Page 46 of Surface Pressure

Leaning into the attraction, Autumn pushed it back into the forefront of her mind. Soulara moaned lightly, her fingers tightening on the back of Autumn’s neck as she held her tightly. Suddenly they left that day and they moved into the night before.

Soulara sprawled on the sand.

Autumn’s mouth on her breasts.

Soulara’s fingers deep inside—

“Stop!” Autumn jerked back, pushing Soulara away. Her heart raced, thundering loudly in her chest. Her cheeks were heated with embarrassment. And she closed her eyes so she didn’t have to see Soulara’s reaction. So she didn’t have to know if…

“I don’t want to stop,” Soulara murmured, her voice dripping with seduction.

Autumn took one more second before looking up and making eye contact. “What are you talking about?”

“Those weren’t only your memories of dreams, Autumn.” Soulara stayed still, the water licking at her ankles. They hadn’t even moved off the edge of the beach yet, the ocean a temptress itself, pulling Autumn toward it while pushing her away. “They’re mine.”

Shaking her head, Autumn closed her eyes again. “No.”

“I’ve seen enough to believe you.” Soulara’s tone softened. “I want to believe you—trust you.”

Autumn’s voice caught in her throat.

“Look at me, Autumn.”

It took everything in her to open her eyes and meet Soulara’s gaze. Those pale blue eyes were so dark as the sun hit the horizon.

“I nearly shattered when I thought you were one of the humans the Talons ripped apart. I nearly…” Soulara trailed off. “I might be a princess. I might be heir to the throne of Reine. But I’m also a mermaid. I have just as much desire as the next, and I can’t—no.” Soulara stepped forward and snagged Autumn’s hands with her own. “I won’t give up myself to be someone else.”

“I’m not asking you to.” Autumn’s brow furrowed, confusion swimming through her. “I don’t want you to be anyone but who you are.”

“Exactly.”

Their mouths crashed together. Soulara stepped forward, and Autumn stumbled back. Soulara’s entire body was cold to the touch but fiery in passion. Autumn couldn’t keep her head on straight. She fell down, landing on her ass on the sand. Soulara followed her down, kneeling over her. Autumn slipped her hand against Soulara’s damp back and into her wet hair.

“Yes,” Soulara murmured, nipping at Autumn’s lip. “You want me.”

“I do,” Autumn agreed, digging her nails into Soulara’s back to get a better grip.

Soulara grunted and sighed. “Now that feels good. Mermaids can’t do that.”

Autumn hadn’t even really noticed that Soulara didn’t have fingernails, that every part of her finger was soft as she explored.

“Don’t stop,” Soulara said right before pushing their mouths together again.

Autumn lost herself. She held Soulara against her, pressed between the sand and Soulara. Her clothes were already itchy against her skin and she wanted to get them off. She wanted to be as naked as Soulara. Skin to skin. Touches to touches.

“What are we doing?” Autumn breathed the question.

“Exactly what we both want.”

The mental image of Autumn’s shoulders pressed into the sand, her back arched, cheeks flushed as her face pinched in pleasure, flashed through Autumn’s mind. She couldn’t keep up. Between the dreams, hers and Soulara’s, between the sensations of smooth fingers and rough sand, she was caught in a push and pull of what to focus on.

Autumn did want this. She wanted everything that Soulara would give her. Because the attention, the belief, the truth and honesty that ran through them was pure. And Autumn was seen. For the first time since she was born, she was seen. Not just as a burden or a nuisance, but as a person, a human, a whole being who had feelings and agency.

“Yes,” Autumn responded, digging her heel into the sand and flipping them over. She wasn’t going to lie down and take this one. She was going to do exactly what she’d wanted. Autumn touched their lips together, sliding her tongue against Soulara’s and nipping her lips before trailing kisses and bites down her neck and to her breasts.

Just like she’d dreamed about, just like Soulara had witnessed in her memories, she covered Soulara’s pert nipple with her lips and flicked her tongue over the hard little nub. Soulara groaned, digging her fingers into Autumn’s hair and pulling it out of its ponytail. Soulara pushed Autumn’s face harder into her.

What would this be like with Soulara as a mermaid?