Page 17 of The Naiad's Lover

I didn’t want to lose control.

I wanted to be in control.

We stood waist-deep in the water, glaring at each other.

Sayan’s face was a study of frustration and determination. He narrowed his eyes at me, jaw tight and chin lifted.

My lips twitched in amusement. I leaned into him, resting a hand on his chest. “My love,” I said, “I really think you should let someone who once had to learn how to swim teach me.”

His hand covered mine at once, holding it there. “Ionce learned, Erik!”

“All right,” I said. “Then someone who learned in the last ten, twenty, or thirty years. Not in the last two or three millennia.”

“Two or three? I am not aninfant. No. I will teach you. It is not hard. I do not know why you cannot do it on your own. Here.” He grabbed me, lifted me, and tried to set me on my back again.

There was no more sensual coaxing, no kissing or teasing me into it. We already knew that I could do it if he was distracting me and my eyes were closed. It was when my mind registered what was happening that I locked up, panicked, and went under.

“Let’s do it again,” he said, attempting to lie me on the surface of the water as if he was setting a dinner plate on the table.

I kicked and thrashed, my head went under, and once again he hauled me out and up with an aggrieved sigh.

As soon as I’d stopped coughing and spluttering, I launched myself at him and got my legs around his waist and an arm around his neck.

His eyes brightened.

I kissed him hard, pushing for entry and driving deep inside when he yielded with a soft little moan, his hands on my arse holding me steady.

His short breaths struck my wet cheeks. I drew back in slow increments, kissed him one last time, and pulled away.

“I am going into town this afternoon,” I said, “and I will ask Henrik Berglund for advice.”

Sayan scowled.

I set a finger over his lips. He pouted.

“You want me to swim with you, don’t you?” I said.

He opened his mouth to reply, but I playfully pinched his lips shut. His eyes opened wide, as if he couldn’t believe what I’d done.

“That was a rhetorical question,” I said. “I will ask Henrik how one goes about it. As a human. I’ll ask him to teach me, or help me find someone else to teach me.”

Sayan’s green eyes were shadowed and conflicted.

I released his lips. “And then you can show me your lake.”

The conflict bled away and was replaced with eagerness. “I can take you to my island. To my waterfall!”

“There is a waterfall near here?” It was the first I’d heard of it.

“Yes. It is only a short swim away. Barely even a few hours, if we cut straight across the lake.”

Hours?

In open water?

The mere thought of it made my gut tighten.

“Or not,” he said, stroking my back. “That is fine. We can stay close to shore if you must have land in sight. It will take days that way, but I do not care. You will be with me.”

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