness makes the water black and impenetrable to human eyes, so I allow myself the pleasure of watching Rose as she works. Her hand moves across the paper with confident strokes, pausing occasionally as she looks up, perhaps seeking inspiration from the moonlit harbor around her. I ammesmerized by the rhythmic movement of her feet in the water and the intense concentration etched across her features as she creates.
Suddenly, Rose goes still. Her feet, which had been creating waves in the water, hang motionless. She leans forward, gazing intently at where I drift beneath her. For a moment, fear grips me, but I realize by the look in her searching eyes that she can’t see me. However, I think that she must somehow sense my presence.
I watch, fascinated, as she scoots closer to the edge of the deck and lowers her foot closer to where I’m hidden, swishing it nearer and nearer. Unable to resist, I gently brush one of my tentacles along the bottom of her foot. I expect her to jerk away, maybe even scream, but instead, she looks hard at the water with a slight grin.
As much as I long to reveal myself, I know I can’t. So I remain hidden, savoring this secret closeness, this silent communication between us. Eventually, Rose withdraws her foot and returns to her drawing, but the smile lingers on her face.
I stay a while longer, watching her create before finally slipping away into the harbor. As I swim, I’m filled with a mix of joy and longing. Tomorrow is another day, another chance to be with Rose as Levi. But for now, I cherish this moment of connection in my true form, a perfect end to a perfect day.
CHAPTER 15
Rose
When I open my eyes, a rustic shiplap ceiling greets me. I struggle to remember where I am for a moment, but it comes back to me through the fog of my waking brain – my rental houseboat in Lublin Harbor. As consciousness fully takes hold, my mind is immediately flooded with memories of yesterday, particularly of Levi.
I can’t help but smile as I recall his warm smile and how his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed during our lighthouse tour. But it’s the memory of our sunset kiss that makes my heart race. I close my eyes, reliving the moment – the warmth of Levi’s body so close to mine, the gentle pressure of his hand on the small of my back, and the firm press of his lips against mine. The taste of salt on his skin and the scent of the ocean mingled with something uniquely him. My fingers tingle with the memory of running through his hair, and I can almost feel the strength of his arms around me.
But another memory also captivates me, one from later in the dark marina. That inexplicable feeling of being watched, apresence both familiar and intense. I’m almost certain it was my kraken. Following an instinct I couldn’t explain, I lowered my foot deeper into the cool water. I barely managed to hold still, to keep from jolting, when the softest, almost non-existent touch skimmed along the sole of my foot. The touch I felt… it could have been seaweed or merely an ocean current. But in my heart, I know it was something more. Something… extraordinary. The texture was soft and slick – my mind immediately decided the touch felt like a tentacle. Perhaps it had been wishful thinking.
A sudden knock at the door jolts me from my reverie. I’m pretty sure there is only one person who would be knocking at my door this early in the morning. I throw off the covers and stumble out of bed, my bare feet hitting the cool wooden floor. I glimpse myself in the mirror – my hair is a tangled mess, and I’m wearing my old, faded pajamas with little paintbrushes all over them. For a moment, I consider changing, but another knock makes me shrug. Levi, or whoever it is, will have to deal with my morning state.
I pad to the door, my heart racing with anticipation. Taking a deep breath, I crack it open, and there stands Levi, looking unfairly handsome. His blond hair is slightly tousled as if he’s been running his fingers through it, and he’s wearing a soft, well-worn t-shirt that clings to his broad shoulders. The sight of him takes my breath away. He’s holding a container of to-go coffee cups in one hand, steam rising invitingly from the lids, and a brown paper bag emblazoned with the Divine Harvest Bakery logo in the other. The aroma of fresh coffee and pastries wafts towards me, making my stomach growl embarrassingly loud.
“Good morning,” he says, his voice a low rumble that settles in my gut. “Sorry, I know I’m early. I thought you might like some breakfast.”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “You’re a lifesaver,” I say, stepping back to let him in. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll just be a minute.”
As Levi settles at the small kitchen table, I duck into the bedroom to change. I opt for a breezy sundress over a swimsuit, anticipating a day on the water. When I return, Levi’s laid out an array of pastries that make my mouth water.
“So,” I say, reaching for a steaming cup of coffee, “what’s the plan for today?”
Levi’s eyes twinkle as he responds, “Well, we have a beach day scheduled. The weather’s absolutely perfect for it.”
I nod enthusiastically, already imagining the feel of sand between my toes. As we head for the door, something on the deck catches my eye – a beautiful spiral seashell, its surface iridescent in the morning light. I pick it up, turning it over in my hands. Could my kraken friend have left it? No, I tell myself, that’s just wishful thinking.
