“Well, it does make me feel like a bit of a loser.” She sighed. “But I can’t say I don’t understand it either. I guess if I lost someone I loved that much I’d be tempted to do the same.”
“She wasn’t perfect you know. She had her flaws, as we all do.”
“I’m surprised to hear you say that. I find we generally tend to believe the best in those who’ve passed away.” She turned back around.
One final push, and then he walked around her, taking a seat on the sea grass by her feet. Plucking up a thin steam, he twirled it with his thumb and finger. “She had a horrible temper. And whenever I’d say something to irritate her she had a nasty habit of tossing a wave at me.” He laughed and she smiled.
“You really loved her, huh?”
“I did. I do. She used to tell me,” he looked deep into her eyes, searching her face, “that I wasn’t bad, simply misunderstood.”
His dimpled grin made her heart pitter-patter. “And do you agree? Because I have to say…I don’t really agree. I’ve read your tales. You’re quite dastardly, Hook.”
Scrubbing his jaw, his eyes twinkled. “Don’t believe everything you read. Though you’re right, I’m certainly not misunderstood. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done it knowingly.”
“Well you know,” she extended her legs and leaned back, causing the swing to move again, “I always preferred the bad boys anyway. Good is so boring.”
He laughed and she was startled to realize how much she liked the sound of it. It was rich and heady and made her dizzy with need.
“She used to say that too.”
She groaned.
“Don’t worry, little bird, I’m not saying that because I think she’ll come back. I let the possibility of her go a long time ago. But you cannot deny the truth either. It just is.”
It was hard to understand him sometimes. Trisha wasn’t sure if someone came to her claiming to be the reincarnated person of a lover she’d once known and been madly in love with that she’d be so nice about it.
Of all the people she expected should want Talia back, he topped the list.
“Why are you being so nice to me? Somehow I doubt you’re like this with everyone.”
Tearing the stem in half, he lifted his brows. “No. Definitely not. Which is why I’m in no rush to head back to the ship. Aboard the vessel I have to be someone else. Someone they respect and fear. And while I enjoy the perks of the job, always being on is exhausting. With you I don’t feel the need to be anyone other than myself. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Something she could relate to. “I understand completely.”
His look was steady, he was giving her his full attention and she found that she liked that too. Dangerous how much she was coming to like about the man.
“It is exhausting, to always have to pretend like you’re okay, like nothing’s bothering you. Because who wants to hear your sob story anyway, right? People say ‘how are you doing?’ but they don’t really want you to say, ‘shit, I’m dying, it hurts, sometimes I just want to quit.’”
He went absolutely still; only his nostrils flared.
“Do you understand?” she whispered.
“I think I do.”
Searching for something else to say since he didn’t seem inclined to speak on that further, she asked, “Earlier when we were walking here, why weren’t the mermaids looking at you?”
He lifted a brow. “They weren’t?”
“Nope. In fact, they were so obviously not looking that it was weird.”
Eyes narrowing just slightly he leaned back on his hand. “Down here love is honored. When a maiden claims a mate, even if only temporarily, none would dare to look upon him. It is a sign of respect.”
Then why hadn’t they been looking? Had he been claimed by someone and she didn’t know it? When Sirenade had kissed him, had it been more than just giving him air?
His lips curved into a small smile. “You think too hard. The maiden is you, Trishelle. They believe you have claimed me.” Eyes twinkling with laughter, he pursed his lips and her heart hammered painfully in her chest.
“What? No way. That’s silly. Pft.”
Why was she acting like this, fluttering her wrist and stammering on and on, it was obvious she was making a spectacle of herself, but the nerves in her stomach wouldn’t let her stop.
“Of course, pure rubbish.”
She sniffed. “Of course it is.”
Fidgeting with her dress, she shrugged, quickly changing the subject. “Anyway, I wanted to tell you something too. Earlier when Maiven said that to you, that you took Talia away from her. I just wanted you to know, it’s not true. I’m not saying I’m Talia, but I know this as fact, even if she’d known how it would have ended, she still would have chosen you.”
He didn’t say anything, just looked over his shoulder and this was one of those rare times when she really had nothing more to say.
But sometimes saying nothing at all was exactly what needed to be said anyway.