Making Waves (Mythological Lovers) Read Online Free PDF Page B

basic math and had absolutely no knowledge of world events.
    Dante offered me the opportunity to sit on one of the stone benches bordering the walking path, but I waved it off and continued walking alongside him.
    “I’m a hippocampus.”
    “Like an enormous seahorse? Or... a... water horse? Neeeeigh,” I said, waving a hand for emphasis.
    “Like a water horse,” Dante confirmed.
    “I... I like horses,” I said dumbly.
    He grinned. “This was easier than I thought it would be.”
    “You brought me all the way out here to tell me that you’re a supernatural creature? Dante, you could have told me while I was making us dinner.” I leaned against him and bumped his hip with mine, his body heat familiar and inviting.
    “I know, I know. It’s...” He dragged in a breath. “I have more to say than that.”
    “More?”
    We reached our designated cabana, a small hut with wooden support beams and heavy walls of straw and grass. A wicker basket awaited us with a bucket of chilled ice and a bottle of wine beside two coolers. I recognized Teo’s handiwork, having helped him once to prepare something similar for his anniversary. He’d implemented my suggestions and improvements by providing futons for couples with kinky plans of open-door sex.
    “What the hell? It’s not my birthday, is it?” One of the small cooler boxes held an intricate edible bouquet. I plucked one of the flower shaped pieces of apple and a few grapes from the top.
    “No,” Dante said. “It’s not.”
    “What’s with the surprise and the wine?” I picked up another wooden skewer from the bouquet then peeked into the second cooler. Rows of my favorite sushi rolls greeted me. I breathed in the wasabi, pleased with Dante’s considerate gift. “You’re the best friend.”
    “No I’m not.”
    “You are, too. You did all of this for me?”
    He nodded. “Yeah, I did. But there’s something I need to tell you.”
    “Okay?”
    He inhaled a deep breath, consternation wrinkling his brow. I noticed the circles beneath his eyes for the first time. That he was stressed. “I brought you here to break some bad news to you as gently as I could. It’s my last summer visit. I won’t be coming back to the island again.”
    At first, I waited for the rest of the joke. He’s joking. He has to be joking. Why would he go away forever like that? Then I saw the pain in his eyes and knew that he was serious. “What? Why? What about your grandfather? You can’t leave him. He’s sick! Did he tell you about how hard this winter was on him?”
    “I told him a few days ago and he understands.”
    “But you can’t... why?” I demanded, voice rising shrilly.
    “I’m going to tell you more than I told Abuelo, so please. I trust you not to share this with him.”
    My body tensed. I barely moved my chin while nodding.
    “My people have traditions we abide by, and my failure to find a mate means I’m losing certain privileges. Like coming on land—”
    “Then find one!” Tears blurred my vision and stung my eyes. I blinked rapidly to stave them off. I’d rather see him taken by another woman than lose his friendship forever. “Why can’t you just sweep some girl off of her hooves or something? What if you just decide to come back anyway? What’re they gonna do about it? Jail you?”
    “Female hippocampi are particularly choosy,” he said in a dry voice. “And we have strict laws enforced by my father. He’s the alpha, so to speak.”
    “Laws like what? Laws saying you’re not allowed to come back anymore?” I lost my appetite for the star-shaped cuts of pineapple speared to decorative slices of melon. I tossed them and the toothpick aside into a small wastebasket then stared at Dante.
    “Because I haven’t contributed to the herd, I’ve been assigned to join the rear guard.”
    “What the hell is that?”
    He held up a hand, begging for me to chill, but I couldn’t calm when I was receiving the worst news of the year. My best friend