Chapter Ten

Vince

"Hey, baby." I was surprised to find Rayan on my doorstep. "I thought we were meeting up at seven."

"We were." Rayan kissed me as he walked into the living room. "But I needed to see you."

"I always want to see you, so that works perfectly. Come on in and sit with me."

A printout of a job offer lay next to my laptop on the coffee table. I knew the moment Rayan noticed it by the downturn of his lips.

"You're thinking of moving?" Rayan sat on the brown couch and ran his hands over his jean-clad thighs.

Sitting beside him, I captured his hands in mine. "When I woke this morning, I thought I was still weighing my choices—"

"Okay," Rayan said, lowering his eyes and trying to tug his hands back. I wouldn't let him, not yet. I still had more to say.

"Now I know I've already decided."

Rayan lifted his eyes to meet mine. "I'm not moving."

"You're not?"

"No." I brought his knuckles to my lips and kissed them. "These days spent with you have made me realize that I have found what I need in my life: you."

"Me?" Rayan gripped my hands a little tighter. "But what about your career? You said the city is the best place for networking with new clients."

"There are benefits to building a client base in a bigger metropolitan area." I had weighed the pros and cons the past few days. "But I already have some clients lined up. When they heard I was leaving my old company, they asked if I would consider freelance work. I accepted the offers."

"And your old job won't sue you for stealing the clients from them?" Rayan had a valid question. Luckily, I found a loophole.

"I had a good friend of mine look over my contract. There are no issues with me taking and leaving the company. So far, all the clients are willing to keep me as their representative. I do think cutting ties with the company will work out for the best."

"I can see why you would think that." Rayan's face scrunched up the way it did when he was frustrated by something. "I really don't care for how they were treating you."

"I feel good about this decision. I get to keep my career, but I also get to start a new life with you."

"Can we go to the beach?" Rayan stood up and pulled me to join him. "I want to show you something."

***

"You wanted to show me something?"

"I wanted to show you my shifted form," Rayan said, walking into the water. "Come swim with me."

"Okay, wait." I pulled Rayan back. "Shouldn't we strip down to our swim shorts first?"

"Oh yeah." Rayan blushed and unbuttoned his shirt. "Sorry. I'm a bit nervous and wanted to rush into it, I guess."

"There's no need to feel anxious, babe." I tilted his head up with my finger and pecked his lips. "I am excited."

Finally ready, I grabbed his hand and entered the waves. The temperature was just a touch chilly but felt good after the heat of the sun beating down on my skin. Once we were out far enough and no tourists were nearby, Rayan told me to stop and watch. I didn't expect him to strip his swim shorts off though.

"Um, babe?"

"I can't shift with my shorts on or I won't have them to put back on once we're done. Hold them for me?"

"Of course." I grabbed the teal shorts and held them under the water so no one would catch on to the fact that my boyfriend was nude under the surface.

"Can you come closer and feel my tail? I don't want to make this too obvious for those not used to seeing shifters."

I moved closer and ran my hand down his hip, marveling at the scales under my hands. "This is so cool."

"I know." Rayan smiled. "I love being what I am. I can't imagine just having my human form."

"Gee, thanks for rubbing that in." I laughed. "But seriously. This is incredible. Can I see it?"

"We have to be careful, but I can maybe do a quick flip, and you can try to catch a peek. I promise to show you my full merman form one day soon. Your tub just wasn't big enough."

As Rayan promised, I was able to catch a quick glimpse of his tail before it disappeared under the surface again. I noticed no reactions from others on the beach, so I assumed no one else witnessed the brilliance of Rayan's shift form.

"You are incredible," I whispered, pulling him close and kissing him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Rayan grabbed his shorts out of my hand and redressed. "Let's go out on the sand a bit."

Lying with Rayan on the beach after watching my boyfriend shift into a magical form was surreal. I'd never been more serene.

"It's a good thing you're staying." Rayan snuggled deeper into my embrace.

"Oh yeah? And why is that?" I kissed the top of his head and held him tighter.

"Because you're my mate."

Those words paused me for a moment. Could it be? "How do you know?"

"When mermen shift near our mates, we can see the strings of Fate connecting our souls. It's part of our magic. But an additional small surprise solidified that you're my fated mate." Rayan placed my hand on his abdomen and smiled.

"A surprise?"

"Mermen can only be impregnated by their fateds."

"That's pretty cool, but…wait. Does that mean…"

"Congrats. You're going to be a daddy."

If this was a dream, I hoped I never woke.