Page 19 of The Call of Azure (Unexpected Love #3)

“Liam is quiet, but he’s always been such a thoughtful man, always doing things like picking up shifts when others can’t make it, even though they’re all volunteers.

Of everyone, I think he’s the most likely to agree to a performance like this.

He and Danielle are the only ones without young kids, so they might be able to free up some evenings a bit more easily than the others.

He keeps to himself though, and while I don’t know him well, I get the feeling he sort of likes to fade into the background when he’s not in the tank, so I don’t want you to get your hopes up too high just yet.

” Emma is still talking as we make our way into the cave building.

It’s even smaller than it seemed from the outside, really little more than a cement closet with a handful of lockers and a staircase leading up to a large platform.

Inside the tank, there is a series of small shelves that look just large enough to sit on, and wide ladder rungs leading up to the platform so that performers can haul themselves out of the water with their tails on.

A flash of movement in the water catches my eye for a moment as the merman quickly scales the tank’s ladder and shifts out of sight onto the high platform.

“Impressive, isn’t he? I have no idea how they can drag themselves out that fast. I’d absolutely end up stuck in the tank. But I imagine working with silks, you wouldn’t have any problem at all with something like that either.”

I offer her my sweetest smile and most flirtatious wink. “I’d probably do alright.”

She’s quickly saved from her rapid blushing when a large man in a fluffy white robe pops out from behind the staircase to make his way toward us.

“Hey Emma, is everything al…” His voice stutters briefly before a smile so wide and brilliant it could light up the night sky appears as he clears his throat and continues. “…alright? We usually don’t get either you or company visiting our little cave.”

No.

No. No, no, no, no.

There is absolutely no way the universe can hate me this much.

I always stop at red lights, I use humane mouse traps, I catch spiders in cups and take them outside even though I risk having a heart attack every time I do it.

I truly don’t think that I deserve to be tormented.

I guess the universe sees whatever flaw everyone else does, and since it can’t simply abandon me, it has to find other ways to torture me.

Well done, universe. Very, very funny indeed.

The giant, gorgeous man I’d been fantasizing about while ogling what I thought was a similarly shaped stranger in a merman tail only a few minutes ago steps close with his hand outstretched.

His hair is pulled into a high, wet bun, and stray drops of water are still winding their way down his neck before disappearing under the robe, and it takes everything I have to not imagine what it would be like to follow their path with my tongue.

Of course, the universe knows I’m no longer dating, so it keeps dropping the most tempting morsel I’ve encountered since I entered my new “Gabriel doesn’t need love or romance or a man to make him happy” phase, into my life.

“Hello again, Cupcake’s dad. I’m Liam. We should probably learn one another’s names at this point, don’t you think?”

A loud groan escapes as I take his hand, shaking it firmly, and quickly letting it go before I get caught up in the way it’s somehow warm even though he’s wet and it’s not exactly a sauna in here, or the fact that it’s so large it almost engulfs mine, even though I’m not exactly a tiny human myself. “Gabriel.”

“Oh! You two have met before?” Emma’s gaze jumps between us in confusion, and I’m absolutely terrified that the grin on the gia…Liam’s face means that he’s thinking about telling her that I once dragged him into a bathroom to jerk him off.

“Just once.” He rubs the back of his neck with a towel I hadn’t noticed him clutching in his other hand this whole time. “I scooped up his dog before it ran into traffic a while back.”

The relief that rushes through me that it’s the only encounter he mentions is certainly not accompanied by just a bit of disappointment that maybe he doesn’t remember where else we’ve met.

Nope, not at all. All I feel is relief. Actually, he didn’t actually bring up the night at the club last time I saw him either.

Maybe it wasn’t as memorable for him as it was for me.

Maybe it wasn’t very good at all, and I just remember it being the hottest thing ever because it was the first time I’d gone out on my own with the goal of a one-time hookup rather than a date, and I was so proud of myself for managing that.

Maybe I just think I have good cock-handling skills, but I’m actually fumbling and terrible, and that’s why every man I’ve ever dated has left so quickly.

“Gabriel?” Liam’s blindingly blue eyes look almost concerned when I shift my gaze up. And isn’t the fact that I have to look up to see them just a novelty? “I said that actually sounds really cool.”

“Huh?”

“Your idea for a mixed performance event. It sounds really cool.” His forehead wrinkles in a frown. “You alright?”

“Oh. Yes! Sorry. I was just caught up in…umm…” Oh my god, I can’t say I was caught up in an existential crisis about my sexual abilities while he and Emma were apparently chatting.

Was I accidentally talking out loud? Oh my god, do they know I was thinking about sex?

No. He said the show sounds cool, so they must have been talking about that while my brain imploded.

“…in thinking about the choreography and show placement now that I’ve had a chance to really look over the tunnel system.

I think there are a few places that will allow great viewing angles from both sides that will work really well. ”

The wrinkle in his forehead smooths away as he nods.

“I agree. It will look amazing if you can pull it off, but in truth, I’m not sure any of the performers will have the time to commit to anything like that.

It sounds like it’ll take a lot of work and rehearsal time before there’s even any proof that the concept will work. ”

I can’t hold back a sigh. “I was afraid that might be the case…the time thing. It’s definitely something that will take a commitment, but I think I can take care of a lot of it myself.

I mean, I can’t choreograph the swimming on my own, of course, but if I had the chance to observe a bit, I think I could get my half of it sorted for the most part before one of you had to find time to start working with me. ”

His not-cute-at-all forehead wrinkle returns.

“You know, I really do think it sounds amazing, and I might be able to shift my own schedule a bit if you’d be interested in working with me.

I mean, I’m not sure if you had one of the girls in mind specifically or anything, and if that’s the case, no hard feelings or anything.

I can send them an email and see if anyone else is interested and able to make the time.

If you’re open to working with me, though, do you want to maybe grab coffee and run through what you have in mind for production and rehearsals and the time that might be required?

Then we can see if it’s something we might be able to work out. ”

“No. Yes, I mean. Yes. No to having anyone in particular in mind and that I knew scheduling might be a problem.” Oh my god, someone kill me now.

What is going on? I’m a strong, confident man, not a rambling moron who can’t string words together.

“Yes, I’d love to see if our schedules complement one another and chat about what might work.

Coffee sounds great.” Better. Almost coherent, even.

“Awesome.” The muscles of his jaw twitch, and I can’t decide if he’s all clenched up because he’s politely trying not to laugh at my inability to use words or out of excitement or nervousness because I agreed to have coffee today, even though last time he asked, I literally turned and ran away.

“Let me go change, and we can head over to the bakery since it’s only a few blocks away and actually has decent coffee.

” He blushes and glances over at Emma. “No offense.”

She just laughs and pats his forearm. “None taken. Our coffee isn’t the worst I’ve ever had, but I’d never describe it as anything better than acceptable.

I’m going to head back to the office. Will one of you let me know if you think you can pull something like this off after you talk?

If it seems reasonable, we can look into the logistics and start planning. ”

“Oh my god, really?” I have to resist the urge to jump up and down like a toddler.

“Yes. Assuming you and a performer can coordinate your schedules, I can find the money in the budget to promote the events properly, and the center’s insurance doesn’t say it’s something we can’t do, then I think it sounds like exactly the kind of thing I’d love to support.”

“Oh my god, thank you!” I snatch up her hand in an enthusiastic shake to prevent myself from pulling her into a super inappropriate hug. So much for my “professional, artistic businessman” image.