Chapter 25
Sully is in the middle of a conversation with Daniel when I arrive.
When Sully turns his attention to me, I pause.
He’s shirtless and he must’ve rubbed suntan lotion on because his skin is golden and gleaming like a Greek god.
He’s wearing navy blue swim trunks tied in a white bow paired with green and black swim shoes.
“Nice shoes,” I say, opening my car’s trunk and rearranging my tails. I’m too excited about being able to wear all three now.
Sully kicks a patch of sand, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, don’t mock the help. I was going to wear flip-flops but remembered how hot the sand can be.” He moves in closer, placing his hands on my hips, and whispers in the shell of my ear, “Wouldn’t want to drop you.”
“No.” I swallow my pounding heart and spin around. We’re nose to nose. “Wouldn’t want that.” My voice is low. His eyes lock on my lips. He tucks my hair behind my ear and just as he’s about to kiss me, Peter returns, clapping his hands.
“We’re losing sunlight, people! Let’s move!”
I toss a yoga mat over the sand before grabbing my purple tail and its matching top. “Your first job awaits.”
Sully stands beside the car as I change using the yoga mat.
I struggle to put my tail on over my hips, but at least with the mat, I don’t get sand all over my leggings.
Sully is kind enough to hold a beach towel up so I can quickly change my top in private.
He’s a perfect gentleman, turning his head despite already seeing me topless.
When I’m finished, I say, “Okay. I’m ready.
” I shove my clothes inside my bag and can’t help but smirk when Sully whistles, tossing the towel over his broad shoulder.
“Damn, is it weird I like you better this way?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“Don’t blame you. I am hot,” I chuckle, tugging on my hip fin. “Now, come on. I’m paying Peter by the hour.”
“Bossy. I like it.” He scoops me up and I wrap my arms around his neck after hooking my arm with my bag’s strap.
I do some shots on the beach and sit on the lone log in my purple tail.
Sully is happy to take me back and forth so I can change into my sunset tail.
We do a few more different beach shots and then I get into the water.
Peter found a rock I can sit on and stare out at the ocean.
I run my fingers through my hair and in another, I’m admiring my reflection in a shell-shaped mirror.
After a break, we do underwater videography. I swim in circles and blow bubble kisses. I dive between sea coves and join a school of fish. A dolphin even photobombs us for a few minutes.
We’re wrapping up the shoot with me in a red and pink tail. I pose with waves breaking behind me and my fins flying over my head.
Sully eats this up, laughing, and always quick to do whatever is needed. Peter eyes how Sully scoops me from the sand and fingers his goatee. “Wait. What do you think of having him in some shots? A mermaid and her prince.”
Sully shifts his weight and meets my gaze. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean? You got the face for the camera.” Peter smiles. “Let me take some test shots and you can decide.” He starts snapping away without warning and throws his camera’s screen into our faces. “See. Perfection.”
Sully’s jaw clenches. I place a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. Sully’s in a band and I think he’d need to ask his people for permission before his image can be used.”
“Oh.” Peter drops the camera to his waist. “What band?”
Sully bursts into a deep laugh. “That’s humbling.” He runs his tongue over his sunburnt lips and looks down at my tail. “Screw it. We can do some shots.”
Peter is about to split in half with joy. “Fantastic! Now hold her over your head like she’s the best thing you’ve ever seen and you must admire her.”
Sully lifts me with ease and we can’t help but laugh. We do a few more with him holding me close and some with us both lying on the beach with the water all around us. We also do a Little Mermaid pose where it looks like I rescued him from drowning and I’m singing to him.
Peter flips through what he has and nods in approval. “These are amazing. I’ll edit them and send you the files in a few days.”
“Thank you! I’m grateful you could fit me in today,” I say, trying to sit up more in Sully’s arms. It’s awkward making a business decision while in a tail.
“Pleasure is mine.” He barks orders at Daniel on how to pack the equipment back into the car, and they drive off.
“I can say I’ve never had a photoshoot quite like that before,” Sully says, walking us toward the bathroom. Another downside of a mermaid tail is you can never go to the bathroom, not even in the water.
“You’re my favorite person.” I kiss his cheek. “I wouldn’t have been able to do half of what we did today without your help.”
His hands shift my body, adjusting my weight. “You still owe me, but I have something else I want to add to your payment.”
“What’s that?” I ask, flicking my tail and pressing my forehead to his.
“A copy of the best picture of us. Blown-up and framed.”
“Oh?” I cup my hands around his face, pulling him in closer. “Anything for my Jolly Sailor Bold,” I say seductively and kiss his lips.
He deepens our kiss, setting me on the edge of the sink. I lean back, my ass falling into the large sink bowl and my lower back smacks the mirror. Sully’s hands trace my top and migrate down to my waist.
“Umm…” I playfully kick him with my tail. “This isn’t the best place to make out.” I smile, kissing him again before releasing him. He takes a step back and looks around, sharing a shy grin.
“You’re right. This place doesn’t seem that clean.”
I laugh, pushing myself from the sink and standing on my fins. “That and my legs are trapped.”
“Right.” He runs a hand along my tail. “Kinda sexy though.”
“Maybe we can try that later,” I say softly, looking up at him through my lashes.
Blood floods into his cheeks, and he coughs. “I’ll let you transform back into human form,” he says, and walks out the door.
I change into my shorts and white top with a mermaid shell bikini on the front before relieving myself in a graffiti-covered stall.
When I set out with my bag over my shoulder, Sully is sitting on the hood of my car, looking at his phone.
I toss my stuff into the back and grab my phone, checking to see if I missed anything since this morning.
My dad texted me an hour ago, reminding me to pick up ice cream for dinner tonight.
“Shit,” I mutter, shoving a thumb and finger into my eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Sully looks at my phone and then at me.
“My dad. I forgot my parents invited me to dinner tonight. He wants me to bring ice cream. I totally spaced it.” I slam the trunk and run a hand over my neck. “I’m going to have to reschedule our dinner.”
Sully traces my collarbone with his fingers. “We can have dinner with your parents. If you don’t mind.”
“You want to meet my parents?” I squeak.
He chuckles, hooking a finger under my chin and closing my gaping mouth.
“Unless you think they’ll kill me or something.”
“No. They’re nice…” I tap my phone against my palm. “Do you really want to come?” I grab my keys and walk to the driver’s side.
“I’d love to meet your parents,” he says over the car before getting into the passenger’s seat.
Butterflies attack my stomach. But something hums in my blood. I like the idea of having someone come to dinner.
It’s going to be interesting explaining what Sully and I are to my parents, but at least it gives them something else to focus on than their daughter being a grown woman who is a mermaid for a living.
All I need to hear is my mom going off on how I’m wasting my time.
Dad doesn’t say anything cross, to my face at least, but he doesn’t back me up either.
He’s neutral and likes to keep the peace.
“Okay, great. I’ll text Dad and tell him I’m bringing a guest. We’ll grab the ice cream and head over.”
He clears his throat and plucks at his swim trunks. “Don’t you think we should also change?”
“Yeah.” I grimace, wrinkling my nose. “That’s a good idea and maybe shower. I think there’s sand in my hair.” I shove my fingers into my hair and shake it and the sand rains down.
“No sand warning in your mermaid handbook?” he jokes, laughing.
“There are pros and cons to everything.” I blow a piece of hair from my eye.
His gaze darkens. “What are the pros?”
I bite my lip and back out of the parking spot. “I’ll have to show you later.”
His eyes blaze into me, but I don’t flinch. I may know what his reward is for helping me and it’s going to blow his mind. It’s fun having Sully around, and he’s more reliable than any guy I’ve been with, and we’re not even officially dating.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if we could be a couple.
Having him hold me and staring into each other’s eyes for those pictures were some of the best moments I had posing for the camera.
He turned the job into a fun experience.
Arthur is a good mer-handler and friend, but he’s too professional.
It would be a lie if I didn’t admit I like the idea of having a partner.
A prince to my mermaid as Peter put it. But we’re nothing but friends with benefits.
A mermaid and a rock star, what kind of story is that?
As we drive toward Sully’s place, a voice whispers to let it go.
To live in the moment, and for once, I am.
Sully turns the radio on and flips through the channels until he lands on a song he likes. He starts singing, and I can’t help but laugh and join in. We belt out the lyrics with the windows down, the salty ocean breeze tangling in our hair and making everything feel a little lighter.
This isn’t how I imagined today going—but somehow, it’s better.
There’s a buzz under my skin every time Sully’s arm brushes against mine, a slow, steady warmth blooming in my chest that I can’t seem to shake. I just hope my parents don’t look too closely and see what I’m afraid to admit…
That I might be falling for him.