The Mermaid and her King Read Online Free Page B

want him anywhere near Skyla.
    “Alr ight, dude. I’m gonna surf, but I’ll be back.”
    Rumma ging through the fridge, I find everything needed to make a salad. I sauté some chicken strips to add to it and put them in a bowl.
    Cut up pineapple goes on the table along with a few different salad dressings. Maybe if I can get Skyla to spend time with me, she’ll stay away from Eric.

Skyla
     
    I clean one of the upstairs bathrooms off of a guest room. It’s been used recently, and I figure it’s a friend who slept over. I’m certain a woman would’ve been in his bed. I feel a tinge of jealousy toward any woman who gets to be pressed against that fine body. I hear someone coming. Determined not to be startled again, I glance toward the door. Mr. Mysterious is looking at me, and he is divine.
    “Hi, ” he says.
    “Hi. I wised up on using the iPod wh en cleaning the tubs, so I heard you coming.”
    “Um … I made some lunch. It’s har d to cook for one, so I always have too much. Would you want to join me?”
    I tho ught Eric’s request was a surprise, but this is over the top shocking. I’m starving, and I can’t bring myself to turn Chase down when he asked so nicely. Spending time with him is what I want, but that scares me. I don’t need anyone to tell me he could break my heart. I’m fully aware.
    “OK, if you’re sure,” I say politely. He flashes me a smile. I can’t believe it. I thought I saw the start of one on the steps, but this is a sure thing. I wash my hands in the sink before I follow him downstairs.
    Everything’s placed nicely on the table.
    “ Did you do all of this?”
    “Yes.”
    “It looks delicious. Thank you.”
    I don’t understand how some one this good looking and wealthy can be nervous. One minute he seems confident, and the next minute he acts like a scared boy.
    “Sit, help yourself.” He leans against the counter and watches me.
    After sit ting, I fix my plate. “You’re going to eat with me, right?”
    I’ll refuse to eat if he doesn’t. He hesitantly takes a seat. I hate feeling like I have a disease around this man. He finally fixes himself a plate of food.
    “Have you always lived on Oahu?” I ask.
    “Yes.”
    One word is al l he offers up. I’m not saying another word until he speaks to me. Several minutes pass, and with every minute of silence, I’m becoming more uncomfortable. I feel his eyes on me.
    “I’m sorry, I can’t eat with you,” he says before he gets up and drops his plate hard on the counter. He goes out the glass door to his patio, leaving me sitting at his table. I’m once again humiliated.
    After rinsing m y plate off in the sink, I hurry back to the restroom to finish cleaning. I look in the mirror and see that I’m beet red. The anger from his rejection spreads through me, fueling my energy. I finish up as quickly as possible and go to my purse that’s sitting on the kitchen counter.
    T he food is put away, and I don’t see or hear Chase. I root for a pen and a piece of paper in my purse. On the back of a grocery receipt, I write a note to Eric, giving him my address and phone number. I also add that I’m looking forward to our date. Folded, I write his name on the front and leave it on the island, so he won’t miss it. Take that Mr. Moody ass.

Chase
     
    I hear the door slam shut. Walking through the huge, empty house, I realize I’ve drove away the most sweet and pleasant voice that’s ever been in this place. She thinks I didn’t want to eat with her when actually, I wanted to more than anything. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how I didn’t deserve to.
    I should’ ve drowned in that ocean. If it’d been me instead, Bud wouldn’t be wasting his life the way I am. Hearing Eric say his name the other day stunned me. I haven’t heard it in months, and the sting of it took my breath away. I miss my friend. He was one cool dude. We were fucked up idiots, but damn, we were good friends.
    I’ll never forget that