Page 24 of Where the Current Takes Him (Mermate #1)

Beau

I t had only been a little over a month since Loriun moved in, but already, Beau found himself in a thoroughly domestic routine.

Each morning, he rose with the sun as it glanced off the sea and lit their bedroom with dazzling refractions.

It turned out his Alpha was decidedly not a morning person, and would cover his head with a pillow to shut out the light.

Beau then puttered around the kitchen, pulling espresso and cubing a massive grouper or tuna steak. The thought of fish in the morning still turned his stomach, so while Loriun’s breakfast sizzled away, Beau popped slices of bread into the toaster.

The thick smell of strong espresso was usually enough to coax Loriun out of bed. Coffee was a human commodity the Mer had quickly grown accustomed to, if the number of Starbucks franchises in Miami were anything to go by.

Though the wiry, sleek texture of Loriun’s wild hair prevented tangling in the water, it did nothing to shield him from bedhead.

Like clockwork, Beau would stand at the kitchen island and watch in amusement as his Mer mate half-fell into the pool at the far side of their living room.

Saltwater splashed into puddles on the ceramic tile floors, and splattered their leather sofa.

After a few minutes of rehydrating his scales and allowing the cold water to stimulate his consciousness, Loriun would emerge from the depths.

His scales shed water like nothing Beau had ever seen.

Hydrophobic surfaces repelled the water as the delicate skin beneath contracted, pulling the scales tightly over the moisture.

Beau was no biologist, and would never claim to fully understand how Mer bodies worked.

But watching Loriun rise from the sea and cast water like diamonds from his skin was nothing short of ethereal.

By the time the Alpha set foot on dry land, not a single drip could be seen.

“Good morning, luae .” Loriun kissed Beau’s cheek upon completing his morning ritual.

“Morning.” Beau smiled up at his mate, and offered a mug of coffee, much larger than the usual espresso cup Loriun took.

Loriun sniffed it suspiciously. “What is this?”

“I promise, there’s no dairy. Just taste it, then I’ll tell you.”

Loriun inhaled the steam from the mug again. “If I die, how are you planning to get me to a hospital? You couldn’t even lift my tail.”

The appendage banged against the ground in emphasis.

Beau rolled his eyes. “I know for a fact that you can digest everything in that cup so will you just trust me?”

Steeling himself, Loriun raised the butter-yellow mug to his lips. Beau leaned in, watching the Mer’s face intently. Loriun’s eyes went round, and the fins at the sides of his face flared wide.

“ Agith’asi salki, what is this?” The Alpha took another swig. “It’s incredible!”

Beau’s lips curled into a smug smile. “Told you. It’s a sea salt caramel americano.”

Loriun did not respond and opted to dive back into the mug. As he drank, Beau’s phone buzzed against the granite countertop. Beau groaned before picking it up and accepting the call.

“Hey, Dad.”

Loriun froze, a look of alarm spreading across his face.

“Beaumont, how are things in Miami?” His father’s brusque tone told Beau that he didn’t actually care about the answer.

“Fine, Dad.”

“Pleased to hear it. Beaumont, I’m calling to arrange a visit with your mother. When are you available?”

Beau’s heart leapt. He hadn’t seen his mother since the day prior to his abrupt departure. Though he was more than a little ashamed to admit that a certain Mer and his whale cock had prevented him from thinking much about home.

“Anytime is great. I don’t exactly have a nine to five here.”

“How about this afternoon? 2 p. m.?”

“Oh, uh…” Beau lowered the phone and whispered, “Can I get to Gainesville by 2 p. m. today?”

A crease lined Loriun’s forehead. “Of course. I will take you.”

Beau blinked at him. Why had he not considered that Loriun would need to meet his family at some point?

“Beaumont?” His father’s voice crackled from the phone.

“Yeah, sorry, 2 p. m. is fine.”

“Wonderful, see you then.”

The line went dead.

Beau slowly returned the phone to the counter. Loriun eyed him, anxiety still dancing across his handsome features, alongside an emotion he couldn’t quite read.

“Is something wrong?”

It took a moment for Beau to formulate an answer, because truthfully, the answer was no. He had no reason to be freaked out or worried about Loriun meeting his parents. His father was the one who made this deal to begin with, and his mother would at least be kind to Loriun’s face.

“Well,” Beau began. “Remember how I told you in human culture, a partner meeting the parents is a big deal?”

“Ah.” Loriun looked down at himself. “Are you concerned your mother will not approve? I’ve already had the misfortune of meeting your father—”

“No, it’s not that. I… I don’t know. I’ve never brought someone home before. Mamá cares in her own way and my dad has no reason to be an ass. I’m sure it’s fine.” Beau shook his head. “Just feels like a big step.”

Loriun set the mug down and took Beau’s hands in his own.

“You already met my family. What else can I do to make you more comfortable?”

The mental image of Loriun standing in the midst of Beau’s dysfunctional family made Beau cringe, particularly after their perfectly pleasant dinner at the Koame-Valhn household

“Beau? What’s wrong?”

He grimaced. “It’s nothing, really. Everything is going so well, but…”

“But…?”

“It all happened so suddenly. I guess part of me is waiting for everything to fall to pieces.”

Loriun frowned. “This may not reassure you, but this is the standard course of a Mer relationship. We know almost instantly whether or not someone is right for us. And when we have found someone who is right, we do not waste time looking for others.”

The corners of Beau’s mouth turned up. “Like soulmates?”

The Alpha tipped his head, considering. “No. ‘Soulmate’ implies that each person has only one true partner. We believe there are many. But when you find one, what is the point in looking for another?”

A spark of jealousy surprised Beau. “So you could have found another mate out there?”

Loriun shrugged. “It is likely. But that doesn’t matter. I have found you.”

Turquoise eyes met Beau’s. The flare of red around the pupil was a tractor beam, pulling him closer to his mate. Beau kissed the handsome Mer, savoring the feeling of his soft, cool lips against his. A hint of sea salt caramel coffee clung to his mouth.