In Over Her Head

by Judi Fennell

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  “I have a pretty good idea.” She ran a finger up the length of him and he sucked in.

  “Wait. Give me a second.” He grabbed her hand.

  “Wait? Are you kidding? This is great. You’re at my mercy to do whatever I want with.” She saw the halfeaten mango and couldn’t stop her grin. “Hold on.” She leaned over him, pushing him onto his back once more.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said too obediently.

  Then she learned why. Her breast was at mouth level and he took full advantage.

  Good lord… her arm almost gave out as a spike of something so hot rushed through her, right to her core. She felt herself swell and sucked in as much air as she could.

  “Hey, no fair. I’m supposed to be in charge, remember?”

  He released her with a sigh, Tragic Hero fitting him so well. “Fine. Do with me what you will.”

  She intended to.

  She held up the mango. “Hungry?”

  That tic appeared at the corner of his mouth. “Like you can’t believe.”

  She went for mock severity, but failed, grinning instead. “I meant for food.”

  “Oh. Um, not really. I’ve got other, more prominent, matters presenting themselves.” He pointed toward his groin.

  As if she didn’t know. “All in good time.” She squeezed the mango, dribbling the sweet juice over his chest. “You know, I really need to keep my strength up.”

  She lapped the juice one tongue-flick at a time. Oh, wait. Was there a drop sliding toward his nipple? She’d have to take care of that, now wouldn’t she?

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  “Sweetheart, you’re killing me.”

  “Complain, complain.” She licked the drops angling toward his navel.

  “I’m not complaining. Far from it. But I don’t…

  ahhhh.” His body twitched when her tongue dipped in. She squeezed a little more mango there.

  “Zeus… Erica… I don’t have much control… left…”

  “You don’t need to. I thought I was the one with the control?” Her chin brushed the tip of his erection.

  “Wasn’t that my understanding?” Her fingers circled him at the base and squeezed just enough to elicit another groan. “Right, Reel?”

  “Yes… gods, yes… Erica… just please get on top. I’ll give anything just to have you sit on me…”

  His words broke through the teasing to her desire. She wanted nothing more than to have him inside her body again.

  Dropping the mango, she straddled him and took his length deep within her.

  They cried out together.

  His hands found her hips and it didn’t matter any more who was in control. All that mattered was feeling him surge into her, feeling her muscles clasp him, feel that stroke against her swollen flesh until she could see the stars on the insides of her eyelids. Until the waves on the shore sounded in her ears, thundering in time with her heart. Until the soft night breeze whispered against the sweat of her body, making her shiver… tremble…

  like his body was doing inside her.

  She arched back, her hands finding his pumping thighs, changing the angle and, oh God, it rushed upon her. Blinding, searing light lit the night sky like last InOverHerHead.indd 284

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  night’s storm. Waves of pleasure washed over her, quaking, tumbling her over the edge. She stayed there for a minute—or an hour, she couldn’t tell—her body convulsing around him.

  His fingers gripped her hips—there’d be bruises she was sure—his cock jerking inside her, his breathing coming in short pants.

  “Sweetheart… you. Need to… gods, I can’t hold out… please, Erica… you need to…”

  Even now, on the verge of his own release, he thought of her. She leaned forward, kissed his thudding heart, and pulled herself off.

  His hands grabbed her butt and pressed her down chestto-chest, and he bucked beneath her with his release. Strange words fell from his mouth, the language she’d heard him use with Ceto, and she smiled. He was so taken with the moment that he’d reverted to his native tongue. At least he could talk. She didn’t think she could manage even one word.

  He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head against his shoulder, kissing the top, and repeated those words.

  She didn’t know what they meant, but she didn’t need to. The shudders that racked his body told her all she needed to know.

  Erica heard the call of a seabird first. Then the soft waves lapping against the shoreline, the briny scent of the sea mingling with the pungent tropical flowers behind them. A gentle breeze tickled her skin while the dawning sun crept across her eyelids. It peeked through InOverHerHead.indd 285

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  the palm fronds Reel had pulled over them, warming the sand where it was still cool beside her. Erica opened her eyes to see Reel’s gorgeous face next to hers. His body was half on her, the weight welcome. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile, the line of one dimple clearly visible. His black lashes rested against his cheeks and curls tumbled over his forehead. She could get used to waking up to this. To him. Every muscle in her body achy and lethargic, Erica reached out to stroke his face. She wanted to watch his eyes flutter open, witness him remembering how they’d spent the night. To see his eyes flare with desire again, just like they had in the darkest part of the night when he’d awoken her yet another time…

  Her fingers had just reached his cheek when the sound of pouring water and a nasal, South Bronx accent broke the morning silence.

  “Wake up, kids. Ya got company.”

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  Erica never moved so fast in her life. Scrambling to pull the fronds over her and shove Reel’s naked body off her (oh, the tragedy!), her legs went flailing, giving whoever their guest was way too much of a show.

  Reel grunted, still half-asleep, and tried to roll her over with him.

  She poked his arm. “Get up, Reel. Someone came to visit.” She still couldn’t see who it was with the early morning sun shining right in her eyes. Talk about a cold shower after one hot night…

  Her bathing suit was just out of reach, so, pulling the fronds across her, she kind of seal-schlumped herself to the edge of the bed depression. Sand grains pinged against her eyes as she flung her hand along the edge, floundering for the suit. At last, the crumpled fabric was within her grasp and she maneuvered between the fronds, probably showing half of what she was trying to hide while pulling the suit on.

  Reel, damn him, didn’t move a muscle. Maybe she should be flattered.

  But flattery went out the window when their guest startled chuckling and said, “You win, buddy.”

  Yanking the top of the suit in place, Erica shielded her eyes from the sun glare to greet their guest. Sitting at the bottom of the bed was a weathered InOverHerHead.indd 287

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  plastic bucket with a triangular piece missing from the rim and its handle tilted to one side. Beside it, a brown pelican stood with water dripping from its mouth, the pouch flap slowly receding into its bottom beak. A smiling pelican.

  “Mornin,’ babe.” The bird actually saluted her. And spoke English.

  “Uh, good morning?” She nudged Reel in the ribs. Okay, not the most romantic morning-after wake-up, but then this wasn’t the most romantic morning-after.

  “Sweetheart? Don’t get up.” Reel flung an arm across her lap. “Besides,” he slurred sleepily, “I’m up enough for the both of us.” He kissed her lowest rib. She yanked on his hair. “We’ve got company.”

  “Ow
.” He sat up, rubbing his scalp. “Company?”

  She pointed.

  He turned, completely oblivious to his man-parts being on display. She, on the other hand, was more than aware of this fact, as well as acknowledging he was right—he was up enough for the both of them.

  “Ernie? What are you doing here?” Reel asked, raking a hand through his hair.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Erica snorted. “A pelican named Ernie? Please tell me it’s not short for Ernest. Or that you really wish you were an albatross.”

  Said pelican puffed out his chest. “Why, yes, it is. Is that a problem? And no, I have no desire to be an albatross. They smell and think they’re all so important. Able to fly for hours—”

  Erica groaned. Of course he was named Ernest. Was nothing sacred any more? Or was this going to InOverHerHead.indd 288

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  be a perpetual game of which-came-first-the-chickenor-the-egg? Erica flopped back into the depression. “I give up.”

  Reel tweaked her nose. “No, you don’t. Not you.” He pulled the fronds over her torso then raised one of his knees and rested his forearm on it. “So, Ern, what’s up?

  Who’s in the bucket?”

  Erica sat up. “Who? ”

  “Chum. He’s got news,” Ernie answered. Reel sighed and crawled down to the bucket, presenting Erica with a view of his tight butt. Memories of last night rose up like a wave, threatening to drown her in hormones.

  Taut glutes gave way to sculptured back muscles, the tattoo faded to where it almost matched his skin, his hamstrings rippling as he dunked his head in the bucket, giving her a glimpse of everything in between. Not that she needed the reminder, but her senses did sit up and take notice.

  She did, too, covering her chest in an effort to hide the arousal barometers there. Didn’t need any lockerroom chatter from Ernie. Well, any more than there’d already be. Oh, God, when word got out…

  Wait a minute. Who’d care? She’d lived her life always worrying about what the island folk thought of her, trying to live down The Incident, but now it no longer mattered.

  Reel raised his head from the bucket and looked back at her. “We’re screwed.”

  “That’s one way of putting it.” She’d hoped for a more romantic term… but maybe the meaning got lost in translation.

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  Still, it left a hollow feeling in her stomach. Reel turned around and plunked down on those glutes she’d nibbled on at some point in the middle of the night.

  “The Council is demanding our return.”

  Oh, screwed. As in caught. Royally. Found. Located. Not…

  Heat crept up her cheeks. “The Council. How’d they find us?”

  “Are you kidding?” Ernie pointed offshore to Kraken.

  “Take a look at the beacon out there. Red, too.”

  “Then they should also know it’s not safe to go back in the water,” Reel said.

  Why did those words sound familiar? Erica shook her head. “And they should know they’ll never get the diamonds if Kraken eats us.” Wait. Was that actually her argument? My, how far she’d come.

  Bubbles foamed over the rim of the bucket. Reel cocked his head, one ear below the surface. “Oh. Yeah. Thanks. That’ll work, Chum.”

  He stood and held out his hand. “They’re going to distract Krak while we head around to the other side of the island. We’ll enter there and swim back.”

  Erica stood, trying to keep her eyes off him. She knew what that body felt like on her, around her, in her. The pleasure it—he—could give.

  Hell. The minute they hit the water, this would all be over. A lifetime crammed into twenty-four hours. Talk about unfair.

  That was, if they could even go back in the water. What if they couldn’t breathe in it?

  What if Reel got his tail back?

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  get her mind back on what was important here—namely finding the diamonds so she could go home. That was what was important to her, right?

  “But what about the iamondsday? ” she whispered near Reel’s jaw.

  His brows bunched together. “Iamondsday? ”

  Ernie sighed. “She means diamonds. Humans use that stupid language to disguise what they’re saying, but as far as I can tell, it only works on old ones and the very young. They must think the rest of the planet is as dumb as they are.”

  “Hey. I resent that.”

  A frothing of bubbles spilled over the lip of the bucket, derailing the mutual mocking society she and Ernie had begun.

  Reel bent over again (thank you, God) and dunked his head beneath the surface. He shook it back and forth, larger bubbles appearing beside it, then yanked his head back, coughing like he was hacking up a lung. Erica pounded him on the back. “Reel? You okay?”

  He shook his head, coughed twice more, then inhaled.

  “Forgot I’m an air breather now. I sucked in a mouthful.”

  He sleeked back his curls, wringing the water from them behind his neck. In the process, his abs contracted, his chest expanded, and his biceps flared. Not that she was noticing or anything.

  “Chum said there’s a school of herring about a hundred yards offshore. Kraken knows it, too. That’s the distraction they’ve got planned. In the meantime, you and I are going to find the diamonds.”

  “Find them? You mean you lost them?” Pelicans could roll their eyes. Who knew? “Leave it to a Human.”

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  Reel grabbed Ernie’s wing and pulled it upward, hanging the bird sideways.

  “Hey, let go, Reel! That hurts.”

  “She saved my life. That’s how she lost the diamonds. Which do you think I care more about?”

  Pelicans were really good at gulping. No surprise there. “I get it, Sir.”

  Reel let go and the bird did an ungainly gainer to the sand.

  “Apologize to the lady.”

  As far as apologies went, Ernie’s was halfhearted at best, but Erica didn’t care. She was hung up on the knight-in-shining-(bare-ass-naked)-armor characteristic Reel had just demonstrated. Oh, be still her heart.

  Heart? Her heart?

  No way. No freaking way. No heart. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible.

  She was going to leave, remember? Take the diamonds and get out the first chance she had?

  Which made her different from Joey how?

  “So, sweetheart, let’s get that delectable tail of yours over that ridge and make toward the shoreline. The herring should provide enough temptation to Krak, seeing as how he’s been without food for a while.” Reel flipped the two leftover pineapples into the air, catching them behind his back, his dimples winking at her. “I’m gonna miss these. Mangoes, too.” He stuck a pineapple under his arm, twisted off the top of the other, and offered it to her. “Breakfast, m’lady.”

  Ernie waddled over to the bucket and saluted Reel.

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  you.” He scooped the water and Chum back into his bill, slid the bucket handle over his neck, then lumbered to a takeoff. The bucket wobbled against his chest as he headed out to sea.

  Kraken raised his square head from the water and followed Ernie’s progress.

  “Come on, sweetheart.” Reel grabbed the utility belt and the last of their knives, adjusted the pineapple under his arm, reached for her hand, and took off over the dune.

  And buck-naked, she might add.

  Once on the other side, he sliced the p
alm braids off the belt and handed it to her. “Put this on. Your actinia fell off, so you’ll need to have something for protection. I’ll do the best I can, but I’d feel better if you were armed.”

  So would she.

  It would come in handy if she had to fight Reel for the diamonds.

  God, she didn’t even want to go there. How could she think about fighting him? After last night, everything was different. She was different, her view of the oceans was different. God knew her thoughts about Reel were different…

  But she couldn’t stay here, under the waves, to live with him forever in compliance with The Council’s edict. She had her life, the family marina. Her brothers were counting on her…

  What the hell was she supposed to do now?

  “Hurry and get that belt on,” Reel said, looking over the dune. “It’s working. The herring are jumping high. Ol’ Krak can’t resist. He doesn’t have enough brain InOverHerHead.indd 293

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  power.” He gave her the devilish smile that ricocheted her thoughts back to last night. “Ready?”

  He obviously was—and she didn’t mean for running. And he knew that she knew.

  But escape came first. Escape and some kind of plan. Maybe there was another way to bargain with The Council. Maybe when they found out she’d saved Reel’s life, they’d work with her.

  Highly doubtful, but it was worth considering. It sure beat the alternative. “Yeah, let’s get going.”

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  They hit the foliage before Krak so much as turned around. Reel took her hand, pulling her behind him, scrambling over a fallen palm tree, crashing through the jumble of overgrown vines and tangles of fragrant flower blossoms, as broken twigs and fallen leaves scratched the bottoms of their feet. For someone who’d never walked on land before yesterday, he sure learned quickly.

  But Erica couldn’t keep up. She hadn’t spent years swimming underwater like he had so her lung capacity wasn’t anywhere close. She pulled her hand free.

  “Reel. Hold up.”

  He stopped. “What? Are you okay?”