“Galen?”“Hmm?”“You can put me down now.”“I’m not ready yet.” He tightens his hold.“You don’t have to hold—““Emma? Can you hear me?”“Uh, yes. I can hear fine. I just can’t see—““That’s a relief. Because for a minute there, I thought maybe you didn’t hear me when I said I’m not ready yet.”“Jackass.”

“Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too," Dr. Milligan smiles. Emma nods. "I can sometimes Galen can be a jackass.""That hurts my feelings, Emma," Galen says, trying to look hurt.”

“I said, you'll have to prove that I ran into you on purpose. That I meant to cause you harm. And besides, I checked with you at the time---" "Emma.""---and you said you didn't have injuries---""EM-MA""Did you hear me, Galen?" I turn around and yell at the remaining spectators in the hall as the bell rings. "CHLOE IS DEAD!”

“The penguins love Emma. They waddle around, dive in and out of their pool, call out to her. She laughs. "They sound like donkeys!""Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too," Dr. Milligan smiles.Emma nods. "I can. Sometimes Galen can be a jackass.”

“What does that mean? Making out?" Galen says between bites. Emma puts her fork down. "It means, Galen, that you'll need to force yourself to kiss me. Like you mean it. For a long time. Think you can do that? Do Syrena kiss?" He tries to swallow the bite he forgot to chew. Force myself? I'll be lucky if I can stop myself.”

“I keep my back turned while he maneuvers his shorts into place. “Are you decent?” I call after a few seconds. No matter how many times I tell him I can’t see into the water yet, he insists I’m just trying to look at his “eel.” For crying out loud.”

“It matters, Emma." He grabs my hand and pulls me to him again. "Tell me right now. Do you care for me?""If you can't tell that I'm stupid in love with you, Galen, then you aren't a very good ambassador for the hum-"His mouth covers mine, cutting me off. This kiss isn't gentle like the first one. It's definitely not sweet. It's rough, demanding, searching. And disorienting. There's not a part of me that isn't melting against Galen, not a part that isn't combusting with his fevered touch. I accidentally moan into his lips. He takes it for his cue to life me off my feet, to pull me up to his height for more leverage. I take his groan for my cue to kiss him harder.He ignores his cell phone ringing in his pocket. I ignore the rest of the universe. Even when headlights approach, I'm willing to overlook their intrusion and keep kissing. But, prince that he is Galen is a little more refined than me at this moment. He gently pries his lips from mine and sets me down. His smile is both intoxicated and intoxicating. "We still need to talk.”