Read Online An Ordinary Drowning, Book One of The Mermaid's Pendant by LeAnn Neal Reilly - Free Book Online Page A

their
interactions. The lip biting signaled extreme youth. Surely too young to have
the breasts he’d seen. Too young to pull a grown man, thrashing and gasping, to
shore.
    “Never
mind. I’m sure your parents wouldn’t want you to tell me your name.”
    Her next
words confirmed his suspicions about her youth. “I don’t care what my father
wants and my mother’s dead.” Still she didn’t tell him her name. Instead, she
asked, “Where’re your pants?”
    Heat
rose in John’s cheeks. He looked down, not to verify her statement but to hide
his embarrassment. Nothing like exposing himself to a pubescent girl. At least
he’d controlled himself in time—he didn’t have that on his conscience.
“I thought I was alone. I was sweaty after walking around.”
    “Oh, so
it’s not your custom to swim naked?”
    “Now
that you mention it, I’d like to get dressed.”
    With as
much dignity as he could muster, he swam to the beach and stood up, walking
toward the rock where his clothes lay without turning to see if she’d followed.
He pulled his briefs and shorts on before looking over his shoulder. She
remained behind.
    “Aren’t
you coming out?” Perhaps she feared him. They were alone, after all.
    After a
moment, she swam closer and stood up. When she did, John understood why she’d
hesitated. Except for a pair of tan cargo shorts that looked a lot like his,
she wore nothing else. Heat flooded John’s face again.
    “Here.”
He tossed her his t-shirt. She caught it and looked at it before looking back
at him. She didn’t seem nearly as disconcerted as he felt. “Please put it on.”
    Shrugging,
she pulled the t-shirt over her head. Her hair left large dark patches on the
shoulders and the shirt clung to her wet breasts, negating the concealment of
the cloth and testing his theory about her age. She’s too young , he
repeated to himself. Dangerously young . Every aspect of her behavior
pointed to innocence and vulnerability. She walked over to the rock and sat
down and began to comb out the tangles in her hair with her fingers.
    “And you
asked why I was naked? No wonder your father doesn’t want you to go too far
from your family.” John stopped, thinking. “Maybe you should get back to him.
I’d hate for him to show up and see you’re wearing my shirt.”
    She
looked down. “He wouldn’t be happy, no.” She made no move to leave, however.
    John
frowned at her. She seemed too slight to pull a flailing man out of the canal,
but he couldn’t help himself. Too young or too slight, everything else fit. He
had to ask.
    “Did you
save me from drowning a couple of days ago?”
    He
watched her toy with a strand of damp hair; her eyes followed the pelicans
walking stiff legged through the shallows not far from them.
    “Yes, I
did,” she said at last without looking at him.
    At her
words, a thrill sparked the tender of his curiosity and ignited some strong
emotion in him. He damped it down, as much to calm himself as to keep from
scaring her. Go slowly , he told himself.
    “Please,
I’d really like to know your name.”
    She
looked at him and he fell into the immense blue of her eyes. In that instant,
he recognized the face that he’d described to Tomás. Why had he ever doubted
it? “Tamarind. I’m Tamarind.”
    “Like
the trees?” When she nodded, he thought, How fitting. A water sprite with a
wood nymph’s name . She really was the embodiment of a natural element. He
went on, “I’m sorry if I sounded rude a moment ago, Tamarind.”
    She
cocked her head, looking for the world like an inquisitive bird. “Are you going
now, John?”
    “No.” He
couldn’t say I can’t go now that I know who saved my life. I need to know
more about you . Instead, he said, “I brought lunch. Would you like some?”
    “Lunch?”
She sounded perplexed.
    “It’s
not much. Just some oranges and peanut butter sandwiches.” He retrieved his backpack
from the kayak and pulled out the food. She hadn’t moved