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“Well don’t worry. There’s still time.”

I can’t decide whether it’s adorable or frustrating to see this side of him. The vulnerable, wounded side that won’t allow him to believe things will work out the way he wants. And, really, can I blame him?

An idea pops into my head, and I act on impulse. “You can’t spoil it if I already have!” I give him a huge shove into the fountain and watch as his eyes widen and he topples backward.

He shifts as soon as he hits the water and there’s a gasp from a passerby, but they don’t stop and no one shouts. People around here are used to seeing monsters, especially on campus.

I’m still laughing at his outraged look when he rises on his tentacles, water pouring from his body and down the ruin of his shorts. Then I see the look in his eye and realize I might have miscalculated.

I squeal as he launches himself toward the edge. I don’t stop to wait for him to vault the side of the fountain. I’m already running, breathless with laughter, excitement and just a little bit of fear making my legs pump faster than usual.

It makes no difference.

A moment later, wet arms catch me and I’m hauled over his shoulder. “Don’t start something you aren’t prepared to finish, Zeston.”

I’m squealing with laughter as he marches me back to the fountain and tosses me in. By this point, I’ve forgotten about who is watching. I’ve forgotten about the park and the failed painting lesson and everything except the hungry look in his eyes.

Noah helps me to my feet, not releasing me even when there’s no longer any risk of my slipping again. My hair is wet and plastered to my face. My clothes are dripping.

I don’t care.

When he slips his hand around the back of my neck, I have already longed for his kiss for what feels like an eternity.

I missed this. I miss it every moment his lips aren’t on mine. I love his taste, the firm feel of his mouth and the sensuous movement of his tongue. For a guy who spent so many years doggedly refusing to kiss anyone, he sure kisses like he’s had a lot of practice.

I’m caught up in it just the way I always am when we’re together. Only this time it doesn’t feel like hanging over a precipice. This time it feels like coming home.

Eventually, he pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. “I’m going to stop now before I do something in public you’ll regret.”

I giggle. “Who said anything about regret?”

“Liv!” The word is growled like a warning, but it only sends a shiver of excitement through me imagining what he’d like to doto me. I guess it’s probably best that we stop now. Even though I don’t want to.

The tip of a tentacle brushes against my cheek and I smile. “I do love seeing you like this. Do all kraken glow so beautifully when they shift?”

His eyes flick away from mine, and I wonder for a moment if I’ve said the wrong thing. “There’s um…there’s something I should have probably told you about that. Only it never seemed like the right time.”

“There is?”

He sighs. “Look, I held off because I didn’t want this to change your decision. I want you to choose me because you want me. Not because you think you should or because of fate.”

“Fate?” I echo.

“I glow when I’m around you and only you. The rest of the time my tentacles are as dull as the next male.”

“You… wait. What does it mean?”

“It means you’re my fated mate. Or that’s the legend anyway. I never believed it. Not until I met you and everything kind of fell into place.”

I’m glad my cheeks are still wet from the fountain, because it helps hide the fact that suddenly I’m crying in public. Though I guess by now we’ve made such a spectacle of ourselves a little crying won’t matter.

“Shit.” Noah scowls. “See, I knew I’d mess this up.”

I reach up to caress his face and his scowl softens. “Noah, don’t you see? I’ve been looking for a reason to believe you. To understand why you would chase me halfway across the world. To trust.”

He shakes his head. “This isn’t it. Liv, I can do better. I want to do better.”

“Shhh.” I cover his mouth with my hand. “I know and you will. But I can see from the way you didn’t tell me that you mean to.Now, are you going to take me back to your hotel so we can dry off and then get wet all over again?”