"Yes, I know. We have so much fun together."
He shook his head, his features looking a bit lost for a moment. "Do you only ever see the fun?"
Pearl blinked, not sure where this conversation was going. "Do you not?"
"No." His fingers reached up and captured her jaw. "No, my dear, I think of so very much more when I am with you."
She trembled when his thumb traced her lip briefly. "What do you imagine when we are together?"
"Everything. The world. The ocean is ours. As if we could truly rule it all together."
"But . . . Keel?" Could he really be saying this to her now? Did he not remember she had vowed never to love him? Why would he even briefly touch on such a subject? He knew her desires to see so very much before she settled down. There was so much more to explore and do and see and become and learn from.
"I know you will believe I am speaking out of turn or whatever nonsense you have convinced yourself of, but Pearl dearest, you are in love with me, and it is time you understood that."
She flinched and was about to push out of his grasp, but Keel was quicker. His mouth found hers. Again. Great reef! Why could she never function after the merman kissed her? Nothing seemed to form even the faintest of coherent thoughts when his perfect mouth decided to remind her once again how much she enjoyed his company.
Sighing, she happily brought her arms around his neck and kissed him for quite a few more minutes before he pulled back.
He smiled smugly and then kissed her cheek before moving to her ear and whispering, "Marry me."
Her heart fluttered for a full ten seconds and she could hardly catch her fluid, it was so difficult to inhale. Yes! She wanted to shout. Yes, the dancing flutterfish in her stomach were enough evidence to tell her there was nothing she could wish for more than to be his wife. His princess. His love.
Gah. She melted into his chest again, her frantic heart racing, her smile so very wide. And then she remembered. Clutching his arms for a moment, she allowed the wave of silliness to leave her. Instead, she focused on the sparkling bubbles around them. The vibrant, skittering domes bobbed and tumbled their way up to the surface.
To that great unknown world.
Oh, to be free like that! To explore and see and have so very many adventures!
She looked back at the dear merman in front of her. Touching his face lightly, she stared into his pretty aqua-colored eyes and then kissed those handsome lips tenderly before declaring, "I cannot. My destiny lies in the world above me. I must go. I must search this amazing place out first. To really live and see and be and do."
Worry etched his chiseled face. "If you do, I cannot imagine you ever returning."
Pearl bit her lip and then shrugged slightly. There was nothing to be said about such a declaration. "And I cannot promise to return. There is hope and happiness and beauty here. But what of my desire to know what is best for me? What of my longing to see what might be out there? If it is my destiny to return, I shall, but with this tugging within me, I cannot imagine there being anything here that will make up for the glories I will find."
The words were out before she realized the true sting of them.
His open, trusting eyes distanced themselves in that instant, as if an unseen barrier came between them and he hardened the friendship he had with her. "Go, then. Go and see your world. Live your dreams." He kicked his fins and swam a few paces from her. Instantly, she felt bereft without his arms about her. "Go. The rest of us will stay here and do what we have promised to do."
"You say it like I am betraying my family or something."
"Are you not?" The coldness about him shocked her.
A surge of irritation flashed through her small frame as she flipped her fins. "You may believe what you wish, Prince Keel, but I know my place is not of this ocean yet! I must learn and grow first. Think me selfish if you must. But a true friend, a true man who loved me, would want what is best for me. I refuse to be tied down to this boring sea life. There is nothing about this that makes me happy!"
All at once, Keel seemed harrowed by a shot of pain. His eyes darkened, his perfect mouth turned down, and he simply shook his head. "Forgive me for my proposal. May the great waves be with you. I wish you well." With that, he swam away, leaving her alone in the joyous Octavian underground sea vents.
Jenni James is the busy mom of seven rambunctious children ranging from the ages of 3-17. When she isn’t chasing them around her house in sunny New Mexico, she is dreaming of new books to write. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted at: jenni@authorjennijames.com, or by writing to:
Jenni James
PO Box 514
Farmington, NM 87499
Jenni has several clean books for teens already published and many more to come, including:
Faerie Tale Collection:
Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Rumplestiltskin
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
Snow White
The Frog Prince
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Rapunzel
The Little Mermaid
The Jane Austen Diaries:
Pride & Popularity
Persuaded
Northanger Alibi
Emmalee
Mansfield Ranch
Andy & Annie Series:
A Ghost Story
Greeny Meany
If you’d like to find out more about Jenni James and the latest books she’s releasing, sign up for her awesome newsletter.
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Jenni James © copyright 2014
All rights reserved as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
StoneHouse Ink 2014
Boise ID 83713
First eBook Edition: 2014
Cover design by Phatpuppy Art
This book was professionally edited by Tristi Pinkston
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to a real person, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Published in the United States of America
Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE
PRAISE FOR JENNI JAMES
ALSO BY JENNI JAMES
DEDICATION
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
PREVIEW OF THE LITTLE MERMAID
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE BOOK DESIGNER
COPYRIGHT NOTICE