“Right now?” His free hand rose, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertips grazed her cheek, leaving trails of heat. “This.”
They settledon a flat rock overlooking the largest tide pool, the bioluminescence pulsing below like a living heartbeat. Theo shifted behind her, warm and solid, and guided her hands toward the water.
“Pack ward lines run under the pools,” he murmured. “Three hundred years of it. Don’t think. Feel.”
She reached past the sensation of his hands over hers and found it—a pulse, deep and slow and ancient, territorial and fierce and utterly unlike her own cultivated magic. And against every rule she’d been taught, it sang in harmony with her own. She knew what it was without asking.
A splash interrupted them.
Freezing water hit them both, drenching them from head to waist. Avine shrieked, jerking back. Theo let out a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush.
A small figure burst from the tide pool between them—vaguely humanoid, composed entirely of glowing blue water and malicious glee. It cavorted on the rocks, leaving wet footprints that sparkled with bioluminescence.
“SMOOOOCH!” it shrieked, voice like wind chimes and breaking glass.
Avine stared at it, dress plastered to her body, salt water dripping from her hair. “What the?—”
“Sea sprite.” Theo looked murderous, water streaming down his face. “They’re drawn to strong emotions. Think it’s hilarious.”
The sprite bounced up and down, leaving splashes of glowing water. “KISS KISS KISS! TELL EVERYONE! ALPHA AND WITCH! KISS KISS KISS!”
“I’m going to kill it,” Theo said flatly.
“Pretty sure they’re immortal.”
“I’ll find a way.”
The sprite cackled and did a backflip into the tide pool, sending another spray of water over them both before disappearing into the phosphorescent depths.
Silence fell. They stared at each other—soaked, freezing, romantic moment thoroughly destroyed.
Avine started to laugh.
It bubbled up from somewhere deep, unstoppable and ridiculous. She pressed a hand to her mouth, shoulders shaking. Theo’s scowl held for approximately three seconds before cracking.
“Every time,” he muttered, but his own laughter rumbled beneath the words.
He ran a hand through his dripping hair, sending water flying. “I’m genuinely sorry. I should have remembered the sprites are active during full moons.”
“Don’t be.” She wrung out the hem of her dress, still giggling. “It’s… actually kind of perfect.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Being doused in freezing water by a screaming supernatural creature is perfect?”
“It’s very Haven Shores.” She met his bemused gaze. “I came here for something different. I’d say this qualifies.”
His expression softened. “That’s one way to look at it.”
They walked backalong the cliff path, hand in hand, dripping seawater and leaving glowing footprints from the bioluminescence clinging to their clothes. The sprite’s interruption had shattered the intensity of their almost-kiss but replaced it with an easier intimacy—shared laughter, shared ridiculousness, the comfortable silence of two people who’d seen each other at less than their best and decided they didn’t mind.
At the inn’s porch, Avine turned to face him. Moonlight caught the water still glistening in his hair, on his eyelashes, on the strong column of his throat.
“Thank you.”
“For getting you soaked by a sea sprite?”
“For seeing me.” The words came out more vulnerable than she’d intended. “For not trying to make me smaller.”
Theo went still. His jaw worked, some emotion she couldn’t name flickering across his features.
