“Where do you put them all?” she teases, poking my stomach.
I shrug and grin, thinking of how my other form requires so much sustenance. These are barely a snack compared to what I can consume as a kraken.
After we finish eating, Rose thanks Martha for her hospitality and purchases some bottles of the hot sauce to take home.
The drive back to Lublin Harbor is peaceful. The late afternoon sun paints the coastline green and gold. Rose leans back in her seat, taking in the view of the cliffs and crashing waves below.
“It’s so majestic,” she sighs contentedly. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. You must love living here.”
“Yeah, I love this place. I could never live away from the ocean,” I tell her, the truth of the words weighing heavy in my chest. What I don’t say is that Iliterallycan’t – that being too far from the sea for too long would kill me. I’m as bound to these waters as the tides are to the moon.
When we reach her houseboat, Rose fights back a yawn despite her best efforts to hide it. She invites me in, but I shake my head reluctantly.
“I have to be up before sunrise,” I remind her. “And we’re both exhausted from today. But I wouldn’t mind a goodnight kiss.”
Rose’s tired eyes spark with mischief. Before I can react, she’s got her fingers tangled in my shirt, pulling me down to her level. The kiss starts soft but quickly blazes into something more heated, her tongue sweeping into my mouth as she presses herself against me. By the time she pulls away, we’re both breathing hard.
“Goodnight, Levi,” she whispers against my lips, then disappears inside before I can change my mind about staying.
I stand there for a moment, touching my tingling lips, before heading home. Tomorrow morning will come too soon, but the memory of her kiss will keep me warm through the pre-dawn hours.
CHAPTER 21
Rose
Restless energy buzzes under my skin, making it impossible to stay in bed despite having nothing planned. I had planned to sleep in. I’m on vacation, after all. I have nothing scheduled for today. No adventures, no activities, no Levi?—
My chest tightens at that last thought. Levi’s probably been up for hours already, out on one of the fishing boats. I roll over and grab my phone, checking the time. 7:47 AM. He’s definitely been up for hours. I wonder if he’s thinking about me too and missing me as much as I’m missing him. I close my eyes and picture him – strong hands working the nets, wind-tousled hair, entirely in his element out there on the water.
The water. My other thoughts drift to my mysterious savior. Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m padding out onto the deck in my oversized sleep shirt and cotton shorts, my bare feet silent on the wooden planks. The morning air is chilly against my skin as I lean on the railing, studying the water. But that familiarsensation, that electric awareness I get when the kraken is near, doesn’t come. The harbor is quiet and peaceful – and ordinary.
Something catches my eye – a dark shape on the deck near my feet. I bend down to find a fossilized shark’s tooth, larger than any I’ve ever seen outside a museum. A smile spreads as I add it to my growing collection of mysterious gifts. Almost every day, I find some new treasure waiting for me – delicate pieces of sea glass worn smooth by the waves, shells in impossible spirals, and even more incredible finds. Yesterday, it was a ship’s brass bell encrusted with barnacles.
With a sigh, I head back inside to add my new prize to my collection and grab my sketchbook and pencils. Maybe I can capture some of the marina’s charm while I have some free time. Before returning to the deck, I grab the sandalwood incense I picked up in town. I light a stick and place it in the ceramic holder on a side table, letting the sweet, earthy aroma envelope me. Hopefully, the scent will help me focus. I settle back onto the deck with my art supplies, trying to capture how the morning light plays on the water, the gentle sway of the boats, and the weathered texture of the dock posts.
But nothing’s coming out right. The proportions feel off, and the shading doesn’t capture the light how I want it to. Frustrated, I flip to a fresh page and, without really thinking about it, begin to draw something else entirely. The kraken’s form flows from my pencil as if it’s been waiting there all along – those massive tentacles, the way they move through the water with such surprising grace, the intelligent gleam in those otherworldly eyes…
My phone’s sudden ring makes me jump, my pencil skittering across the page. Heather’s name flashes on the screen.
“Good morning, Heather. You’re up early,” I answer.
“Well, if it isn’t the vacation queen herself,” Heather says in a familiar teasing tone. Where’s your hot tour guide this morning?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. “He’s out working on a boat. Helping some local fishermen.”
“Oooh, strongandhelpful. So, how are things going with him? Give me all the juicy details.”
I hesitate, protective of what Levi and I have shared. It feels too precious, too new to put into words. “Things are… good. Really good.”
“That good, huh?” I can hear her grin. “So… what happens when your vacation’s over?”
My stomach knots. “I don’t know. He mentioned he could never live away from the ocean…”
“Well, long-distance relationships can work, you know. If both people are willing to try.”
“Heather!” I protest, feeling my face grow warm. “It’s too soon to be talking about that kind of thing. We’ve only known each other for a week.”
“Sometimes a week is all it takes to know something’s special,” she says, suddenly serious. “Don’t dismiss it just because the timing isn’t perfect.”
