Deleted Scene:
Swim Lessons

Can we go now? I thought, impatiently blowing out a stream of bubbles. 

​

You can't swim through the strong current to shore. Next, you need to learn to swim.

I bent to pick up the dagger and he clicked his tongue, stopping me.

Not like a human. It's more than just your legs. I'll show you. He placed his hands on my waist and moved my hips in a gentle rocking motion, mimicking the movement he made when he swam. He gestured to his tail, demonstrating the ripple effect down his body.

It seemed simple enough, if only I could focus on his instructions versus the heat of his hands. Or the distracting way his hair seemed to sway in the current, appearing soft enough to run my fingers through. A sudden urge consumed me, a need to reach out and trace the planes of his face. Over his cheekbones and down his nose, not stopping until...

I blinked out of my thoughts and realized that Ryken had stopped his instruction. His eyes were closed, his long lashes resting on his cheeks as he waited. In horror, I stared at my outstretched fingers, a hairsbreadth from his lips. 

What was I doing?

​

A Sea of Golden Chains