Page 29 of The Kraken's Queen

“Is that so, sweet girl? What else can I do in the bedroom, pray tell?” There’s a playfulness to his words. They almost sound flirty, and I desperately want to be bold. To be the woman who flirts so easily, I don’t even have to think about it…but I’m not.

“You know, escape everyone. It’s like your own little safe haven away from people,” I lamely say instead.

“I suppose you’re right. It’ll be our safe haven now.” He places his hand on my back, gently leading me to the stairs and out of the water. Something along my neck tingles, and I reach up. Where gills were moments beforeis now smooth skin. Damn, it’s going to take a while to get used to all of this.

At the top is an open cabinet with several white fluffy towels. I’m surprised to find them warm as I grab one and wrap it around my body. The water sloshes behind me, and I turn just in time to see Allarick walking up the stairs. He’s traded his tentacles for legs. He’s not naked, but may as well be for as little as his tight red shorts cover. They look more like boxer briefs and cling to him like a second skin.

I seeallof him.

Every inch. And there are a lot of inches to see.

James has been my only sexual partner. He isn’t small, but he definitely doesn’t come close to what Allarick is packing. My mouth waters, and heat rushes to my core. I can’t remember the last time the thought of a cock excited me. Never? Definitely never.

“Sweet girl?”

My head snaps up at Allarick’s voice, and his dark eyes bore into me. Butterflies explode in my belly. I feel completely naked under his scrutiny, but instead of feeling embarrassed, I…like it.

“You’re beautiful,” he says, stunning me. I’m dripping wet. My hair is plastered to my face. And my nose is more than likely running. I feel anything but beautiful, but the way Allarick looks at me tells a different story.

We stay locked in silence, his eyes roaming my body and mine dipping low every so often. The urge to reach out and touch him is strong, but instead I ruin the moment by blurting out, “How are you not naked?”

My words take Allarick by surprise as he looks downat the indecently tiny shorts he’s wearing. “Specific clothes can transform with our bodies. As long as they are magically touched.”

Oh. Sure, magic. Must have been a lack of normal-sized pants the day he got his magically enhanced.

“Let me show you to the room.” He absentmindedly reaches for my hand. His fingers brush against my arm before he realizes his mistake and jerks his hand away as if my skin burns him. Allarick curses. “I’m sorry, Erin. I wasn’t thinking.”

I wait for the slimy, dirty feeling to overtake me. For the panic to set in and for me to recoil from him. But I don’t pull back. No horrid memories of James resurface. My anxiety doesn’t overwhelm me, immobilizing me with darkness.

It actually felt nice.

“It’s okay,” I say gently, surprising Allarick. Hell, surprising myself. Before I can second-guess myself, I gently reach for his arm. My hand rests around his biceps…his hard, solid biceps. Is this man even real? I think I squeeze his arm, judging by the low hum Allarick emits.

“Is this okay?”

“It’s perfect.” His voice is gruff, a deeper tenor than normal. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he’s just as flustered. Allarick clears his throat and says, “Right this way.”

He leads me out of the large atrium area and down a hallway lined with portraits of who I assume are former kings and queens. We pass what looks like a dining room and another room filled with bookcases andsomething that eerily resembles a piano. Do they have instruments down here? I make a mental note to check that room out later.

We reach a set of white double doors with intricate oceanic imagery carved into the wood. The handles are a shiny blue that reminds me of water. Allarick pushes open the door, exposing his—our—room.

The moment we step in, my breath hitches. Like the bubble houses in the city, the room is circular and made entirely of glass walls. Not the best for privacy, but the view is worth it. It’s easy to forget that I’m under the sea until I see a whale and its calf swim above our head, a sight many people would kill to see. I think of lying in bed and watching the ocean all day.

Speaking of which, a large king-sized bed sits centered near the domed wall opposite us. White chiffon bedding and pale green pillows adorn it. I don’t know what I imagined a bed down here to look like, but this reminds me of one you would find in a luxury hotel.

Next to the bed is a bedside table with candles on top. The only other piece of furniture is a light-colored couch, sitting opposite the bed with a gray coffee table in front. It doesn’t look like it belongs in the room, almost as if it were brought in here as an afterthought.

“The washroom is through that door. All glass windows are meant to see out, but not see in. It’s completely private.” Allarick points to an arched door I missed in my initial assessment of the room. “I have toiletries I thought you might need. If there is anything else you require, let me or a maid know, and I’ll make sure to getit for you. Through the washroom is also the closet. I’ve supplied clothes, but once again, if they are not to your liking, we can purchase new ones. I’m afraid any clothes you brought with us from your world will not fare well here. The ocean water isn’t kind to fabrics made above land.”

I didn’t bring anything from home. I hadn’t exactly planned to leave so abruptly and unconsciously, but even if I did pack things, it wouldn’t have been much. Allarick has provided me with everything I need.

I give his arm a gentle squeeze. “Thank you. This is very kind of you.”

“It’s nothing,” he says.

“It’s not nothing,” I say, maybe a little too forcefully. “Your kindness and attentiveness are not nothing, Allarick. They’re everything. You are a busy king, yet you still went out of your way to make sure your home felt like mine too. Thank you. Not just for the room accommodations but everything.”

Allarick’s face softens. For a moment, he hesitates before leaning forward. My heart starts to beat faster in my chest. I’m torn between leaning back and staying put, but my body is frozen in place. His soft lips brush my forehead. It’s a whisper of a kiss but still leaves me breathless. This man makes me feel things I haven’t felt in so long. Maybe ever.

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