Free Ocean's Surrender by Denise Townsend

and give River a hug.
    For a split second, River imagined melting into Leo’s arms as she had Fen’s, but she restrained herself. Leo wasn’t Fen; he wasn’t married to the sea, and therefore safe.
    Instead he was steady, and single, and gorgeous and here. Plus, she knew he liked her.
    She couldn’t think of a more dangerous combination.
    In truth, River would have avoided Leo like the plague if it hadn’t been for the paramedic’s relationship with Jason. And not only was it a solid friendship that was good for Jason, but it was a friendship that had started because River had failed, and pretty dramatically, to keep Jason safe. So River was well aware she owed Leo big time, and that she owed Jason this friendship, at the least.
    All three made small talk as they changed into their bowling shoes, with Jason monopolizing the conversation. He told them about the art project he was making at his adult day care, and gave Leo updates on all of his beasts. Jason was very concerned about his honeybees after watching a documentary on Colony Collapse Disorder, and was monitoring them with as much love and care as a mother over her child.
    While Jason talked, Leo couldn’t keep his eyes off of River. She was as gorgeous as ever, with her ripe curves, dark hair and eyes and strong, yet feminine, features.
    But there was also something different about her.
    “Did you get your hair cut or something?” Leo asked her, as they went to choose their bowling balls from the racks.
    “No,” River said. “Although I probably should. Why?”
    “You just look different somehow,” Leo said, his gaze brushing over her face with his customary watchful intensity that always unnerved her.
    She considered telling Leo she was tired, having spent a goodly portion of that night fucking a mythological creature, but she thought that wouldn’t go over well on a number of levels.
    So instead she did what she did best and gave him a cryptic smile, refusing to answer his implied question.
    “So who’s up first?” she asked rhetorically, to change the subject.
    “Me! Me! Me!” Jason hollered, jumping up and down, just like he always did.
    And so the three bowled, as they had almost every Thursday since River was recovered enough. That Leo had been the one to take Jason bowling those Thursdays she’d still been in hospital, after her brother had been released from jail, was part of the reason she was here.
    And as usual, Jason kicked their butts. He was a ferocious, fiercely competitive bowler with almost perfect form. River, meanwhile, was usually too busy furtively watching Leo, who was equally busy furtively watching River.
    Jason had, of course, noticed their lack of attention to the game, as he noticed everything. But with his instincts that held more wisdom than a lot of people’s intellect, he never commented. He knew, somehow, that his sister and Leo needed to work out whatever it was between them, and that these silent musings were important. He helped them along by goofing off, entertaining himself and acting absolutely content, so that their attention could remain on each other even as they acted like it was really on him.
    When they were nearing the end of their set, and it was River’s turn, she’d long since grown bored of bowling. Her mind was more preoccupied than usual. She couldn’t stop thinking of Fen, first of all, nor could she stop comparing Leo’s watchful strength to that of the happy-go-lucky selkie.
    Which was why she was glad she wasn’t carrying her bowling ball when she heard Jason telling Leo about his new friend.
    “He comes from the sea and he’s so nice. You’d really like him, Leo. He reminds me of you, kind of, although you’ve got different skin and hair, and he doesn’t have tattoos or anything. But he has a sealskin and when he puts it on he is a seal. Isn’t that cool?”
    “You been reading about selkies, bro?” Leo asked, smiling. River’s heart fluttered.
    “You know about them?” she