| A Fish? |
| I pulled the oars up once I reached the vicinity of where I had seen her last. I looked carefully over the edge of the boar, trying to find her, wanting to see her once again. I saw a long fin glide under my boat and although I was terrified, I leaned farther over the side to see it. Just then the boat flipped over and I plunged into the dark, night ocean. I surfaced and found myself underneath the overturned boat. And I wasn't alone. I could hear quiet breaths behind me. I could feel the rippling of water below the surface. Slowly, I turned around. It was her! Smiling. Water dripping off her face from her hair. Her naked shoulders barely peeking out of the water. I couldn't take my eyes from her. She lifted her hand out of the water and brought it to my face. She placed her open palm against my cheek while her other hand caressed my wet hair. I closed my eyes and reached my own hand out to touch her in return. I needed to touch her. To assure myself that she was right there in front of me. I placed my hand on her cheek and traced my fingertips along her jaw and across her lips. She kissed my fingers as they tenderly swiped her plump, rosy lips. I opened my eyes at the feeling and stared deeply at her. Her ocean blue eyes returned the stare and we slowly brought ourselves closer together. I leaned forward and gently placed my lips upon hers. She pulled my head closer to deepen the kiss. It was like none I had ever experienced before and would probably never experience again. Mystical. Almost like magic. I felt her fingertips nimbly pulling at the hem of my t-shirt, trying to yank it free from my shorts. I helped her remove my shirt and before I knew it, she had disappeared again again. I knew she hadn't left me for I felt tiny bubbles float up my chest. Bubbles released by her kisses. She resurfaced and planted a kiss on my lips once again. I pulled her to me, her breasts squashed against my bare chest, and smothered her face, neck, and shoulders in hot, lusty kisses. Oh, how I wanted her! I wanted her more that I have wanted any other woman. She hadn't uttered a word, but she spoke volumes with her eyes and actions. My hands caressed her naked back and slowly slid down to cup the perfect buttocks I envisioned her to have. Only...that's not what I felt when my hands landed on the area her ass should have been. 'Scales?' I thought to myself. I pulled away from her embrace and looked at her with confused eyes. She looked back at me, hurt in her eyes. Eyes that had changed from the bright ocean blue of a perfect sea to the grayish-green of a sea in a storm. She dove under the waves and I caught a glimpse of a silvery-blue fish tail where a woman usually has legs. 'What's going on?' I wondered. 'Could I be attracted to a fish?' I righted the boat and rowed quickly back to the dock where the stolen boat belonged. The moon danced with the waves as I plodded back to the cabin, my clothes creating a trail of water behind me. Thirty minutes later I quietly opened the cabin door. I stripped myself of my wet clothes and tossed them to the porch so I wouldn't drip water all over the floor. That would just make a mess and Kevin and I would probably mince words about it the next morning. I didn't need that. Feeling slightly uncomfortable standing in the foyer completely naked, I ran to my room to dress, hoping no one had seen me. On the way back to the porch to hang my clothes over the railing, I was hit with sudden exhaustion. I turned back toward my room. Then everything went black. "Nick?" I heard a muffled voice say. "Nick?" it came again. I couldn't move or respond. My body and mind felt heavy with exhaustion. I felt I could sleep for an eternity. "SHIT! KEVIN! COME QUICK!" the voice cried. A voice coated in concern. "C'mon, Nick. Wake up, kid." Kevin. Kevin was there, shaking my shoulders in an attempt to wake me. I groaned. My shoulder twitched. I opened my eyes. "You all right, Nick?" Kevin asked, helping me sit up. "I guess. I just feel tired and week. Maybe I'm just worn down," I replied. I spied Brian standing slightly behind Kevin, his face scrunched in fear and concern. Just then Howie and AJ emerged from their rooms. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm okay. Honestly," I said. I stood up from where I sat on the hard, wooden floor. "No wonder you're tired!" AJ said with a chuckle. Howie's serious face broke into a smile. And even Brian and Kevin sported smirks. I, however, was completely lost. "That's one hell of a love bite!" AJ laughed. 'Love bite? What the hell was he talking about?' I thought. Brian threw his arm around my shoulders and escorted me to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror. My eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a purplish hickey marking my lower neck. 'How did I get that?' I wondered. Then it all came back to me. Her. The girl from the water. Girl? Maybe not. I had to see her again, but would she even present herself to me after the uncaring way in which I reacted to her silvery-blue tail. I neede to apologize for any hurt I may have caused her. "Where did that," Brian began, poking my hickey, "come from?" he finished. "Just some girl I met last night," I replied. I didn't want to tellhim, 'The girl I saw on the beach that just so happens to be a mermaid.' That would be unbelievable. And after what happened this morning, I didn't want to push my luck. "You dawg!" AJ said cheerfully, jabbing me in the arm with his fist. I just smiled sheepishly, my cheeks getting rosier by the second. "Our little Nicky is becoming a man," Howie said, pretending to sob on Kevin's shoulder. "Shut up! I've been a man for years!" I replied, puffing out my chest and flexing my muscles, a shit-eating grin plastered on my face. "Atta boy," AJ said. We all shared a laugh and soon my hickey was forgotten about. For the time being anyway. Thank God! |