friend. It was comfort and reassurance she needed. And Catalina let the tears roll freely.
* * * * *
Calder had wanted to talk to Cat once again before night fell, but a pristine, white convertible with red interior was parked right beside Catalina’s RV and he decided against it. She had company. Probably a client. The last thing he needed was for some witness to see her freaking out when he showed up on her doorstep.
He’d waited as long as he could for her visitor to go, but he had to leave before he shifted. The sun was setting a spectacular spray of gold across the mirrorlike ocean, and had he not been so upset about the terrible way he’d behaved today, he would have enjoyed the sunset.
Instead, he felt dead inside as he motored his houseboat out onto the waters to prepare for the change. Dead, emotionally dead and physically numb.
Maybe, just maybe, he’d lost her forever.
* * * * *
Misty stayed with Cat for the rest of the day, talking to her, soothing her with red wine and coaxing her to eat a lobster sandwich before stuffing a couple of their favorite comedy DVDs into the player. Cat appreciated Misty’s company. Loved her friend dearly for calling in sick for an audition she had in Beverly Hills, but when Misty threatened not to go into work at her waitressing job on the biggest night she made her best tips, Catalina didn’t want her friend to suffer financially because of her.
She’d already taken advantage of Misty’s friendship, now she needed to draw the line.
Besides, she really wanted to be alone. A loner all her life, she was used to her own company, but somehow tonight there was a really extreme urgency to have no one around.
Giving a reassuring promise to Misty that she wasn’t going to leave in the dead of night, at least without saying her goodbyes, her friend reluctantly left to get ready for work.
While cleaning the few dishes, Catalina glanced out the tiny kitchenette window and her breath caught at the beauty in the golden sunset. Long shadows scurried across her yard and the marina a mile down the coast where Calder had his houseboat. Her gut plummeted as his houseboat headed out to the open sea. Despite not wanting to, her heart longed to be with him. Out in the quiet, dark depths of the ocean, making love and simply being.
You are a sick fuck. She could never be with a guy who was as mentally disturbed as he obviously seemed to be. On top of that, he believed she was a shapeshifter too. Even to insinuate her tattoos were altering due to her flesh readying for the change.
Nutjob.
She’d call it a really early night. She would drift off into dreamland and make herself not think of Calder or his tentacles. Locking up, she turned down her air-con a bit and headed for the shower. Undressing, she stepped into the shower and moaned softly at the tender bite as the spray of water pummeled her flesh.
Huh. Odd for her skin to be so sensitive. Almost as is if she’d lain out in the sun for too long and had been mildly burned. But all over? Hadn’t Calder said something about sensitive skin? The guy was insane. She needed to stop thinking of the things he’d said.
She hurried cleaning herself and when she was finished she stepped out of the shower. Reaching for the bath towel from the hanger beside the door, she caught sight of herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but be taken aback at the beauty of her tattoos. The tentacles that climbed over both of her shoulders looked so vibrant, as if they were real. Even more real than normal. Even better than last night. They pulsed and shimmered and she gasped in horror as parts of her flesh literally seemed to smooth. Not just her tattoos, but her flesh . Just like Calder had said about her skin changing. Cat shook her head as a rush of denial flooded her.
Too much wine. That’s the problem. She wrapped the towel around her body and quickly headed for bed. The fact the soles of her feet were incredibly sensitive too as she
* * * * *
Calder had wanted to talk to Cat once again before night fell, but a pristine, white convertible with red interior was parked right beside Catalina’s RV and he decided against it. She had company. Probably a client. The last thing he needed was for some witness to see her freaking out when he showed up on her doorstep.
He’d waited as long as he could for her visitor to go, but he had to leave before he shifted. The sun was setting a spectacular spray of gold across the mirrorlike ocean, and had he not been so upset about the terrible way he’d behaved today, he would have enjoyed the sunset.
Instead, he felt dead inside as he motored his houseboat out onto the waters to prepare for the change. Dead, emotionally dead and physically numb.
Maybe, just maybe, he’d lost her forever.
* * * * *
Misty stayed with Cat for the rest of the day, talking to her, soothing her with red wine and coaxing her to eat a lobster sandwich before stuffing a couple of their favorite comedy DVDs into the player. Cat appreciated Misty’s company. Loved her friend dearly for calling in sick for an audition she had in Beverly Hills, but when Misty threatened not to go into work at her waitressing job on the biggest night she made her best tips, Catalina didn’t want her friend to suffer financially because of her.
She’d already taken advantage of Misty’s friendship, now she needed to draw the line.
Besides, she really wanted to be alone. A loner all her life, she was used to her own company, but somehow tonight there was a really extreme urgency to have no one around.
Giving a reassuring promise to Misty that she wasn’t going to leave in the dead of night, at least without saying her goodbyes, her friend reluctantly left to get ready for work.
While cleaning the few dishes, Catalina glanced out the tiny kitchenette window and her breath caught at the beauty in the golden sunset. Long shadows scurried across her yard and the marina a mile down the coast where Calder had his houseboat. Her gut plummeted as his houseboat headed out to the open sea. Despite not wanting to, her heart longed to be with him. Out in the quiet, dark depths of the ocean, making love and simply being.
You are a sick fuck. She could never be with a guy who was as mentally disturbed as he obviously seemed to be. On top of that, he believed she was a shapeshifter too. Even to insinuate her tattoos were altering due to her flesh readying for the change.
Nutjob.
She’d call it a really early night. She would drift off into dreamland and make herself not think of Calder or his tentacles. Locking up, she turned down her air-con a bit and headed for the shower. Undressing, she stepped into the shower and moaned softly at the tender bite as the spray of water pummeled her flesh.
Huh. Odd for her skin to be so sensitive. Almost as is if she’d lain out in the sun for too long and had been mildly burned. But all over? Hadn’t Calder said something about sensitive skin? The guy was insane. She needed to stop thinking of the things he’d said.
She hurried cleaning herself and when she was finished she stepped out of the shower. Reaching for the bath towel from the hanger beside the door, she caught sight of herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but be taken aback at the beauty of her tattoos. The tentacles that climbed over both of her shoulders looked so vibrant, as if they were real. Even more real than normal. Even better than last night. They pulsed and shimmered and she gasped in horror as parts of her flesh literally seemed to smooth. Not just her tattoos, but her flesh . Just like Calder had said about her skin changing. Cat shook her head as a rush of denial flooded her.
Too much wine. That’s the problem. She wrapped the towel around her body and quickly headed for bed. The fact the soles of her feet were incredibly sensitive too as she
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