“I have a good teacher.”
We carry on through the water together. Hours must pass as we explore hidden underwater coves, illuminated by glowing algae. Qurill takes me deeper into the sea, showing me a large shipwrecked vessel, broken along the seafloor. Inside, we pilfer through the treasure eaten away by the marine life. Qurill guides me from the ship and allows us to be swallowed up by a large school of fish. They wrap us in a cocoon of shimmering bodies.
Qurill and I press close, my nipples digging into his chest. His hands fall to my waist, holding me tightly to him. We stare up at each other. Our mouths are close enough to touch. My heart pounds against my ribs as his hands trail lower. He stares at me, his blue eyes begging for permission. I give it with a slight nod.
His fingers press into the globes of my ass. My head falls forward against his chest. This is reckless, and even if I had vowed to myself to let it happen, there is still a voice telling me to stop. Even knowing that we will part tomorrow, and as much as I will treasure this time together, taking this next step will make it harder to walk away from him.
Yet, I must. He’s given me no promises of forever—not that I’ve given him any indication that I would like such a vow.
I’m getting ahead of myself. He is offering me exactly what I want: a night to feel alive again. Besides, isn’t it better to end this now before I get too attached? If I did decide to stay, the pain would be worse when he eventually turned to another forcomfort and discarded me. I’m ruining the gift I’ve been given. I will not let that small voice dictate my choices tonight.
Perhaps that’s why this all feels so right. Our time together is limited—the frenzied need to have him is spurned by knowing we will part come morning. I can tell he feels the same, at least for tonight. I can feel his arousal—see the way his eyes heat when he looks at my naked skin. He called me beautiful and has shown me his most cherished hidden spots. That has to mean something.
There is another small voice—one much more dangerous than the one telling me to be cautious—that is brewing in my heart. I don’t know the last time I’ve enjoyed myself like this. Or the last time I’ve been so cared for. For a moment, as I gaze up into his eyes, I allow myself to succumb to the fantasy of what being with him would be like. Spending the days in bed with my savior, trusting him to take care of all my needs, and never returning to my lonely life on the surface.
We could share a life of magic and pleasure inside his palace. We would spend hours exploring the vast sea, then wringing ourselves out with pleasure every evening.
It is a beautiful fantasy, one that cannot be.
Scissoring my thighs in the water, I am desperate for relief. Qurill’s muscles tighten against me, and I look up. Blue flames burn me alive as his hold on me strengthens. My face heats, and I pray he did not hear my conflicting thoughts.
Qurill’s face remains peaceful as he releases his hold on my ass. His hands skim up my side before taking my hand in his once more.
“Come.” He swims us out from the school of fish. “My favorite cove is just over here.”
I keep a tight hold on him as we glide through the water. The curved opening of the cove nears. Once inside, I see that the interior is only partially submerged. A rocky ledge extends fromthe stone wall. Glowing algae prowls along the walls, casting everything in a bluish light. With his help, Qurill carefully lifts me onto the ledge.
I gasp as I break through the water’s surface. My mouth opens as I adjust to breathing normally again. Water pours down my body. The moss and algae cushion my back as I lie panting.
Qurill emerges from the watery depths below. He hoists himself onto the rock beside me, his legs still dangling in the water. Salt water slides down his body, droplets collecting in the deep cuts of his muscles. I itch to lick the water collected there. A damp breeze permeates the cove. I shiver from the air but also at Qurill’s intense gaze.
I suddenly realize just how naked I am. My hair is plastered to my breasts. I inch my thighs together and sit up slowly. Qurill’s pupils expand, nearly devouring his blue irises. His chest rises and falls rapidly before he shakes himself and looks away.
“We should get back.” It’s jarring to hear his voice outside of my mind. “You must be hungry.”
As if in response, my stomach rumbles loudly. With a sharp nod, Qurill braces his impressive forearms on the rocky ledge in preparation for diving back into the water. I move before I realize I’m doing so. My hand goes to his wrist, stopping him.
There’s no going back. If I’m being honest, this was always going to happen. I want him too much—it’s sudden and reckless, but it doesn’t change the fact of how much I need him right now.
I’ll deal with the consequences of my broken heart tomorrow when I’m alone again.
“What if,” I pause, licking my lip. “What if I’m hungry for more than just food?”
Qurill groans, his whole body tightening. He turns towards me, looming over my body. Power radiates from him. Strong fingers dig into the algae along the stone.
“What are you asking me for, Astryd?”
I meet his gaze, my decision kindling inside me like an inferno.
“I want you to show me more than just the sea. Show me everything, please.”
Qurill’s body jerks. His eyes devour me.
“Everything,” he growls. “Pleasure?”
I nod frantically, sweat breaking out along my skin.
“Tonight I can be free—tomorrow you’ll take me ashore and all of this will feel like a distant dream,” I say in a rush. “I’ll return to my comfortable solidarity, and I want to have a piece of today—of you—with me when I do. I almost died today. I want to be reminded that I am very much alive.”
