Call of the Sea Page 16

  Daniel kissed the corners of her mouth with sensual slowness. His hand slid over her hip, up her knotted stomach.

  Her breath caught when his fingers caressed the underside of her breast. Her nipple puckered tight. Ellie gripped his shoulders, eyes flying wide. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

  “Relax, El, trust me,” Daniel cooed.

  Ellie relaxed her grip and released a nervous chuckle. “More kissing might help.”

  His eyes twinkled with mirth. “Your wish is my command, milady.”

  Daniel’s mouth resumed its explorations, his tongue tickling her temple. He nipped at her jaw and kissed down the side of her neck.

  The world spun. Ellie clung to him, lost in wondrous new sensations. She gasped for air.

  Daniel pushed the gown from her shoulder, following the wet fabric along her skin with his lips. They branded a hot trail along her collarbone. He raked his nails down her arm.

  Ellie shivered. A whimper slipped past her lips when his hands found her knees, pushing the hem of her gown higher, up her thighs and past her hipbone.

  “I want to see all of you.” Daniel nudged the nightgown higher.

  Sitting up, Ellie pulled the clinging material over her head. Cool air caressed her damp flesh. She heard Daniel’s sharp inhale.

  “You’re even more beautiful than I’d imagined.”

  Heat stained her cheeks. Ellie nuzzled down into the sheet, her arms crossing over her breasts.

  “No,” Daniel admonished. “Don’t hide from me.” His fingers trailed down her arm from shoulder to elbow, coaxing Ellie to release her tight grip on her chest.

  She lowered her arms to her sides, gripping the sheet on either side of her.

  “Perfection,” Daniel breathed. His head dipped low, scorching mouth capturing a taut nipple. He sucked lightly, drawing a purr from her.

  When his teeth nipped at the hardened nub, Ellie cried out, arching her back and pressing her breast against his lips with wanton abandon. A fiery ball of need threatened to consume her.

  His tongue teased the sensitive flesh of her breast while his hands moved lower, grazing over her flat stomach, coming to rest on her mound. He moved the heel over his hand in slow teasing circles. A fingertip slipped between her slick folds.

  She gasped as tiny shivers raced up from between her legs. Ellie bit down on her lower lip, desperate for more. She groped at Daniel in search of the buttons. “I want to touch you,” she croaked.

  Daniel rose from the bed. He stood over her, memorizing her from head to toe. He worked at the front of his shirt, releasing the buttons one by one.

  As soon as he’d moved away, Ellie wished him back in the bed beside her, missed the heat of his touch. She watched as he shrugged the shirt from his broad shoulders. It floated to the floor at his feet.

  Candlelight played off the smooth lines of his chest, casting him in a golden glow. He unfastened his breeches, sliding them down his flanks, pulled his feet from the legs, and kicked the pants aside. Straightening, Daniel stood before her in naked splendor.

  Her hungry gaze raked over him, appreciating every contour of his magnificent physique. Mine. My husband. She reached out to him, beckoning him back to her side.

  Daniel joined her again, his body flanking hers. His mouth recaptured her nipple, tongue teasing it taut before he nipped at it. His palm glided up the inside of her thigh, applying subtle pressure.

  Ellie moved her knees apart, gasped and bucked her hips when his finger slipped inside her intimate center.

  He enticed her with his hand until she relaxed and pressed her hips against his palm.

  She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out as waves of pleasure rolled over her. Unable to quell her curiosity any longer, Ellie wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft.

  Daniel jumped at her touch, growing firmer in her grip. A groan burst from him.

  Urged on by his positive reaction to her caress, Ellie slid her hand over him, marveling at the velvet softness of his manhood.

  His hands scorched a path of fire over her flesh, fanning the flames of her desire until she thought her bones would melt. He shifted his weight and suddenly he hovered above her, nudging her legs apart with a knee. His breath teased the hair at her temple. “It will only hurt for a moment.”

  She registered his speech, but didn’t quite make sense of all the words. Hurt?

  Daniel claimed her lips, and with a moan of pure pleasure, thrust into her wet, dark depths, tearing her maidenhead in one swift motion.

  Ellie stiffened, drawing in a quick breath.

  He didn’t move, just remained buried in her womb. His hands kneaded her breasts in slow circles, distracting her from the already ebbing pain.

  The stinging sensation subsided, replaced by a growing ache. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and lifted her hips.

  Daniel growled against her mouth and grabbed her waist, driving himself deep inside her tight warmth. His muscles rippled as he moved over her, thrusting in an ageless cadence she matched with fervor.

  Her body trembled as cascades of sensation overtook her, leaving her weak and panting. Together they rode the waves of ecstasy until Ellie was sure they would crash into the very sun. The world slipped away. Nothing existed but the pleasure born of the joining of their bodies.

  Ellie clung to Daniel, breathless, every muscle in her body tensed, ready. She released a cry of pleasure as her body exploded in a sunburst of pulsating bliss. She floated back down to earth in a bubble of lethargic ecstasy.

  Daniel’s warm lips kissed the pulse in her neck, the corners of her mouth, the tip of her nose.

  She opened her eyes and grinned up at him. A low purr rumbled up her throat.

  He rolled onto his back, pulling her along with him. His brown eyes sparkled like caramel jewels.

  Ellie reached up and brushed a lock of chestnut hair from his face. “You were right.”

  Daniel’s eyebrow cocked up. “I appreciate you can admit that, my love, but can you be a bit more specific? Right about what?”

  “There is a lot more to marriage than kissing.”

  His rich laughter warmed her down to her toes. “I take it you approve?”

  Ellie nodded, cheeks hot. “Aye.” She sat upright, straddling his midsection. Her fingers traced circles around his nipples, causing him to suck in a breath. She marveled at how quickly the pink nubs reacted to her touch, tightening into hard gems. Her heartbeat quickened and a ball of heat formed in her stomach.

  The corners of her lips quirked up. “But I think I may need more practice.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Daniel became aware of a warm body nestled against his chest and the feel of a female breast cupped in his palm. A sigh of contentment slipped from him. Reluctant to emerge from his fantasy just yet, he cracked an eye open. What time is it?

  Muted light stained the sky outside the shed’s front window. Daniel figured it to be just after sunrise. He lifted on an elbow, looked down at Ellie.

  Dusky lashes rested against her soft cheek, and a light snore pushed past her parted lips in time with the rise and fall of her chest.

  Love swelled in his chest, threatening to drown him in its intensity. Daniel traced a finger along her bare shoulder. He recalled his promise to Ellie’s mother. What if I tell her and she turns away from me? Could I live with that?

  The answer reverberated through his skull. NO! He’d just been given this amazing gift; he couldn’t bear to toss it away so soon.

  Careful not to wake her, Daniel extricated himself from the bed. He needed to get his skin from the beach and get back before she woke. He dressed quickly, gathering his pants and shirt from where they’d been tossed the night before. With a quick glance at Ellie to ensure she still slept, he slipped out of the shed.

  Daniel raced across the yard, praying Mrs. Winters wasn’t an early riser. Once past the main house, he veered left and darted down the winding path to the beach. Safely hidden beneath the ledge, he stop
ped to catch his breath. He listened for the familiar creak of the cottage’s front door.

  When no one came out of the house, and his heartbeat had resumed a more natural rhythm, Daniel continued down the path. He cast a wary glance at the brightening sky as he strode across the beach. Reaching the rocks, Daniel knelt down at the base of the outcropping and stuck his hand into the crevice.

  He grasped sand.

  Brow creased, he slid his arm from side to side, exploring the interior of the tiny cavern with his fingertips. When he came up empty, Daniel lay on his side and held the lamp to the opening. Yellow light bounced off the inside of the rocky fissure. The tide never came up this far, so the sea couldn’t have claimed it. Panic began to chew at his resolve.

  He sat down beside the empty hole, drew his knees up, and cradled his head in his hands. His stomach twisted into a ball. Why isn’t it here?

  Daniel recalled the horrific stories he’d been told about selkies whose skins had been taken, kept from them until they withered and died. His own mother died, wasted away because Pa had kept her skin hidden from her. How can it not be here?

  “Lose something?”

  Ellie! His head whipped up.

  She stood a few feet away, clad in her wrinkled nightgown, hands on slender hips. The breeze played havoc with her short locks, twisting them about her head like Medusa’s snakes. The pain mirrored in her twin sapphires stabbed him in the gullet.

  Daniel vaulted to his feet, wrapped himself in righteous indignation to buffer the guilt eating at him. “Where the hell is it?”

  “It what?” Ellie challenged. “Did you have something hidden there?” She made a show of looking up and down the coastline. “I don’t see anything.”

  “This isn’t a game, Ellie. You know exactly what I mean.” She had to know what it was. Daniel held tight to his anger. “Didn’t your mama teach you not to touch things that don’t belong to you?” He closed the distance between them in two strides. “What did you do with it?”

  Ellie took a staggering step backward. A flicker of fear shone in her eyes.

  Daniel’s anger deflated instantly. He took a slow deep breath. “Just give it back, El.”

  She stiffened, folded her arms over her chest, blue orbs flashing fire. “Funny thing about what I found in that hole behind you, Daniel. I mean aside from the fact that you find it necessary to tuck a seal hide in a rock.” Her eyes narrowed. “The skin looked familiar to me, like I’d seen it before. So after I brought it home, I studied it a little more closely. And you’ll never guess what I discovered.” She started pacing the sand, brow gathered as if she were trying to solve a puzzle. “I found an imperfection, a long thin scar on the tail of the seal hide.” She stopped moving, flashed him a hard look. “Did you kill Skipper?”

  The question caught him by surprise. “Of course not!”

  She swung an arm out, pointing at him. “Ah-ha! How do you even know who Skipper is?”

  Fuck.

  He searched his mind for any way he could possibly know the name she’d given her childhood pet. He shrugged, tried for nonchalant. “Your mother must have mentioned it.”

  “No! I didn’t tell anyone his name, Daniel, not anyone! How do you know about Skipper?” She gestured toward the rocks. “Why did you have his skin stuffed in a secret hole on my beach? The one he lived on for years? Tell me that is a coincidence. Explain it away. I dare you!”

  Daniel stood before a seething Ellie unable to speak. The time for stalling had ended. Tell her!

  “Tell me it’s mere coincidence that that same seal gave me a carving you’d made and lost?”

  Now’s your chance! It can’t get any worse.

  Daniel sucked up a chest full of courage.

  Say it!

  “I didn’t kill and skin your pet, Ellie, and I didn’t stuff his skin in a hole. I know what you named your seal friend because I am Skipper. It’s my skin.”

  ***

  Ellie threw her head back and laughed so hard her shoulders shook. “What sort of ridiculous nonsense are you spouting now?” She examined him from his bare feet to the top of his chestnut head. “Strange, you don’t look like any seal I’ve ever seen.” What kind of fool does he take me for?

  Daniel’s face showed no signs of amusement. “That’s because I’m not a seal, Ellie, I’m a selkie.”

  “A what?”

  “Selkie, half-human, half-seal. But I can tell by the blank look on your face you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about.”

  “Should I?”

  He shrugged. “Your father did, so I thought you might, too. It would certainly have made this easier.”

  “My father did what?” Is he talking in circles on purpose? “What does Papa have to do with this? He didn’t know about Skipper either. He was my secret.” My only friend.

  Daniel took a step closer, lifted an index finger to his lips. “Hush now, El, let me explain, please.”

  It took all her will to remain rooted to the spot and not retreat in pace with his approach. The soulful look in his eyes tickled a familiar chord, raising the hair at the back of her neck. Skipper? She gave herself a shake. Get it together, El. “I await your clarification with bated breath.”

  He blew out a huff. “Your sarcasm is showing.”

  She shot him a needling stare. “Better than my ignorance, I guess.” Her hands reclaimed her hips. “Tell me why I shouldn’t have you committed for lunacy.”

  “Because what I’m telling you is God’s honest truth. Daniel, the cabin boy you once hated, and Skipper, the seal you loved, are one and the same.”

  She threw up her hands. “That doesn’t make sense. You and Papa were at sea when I found Skipper on the beach that first time. How can you be in two places at once? Is self-duplication part of being a selkie, too?”

  “That’s where your father comes in.”

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “Of course it is.”

  “What do you remember about the night you almost drowned?”

  She frowned. “Why do you keep changing subjects? You’re giving me a headache.”

  “It’s relevant, trust me.”

  Ellie searched her memory. “I remember going into the water. The waves were so much bigger than I’d expected, like giant walls. I got smashed in the face by a wall of water and I panicked. No matter how hard I kicked, I couldn’t stay afloat and my lungs burned. Then the world went black. I thought I had died.”

  “Do you remember anything else, anything about the beach after I pulled you from the water?”

  “I remember seeing you there, realizing you weren’t wearing clothes.” She shrugged. “That’s it.”

  Daniel nodded. “I was nude because I had to change form once I’d dragged you to shore. You weren’t breathing, and flippers are a sorry substitute for hands.”

  Ellie gawked at him. “You honestly expect me to believe that?”

  He ignored her. “After I managed to revive you, your father found us. You soaking wet and passed out in the sand, with me hovering over you, sans clothing. He had my sealskin in his hand. Your father just gave it back to me and scooped you into his arms. He told me to get dressed and come up to the house, like what had happened was something he was used to, an everyday occurrence.”

  Sounds like Papa. “What happened when you got to the cottage?”

  “He said he knew about selkies and other sea folk and that all legends have a basis in fact. He asked me to stay behind when they sailed, that he had a more important job for someone with my special skills.”

  Realization widened Ellie’s eyes. “Skipper.” She chewed her lip. Am I really buying this?

  “Aye, Skipper. He asked me to stay behind and watch over you, keep you safe and occupied until it was time for you to go away to school.”

  Ellie’s stomach knotted. “My father hired you to be my friend?” Tears crested her lashes. Was my entire childhood a lie? “Why would he do that?”

  “I think he was scared, El. He knew you couldn’t s
tay away from the sea, so I was the perfect coastal diversion.”

  She buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe this. All this time…all the things I told you. My dreams, wishes…last night.” Last night she’d given herself to a man who’d been lying to her for half her life. Ellie let out a sob. “How could you?”

  Daniel closed the remaining distance between them and gathered her into his arms. “I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was afraid you’d never forgive me for the deception.”

  His warmth enveloped her, and his scent tantalized her nose. The urge to burrow into him, accept the soothing comfort of his embrace welled within her. With the sting of humiliation still rippling through her limbs, Ellie shoved herself free of his arms. Her chest ached. “Don’t you dare touch me.” She took a few steps backward. “Ever again.” Tears burned down her cheeks.

  She spun on her heel and ran as fast as her legs would carry her, trying to outrun the pain shooting arrows into her heart, threatening to shatter it into splinters. She heard Daniel call her name from what seemed like miles away, but she didn’t let up until she reached the top of the bluffs.

  Chest heaving, she swiped the tears away with the back of her hand. Her gaze darted from the front door to her bedroom window. Mama might be up by now.

  Ellie slunk across the yard to the window. She pushed it open and climbed through head first, grunting as she wiggled her legs. After a brief struggle, she slithered through the opening and rolled onto her bedroom floor. She stared at the ceiling as she lay there, panting and wondered how she managed to be so daft for so damned long. Have I always been a complete taffard?

  ***

  Daniel stood outside the cottage door, staring a hole in the wood. His fingers balled and flexed at his sides. I need that skin.

  He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

  Mrs. Winters swung the portal open, a smile lighting her face. “Just in time for breakfast. Flat cakes and sausage. Come in, come in.” She swiveled away from the door, heading back toward the kitchen.