Page 23

“I find myself fumbling a lot around you,” Alistair said.

“Why?” Her voice sounded strained. She watched uncertainty overcome the confidence she recalled from their first meeting, when she’d stumbled into him and he’d steadied her.

From that instant, our lifelines crossed, burned together, and continue to coil tighter and tighter.

One of his brows quirked. “Really? Come on. Why wouldn’t I? You’re beautiful, poised—”

“Poised?” She stared at him, then laughed. “Youdidsee me last night, right? I don’t call that behavior as being anywhere near poised.” Which brought up her next question. “How long did you stay at the beach? What did you see?”

“I tried to catch the cat, but she took off under the boardwalk. I started to follow you, but decided it was best to leave you be. I didn’t want you to feel like I was some crazy stalker.” His shoulders slouched enough to erase whatever confidence he had stored up for this visit. His gaze lowered, as did his hand from her back. “Listen. I don’t know if it’s me or what, but I can’t help but wonder why I’m so drawn to you. You made it obvious you have no interest in anything romantic, and you hate the ocean—”

Niera raised her hand, cutting him off. “I hate the ocean because the sea fae drain my energy and my magic. I stay too long and they can render me helpless.” She drew her lower lip between her teeth and hesitated before continuing. “it’s not that I’m not attracted to you”—gods above, if you only knew—“but I can’t stay here. Meanwhile, this is your home.”

Alistair released an incredulous snort. “We’re like some forbidden fairytale.” His gaze shot up to hers. “No offense.”

“None taken. But yes. It’s a twisted and foul joke.” She picked a seed from her roll and sighed. “Often how it goes.”

“So where does all of this leave us? I mean, I know there really isn’t anus, per se, but there’ssomethinghere. Something I wouldn’t mind exploring.”

Niera lifted her sandwich to take a bite, buy herself some time to think up an answer, then decided evasion was the worst thing she could do. Proof sat next to her after last night.

I’m not entirely upset by it, either.

If she was stuck in Cat’s Paw Cove until her blessed little kitty friend released her from her invisible cage, she might as well try to enjoy it. Right?

Cast a wish.

She wanted all this stuff about curses to end. Wasn’t that what she wished for?

“To prevent a curse, you must break a curse.”

Slowly, she lowered her sandwich to the plate and twisted to face Alistair. He had shifted on his seat and was examining his sandwich before taking his first bite. She regarded his handsome profile, the ashen hair falling over his forehead and teasing his ears. The sharp contours of his cheeks and nose. The angle of his brow.

He didn’t deny being cursed. Hadn’t he said it was complicated, as curses often were?

“Cryptic messages, injustices. The cure often something just out of reach, if not unobtainable.”

Her heart gave a deft thud, a rush of blood leaving her lightheaded. What if…

“Tell me about your curse, Alistair.”