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Chapter 10
“How long have you been in my father’s service?” I asked Fin, taking off my skirt and leaving them on the grass by the banks. What the hell? The mersoldiers had already seen half of me naked. I still kept a bit of my dignity, leaving my corset on to cover my breasts, and then I sat on the edge of the lapping water, dipping my feet in it.
“Three years serving as a captain,” Fin said, taking a seat beside me. “My father made it hell for me to sign up. Threatened to disown me if I joined. Had words with the merarmy, and they refused my application three times.”
Odd. Joining the merarmy was considered an honor. Mersoldiers were held in very high regard in the kingdom, and many joined fresh out of school. Bagging a man in uniform was a popular goal among all the females. That was possibly why no one had said anything when my father had announced my engagement to Faraall.
“When the recruitment officer realized I was determined to come back every day, they registered me as an officer. That pissed off my father to no end.”
Fin’s bravery at standing up to his father touched me. “I’d never have the guts to confess my little visits to Shark Bait bar to my father,” I told Fin. “Sea god! The lectures I’d be in for. Tarnishing our image, blah blah, blah. Spare me, please.”
I stretched my hands behind me and leaned into them.
Fin did the same, and his fingers brushed mine. A spark shot up my arm.
“My apologies, Princess,” he said, shifting his position.
My fingers tingled for his touch again.
“Don’t treat me like a delicate little sea flower,” I said, half-joking, half-serious.
He shrugged. “You’re a royal. I don’t want your dad piercing me in the chest with his trident. Honorable as it would be to die that way.”
Fin’s honesty was refreshing. All the servants were nice to me because I was the princess. They were frightened I’d fly into a rage like my sister Aquina always did. But I wasn’t a hothead like she was. And the nobles, well, they just kissed my scaly behind for favors and because I was the princes. The only real people I had in my life were my aunt and cousin.
Fin’s intoxicating, salty, sandy scent drove my pulse into a frenzy.If I wasn’t careful, I was going to say something silly and embarrass myself in front of him, just like I had with every other guy. Maybe I should just keep my distance, and play it cool. But something inside me wanted to flirt with him. Discover more about him. Have him touch me again. Listen to his voice. Sea god, it tickled my insides.
“My father’s not here.” I flicked water on him to show him I was normal and could have fun, too.
He splashed me back, and we laughed. It felt nice just to sit here with him and let loose. He scooped up water and dribbled it on my head. I let out a squeal and shifted aside. Well, two could play at that game. I pushed my hand through the water to splatter him, but instead, I got him with mud—and right in the eye.
“Sea god, I’m so sorry,” I said, scraping some of it away.
“It’s all right, Princess.” He flicked the rest away then leaned on his knees, washing the rest away with water.
Heat crept up my neck again. Now I was definitely convinced I was cursed with bad luck around guys. Every time, this happened. Every time! Like the time I’d accidentally bit one guy’s tongue when we’d been kissing. Or last moon cycle when a Sharkrider had been feeding me calamari and dip and it fell down my corset between my boobs. Of course, he’d loved it, and Gellian had been cheering for him to lick it off before it washed away, but I hadn’t wanted to do that in front of the whole bar. Ugh, and I didn’t want to be reminded of the previous year when some guy had been chatting me up at a party, and a shark had chased us. Me saying or doing stupid things scared most guys away or ended things before they had a chance to blossom.
I buried my face in my hands. “I’m so sorry. I’m terrible around cute guys. I always do this.”
“Flick mud in their faces?”
Amusement weaved beneath his words, but it only served to deepen the heat burning across me.
“No,” I said. “Bite their tongues, have two guys fist fight over me, get drunk and fall asleep on a guy, fall in their crotches. You know.”
Fin laughed so hard, he clutched his stomach. When he finished, he said, “Remind me not to kiss you.”
“You don’t want to kiss me?”Shellfish. Did I just say that? I really had to slow my brain down and think before I spoke.
“Of course, I do,” he replied.
I eyed him in surprise.
“But that would be inappropriate of a man of my rank,” he added.
A traditionalist? Damn him and his manners. I guessed I’d just have to make the first move. Before I could stop myself, I crawled across to him and kissed him. My lips sizzled on his. A strange sensation engulfed me; a powerful magnetism that wouldn’t let go blended with a hunger for more. He parted his mouth and brushed his lips across mine, but I pulled away before I could ruin the perfect moment.
“See?” I said, sitting back down. “Nothing bad happened.”
