What the Tide Brings

Chapter 32 - Liam - Torn

Liam awoke with a big yawn on his lips. After Kaelin came to check on him, they'd found themselves getting lost in each other once again. They fell asleep wrapped up together, holding each other close.

But Kaelin was no longer in his arms, nor was she in his bed. He jolted up, afraid she'd gone after the mermen on own again.

Movement out of the corner of his eye drew his attention to the window, where she stared out at the ocean, her porcelain skin illuminated in the soft white glow of the moonlight. She stood there without a stitch on, completely unfettered, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it was, he thought. After all, clothes were an invention of man, not nature.

Still, when he got of bed, he felt compelled to pull on his boxers. Walking around naked just seemed weird, even in his own bedroom with the door locked. He went over to her and hugged her from behind, placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

Kaelin lifted her hand to stroke the side of his head, bringing it to rest on his cheek, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead.

"Are you standing guard in case the others decide to come after us?" Liam asked.

"No," she said. "Of course, I am worried that they'll come, but that is not why I'm watching the water."

"Then, why?" Liam had a sudden thought that he didn't want to voice, but he did anyway. "Do you miss it? Being a mermaid, I mean; being out there."

"I do, and I do not." She turned in his arms to face him. "I know that doesn't make sense."

"It makes all the sense in the world to me." Liam said. "You feel torn because you want to be in both places. That's kinda how I always feel about coming here every summer. I love it here, and I'm always happy to be here, but I always miss my friends and the familiar things at home."

Kaelin's lips stretched into a smile. "That is exactly what I feel." Her arms snaked around his neck, and she stretched up to kiss him.

After a brief make out session, she pulled away and stared up into his eyes. "Although, I want to be here far more than I want to go back." Her blue eyes almost seemed to be shining in the darkness. Liam didn't know if that was a trick of the light or if it was just another weird mermaid thing.

Either way, Liam didn't much care. It didn't stop him from leaning in to kiss her again; just a soft, quick peck against her lips. He pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, "I love you."

She didn't say it back, she just smiled, but he could see it plainly written all over her beaming face. She moved her arms to wrap them around his torso, hugging him tightly. In a quiet, almost inaudible tone, she said, "I think I truly would've died had something happened to you."

Liam held her tighter, gently rubbing his hands up and down her back.

There was something that he wanted to ask, related to his near-death experience. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "I would've gone with you."

She lifted her face to look at him, her eyes were intense. "That is why I didn't. I don't want you to be involved with them. You could get hurt. You did get hurt. You risked your life for mine, and I don't want you to."

"But that was my decision to make." Liam took a step back and gripped her shoulders. "I want to help you. I'm as worried about you being mixed up with all of this as you are about me."