by Dani Stowe
“Hey,” pants Athena coming up the ramp. She’s eyeing my legs.
“Hey, what’s up?” asks Kumiko.
“I knew Henry was coming back today and I wanted to see how he was and to let your boyfrie—” she stops herself. “You guys are together, I’m assuming,” she points between us as she fixes her glasses.
“He’s my boyfriend,” replies Kumiko with a smile and I stick out my chest.
“Boy? I’m not a boy!” I interject.
Kumiko fusses. “No, Orphelius, it’s another word of affection we use nowadays. It means you belong to me. You’re mine.”
“Oh!” I nod. “Then, I’m her boyfriend,” I confirm, “and her master and her baby.” It feels very odd to call myself by these short titles and say them aloud.
Athena rolls her eyes. “Oh-kay. Well, I got the juvenile dolphin reunited with its mother.”
“Yes,” I reply, “thank you. We’ve spotted them together.”
I wave my hand to encourage Athena to follows us into the beach house and I see Shelley is already at work in the kitchen. She is humming and dancing about as Henry twirls in his chair to pass her a few things. The show is quite entertaining and it fills me with such joy.
I’m also excited to eat more hot food. Kumiko raved about Shelley and Henry’s cooking. I had no idea the deckhand had such skills! However, instead of continuing to help his master, Henry comes to roll up next to me among the other ladies at the dining table, bringing a mechanical utensil and a piece of paper.
He writes: I want to see the sea witch.
“No,” I tell him because I know exactly why. Henry is hoping the sea witch might help him with his ailments. But it’s not because he wants to be fixed. In truth, I believe Henry is content with himself, but he wants to be fixed for Shelley’s sake. “Shelley loves you as you are,” I speak softly. “There’s too much risk and besides, you have nothing to trade.”
He puts the writing utensil to the paper: And Willis? He’s alone now. We can’t leave him out there.
Athena comes off her seat when she finishes reading the words. “Yes, what of the Captain?” she shouts.
I hastily reach over the table to cover Athena’s mouth with my hand and look out through the bay window. The ocean looks calm. I love my dear friend, Willis, but I do not want him to hear us talking about him being so close to the water’s edge. I fear Athena may have already spoken too much.
“Hey Kumiko,” interrupts Shelley. “What’s this?”
Shelley dangles a round, golden piece of treasure that I have not seen in a long, long time and I’m unsure if I should feel hopeful or dreadful.
“I don’t know,” Kumiko replies, “It was in the drawer. I pulled it out when I was looking for the flashlight.” Kumiko fidgets with the treasure on her finger—the ring.
Henry catches sight of the compass dangling from Shelley’s hand. His cheeks turn sallow before he looks to me and then out through the window to the sea.
In his eyes, I can see the reflection of the ocean rising and a wave—a massive swell of seawater—is rising to a high crest above a lowering tide. A tidal wave builds with a fury.
I lean over to my side, clutching Kumiko in the seat next to me to pull her to my chest before she can notice what’s coming and I kiss her. I kiss her so furiously, she has no choice but to stop breathing for a moment so I let her go.
Kumiko’s eyes are wide with fear—suspicious of my action. “What’s happening?”
I grip my lover tight in my arms.
She instinctively clutches me back. “Orphelius?”
I stroke the few strands of hair lingering over her face and push them behind her ear. “Baby,” I say. “Are you wearing my most favorite of your lady’s attire, the one made for swimming, beneath your outer clothing?”
“My bikini?” Her eyes search mine frantically. “Yeah.”
“Good, because we’re about to go for a swim.”
End of Book 2
The Sea Men Series
Book 1: Lovers Catch
Book 2: Lover Peak
Book 3: Lovers in Deep
The Sea Men Trilogy: Complete Box Set
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Acknowledgments
Dearest Reader,
Your time to read, review, comment, like, and share means more than you could ever know.
To my DARC Team, my editor, the Bloomers, and all my reviewers, thank you so much babes!
xoxo,
Dani
More Books & Series by Dani
American Badass
Bang Lords
The Fourth Knight
The Sea Men
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About Me
Hi! Dani Stowe is the pen name for the author/creator of Babe Fuel Books. Everything you’d like to know about me can be found at BabeFuelBooks.com/about. But if you want a quick run-down—I like to sip on coffee, chai, southern sweet tea, and pretty much anything that promotes sugar and caffeine in a rich candied combo while I’m reading. I love to read.
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