These were not your mama’s mermen.
First, the mermen had two powerful kicking legs, just like humans. Second, they were all built like power lifters. Third, they were gorgeous, tattooed, and usually swam around naked. And fourth, there was this whole kidnapping-women-to-make-babies rumor in the ancient past. They were the original creatures from the black lagoon, only gorgeous instead of “finny.”
Unnamed sources claimed the kidnappings still happened today...
Their king, Kadir, took over the conversation, recapturing Elyssa's gaze. “What is a blind date?”
“You meet up for something casual. Coffee or a movie. If you hit it off, you meet up again. And so on.”
“Hit it off? What do you hit off?”
“Your feelings. If you get a special feeling in your heart.” She tugged her hand free to place it on her chest. “You’re meant to be together. It’s fate.”
In Kadir’s case, her special feeling was also several inches lower, making her panties damp.
He had that deliciously unreachable rock star vibe. The hot, smart, talented athlete who breezed through the halls, making her wish that she were smarter and hotter and more talented so someday he would glance in her direction.
Now that he was actually glancing — more than that, he was holding one of her hands! — she wanted this moment to go on forever. The one moment she did something useful. Entertained a gorgeous monarch, educated him about human dating, and helped him to find the one perfect woman who would make love grow in his heart.
“So you do sense the resonance,” Kadir confirmed.
By “resonance,” did he mean an inner glow? Her friend had told her that mermen could see actual lights glowing in people’s chests.
“We don’t see it the same way you do, but I do think we can sense something when we hit it off. Love at first sight, or second sight, or tenth sight, or whatever.”
He recaptured her free hand. “My warriors wish to blind date.”
The mermen nodded.
“I’m sure you will.” She smiled at him. At all of them. “You definitely all will.”
They stared at her.
And although they were all mesmerizingly good looking, Kadir’s gaze gripped her with such power she was unable to fully look away. She wanted to crawl into his lap and lick that silver lightning bolt tattooed across his broad chest. His intense concentration on her increased. He seemed to see straight into her soul.
But he was not for her. She was a disaster, not future royalty. Maybe she could hit it off with a hot lieutenant. Or something. Did the mermen have low-paid jobs? In merman HR?
“The best way to meet women is to choose Aya for your bride,” Elyssa said. "She's amazing. She's like already a queen. You'll love her, I swear."
“You fiercely champion your cousin. That loyalty is admirable. But I will not choose Aya for my bride.”
“But—”
“Because, Elyssa of Van Cartier.” He arrested her with his dark gaze. “I choose you.”