It’s #BookQW and after some sailing dunks, time for a ‘dry’ break & kissing!
More from Chapter 26:
Ty chose his words carefully. “It’s hard when things fall apart. Isn’t there anything else fun in these ports to replace dueling?”
“Aye.” She cocked her head, twisting her lips. “Kissing.”
What? Not that he didn’t want to kiss, but her answer was so honest, and she sounded so confident saying it. Then she jerked her chin for him to follow. She spread her cape on dry sand up the beach, shed her shoes and settled cross-legged upon it while he was still removing his shoes.
“May I hold your hands?” she asked when he lowered to face her.
He offered his hands, palms up.
She laced their fingers. “Our arrangements have been good for you? The asking to touch. And kissing?”
“It’s been good.” He wanted to just leave it at that, but her warm fingers stroking his begged for more. “Better than good.”
“For me, too,” she said, so low that he barely heard her over the waves. She ducked her head in a conspiratorial manner. “Never has it been like this with someone. And if you can’t duel to prebond—” She shrugged. “I’m considering giving up my overglorified rank to spend time with a nonduelist.”
How could she be so sure when he wasn’t? He hadn’t seen enough of Coral, especially her magical side. The memory of his ex-girlfriend and the way she’d left him still haunted him. Finding the words to explain that nightmare was hard, though he wanted to…
He was still debating how when Coral asked, “Why are you so nervous when you say things are good between us? I think we can be good together if you give it a chance.”
He found himself nodding, maybe agreeing, maybe acknowledging she had a point. Why spoil this with a rehash of a bad relationship? Not after a fun day together, sailing, kissing…this evening on the beach. A gush of good feelings came over him. Aw, shoot. Guys weren’t supposed to have these romantic sentiments that his sisters mooned over. Yet here, with the starry night, the beach, Coral’s candor and their closeness without physical or magical intimacy, he relaxed and let himself smile. It’d be fun to discover what they might have together.
Again, Coral read him. “Come on over,” she said sagely, clearly meaning his energy. “Let go.”
Ty swallowed hard and let magic seep into his channels. Then hers.
They sat chastely, bodies a foot from touching, hands meeting midway, his energy free to explore her channels, following the call of her magic. Her cores were sealed, so his magic wheeled away to circle her magical system, then wend its way back, over and over again.
Heady, that’s what it was. And…was something happening? He closed his eyes. The whole feel of his energy had changed. He looked Coral over, but couldn’t see any difference in her. “What are you doing?”
“Naught. I just allowed you access. Your energy is…” She sounded perplexed. “Happy? It’s yours. Tell me what you’re doing.”
“Letting go, like you suggested. Yeah, happy. Are you happy?”
“Aye, but differently than usual. I, uh—” A nervous giggle broke from her. “I typically have very jumpy energy. You may not like it.”
~~~
While Lost Whisperer of the Seas did not win in the National Readers’ Choice Awards, I am celebrating that it placed as a finalist in this tough contest. The ebook is FREE on all retailers for just this week–including internationally on places like Kobo. Haul in that catch now!
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