Isa tried to crawl out, but Adrian snagged her wrist before she couldgetaway.
“I don’t want to bethatkind of boyfriend,” he told her. “I want to get to know the real you. And I want to make this last alongtime.”
The expression on her face was hard to read, but Adrian could. She wasn’t used to commitment. Actually, it seemed like Isa wasn’t used to anything more than a quick one-and-done.
He was going to changeallthat.
Isa leaned against his shoulder as the show continued to play. Adrian didn’t know how late it was. They’d been playing around for hours. The kiss had seemed to make time come crashing back intoreality.
A short time later, he heard snoring. Isa had fallen asleep in the fort. He didn’t want towakeher.
Adrian turned on his back, laid his head on a pillow underneath him and looked up at the blanket ceiling. His legs were tingling, and he felt different. It was weird to him not having a tail. Already, he missed the ocean. He wanted to feel his fin, nothisfeet.
But it was too late to back out now, and Adrian didn’t regret hisdecision.
Three days was a ridiculously short time to humans. Adrian hadn’t considered that. There were humans who had been together three years who still hadn’t told one another they loved each other. How could he expect Isa to say that she loved him in such a small periodoftime?
The first day was almost over and Adrian felt that Isa was no closer to saying she loved him than the daybefore.
Already, he had solittletime.
ChapterTwelve
Isamaria
When Isa wokeup the next morning curled up against Adrian’s side in their little fort, she realized how happyshewas.
This whole thing with Adrian was a little too perfect. It bothered her. It was messed up. He was a gorgeous guy, and despite everything she’d tried last night he hadn’t made a move, not even after they’d kissed. He even refused to sleep inherbed.
They acted like little kids together, and she loved it. It was fun. There was no pressure and no need to feel grown up. Being with him wassoeasy.
He had to be a serial killer or something. Were mermen serial killers? There had to be atleastone.
Isa thought about confronting Adrian about being a merman. But she didn’t want to ruin the fairy tale, not yet, so she ignored the thought and went on withherday.
Isa got up and made breakfast, bacon and eggs with pancakes. At the smell of food, Adrian came into the kitchen. He seemed as happy as she was. They didn't talk, but when they were eating Isa noticed Adrian only touched the pancakes and avoided the baconandeggs.
“So, what are we doing today?” Adrian asked as hefinishedup.
“I got a new board,” Isa said. “I was hoping to tryitout.”
“I’ve never been surfing,” Adrian said. “It’d be cool tolearn.”
“I think I have an old board around here you can use.” Isa ruffled through the mall bags from yesterday and tossed him his swimsuit. “Get dressed, andlet'sgo.”
Isa said screw the shower and just threw on her bikini. She met Adrian by her car with their two boards, and they headed down to thebeach.
Isa half expected Adrian to grow a tail the minute they were waist-deep in water, but she looked and saw he still had legs. Could he control what he looked like? Adrian hung onto the board warily, looking a bitconfused.
“What do I do?” heasked.
“Watch this.” Isa waded into the water where a small wave was growing. She hopped up on her board and crouched, then rose to her feet slowly as the wave grew stronger. She easily rode it in a casual, careless way. She could feel Adrian’s eyes on her as she floated back to wherehewas.
“You're a natural out there,” he told her. “It’s like you were borntosurf.”
“The sea is where I belong,” she told him. “I’ve known that since I was alittlegirl.”
She was glad the sea was calm today, because Adrian had no balance. If he could barely stand upright on land there was no way he could handle being on a board in the ocean. Each fall was more floundering and spectacular thanthelast.
