I breathed in the salty sea air. “I’ve always loved the ocean. Now I understand it’s my siren genes that make me long to be close to the water.”
Andre pushed his hair back, watching the waves. “Not everything boils down to a matter of your identity.” He looked over at me. “Speaking of change, have you noticed anything different about your abilities since your Awakening?”
I shook my head. “Other than the sun irritating my eyes and skin, and my heightened senses, nothing has progressed.” I picked up a pebble and threw it at the crashing surf. The pebble shot out of my hand, traveling far and fast out into the ocean. “Andre, why do you care so much about me? And don’t tell me it’s because you’re my mentor.” I looked at him inquisitively.
He was quiet for a long time. Finally he spoke. “I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The truth is that since the moment I saw you across the club, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
We could both hear my heart accelerate—yet again.
He continued. “At first I thought it was the chase that attracted me. It was intriguing and frustrating that you weren’t interested in me.” He gave me a devilish smile.
“Then I tried to convince myself that it was because you were Santiago’s daughter, and I wanted to honor our friendship and protect his child. But—” he leaned in and pushed back my windswept hair, “each time you were attacked, I panicked.”
He cupped my face. He looked at me like I was beloved. “There are no words to describe what I am feeling. I cannot remember feeling this way. Ever.”
This was crazy. He ate humans for breakfast. Not to mention he was older than Father Time. So why was I falling for him, falling for him when I couldn’t help but push everyone else away? It frightened me to feel this way, yet I couldn’t stop this and didn’t want to.
Slowly, so slowly, he leaned in. My lips met his, and that fire between us ignited again. The current of energy pulsed through us, alighting my skin.
I fell back onto the blanket, pulling Andre down with me. He pressed himself even closer to me, and hesitantly he ran a hand along my face and neck before making his way lower. I gasped as he cupped my breast. No one had ever touched me that way.
He flashed me a pirate smile, and my breath caught. God, he was sexy.
I tried to tug his shirt off, but he gently took my hand and whispered in my ear, “Not tonight.”
I began to pull away, hurt by the rejection. He groaned and tightened his grip as he caught my gaze. “You don’t know how hard this is for me.” His eyes flicked to my neck. “All I want is to explore every inch of you and not let you go until I’ve thoroughly satisfied us both.” My breathing sped up at his words.
He slid his hand up my neck until he cradled my head. “But I don’t want to rush this—rush you. Because I’m planning on sticking around for forever, and if I sabotage this now by rushing you, I’ll never forgive myself.”
The pounding of my heart hit a crescendo. And then, the world stilled, just like it had the first time I saw Andre.
I love him.
There it was. The truth I’d been burying ever since I laid eyes on him. Because I didn’t believe in love at first sight, or that anyone could see past my face. But most of all, I was afraid that if I let someone in, I’d lose them, just like I had my family.
“What if I don’t want to wait?” I asked, breathless. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the prudish Gabrielle wanted to take this slow. But my realization and the heat between us had consumed me.
He searched my face, unaware of my thoughts. “You might not want to wait right now, but once you are alone in your bed tonight, you will, I promise.” He leaned in and kissed me deeply. “And I don’t want you to regret anything when it comes to this.”
I wanted to open my mouth and argue, but I knew from his tone that I wouldn’t sway him tonight.
So we lay there as the waves rushed in and out, hands touching and mouths lingering, but nothing more.
At some point later I could see the sky subtly lightening. “Now it’s late.” Andre’s husky voice tickled my skin as he kissed my jaw. Regretfully I disentangled myself. He grabbed the blanket and we walked back. His hand reached for mine, and I took it shyly.
He left me at the door of my room, kissing me one last time. “All I’ll be thinking about until this evening is you.” I blushed—blushed—at his words. “Remember to wait to talk to Cecilia until I wake.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, smiling. “Night.” I closed the door, and after changing into my pajamas, slipped into bed.
I couldn’t stop smiling. I think they call this giddiness. Who knew I was capable of it?
***
When I woke up, it was four in the afternoon.