A Thousand Salt Kisses (Book 1 of Salt Kiss series)

><> Chapter Forty-Five <><

I riffled through the dresses in my wardrobe. I didn't know which one to wear tonight, I think Llyr had seen them all by now.

I could have popped to the mainland earlier and browsed the shops but I had been scared of anyone from work catching me - I had had to pull a sickie earlier!

"Alright then Crystal," Tamzin had said flatly, as I had reported my sudden stomach-bug onset. I had cringed. I think this was the first time she had ever called me by my name, and not 'my lover'.

"Sorry," I had then croaked. I don't even know why I had bothered to croak, people with stomach bugs don't croak, they groan or something. Anyway, I'm sure she knew I was bluffing, and whatever the case I would have to work extra hard on Sunday to get back into her good books.

I came across a long navy dress with little spaghetti strap shoulders which I had bought in Notting Hill a couple of years ago. I had definitely not worn this out with Llyr before. In fact, I hadn't actually even worn it all. Maybe I should try this one...

As I pulled the dress over my body I wondered if he even liked my clothes, or clothes at all for that matter. He only really wore the same pair of shorts himself, and I had the feeling that was just to make me feel at ease. 

I looked at my reflection. It was tight fitting and had a split from the thigh down. It was a sexy dress that surely even a merman would appreciate. And even if he didn't, I wasn't going to swap in my clothes for a pair of starfish... There's only so far you can go for love. Surely.


***


Later that night, I let Llyr guide me down the little creek off Crystal Beach. I could not see a thing in the dark and we were going to the cove with the waterfall where Llyr had taken me on the first day he brought me here.

When we finally reached our destination, I was relieved to see the fairy pool below the fall was filled with light enabling me to see most of the surrounding area in the cove. The light caught the waterfall and it dazzled in the night.

Llyr found us a mossy patch nearby and when I stepped onto it, I was surprised by how springy it felt under my toes. It was like a mattress.

Llyr sat down on it and leaned back on his elbows to look up at me.

"Do you like it?" he said.

I giggled. "It's bouncy!" I said, still standing.

He smiled and took my hand. "A little," he said, pulling me downwards.

I knelt down next to him and now, on the same level, we gazed at each other. It always felt so surreal to actually be with him, given the amount of time I spent agonizing about when we would see each other again.

I had wanted to talk to him about winter but as he ran his fingers up and down my arm, my mind travelled to other places.

I moved one of my legs over so that I straddled him. We started to kiss slowly, one amazing kiss at a time and then they became more deeper and more urgent. The straps of my dress fell off my shoulders and I now felt his lips move downwards.

"Do you like my dress?" I asked, remembering my thoughts from earlier.

"Yes but I like you better without," he replied pulling it down further.

Some time later we lay on the moss and I cuddled up to him, I was feeling really quite cold. He rubbed my arms and I started to warm a little. I was happy and content despite the chill and after a minute I felt myself doze off in his arms.

When I woke I felt an intense heat behind me and I turned my head slowly. I jumped and sat up, there were giant flames!

"I built you a fire," came Llyr's voice.

I searched around confused until my eyes found him, just to the left, sitting by the pool edge with his legs in the water.

"Oh, thank you," I said gratefully. Was there anything this man couldn't do?

I lifted my hands up to the heat. I could feel the night air was crisp, and was seriously glad he had thought to do this for me. Perhaps this was an appropriate moment to discuss the changing temperature and our situation.

"Llyr?" I said, kneeling by the fire and pulling off a hairband that was around my wrist.

"Yeah?" he said from behind me. 

I twisted my hair up and tied it, I was quickly warming up by the flames.

"I was just wondering about, you know, the cold and stuff," I began, turning my head back to look at him.

He got up and came and sat back down on the moss just behind me. I continued to face the fire, I was enjoying its warmth on my bare skin.

"What stuff?" He said, kissing the back of my neck.

"Um, you know..?" I said, now little distracted. His arms were now encircling me, and he didn't appear to want to talk.  

"Oh, stuff..." I finished, giving in to him. I would try again later.


***


We collapsed back on the moss again.

"Do you want to go swimming?" he said, nodding to the pool.

"No!" I protested. "I want to talk."

He pulled me to him. "Okay," he said.

"I'm worried, Llyr. Winter will be here soon," I began. There. He couldn't distract me now I'd said it.

"Hmm," he replied.

'Hmm'. Is that it?

"I don't know how we will see each other," I said looking up at him.

He looked away. I didn't get it, it was like he didn't want to talk about this.

"I don't know, maybe we can run away somewhere hot," I tried. I was kind of joking but I just wanted a response.

"How would we do that?" he asked.

"I don't know, I could get a house by a beach... You could bring me some jewels, you know, like you said? Then I could pay the rent." I said, tracing my finger over one of the tattoos on his chest.

"I can see you've been really thinking about this," he said.

"Well, I can see that you haven't been," I said, a little stung. What's his problem?

We were silent for a while, and I lay there tensely, waiting for him to say something. I'd never known him to be so unreassuring.

"I'm sorry, Crystal... I guess I just don't want to think about it," he said finally.

I felt my heart sink. Does this mean that there isn't a solution? No magic answers? My hopes that this could go on were being slowly shattered.

"Well, maybe I can just wait for you until next summer?" I said, trying not to cry.

He sighed and sat up.

"I don't want you to do that," he said.