Page 44 of Welcome to Seaman's Cove: Part One
Hunter growls, tightening his grip to pull me back against him. Caspian doesn’t let go of me, but his hands trail from my hips down to my upper thighs. I catch Phoenix’s eye. He’s watching this exchange with a wide, boyish grin, feet still dangling in the water next to Caspian’s partially submerged tail.
“We should go back and get supplies before we continue,” Hunter says.
“What’ll it hurt to check it out first?” Phoenix asks. He’s staring into the hole like he can possibly see what’s on the other side. It’s clear he’s as curious as I am. “We can come right back out and then return with supplies tomorrow.”
Hunter doesn’t loosen his grip, and his chin scrapes across the top of my hair as he shakes his head.
“Caspian wouldn’t let me go unless it’s safe,” I say. “Don’t you want to see what’s down there?”
Hunter’s forearm tenses against my chest, sparking little fires in my breasts.
“There are a lot of other things I’d prefer to see right now,” Hunter says, mouth brushing my earlobe.
I don’t register the seduction in his words until Phoenix lets out a low whistle. I tilt my head to look at Hunter, our faces so close his breath tickles my lips. His pupils swallow the light brown irises.
“The cavern below is more private,” Caspian says, chuckling. “Why not explore itandour little starfish?”
My mate’s suggestion startles me out of the foggy lust, and I glance at the beach, aware that I’m pressed entirelytoo close to my professor in plain sight of the shoreline. The cove is still mostly empty, apart from the three people slowly moving this direction.
Hunter clears his throat, blinks, and shakes his head like he’s shaking off a fog. He leans back on his heels, releasing me from his grasp. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s okay.” I wet my lips, and his gaze drops to my mouth.
“If you two need a minute, we can meet you down there,” Phoenix says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. Apparently, everyone is rooting for Hunter and me, except Hunter.
“No, I’ll go first.” Hunter moves around me. He fishes two waterproof flashlights out of his bag, then tightens the straps on his shoulders. I guess he intends to wear the backpack down there. Keeping one flashlight for himself, he hands the other to me.
Caspian lifts out of the hole to sit next to me with his tail still in the water. Hunter gives him a searching look, like he’s looking for reassurance, then he maneuvers himself into a crouch, flicks on the flashlight, places his arms over his head, takes a deep breath, and goes headfirst into the water.
“You next,” Phoenix says, touching my knee.
I want to see what’s down there, and I trust my mate that it’s safe, but the reality of being squeezed into a hole catches up to me all in one breath. This thing isn’t any wider than the slides at a water park, but instead of a trickling stream of water, it’s filled completely. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I never liked those slides. Too claustrophobic.The summer I was ten, my friend wanted me to go on the slide with her so badly she looked up the statistics to prove it was safe. Turns out waterslides cause more injuries than rollercoasters or go-karts. I took an inner-tube to the lazy river instead.
But this is different. My mate’s with me. And this could be the first clue leading us to Ocearus. I want to do this. It’s just… I really wish there was another way in there.
Stalling, I fiddle with my backpack, pulling out a small dry bag and putting a couple essentials in it like my phone, a small flashlight, a pocket knife, Aunt April’s journal, and the last of our snacks in case we get hungry.
“You can climb on my back if you want, starfish,” Caspian says softly. I’d have to glue myself to his body since it looks like there’s barely enough room for us both, but I don’t hate that idea at all.
“Alright, then.” Phoenix balls Caspian’s shorts in his fist rather than giving them back to him. “I’ll go next.” He kisses my cheek, then Caspian’s, the action so natural, I don’t question it until he pulls away. “See you on the other side,” he says, then jumps in and vanishes from sight.
My cheek still tingles from the brief brush of his lips. I press my fingers over the spot and watch until he’s out of sight.
I clip my drybag around my waist, making sure it'll lie flat when pressed between Caspian’s and my bodies so it won’t get snagged on a rock. Then, I move around the hole behind my mate. From here, I can see the beach more than the ocean. The people I saw before are starting to wade into the waves. They’re still too far to pick out their features, but I can tell that it’s three men. Hopefully, they’re just going for a swim and haven’t noticed us up here.
“Hold on tight,” Caspian says. “And pinch me if you need a breath.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” I wrap myself around him and suck in the biggest breath I can before we fall into the water.
31
The narrow passage drops straight down before curving slightly to the side. It’s pitch black, but the small flashlight lets off enough light for me to find my way forward. My lungs start to burn, and I kick my feet harder. Damn merman. He probably doesn’t know how often humans need to breathe. I push against the wall to propel myself faster. Really wishing I was a stronger swimmer right about now.
Phoenix and I were both on the swim team in college, but that was a long time ago, and he was always faster than I was. These days, I barely spend any time in the water, apart from the occasional summer barbeque at the University President’s house.
Something brushes against my feet, and then a body is half on top of me. Hands shove my ass. I’m not sure how I know it’s Phoenix, but my reaction is entirely inappropriate. I know he’s just trying to help out, but my cock doesn’t seem to understand that. I really don’t need aboner while stuffed in a narrow tunnel underwater, running out of oxygen.
Phoenix’s push shoots me forward, away from the narrow walls. Just when the urge to breathe is almost unbearable, the passage opens up, and I break the surface of the water with a loud gasp. I’m too old for this.
