Catch of the Day
 

by

Carla Cassidy

---

Chapter One
 

The sand beneath Josh Sinclair still retained the heat of the day and he stretched out against the warmth and closed his eyes. The rhythmic sound of surf to sand soothed and the brine-scented air filled his senses.
Tragedy had driven him from this beach house over a year ago, but now as he sat up to watch the sun slowly sinking over the azure ocean, he wondered how he'd ever managed to stay away for so long.
He would never again venture into the waters that had taken his heart, his soul, but he had finally found the peace to be able to enjoy the majestic sight of the ocean without thinking of loss.
It had been a year ago that he'd lost his wife in a boating accident, a year of pain, loneliness, and regrets. Finally, he felt ready to put the past behind him and move on with his life.
Drawing a deep, cleansing breath, he once again stretched out on his back and closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lulled by the sensory pleasure of the beach at dusk.
The singing woke him. The sweet, clear, feminine voice rang above the sound of the surf, caressing the notes of a familiar country and western song about lonely nights and rainy days.
He sat up, groggy, but intrigued, drawn to the sweet siren song that rode the evening breeze. This stretch of beach was fairly isolated. The nearest house belonged to an older man who he rarely saw outside. Was it possible that in the year he'd been away Walt Cooper had left and a woman with the voice of an angel had moved in?
Trying to find the source of the voice, he stood and looked around. It seemed to be coming from a rocky outcropping nearby.
A bit unsteady on his feet from the deep sleep he'd been in, he took several steps around a large boulder at the water's edge, then stopped in his tracks.
She was there…perched on the rocks. Her long hair shone like fool's gold in the waning sunlight. She had her eyes closed, her face raised to the setting sun as she sang.
He couldn't see all of her, but he could see enough to realize that it appeared she was naked, her bare breasts hidden by the glorious length of her hair that spilled over her shoulders.
"Hello?" he called out.
Her head snapped around and her eyes flew open. The greenest eyes he'd ever seen stared at him in stunned surprise. She turned away from him and in an instant he knew she intended to flee.
"Wait!" he said, wanting to tell her how much he'd enjoyed the sound of her voice, wanting to find out who she was, where she'd come from.
She didn't wait. She dove into the water, but not before Josh saw the green iridescent shine of scales and the perfectly formed tail where legs should be.
He stared at the water where she'd disappeared. Was he still asleep on the beach and in the middle of a dream? Or had he just seen a real, living, breathing beautiful mermaid?
Do you believe in mermaids?

Chapter Two

He'd seen her! Christina thought, trying not to panic.
She dove deep... deep... deeper still, frantic as she thought of that moment when she'd opened her eyes and had seen the handsome man standing so near.
Her father had told her the man who owned the house next to his was no longer in residence, that she would be safe on the stretch of isolated beach.
She had spent her entire life being so careful, knowing the dangers of ever letting a human see her in her natural state. She had grown up knowing the importance of keeping her existence, and that of others like her, a myth to the land world above the sea.
She swam for miles, joined by a friendly dolphin that circled and danced around her as if pleased by her company.
Everywhere she looked, beauty greeted her. She loved the underwater world, but she'd also come to love the land world as well.
Although she'd been encouraged to spend her life in the sea, for the past several years she had been spending more and more time on land, fascinated and drawn to the complexities and drama of human life.
She should have been more careful. She never should have taken the chance of being seen. She could only hope the man on the beach had been a vagrant...hopefully an inebriated vagrant who wouldn't remember what he'd seen when he sobered up.
She circled back to the area of beach in front of her father's house. This time before leaving the water, she looked around, making sure nobody else was anywhere in sight.
With a thrust of her powerful tail, she pulled herself up on the sandy shore and waited impatiently for her transformation from mermaid to woman. It usually took five minutes or so for her tail to change into legs.
As she waited, she thought of the man she had seen. Vagrant or not, he'd definitely been a hunk. He'd been tall, at least six feet. His tanned chest had been broad, with well-defined muscles and jean shorts that had ridden low on his lean hips. Unruly dark hair had complemented his chiseled facial features.
She expelled a deep sigh of longing. Someday she would find a man like that...a man who physically made her weak in the knees, a man who was kind and good and loved her with all his heart and soul. Loved her for everything she was.
However, at the moment finding love with the perfect man was not only totally out of the question, but would also prove to be absolutely devastating.
It was that fact that had brought her back here to the small coastal town of Seaside Landing from her home in Los Angeles. Her father had called her a week after finding a letter her mother had written many years ago before her death, a letter filled with a heart-wrenching warning for the daughter she loved.

Chapter Three

Sinclair Private Investigation Inc. The black lettering filled the window of the strip mall store. Christina Cooper stared at the lettering for a long moment... hoping... praying whomever worked here would be able to help her.
Drawing a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside. A bell tinkled, announcing her arrival, but there was nobody seated at the reception desk.
"Come on in," a deep male voice called from somewhere in the back.
Christina spied the doorway that apparently led into a back room where the voice had come from. She walked through the doorway and into a private office where a man stood behind a wooden desk arranging the items on bookshelves.
He turned and she froze. She recognized him instantly and her heart crashed nervously against her rib cage. He was the man from last night on the beach...the man who had seen her in her natural state.
She didn't know whether to speak or turn and run.
"Hi." He leaned across the desk and extended a hand to her. "Josh Sinclair. Can I help you?" No recognition flickered in the depths of his gorgeous blue eyes and she felt herself relax a bit.
"Hi, I'm Christina Cooper."
His hand was warm and strong around hers. He released it then gestured her into the chair opposite the desk. "What can I do for you, Christina Cooper?"
She sat and tried to ignore how handsome he was. In the brief moment she'd seen him the night before, she'd been instantly struck by his masculine appeal, and that appeal was just as potent this morning. She felt it like an electric coil of heat in the pit of her stomach.
Even with a suit jacket on, it was impossible to ignore the width of his shoulders and his dark, slightly unruly hair was a perfect foil for the bright blue of his eyes. But, she wasn't here to admire the physical attributes Josh Sinclair had to offer; she desperately needed his professional services.
"I would like to hire you to find somebody for me," she said.
"Let me guess, an old flame that you've discovered you can't live without?" He flashed her a smile that increased the warmth inside her tummy.
She was surprised to feel her cheeks warm with a blush. "No, it's nothing like that," she protested and tried to formulate exactly what she intended to tell him.
It would be so easy if she could just tell him the truth.
Mr. Sinclair, I'm a mermaid. I've been cursed by a sea witch and I need you to find the witch so I can convince her to release me from the curse that will keep me from finding my true love.
No, that wouldn't do at all, Christina thought.

Chapter Four

"So, who is it you want me to find for you?" Josh leaned back in his chair and studied the woman across from him. She was definitely a looker. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bun, exposing her long graceful neck and emphasizing her delicate features. Her eyes were blue, matching the dress that she wore.
It had been a long time since Josh had felt the stir of attraction for any woman, but something about this woman made him think of hot kisses and slow caresses, of tangled sheets and summer breezes.
"I need to find a woman," she said. "Her name is Ann Mitchell. She used to live here in Seaside Landing, but moved away several years ago."
"Before you tell me about her, I need you to fill out some paperwork," Josh replied. He pulled several forms from his desk drawer and leaned over the desk to hand them to her. As she reached out to take them from him, the scent of her washed over him. It was the scent of sunshine and sweet wildflowers and so utterly feminine that he felt a heady tension well up inside him. Stay focused, he admonished himself. You're a professional PI for God's sake. Act like one. He cleared his throat and handed her a pen. "Just fill those out, then we can discuss exactly what you want me to do for you."
He watched as she filled out the client forms. Despite his desire to keep their relationship professional, he had to admit that his gut reaction to Christina Cooper was a definite sign that his wounds had healed and he was finally ready to face the rest of his life without Nancy.
She finished with the forms and handed them back to him. He gazed at them, then shot her a look of surprise. "It appears we're neighbors."
He thought of what he'd believed he'd seen last night on the beach and looked at her more closely. Her hair was the same color, but her eyes weren't. Besides, he'd already decided that he was half-asleep when he'd spied the singing mermaid and the vision had simply been a crazy image from his dreams, the fanciful imaginings of a lonely man.
"Actually, that's my parent's address. I…uh…arrived there this morning from my home in Los Angeles." Her gaze didn't quite meet his and for some reason his gut told him she was lying. But why would she lie about something as innocuous as when she had arrived in town?
"Why don't you tell me about this woman you'd like me to find for you?" he said. He would do his best to help her find Ann Mitchell, but at the same time he intended to do a little background check into Christina Cooper. The woman had mystery written all over her and there was nothing Josh liked better than unraveling a good mystery.
 

Chapter Five

"There has to be a picture of Ann in here," Christina said as she pulled a box out of the closet. "Josh said he'd like to have a picture of her…even if it's old." She looked at her aunt Zelda, who sat on the sofa. Zelda had arrived at Christina's father's home the day before for one of her regular land visits.
"I'll be surprised if you find one. When your mother and Ann had their fight, your mother ripped up every photo she had of Ann."
Christina sat down on the floor and opened the box, then looked at her aunt. When Christina's mother had died when she was five, it had been Zelda Pritchard who had raised the motherless mermaid. She'd been a loving surrogate mother who had encouraged Christina to live her life entirely in the water. Now Christina understood her aunt's desire to keep her off land.
"You're mad at me," Zelda said, sadness radiating from her green eyes.
"No," Christina protested and smiled. "You know I've never been able to stay angry with you. But you should have told me about the curse."
"You're right," Zelda agreed. "But I thought I could convince you to stay in the ocean, to live your life as a mer and marry another mer. As long as you did, the curse had no power to hurt you." Zelda sighed. "But in this past couple of years you've become so enamored of humans."
Christina grinned, knowing her aunt much preferred mer people to humans. "You're a snob at heart when it comes to the human race."
Zelda grinned. "Perhaps." Her smile faded. "I'm still sorry that I didn't tell you rather than having your father read it in an old letter and contact you."
Christina got up, then sat next to her aunt. "Why did Ann curse me? What did she and my mother fight about?"
"It all happened a long time ago, before you were born. Ann was always jealous of your mother. Ann fancied herself in love with your father when your mother began to date him. Even after they married, I think she hoped to break them apart. When she realized your parents were happy and your mother was pregnant, she became enraged."
"And so to hurt my mother she cursed me in a way that would hurt me most…with a curse of the heart," Christina said.
"Only if you fall in love with a human man," Zelda reminded her. "You know what they say, pearls are the teardrops of mermaids who have fallen in love with mortal men."
"I don't care," Christina replied. "It should be my choice who I fall in love with. My decision shouldn't be guided by the curse of a sea witch."
"But, if you don't find Ann, then you must choose wisely or you'll be forever bound to the sea and unable to ever again walk on the land."
"I know," Christina replied.
In recent years, her father had embraced land life and rarely ventured into the sea. Christina's younger sister had done the same, marrying a mortal and having a family.
If Christina made the mistake of falling in love with a mortal before the curse was broken, she would not only lose her ability to live on the land, but she would also eventually lose touch with those she cared about.
She stood and returned to the box, trying not to think of the curse that now hung heavily over her head… her heart.
 

Chapter Six

Josh sat on his deck facing the ocean. The sun hadn't yet sunk below the horizon, but was a ball of fire suspended in midair.
He'd eaten his dinner and had intended to do some paperwork inside, but the ocean had called and so he sat staring at it, as if in anticipation.
It had been about this time yesterday evening that he'd thought he'd seen a mermaid. All day long he'd told himself he was crazy…dreaming…that what he'd thought he'd seen hadn't really been there. So, what was he doing out on his deck watching the water for any sign of a golden haired, green-eyed singing mermaid?
He sat up in his chair as he saw a female figure in the distance. It wasn't a mermaid, but it was Christina Cooper. He recognized the golden shine of her hair and the lush curves that had captured his attention earlier in the day.
She walked along the shore and appeared to be deep in thought. He hadn't done anything that day to check into her background or start the search for Ann Mitchell. After a year's absence from his job, he'd spent most of the day updating files.
Suddenly he wanted to be on the beach, too. He got up and hurried down the stairs that led to the sand. It took him only moments to catch up to her.
"Mr. Sinclair," she said in greeting.
"Ms. Cooper," he replied, "and please, make it Josh."
She smiled and a flame flickered to life inside him at her beauty. "Then, by all means call me Christina."
"Mind if I walk a little bit with you, Christina?"
"Not at all. It's lovely out here this time of evening. Do you swim, Josh?"
Josh looked at the ocean, able to admire the beauty, but unable to ignore the fear it now inspired inside him. "No, I don't swim. I lost my wife in a boating accident fourteen months ago and I haven't been back in the water since." He didn't tell her that for months he'd dreamed of drowning, of being pulled beneath the surface of the water and unable to draw breath. He knew the dreams were in part due to the guilt he'd felt that he hadn't been with Nancy on the boat when the accident occurred.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She reached out and touched his arm. His skin tingled pleasantly at the comforting touch and he was disappointed when she quickly pulled her hand away.
"So, what do you do back in L.A.?" he asked as they walked slowly through the sand.
"I work at a place called The Edge. It's a popular nightclub."
"Are you a waitress?" he asked.
She shrugged and looked away from him. "I do a little of this, a little of that."
The answer sounded evasive and Josh made a mental note to do some checking into Christina Cooper first thing in the morning. He didn't know why, but for some reason he had to know more about her.
She smiled at him and for just a moment he thought her eyes appeared more green than blue.

Chapter Seven

"How long have you been a private investigator?" Christina asked as they continued to walk at a leisurely pace. The sun had begun to sink, painting the sky in pink and purple hues.
"I opened the doors seven years ago when I was twenty-one."
"I wouldn't think there would be too much business in a town the size of Seaside Landing," Christina observed. She wished she couldn't smell him, a clean male scent that not only stirred her on a physical level but sent her thoughts swirling as well.
He grinned, a sexy smile that sent her pulse racing. "You'd be surprised how much goes on in a small town. I recently took a year's absence and am just now getting back to working full-time."
"By the way, I found a picture of Ann, although it's quite old."
"Good. Why don't you drop it by my office sometime tomorrow?" he suggested. She nodded. "So, is there a prospective Mr. Cooper in the picture?" he asked.
"Not at all," she said. "The last thing I'd want to do at this time in my life is fall in love."
"Why is that?" Those beautiful blue eyes of his gazed at her curiously.
She frowned, sorry she'd even brought it up. "Let's just say it's a long story."
Josh's gaze held hers intently. "I don't have anything else on my agenda for the night."
She forced a burst of light laughter. "Trust me, you'd find it all very boring. Let's just say I'm not in the market for a relationship at the moment."
"I was a confirmed bachelor until I married my wife. She showed me how special it is to share your life with somebody," he said.
"You must miss her very much."
"I do." He paused for a moment. "But she wouldn't have wanted me to grieve forever."
They walked until the sun had disappeared and the moon caressed the waves with silvery fingers of light. They spoke of inconsequential things, the weather, new movies, favorite foods.
Christina enjoyed his company. He was witty and sexy and obviously passionate about many things. He spoke briefly about his wife and it was obvious he'd loved her very much. Surely a man who'd loved deeply once could do so again…Christina banished the thought almost as soon as it crossed her mind.
Christina hoped that when she fell in love it would be with a man like Josh. But, she didn't dare entertain any feelings of love for any man until she found Ann Mitchell and managed to get the curse lifted.
Of course, she wasn't worried about having any feelings for Josh Sinclair despite the fact that he was charming and sexy. He was simply a man she'd hired, a man who hated the water. All she wanted from him was to find the sea witch who had cursed her so that someday she might love and live happily-ever-after.

Chapter Eight

Christina arrived at the office just before noon with the picture of Ann Mitchell. To Josh, she seemed to fill the stark interior of his office with life and breath and color. It surprised him how pleased he was to see her.
"I was just about to head out for some lunch," he said after she'd given him the photo. "Why don't you join me?" He saw her hesitation. "There's a new little Mexican restaurant down the street that I thought I'd try." He remembered her telling him the night before that Mexican food was her favorite.
"All right," she agreed and pleasure washed over him.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a table in the dimly lit restaurant and Josh told her what his cursory morning search had yielded. "I did a general search this morning on the Internet for Ann Mitchell."
"Did you find her?" Christina asked eagerly, her lovely eyes glittering with the light of the candle that flickered in the center of their table.
"I found several Ann Mitchells in coastal towns along the West Coast, but what I need from you is more information." Again today Christina's hair was confined and neatly coiled around her head. Josh's fingers itched to release it from its confines, to wrap his fingers in the strands that he knew would be so soft and silky.
"What kind of information?" she asked.
"You told me her approximate age, but it would help if you could tell me what kinds of things she likes to do, what sort of interests she has, what organizations she might belong to."
What he really wanted to know was how Christina's lips would taste. If she would utter sweet little sighs and breathless moans as she made love. But first, he wanted to know more about her.
His research on her background had yielded more questions than answers. He now knew exactly where she lived in L.A. but the super of her apartment building had indicated that she was often gone for weeks...months at a time.
She looked at him helplessly. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't personally know Ann. She was an acquaintance of my mother's."
"Can you ask your mother?"
"My mom died when I was five." Her eyes darkened.
"I'm so sorry," Josh said. So, they had both suffered the loss of a loved one.
"But I was lucky. I was raised by a loving aunt. She knew Ann years ago. Maybe she'll know something that can help us."
"And you're positive she would be living in a coastal community?"
"Positive. She needs to be near the water."
An odd choice of words, Josh thought. Most people would say she likes the water, or enjoys the beach, not she needs the water.
Christina reached across the table and took his hand. In her grip he felt an urgency. "You must find her," she said, her eyes burning with intensity. "Please. My entire future depends on you finding her."

Chapter Nine

Christina withdrew her hand from his, aware that she'd startled him with her fervor. How could she explain to Josh the need to find Ann without telling him who...what she was?
Every mermaid who was ever born knew the danger of exposing themselves to humans. The implication of capture and exploitation was enormous.
She was grateful that at that moment the waitress arrived with their meals. "So, what happens now that you've found several Ann Mitchells?" she asked as they began to eat.
"I'll weed out the ones that are too young or too old, then attempt to contact each one and see if she's originally from Seaside Landing. It's possible I'll need to take a road trip and make person-to-person contact."
"If you do need to make a road trip, would it be possible for me to come with you?"
Again he looked at her in surprise. "Sure." A warm smile curved his lips. "In fact, I'd enjoy your company." He picked up his fork, then looked at her once again. "I've spent too much time in my own company lately."
"It must be hard coping with the death of a loved one," she said softly.
"The first couple of months after Nancy's death were the hardest." The blue of his eyes darkened. "I felt so guilty."
"Guilty? Why?"
"I was supposed to be with her that day. Friends of ours had invited us to spend the day on their boat, but that morning I woke up with the flu and ended up staying home. Late afternoon a storm blew up and I learned later that the boat capsized. Apparently Nancy hit her head and was unconscious when she went into the water."
He paused to take a sip of his soda and her heart ached for him. He set his glass down and continued. "Anyway, for months I kept thinking if only I'd gone with them I might have been able to save her. But I managed to get past the guilt. What nobody tells you about is the loneliness that's left behind."
"You must have loved her very much."
He smiled, a soft smile that Christina found far too appealing. "I did, and there will always be a part of me that continues to love her. But Nancy would have wanted me to go on, to find a new relationship." Without warning he reached out and swiped a finger at the corner of her mouth. "Enchilada sauce," he said.
She laughed with embarrassment and quickly used her napkin to wipe her mouth. Her laughter died, replaced by a sudden sweeping fear. She'd liked the feel of Josh's finger against her skin. In fact, she liked him... a lot. So much it was dangerous…

Chapter Ten

She'd been avoiding him. For the past three days Josh hadn't seen Christina, although he'd spoken to her several times on the phone. Twice he'd called her with questions that he needed answered to aid him in his search. The third time he called her it was to ask her to join him for dinner. She'd declined.
He'd been surprised by the depth of his disappointment. He liked her and wanted to spend more time with her. It wasn't just her beauty that drew him. He was also drawn by the gentle spirit he sensed inside her, the sense of humor she'd displayed on occasion, and the hint of passion that sometimes sparked in her eyes.
It was after midnight and still sleep remained elusive to him as his head whirled with thoughts of Christina. Finally, giving up trying to sleep, he got out of bed and moved to the window to stare out at the ocean.
He'd never been a fan of the water but since Nancy's death his dislike had become a living, breathing fear inside him. Of course, the drowning nightmares he suffered didn't help.
He was just about to turn away from the window when he saw movement on the beach below. Christina. What was she doing out there in the middle of the night?
Maybe she was suffering from insomnia, too, he thought as he quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and left his house by the back door.
He raced down the beach to the area where he'd seen her from his window, but she wasn't there. The moon was bright overhead, illuminating the beach with a silvery light. For a moment he wondered if he'd imagined her presence.
Then he spied her on the rocky outcropping, in the exact same place he'd thought he'd seen a magical, mythical creature nights before.
Although he knew it was crazy, his gaze shot first to her lower half. Legs. She had long, shapely, gorgeous legs. He inwardly scoffed at himself. Of course she had legs. What was he expecting? A tail?
It was obvious she'd been swimming — her long hair was loose and wet and she was clad in a skimpy two-piece bathing suit that confirmed the curves that full clothing had merely suggested.
She didn't appear to be aware of his presence and for a moment he simply stood and stared at her, drinking in her moon-kissed beauty. "Hi," he finally said.
She jumped off the rock, stark terror shining from her eyes as she looked at him. "What are you doing here?" She tensed, as if prepared to run.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"Have you been watching me? How long have you been there?"
Josh stared at her curiously, wondering why on earth she looked so afraid and why he got the feeling she was definitely hiding something.

Chapter Eleven

Had he seen her? Panic swept through Christina. She'd waited until the middle of the night to enjoy an hour of her underwater world. She shouldn't have taken the chance knowing that Josh lived nearby.
"How long have you been out here?" she asked.
"Only a minute or two," he replied, his gaze focused intently on her. "Why?"
She relaxed as she realized he hadn't seen her as a mer, that he'd seen her only after she'd returned to human form. "I thought I was alone."
"If you want to be alone, I'll leave," he offered.
"No, you don't have to." She wrapped her towel around her waist and once again sat back down on the rocks. Her pulse accelerated as he joined her, sitting so close she could smell the scent of him, feel his body heat.
It had been thoughts of this man that had kept sleep elusive and had made her decide to chance a midnight swim. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked him.
"I must have known you'd be out here and that's why I couldn't sleep," he replied. In the glow of the moonlight his eyes held a teasing glint. The glint faded as he continued to gaze at her. "Isn't it dangerous for you to be out here swimming alone in the middle of the night?"
"Not really," she replied. "I'm a strong swimmer and the ocean doesn't frighten me." He looked out at the waves and when he looked back at her his eyes were dark as night skies.
"I'm so sorry that you lost her," she said, believing that he must be thinking of his wife.
"Thanks, but I was thinking about how sorry I'd be if something happened to you."
His words created a spark of heat inside her and before she could anticipate his intent, he leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
His mouth plied hers with a heat that nearly stole her breath away and even though she knew she should pull away, she didn't.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss by swirling his tongue against hers. She felt naked in his arms, with only her skimpy bathing suit top separating his chest from her breasts. His strong arms made her feel safe and warm.
In the back of her mind a warning went off. She ignored it. She was twenty-five years old. She had certainly kissed men before and had held on to her heart. Surely she could kiss Josh and spend time in his company and not risk Ann's curse.
He broke the kiss and smiled at her, his eyes lit with flames that ignited a responding fire inside her. "That's the nicest thing I've done in over a year," he whispered and stroked a finger down her cheek. "And I wouldn't mind repeating the pleasure another hundred times or so."
Again warning buzzed in Christina's head. This time she heeded it and moved away from him. She, too, wouldn't mind repeating the pleasure of kissing him again…. And the thought of what that meant terrified her.

Chapter Twelve

"What are your plans for the day?" Zelda asked. It was early morning and she sat at the table in Christina 's father's house. The three of them had shared a cup of coffee before Christina's father had wandered outside to work in his garden.
"Josh and I are driving up the coast to a little town called Coral Heights. He's certain Ann is there."
Zelda raised an eyebrow. "I saw you on the beach night before last with that man. The two of you were kissing."
Christina felt her cheeks warm with a blush. "I'm over twenty-one."
"And playing a dangerous game," Zelda said.
"What are you talking about?" Christina poured herself another cup of coffee.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Spending time with that man, kissing him.... What do you think will happen if you lose your heart to him? You will never again have legs to walk on the land. You will be forever banished to the sea and your tears will litter the ocean floor. Is that what you want to happen?"
"Of course not, and I don't intend for that to happen," Christina retorted. "I'm in control and I don't intend to lose my heart to Josh."
"Foolish words. When it comes to love, nobody is in control."
"But I like him, Aunt Zelda," Christina said softly. "And besides, I have to go with him today. If he finds Ann, she won't reveal herself to him. I have to be there to talk to her, to plead with her to lift the curse." She returned to the table and sat next to her aunt.
Zelda reached out and grabbed her hand in a tight grasp. "I'm afraid for you. I have a bad feeling about this. Hearts are fickle things, and love can happen in the blink of an eye."
"I just can't allow that to happen," Christina replied. She leaned forward and kissed her aunt's forehead. "I know what I'm doing."
Zelda released Christina's hand and shook her head ruefully. "You know what happens to the mermaids who are unhappily banished to the sea? They eventually become bitter and miserable Lorelei who sing siren songs to lure men to their death. I promised your mother before her death that I would raise you with love and keep you safe."
"And you've done that, Aunt Zelda."
Zelda stared at her for a long moment, her green eyes filled with a depth of anxiety Christina had never seen there before. "Yes, I've done that up until now. But I can't protect you from yourself, Christina, and I can't protect your heart from love."
"Aunt Zelda, you are making far too much out of a few stolen kisses in the moonlight," Christina exclaimed with a forced lightness.
"I hope so," the older woman said fervently. "If you're right, then all you lose is a little time listening to an old woman's rambling. But, if I'm right, then you lose the life — and the man — that you've come to love on the land."

Chapter Thirteen

Zelda's words still echoed in Christina's head as she got into the passenger side of Josh's car. But it was difficult to hold herself distant as they took off driving.
The coastal scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect, Josh was an entertaining companion, and within minutes Christina found herself relaxing and forgetting her conversation with her aunt.
Although he was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a blue short-sleeved shirt, he looked achingly handsome and his smile warmed her from the inside out.
Looking at him she couldn't help but remember the heart-stopping kisses they'd shared on the beach, nor could she forget how much she'd wanted at that moment for the kisses to go on forever. That night she'd wanted more than just his kisses.... She'd wanted him to make love to her.
She shoved these disturbing thoughts out of her mind.
He'd told her the day before it was a two-hour drive to Coral Heights. "Do you have any other family, Christina?" he asked after they'd been traveling for a little while. "You've mentioned your aunt and your father. Any brothers or sisters?"
"A sister," she replied. "Laura is two years younger than me and lives with her husband and two children in Denver."
"Are the two of you close?"
"Very. I try to fly out to visit her as often as possible." She tried not to think about how devastating it would be if Ann's curse somehow got hold of her and she'd never be able to fly to visit her sister again. "What about you? Do you have any family?"
"Unfortunately no. Both my parents are dead and I was an only child."
"What about in-laws?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Nancy was an only child, too. Her parents were divorced and her mother passed away the year before we were married. She and her father had lost touch years ago."
"That's too bad... I mean that you didn't have family to help you deal with your wife's death."
He smiled and again she felt the force of his wonderful smile in the pit of her stomach. "I managed. You know what they say, something about that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
A chill raced up Christina's spine as she thought of the curse. It wouldn't kill her, but it definitely wouldn't make her stronger, either. "What makes you think the Ann Mitchell in Coral Heights is the woman I'm looking for?"
"She's the right age. You told me that it was possible she would be involved in some sort of ocean study or charity and this woman is the director of an educational aquatic museum."
Christina's heart quickened at thoughts of facing the sea witch who'd cursed her. Surely she would be able to convince Ann to lift the curse delivered so long ago. As she gazed at Josh, a feeling of urgency whipped through her... along with more than a little bit of fear.

Chapter Fourteen

It had taken Josh months to recognize he'd fallen in love with Nancy. He'd known Christina only a week but already he felt a sense of wonder, an anticipatory thrill that told him he was on the verge of falling hard for her.
He told himself he was crazy, that it was far too soon for him to be feeling the way that he did, but he couldn't stop the waves of attraction that drew him to her, couldn't halt the emotions that filled his heart when he looked at her.
"You've suddenly grown very quiet," she said.
He smiled. "Just thinking."
"A penny for those thoughts?"
"Ah, sweet Christina, they're worth much, much more than a penny," he teased. She laughed and he loved the sound of her laughter. Yes, he was falling hard.
Coral Heights was a small town and it took Josh only minutes to find the Museum of Aquatic Delights in a building on a floating dock.
As they got out of the car in the parking lot, Josh wondered why it was so important to Christina to find Ann Mitchell. He hadn't asked Christina, knew that it was none of his business. He'd been hired to find Ann, nothing more. And yet, he wanted to make everything about her his business. In the brief time he'd known her, she'd captivated his heart. Something about her touched him as no woman had ever done before.
As they walked toward the entrance of the museum she practically vibrated with nervous energy. On impulse, he reached out and grabbed her hand in his. "I'm ninety-nine percent sure this is the woman you're looking for, but if for some reason I'm mistaken, I won't give up until I find the right one."
She smiled gratefully, her eyes once again a curious mix of blue and green that instantly evoked thoughts of the mysterious, mythical mermaid he thought he'd seen almost a week before.
"I know this is the right Ann. I feel it in my bones. She's the right age and my aunt said she would be doing something to educate people about aquatic life. I know this is the woman I'm looking for."
They entered the museum by the front door. Aquariums of all shapes and sizes filled the walls, displaying a variety of fish and sea creatures.
"Good afternoon." A young man greeted them with a friendly smile.
Josh nodded as Christina murmured a hello. "We're here to see Ann Mitchell. Is she available?" Christina asked.
The young man's smile instantly left his face and was replaced by a look of sadness. "Are you a friend of hers?"
"No... but I need to speak with her," Christina replied. Josh could hear the desperation in her voice and as he looked at the young man's expression, a bad feeling welled up inside of him.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," he said. "Ms. Mitchell passed away a couple of weeks ago."
"No..." the word whispered from Christina like a pain-filled sigh as she stumbled backward. She looked positively stricken. Josh reached out to steady her, but before he could grab her she whirled around and ran out of the museum.

Chapter Fifteen

She ran blindly... out of the museum and down the beach, tears burning as they cascaded from her eyes. Dead. Ann Mitchell was dead and could no longer rescind the curse. She hadn't realized how much she'd believed that she would find Ann and make everything all right until this moment, when any hope of doing so was lost.
"Christina!"
She stopped running as she heard Josh's frantic cry coming from someplace behind her. In an instant he had her wrapped in his arms and she leaned weakly into him, sobbing in despair.
"Talk to me, Christina," he said as his hands rubbed her back, stroked her hair in an effort to soothe. "Tell me why you're crying."
She shook her head, knowing that what he asked was impossible. She couldn't tell him about the curse without telling him what she was.
"Please... just take me home," she finally managed to say.
He kept his arm around her as they walked back to his car. Neither of them spoke as he pulled away from the museum and got back on the freeway that would carry them back to Seaside Landing.
Christina was numb...in shock from the realization that Ann was dead and there was no way to get the curse lifted. She would never be able to fall in love with a man, marry, and live a life of normalcy on the land she'd come to love as much as the sea.
She looked at Josh and the ache that filled her seemed all encompassing, too huge to bear. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back and tried to ignore the pain of dashed hope.
Josh turned on the radio and the easy-listening soft rock soothed her a bit. For nearly an hour they drove in silence, the only sound the music that filled the car.
She finally opened her eyes and gazed at him. As if he felt her gaze he turned his head and smiled at her. "You okay?"
"I guess," she replied softly, aware that he was more than a little bit curious.
"Want to talk about it?"
She hesitated a moment, knowing there was no way she could tell him the truth and yet feeling as if she owed him some sort of an explanation.
"I needed to talk to Ann, I needed to ask her some questions about my mother," she said, hoping that would be enough to satisfy his curiosity.
"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes caressing her with a warmth that both comforted and disturbed her.
She looked away from him and focused her attention out the window. Soon they would be home and she would leave Seaside Landing and return to her life in L.A.
She knew at that moment that she must never see Josh again. If she wanted to continue to maintain a life shared between the water and the land, then she would have to make certain she never got close to any mortal man... especially the one seated next to her.

Chapter Sixteen

They were less than a mile from her father's house and a feeling of dread pressed heavily in Josh's chest. His official reason for being with Christina was over. He'd found Ann Mitchell and even though the outcome hadn't been what Christina had wanted, his job was finished.
However, he didn't want to be through with her. He didn't want to just let her walk out of his life...out of his heart.
He was just about to reach out and turn off the radio when she began to hum with the tune playing. He froze and a second later he heard the sound of her softly singing. He knew the voice. In the past week that sweet, clear voice had haunted his dreams.
He careened the car off to the side of the road and braked hard. She gasped in surprise as he threw the car into park, then turned to stare at her. "It was you."
She licked her lips and he could see a pulse throbbing wildly in the base of her throat. "What was me?"
"That night... the night before you came into my office. I saw you on the beach. I saw you on the rocks." It was crazy... it was insane. What he'd seen had been a mermaid and mermaids didn't exist. Yet he couldn't deny what he'd seen.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.
He heard the lie in her voice, saw it in the way her eyes shifted from left to right, focusing on anything but him. He reached out and gripped her hand. "Christina, look at me."
Her eyes were huge, filled with emotions he couldn't begin to guess. "Please..." she murmured, her beautiful eyes filling with tears. "Please, don't." She wrenched his hand from his grip, unbuckled her seat belt and flew out of the car.
Josh quickly followed after her, running down the sandy beach toward the shoreline, his heart thudding wildly in his chest. He caught up with her at the water's edge, where she'd stopped, attempting to catch her breath.
"Christina... talk to me," he said gently. "You should know I would never do anything to hurt you."
She turned to face him and he wondered how he'd ever thought her eyes were blue. At the moment they were as green and mysterious as the water that lapped near their feet.
He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, felt the trembling beneath her warm skin. "Tell me it was you I saw that night, tell me I'm not crazy."
"Josh... I..."
He pulled her closer... closer still, until he could feel the frantic beat of her heart against his own. "You have to trust me, Christina. I promise I would never do anything to hurt you. I couldn't... because I'm in love with you."
Without giving her an opportunity to reply, he did what he'd wanted to do all day long. He captured her lips with his, hoping that in his kiss she would taste the depth of his love for her.

Chapter Seventeen

Christina knew the last thing she should be doing was kissing Josh, but she told herself this kiss was a gift to herself...the last kiss she would ever share with him.
As his lips possessed hers, tears slipped from her eyes as she realized this was a pleasure she would never again experience.
His arms tightened around her. How easy it would be to lose herself in him, how much she wanted to do just that. At this thought, she gasped and stumbled back away from him. She recognized that remaining in his arms, tasting the sweet heat of his kiss for another second was dangerous.
"Christina." His voice was filled with a plea.
"Forget what you saw on the beach that night," she finally said.
"But, I saw you.... You were a... a..."
"Josh, please," she interrupted. How could she trust him with the secret she'd been taught from birth to protect? And yet, as she looked into his caring blue eyes, how could she not trust him?
He reached out and took her hands in his. "I'm not crazy, am I? I saw what I saw." His eyes beseeched her for the truth and she realized she couldn't deny him that.
"No, you aren't crazy," she whispered.
He squeezed her hands, his expression one of wonder. She pulled her hands from his, afraid of the warmth he evoked in her. She turned and faced the ocean, her back to him. "Go home, Josh. Go home and forget what you saw on the beach that night, forget you met me."
"I can't do that. I'm in love with you."
His words shot a combination of joy and horror through her. "Don't love me. Please, just leave me alone." With tears once again filling her eyes, she turned and ran, ignoring his cries for her to stop.
He loved her. Josh loved her. That night as she slipped into the ocean for one last swim before returning to L.A. the next day, her head, her heart, was filled with the knowledge that Josh loved her.
Of course she didn't love him, she told herself as she swam beneath the surface of the water. He had been a pleasant diversion, a wonderful companion, but nothing more.
Swimming for the shore, she looked at his house in the distance. He loved her, but she couldn't love him.
She had to leave in the morning, she needed to put as much distance between herself and Josh as possible. She pulled herself up on the land and waited for the transformation back to human form to take place.
As she waited, her thoughts remained on Josh...Josh, whose kisses had filled her with fire, whose strong arms had made her feel safe. She frowned, realizing enough time had passed to make the transformation, but nothing had happened. Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes. Too many minutes and still she had no legs. Horror swept over her.
She'd told herself she didn't love Josh, but the curse knew what was in her heart. She loved Josh Sinclair and with that love in her heart, the curse had befallen her.

Chapter Eighteen

Josh dreamed of drowning and woke up gasping for air. He was on one of his deck chairs. The night sky overhead was angry. Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder rumbled.
As sleep fell away, Christina came to his mind. He was in love with a mermaid. His mind couldn't quite wrap around it. And yet, it didn't matter to him what she was... all that mattered was that he loved her and for the past two days he'd been unable to locate her.
He'd gone to her father's house and had been told by her aunt that she had gone back to L.A., but her apartment building manager had told him that she hadn't returned there. He'd gone back to her house and Zelda had told him to go home and forget about Christina. As she'd spoken, her gaze had gone to the ocean.
Since that time, he'd been sitting on his deck, watching for any sign of the woman he loved. In Zelda's glance to the sea and deep in his gut, Josh believed Christina was out there somewhere. He couldn't believe she would stay away from him.
He wasn't sure what had made her run from him, but he was certain that it had been love he'd tasted in her kiss, seen in her eyes. And so, he'd been watching the sea... hoping, praying that she'd return to land.
As the storm grew closer, the wind picked up. He was just about to give up for the night when, in the glare of a lightning flash, he watched a dolphin jump amid the waves, and next to the dolphin he saw Christina.
He was up and on the beach in a flash. "Christina!" he cried into the wind that frothed the waves at his feet. Frantically he searched the water, seeking any sign of the woman who owned his heart. "Christina!" he yelled again.
His heart beat frantically as he spied her in the distance. Her hair was wet, slicked back from her beautiful face but as the thunder roared overhead and lightning flashed in the sky, their gazes met and held.
For a moment neither of them moved, then she raised a hand and pointed to a wooden pier in the distance. She met him there, at the end of the dock. As she looked up at him from the water in her sea green eyes he saw love for him radiating there and it swelled inside him.
"I told you to forget me." She yelled to be heard above the storm.
"I can't. I love you." He backed away from the edge of the dock as the waves leaped up to splash his feet.
"There's no future with me, Josh." Her expression held an agony that ripped through him. "Forget me."
Before he could reply, she slipped beneath the surface of the water and disappeared from sight. "No! Christina!" He stared at the angry water, fear welling up in his throat as if to suffocate him.
He'd lost one woman to the sea. He couldn't lose another. Drawing a deep breath, he dove into the raging waters below.

Chapter Nineteen

Christina felt Josh's presence the moment he entered the water. Fear for his safety washed over her. Even the strongest of swimmers would find it difficult to survive in these storm-tossed seas.
She knew his fear, and the fact that he'd entered the water for her filled her with overwhelming love and an equally overwhelming sense of despair.
With a powerful thrust of her tail, she swam to where he was desperately working to keep his head above the waves. "Go back to the pier, Josh," she cried.
"Not without you. We have to talk." He disappeared as a wave swept over his head.
"Josh," she screamed, then sobbed in relief as he once again appeared. He already knew she was a mermaid. He deserved to know the rest of the story. He deserved to know so he could go on with his life without her.
She grabbed one of his hands and together they swam toward the pier. He pulled himself up on shore beneath the wooden structure, as did she.
Sheltered from the passing storm, she watched his gaze sweep the length of her, lingering on her tail.
"You are so beautiful," he said. "Both like this and in human form." He reached out as if to draw her into his arms, but she pushed him away, unable to bear being held by him knowing there was no hope for any future for the two of them.
In halting words, with a breaking heart, she told him of the island beneath the sea where she'd been born. Pacifica existed in an air bubble where mers were safe both on land and in the sea. It was there she would now live out the remainder of her life. Then she told him of the curse.
When she'd finished, he took her hands in his. "And so you can no longer walk on the land because you're in love with me?"
She nodded, tears tumbling down her cheeks. "I wanted to find Ann to see if she would lift the curse."
"But she's dead," he said flatly. His features radiated anger and a fierce determination. "There must be something we can do. I can't lose you. I won't lose you!" His voice railed above the fading thunder as he pulled her into his arms.
He wanted to rage at the heavens, curse the fates for bringing love back into his life then cruelly snatching it away.
"There must be something we can do," he repeated fervently.
"There is nothing," she replied, her voice utterly void of hope.
He thought of his fear of the water, the nightmares of drowning that had plagued him. Then he thought of his life without her. "There is one thing you could do," he said.
"What?" For the first time a spark of hope flickered in her eyes.
"Take me to Pacifica."

Chapter Twenty

Christina thought she couldn't love him any more than she already did, but as he spoke those words and she recognized the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make, her heart filled with joy. But the joy was short-lived.
"Josh, even if I take you to Pacifica with me, we still couldn't be a couple. I will always be a sea creature and you will always be a land creature. We will never have children... we can never make love."
He hesitated only a moment. "I don't care. I just want to be with you."
Again love swelled inside her, a love that ached with a pain she'd never known before. "I can't take you with me, Josh. I won't." She wouldn't subject him to a half life with her. He deserved to have a woman, a real woman that he could hold in his arms, cuddle with in bed, make love to in the dark of night.
His eyes darkened with pain and this time when he took her into his arms, she allowed herself to be held tight against his beating heart. "I love you, Christina."
"And I love you." Their lips met in a searing kiss that spoke of their desire, their intense love. As the kiss lingered, Christina felt a familiar tingling in her lower extremities.
"Kiss me again, Josh," she exclaimed when he started to break the kiss. He captured her lips once again and as his tongue swirled with hers, she realized the transformation was taking place. She broke the kiss with a gasp of excitement.
"Josh... look." She pointed down her body, where her tail had transformed into legs. His eyes reflected her own sense of confusion mingled with joy.
There beneath the pier, he stood and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "The curse has been broken." Awe filled his voice as he cupped her face with his hands.
"I... I don't understand it. Maybe the curse couldn't sustain itself because of Ann's death."
His beautiful blue eyes caressed her and he smiled. "I prefer to think that like all wonderful fairy tales, the pure power of love overwhelmed the power of hate — the power of the curse."
She smiled at him. "I definitely like your version better than mine."
"Then marry me," he said. "Marry me and be my wife, teach me about Pacifica and share my life with me."
"Yes, oh yes," she replied. Once again their lips met in a kiss that sealed their future. They might never know what really caused the curse to be broken, but the fact that she had two legs to walk upon assured her that, indeed, she was no longer under the spell of the dreadful curse.
Together they walked out from beneath the pier to see that the storm had passed and brilliant stars filled the velvet night skies overhead. To Christina, the beauty felt like a promise of her future with Josh and as he took her in his arms once again, she realized it didn't matter if she were on land or in the sea. As long as Josh was by her side, she was home.
 

The End

Catch of the Day
 

by

Carla Cassidy

---

Chapter One
 

The sand beneath Josh Sinclair still retained the heat of the day and he stretched out against the warmth and closed his eyes. The rhythmic sound of surf to sand soothed and the brine-scented air filled his senses.
Tragedy had driven him from this beach house over a year ago, but now as he sat up to watch the sun slowly sinking over the azure ocean, he wondered how he'd ever managed to stay away for so long.
He would never again venture into the waters that had taken his heart, his soul, but he had finally found the peace to be able to enjoy the majestic sight of the ocean without thinking of loss.
It had been a year ago that he'd lost his wife in a boating accident, a year of pain, loneliness, and regrets. Finally, he felt ready to put the past behind him and move on with his life.
Drawing a deep, cleansing breath, he once again stretched out on his back and closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lulled by the sensory pleasure of the beach at dusk.
The singing woke him. The sweet, clear, feminine voice rang above the sound of the surf, caressing the notes of a familiar country and western song about lonely nights and rainy days.
He sat up, groggy, but intrigued, drawn to the sweet siren song that rode the evening breeze. This stretch of beach was fairly isolated. The nearest house belonged to an older man who he rarely saw outside. Was it possible that in the year he'd been away Walt Cooper had left and a woman with the voice of an angel had moved in?
Trying to find the source of the voice, he stood and looked around. It seemed to be coming from a rocky outcropping nearby.
A bit unsteady on his feet from the deep sleep he'd been in, he took several steps around a large boulder at the water's edge, then stopped in his tracks.
She was there…perched on the rocks. Her long hair shone like fool's gold in the waning sunlight. She had her eyes closed, her face raised to the setting sun as she sang.
He couldn't see all of her, but he could see enough to realize that it appeared she was naked, her bare breasts hidden by the glorious length of her hair that spilled over her shoulders.
"Hello?" he called out.
Her head snapped around and her eyes flew open. The greenest eyes he'd ever seen stared at him in stunned surprise. She turned away from him and in an instant he knew she intended to flee.
"Wait!" he said, wanting to tell her how much he'd enjoyed the sound of her voice, wanting to find out who she was, where she'd come from.
She didn't wait. She dove into the water, but not before Josh saw the green iridescent shine of scales and the perfectly formed tail where legs should be.
He stared at the water where she'd disappeared. Was he still asleep on the beach and in the middle of a dream? Or had he just seen a real, living, breathing beautiful mermaid?
Do you believe in mermaids?

Chapter Two

He'd seen her! Christina thought, trying not to panic.
She dove deep... deep... deeper still, frantic as she thought of that moment when she'd opened her eyes and had seen the handsome man standing so near.
Her father had told her the man who owned the house next to his was no longer in residence, that she would be safe on the stretch of isolated beach.
She had spent her entire life being so careful, knowing the dangers of ever letting a human see her in her natural state. She had grown up knowing the importance of keeping her existence, and that of others like her, a myth to the land world above the sea.
She swam for miles, joined by a friendly dolphin that circled and danced around her as if pleased by her company.
Everywhere she looked, beauty greeted her. She loved the underwater world, but she'd also come to love the land world as well.
Although she'd been encouraged to spend her life in the sea, for the past several years she had been spending more and more time on land, fascinated and drawn to the complexities and drama of human life.
She should have been more careful. She never should have taken the chance of being seen. She could only hope the man on the beach had been a vagrant...hopefully an inebriated vagrant who wouldn't remember what he'd seen when he sobered up.
She circled back to the area of beach in front of her father's house. This time before leaving the water, she looked around, making sure nobody else was anywhere in sight.
With a thrust of her powerful tail, she pulled herself up on the sandy shore and waited impatiently for her transformation from mermaid to woman. It usually took five minutes or so for her tail to change into legs.
As she waited, she thought of the man she had seen. Vagrant or not, he'd definitely been a hunk. He'd been tall, at least six feet. His tanned chest had been broad, with well-defined muscles and jean shorts that had ridden low on his lean hips. Unruly dark hair had complemented his chiseled facial features.
She expelled a deep sigh of longing. Someday she would find a man like that...a man who physically made her weak in the knees, a man who was kind and good and loved her with all his heart and soul. Loved her for everything she was.
However, at the moment finding love with the perfect man was not only totally out of the question, but would also prove to be absolutely devastating.
It was that fact that had brought her back here to the small coastal town of Seaside Landing from her home in Los Angeles. Her father had called her a week after finding a letter her mother had written many years ago before her death, a letter filled with a heart-wrenching warning for the daughter she loved.

Chapter Three

Sinclair Private Investigation Inc. The black lettering filled the window of the strip mall store. Christina Cooper stared at the lettering for a long moment... hoping... praying whomever worked here would be able to help her.
Drawing a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside. A bell tinkled, announcing her arrival, but there was nobody seated at the reception desk.
"Come on in," a deep male voice called from somewhere in the back.
Christina spied the doorway that apparently led into a back room where the voice had come from. She walked through the doorway and into a private office where a man stood behind a wooden desk arranging the items on bookshelves.
He turned and she froze. She recognized him instantly and her heart crashed nervously against her rib cage. He was the man from last night on the beach...the man who had seen her in her natural state.
She didn't know whether to speak or turn and run.
"Hi." He leaned across the desk and extended a hand to her. "Josh Sinclair. Can I help you?" No recognition flickered in the depths of his gorgeous blue eyes and she felt herself relax a bit.
"Hi, I'm Christina Cooper."
His hand was warm and strong around hers. He released it then gestured her into the chair opposite the desk. "What can I do for you, Christina Cooper?"
She sat and tried to ignore how handsome he was. In the brief moment she'd seen him the night before, she'd been instantly struck by his masculine appeal, and that appeal was just as potent this morning. She felt it like an electric coil of heat in the pit of her stomach.
Even with a suit jacket on, it was impossible to ignore the width of his shoulders and his dark, slightly unruly hair was a perfect foil for the bright blue of his eyes. But, she wasn't here to admire the physical attributes Josh Sinclair had to offer; she desperately needed his professional services.
"I would like to hire you to find somebody for me," she said.
"Let me guess, an old flame that you've discovered you can't live without?" He flashed her a smile that increased the warmth inside her tummy.
She was surprised to feel her cheeks warm with a blush. "No, it's nothing like that," she protested and tried to formulate exactly what she intended to tell him.
It would be so easy if she could just tell him the truth.
Mr. Sinclair, I'm a mermaid. I've been cursed by a sea witch and I need you to find the witch so I can convince her to release me from the curse that will keep me from finding my true love.
No, that wouldn't do at all, Christina thought.

Chapter Four

"So, who is it you want me to find for you?" Josh leaned back in his chair and studied the woman across from him. She was definitely a looker. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bun, exposing her long graceful neck and emphasizing her delicate features. Her eyes were blue, matching the dress that she wore.
It had been a long time since Josh had felt the stir of attraction for any woman, but something about this woman made him think of hot kisses and slow caresses, of tangled sheets and summer breezes.
"I need to find a woman," she said. "Her name is Ann Mitchell. She used to live here in Seaside Landing, but moved away several years ago."
"Before you tell me about her, I need you to fill out some paperwork," Josh replied. He pulled several forms from his desk drawer and leaned over the desk to hand them to her. As she reached out to take them from him, the scent of her washed over him. It was the scent of sunshine and sweet wildflowers and so utterly feminine that he felt a heady tension well up inside him. Stay focused, he admonished himself. You're a professional PI for God's sake. Act like one. He cleared his throat and handed her a pen. "Just fill those out, then we can discuss exactly what you want me to do for you."
He watched as she filled out the client forms. Despite his desire to keep their relationship professional, he had to admit that his gut reaction to Christina Cooper was a definite sign that his wounds had healed and he was finally ready to face the rest of his life without Nancy.
She finished with the forms and handed them back to him. He gazed at them, then shot her a look of surprise. "It appears we're neighbors."
He thought of what he'd believed he'd seen last night on the beach and looked at her more closely. Her hair was the same color, but her eyes weren't. Besides, he'd already decided that he was half-asleep when he'd spied the singing mermaid and the vision had simply been a crazy image from his dreams, the fanciful imaginings of a lonely man.
"Actually, that's my parent's address. I…uh…arrived there this morning from my home in Los Angeles." Her gaze didn't quite meet his and for some reason his gut told him she was lying. But why would she lie about something as innocuous as when she had arrived in town?
"Why don't you tell me about this woman you'd like me to find for you?" he said. He would do his best to help her find Ann Mitchell, but at the same time he intended to do a little background check into Christina Cooper. The woman had mystery written all over her and there was nothing Josh liked better than unraveling a good mystery.
 

Chapter Five

"There has to be a picture of Ann in here," Christina said as she pulled a box out of the closet. "Josh said he'd like to have a picture of her…even if it's old." She looked at her aunt Zelda, who sat on the sofa. Zelda had arrived at Christina's father's home the day before for one of her regular land visits.
"I'll be surprised if you find one. When your mother and Ann had their fight, your mother ripped up every photo she had of Ann."
Christina sat down on the floor and opened the box, then looked at her aunt. When Christina's mother had died when she was five, it had been Zelda Pritchard who had raised the motherless mermaid. She'd been a loving surrogate mother who had encouraged Christina to live her life entirely in the water. Now Christina understood her aunt's desire to keep her off land.
"You're mad at me," Zelda said, sadness radiating from her green eyes.
"No," Christina protested and smiled. "You know I've never been able to stay angry with you. But you should have told me about the curse."
"You're right," Zelda agreed. "But I thought I could convince you to stay in the ocean, to live your life as a mer and marry another mer. As long as you did, the curse had no power to hurt you." Zelda sighed. "But in this past couple of years you've become so enamored of humans."
Christina grinned, knowing her aunt much preferred mer people to humans. "You're a snob at heart when it comes to the human race."
Zelda grinned. "Perhaps." Her smile faded. "I'm still sorry that I didn't tell you rather than having your father read it in an old letter and contact you."
Christina got up, then sat next to her aunt. "Why did Ann curse me? What did she and my mother fight about?"
"It all happened a long time ago, before you were born. Ann was always jealous of your mother. Ann fancied herself in love with your father when your mother began to date him. Even after they married, I think she hoped to break them apart. When she realized your parents were happy and your mother was pregnant, she became enraged."
"And so to hurt my mother she cursed me in a way that would hurt me most…with a curse of the heart," Christina said.
"Only if you fall in love with a human man," Zelda reminded her. "You know what they say, pearls are the teardrops of mermaids who have fallen in love with mortal men."
"I don't care," Christina replied. "It should be my choice who I fall in love with. My decision shouldn't be guided by the curse of a sea witch."
"But, if you don't find Ann, then you must choose wisely or you'll be forever bound to the sea and unable to ever again walk on the land."
"I know," Christina replied.
In recent years, her father had embraced land life and rarely ventured into the sea. Christina's younger sister had done the same, marrying a mortal and having a family.
If Christina made the mistake of falling in love with a mortal before the curse was broken, she would not only lose her ability to live on the land, but she would also eventually lose touch with those she cared about.
She stood and returned to the box, trying not to think of the curse that now hung heavily over her head… her heart.
 

Chapter Six

Josh sat on his deck facing the ocean. The sun hadn't yet sunk below the horizon, but was a ball of fire suspended in midair.
He'd eaten his dinner and had intended to do some paperwork inside, but the ocean had called and so he sat staring at it, as if in anticipation.
It had been about this time yesterday evening that he'd thought he'd seen a mermaid. All day long he'd told himself he was crazy…dreaming…that what he'd thought he'd seen hadn't really been there. So, what was he doing out on his deck watching the water for any sign of a golden haired, green-eyed singing mermaid?
He sat up in his chair as he saw a female figure in the distance. It wasn't a mermaid, but it was Christina Cooper. He recognized the golden shine of her hair and the lush curves that had captured his attention earlier in the day.
She walked along the shore and appeared to be deep in thought. He hadn't done anything that day to check into her background or start the search for Ann Mitchell. After a year's absence from his job, he'd spent most of the day updating files.
Suddenly he wanted to be on the beach, too. He got up and hurried down the stairs that led to the sand. It took him only moments to catch up to her.
"Mr. Sinclair," she said in greeting.
"Ms. Cooper," he replied, "and please, make it Josh."
She smiled and a flame flickered to life inside him at her beauty. "Then, by all means call me Christina."
"Mind if I walk a little bit with you, Christina?"
"Not at all. It's lovely out here this time of evening. Do you swim, Josh?"
Josh looked at the ocean, able to admire the beauty, but unable to ignore the fear it now inspired inside him. "No, I don't swim. I lost my wife in a boating accident fourteen months ago and I haven't been back in the water since." He didn't tell her that for months he'd dreamed of drowning, of being pulled beneath the surface of the water and unable to draw breath. He knew the dreams were in part due to the guilt he'd felt that he hadn't been with Nancy on the boat when the accident occurred.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She reached out and touched his arm. His skin tingled pleasantly at the comforting touch and he was disappointed when she quickly pulled her hand away.
"So, what do you do back in L.A.?" he asked as they walked slowly through the sand.
"I work at a place called The Edge. It's a popular nightclub."
"Are you a waitress?" he asked.
She shrugged and looked away from him. "I do a little of this, a little of that."
The answer sounded evasive and Josh made a mental note to do some checking into Christina Cooper first thing in the morning. He didn't know why, but for some reason he had to know more about her.
She smiled at him and for just a moment he thought her eyes appeared more green than blue.

Chapter Seven

"How long have you been a private investigator?" Christina asked as they continued to walk at a leisurely pace. The sun had begun to sink, painting the sky in pink and purple hues.
"I opened the doors seven years ago when I was twenty-one."
"I wouldn't think there would be too much business in a town the size of Seaside Landing," Christina observed. She wished she couldn't smell him, a clean male scent that not only stirred her on a physical level but sent her thoughts swirling as well.
He grinned, a sexy smile that sent her pulse racing. "You'd be surprised how much goes on in a small town. I recently took a year's absence and am just now getting back to working full-time."
"By the way, I found a picture of Ann, although it's quite old."
"Good. Why don't you drop it by my office sometime tomorrow?" he suggested. She nodded. "So, is there a prospective Mr. Cooper in the picture?" he asked.
"Not at all," she said. "The last thing I'd want to do at this time in my life is fall in love."
"Why is that?" Those beautiful blue eyes of his gazed at her curiously.
She frowned, sorry she'd even brought it up. "Let's just say it's a long story."
Josh's gaze held hers intently. "I don't have anything else on my agenda for the night."
She forced a burst of light laughter. "Trust me, you'd find it all very boring. Let's just say I'm not in the market for a relationship at the moment."
"I was a confirmed bachelor until I married my wife. She showed me how special it is to share your life with somebody," he said.
"You must miss her very much."
"I do." He paused for a moment. "But she wouldn't have wanted me to grieve forever."
They walked until the sun had disappeared and the moon caressed the waves with silvery fingers of light. They spoke of inconsequential things, the weather, new movies, favorite foods.
Christina enjoyed his company. He was witty and sexy and obviously passionate about many things. He spoke briefly about his wife and it was obvious he'd loved her very much. Surely a man who'd loved deeply once could do so again…Christina banished the thought almost as soon as it crossed her mind.
Christina hoped that when she fell in love it would be with a man like Josh. But, she didn't dare entertain any feelings of love for any man until she found Ann Mitchell and managed to get the curse lifted.
Of course, she wasn't worried about having any feelings for Josh Sinclair despite the fact that he was charming and sexy. He was simply a man she'd hired, a man who hated the water. All she wanted from him was to find the sea witch who had cursed her so that someday she might love and live happily-ever-after.

Chapter Eight

Christina arrived at the office just before noon with the picture of Ann Mitchell. To Josh, she seemed to fill the stark interior of his office with life and breath and color. It surprised him how pleased he was to see her.
"I was just about to head out for some lunch," he said after she'd given him the photo. "Why don't you join me?" He saw her hesitation. "There's a new little Mexican restaurant down the street that I thought I'd try." He remembered her telling him the night before that Mexican food was her favorite.
"All right," she agreed and pleasure washed over him.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a table in the dimly lit restaurant and Josh told her what his cursory morning search had yielded. "I did a general search this morning on the Internet for Ann Mitchell."
"Did you find her?" Christina asked eagerly, her lovely eyes glittering with the light of the candle that flickered in the center of their table.
"I found several Ann Mitchells in coastal towns along the West Coast, but what I need from you is more information." Again today Christina's hair was confined and neatly coiled around her head. Josh's fingers itched to release it from its confines, to wrap his fingers in the strands that he knew would be so soft and silky.
"What kind of information?" she asked.
"You told me her approximate age, but it would help if you could tell me what kinds of things she likes to do, what sort of interests she has, what organizations she might belong to."
What he really wanted to know was how Christina's lips would taste. If she would utter sweet little sighs and breathless moans as she made love. But first, he wanted to know more about her.
His research on her background had yielded more questions than answers. He now knew exactly where she lived in L.A. but the super of her apartment building had indicated that she was often gone for weeks...months at a time.
She looked at him helplessly. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't personally know Ann. She was an acquaintance of my mother's."
"Can you ask your mother?"
"My mom died when I was five." Her eyes darkened.
"I'm so sorry," Josh said. So, they had both suffered the loss of a loved one.
"But I was lucky. I was raised by a loving aunt. She knew Ann years ago. Maybe she'll know something that can help us."
"And you're positive she would be living in a coastal community?"
"Positive. She needs to be near the water."
An odd choice of words, Josh thought. Most people would say she likes the water, or enjoys the beach, not she needs the water.
Christina reached across the table and took his hand. In her grip he felt an urgency. "You must find her," she said, her eyes burning with intensity. "Please. My entire future depends on you finding her."

Chapter Nine

Christina withdrew her hand from his, aware that she'd startled him with her fervor. How could she explain to Josh the need to find Ann without telling him who...what she was?
Every mermaid who was ever born knew the danger of exposing themselves to humans. The implication of capture and exploitation was enormous.
She was grateful that at that moment the waitress arrived with their meals. "So, what happens now that you've found several Ann Mitchells?" she asked as they began to eat.
"I'll weed out the ones that are too young or too old, then attempt to contact each one and see if she's originally from Seaside Landing. It's possible I'll need to take a road trip and make person-to-person contact."
"If you do need to make a road trip, would it be possible for me to come with you?"
Again he looked at her in surprise. "Sure." A warm smile curved his lips. "In fact, I'd enjoy your company." He picked up his fork, then looked at her once again. "I've spent too much time in my own company lately."
"It must be hard coping with the death of a loved one," she said softly.
"The first couple of months after Nancy's death were the hardest." The blue of his eyes darkened. "I felt so guilty."
"Guilty? Why?"
"I was supposed to be with her that day. Friends of ours had invited us to spend the day on their boat, but that morning I woke up with the flu and ended up staying home. Late afternoon a storm blew up and I learned later that the boat capsized. Apparently Nancy hit her head and was unconscious when she went into the water."
He paused to take a sip of his soda and her heart ached for him. He set his glass down and continued. "Anyway, for months I kept thinking if only I'd gone with them I might have been able to save her. But I managed to get past the guilt. What nobody tells you about is the loneliness that's left behind."
"You must have loved her very much."
He smiled, a soft smile that Christina found far too appealing. "I did, and there will always be a part of me that continues to love her. But Nancy would have wanted me to go on, to find a new relationship." Without warning he reached out and swiped a finger at the corner of her mouth. "Enchilada sauce," he said.
She laughed with embarrassment and quickly used her napkin to wipe her mouth. Her laughter died, replaced by a sudden sweeping fear. She'd liked the feel of Josh's finger against her skin. In fact, she liked him... a lot. So much it was dangerous…

Chapter Ten

She'd been avoiding him. For the past three days Josh hadn't seen Christina, although he'd spoken to her several times on the phone. Twice he'd called her with questions that he needed answered to aid him in his search. The third time he called her it was to ask her to join him for dinner. She'd declined.
He'd been surprised by the depth of his disappointment. He liked her and wanted to spend more time with her. It wasn't just her beauty that drew him. He was also drawn by the gentle spirit he sensed inside her, the sense of humor she'd displayed on occasion, and the hint of passion that sometimes sparked in her eyes.
It was after midnight and still sleep remained elusive to him as his head whirled with thoughts of Christina. Finally, giving up trying to sleep, he got out of bed and moved to the window to stare out at the ocean.
He'd never been a fan of the water but since Nancy's death his dislike had become a living, breathing fear inside him. Of course, the drowning nightmares he suffered didn't help.
He was just about to turn away from the window when he saw movement on the beach below. Christina. What was she doing out there in the middle of the night?
Maybe she was suffering from insomnia, too, he thought as he quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and left his house by the back door.
He raced down the beach to the area where he'd seen her from his window, but she wasn't there. The moon was bright overhead, illuminating the beach with a silvery light. For a moment he wondered if he'd imagined her presence.
Then he spied her on the rocky outcropping, in the exact same place he'd thought he'd seen a magical, mythical creature nights before.
Although he knew it was crazy, his gaze shot first to her lower half. Legs. She had long, shapely, gorgeous legs. He inwardly scoffed at himself. Of course she had legs. What was he expecting? A tail?
It was obvious she'd been swimming — her long hair was loose and wet and she was clad in a skimpy two-piece bathing suit that confirmed the curves that full clothing had merely suggested.
She didn't appear to be aware of his presence and for a moment he simply stood and stared at her, drinking in her moon-kissed beauty. "Hi," he finally said.
She jumped off the rock, stark terror shining from her eyes as she looked at him. "What are you doing here?" She tensed, as if prepared to run.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"Have you been watching me? How long have you been there?"
Josh stared at her curiously, wondering why on earth she looked so afraid and why he got the feeling she was definitely hiding something.

Chapter Eleven

Had he seen her? Panic swept through Christina. She'd waited until the middle of the night to enjoy an hour of her underwater world. She shouldn't have taken the chance knowing that Josh lived nearby.
"How long have you been out here?" she asked.
"Only a minute or two," he replied, his gaze focused intently on her. "Why?"
She relaxed as she realized he hadn't seen her as a mer, that he'd seen her only after she'd returned to human form. "I thought I was alone."
"If you want to be alone, I'll leave," he offered.
"No, you don't have to." She wrapped her towel around her waist and once again sat back down on the rocks. Her pulse accelerated as he joined her, sitting so close she could smell the scent of him, feel his body heat.
It had been thoughts of this man that had kept sleep elusive and had made her decide to chance a midnight swim. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked him.
"I must have known you'd be out here and that's why I couldn't sleep," he replied. In the glow of the moonlight his eyes held a teasing glint. The glint faded as he continued to gaze at her. "Isn't it dangerous for you to be out here swimming alone in the middle of the night?"
"Not really," she replied. "I'm a strong swimmer and the ocean doesn't frighten me." He looked out at the waves and when he looked back at her his eyes were dark as night skies.
"I'm so sorry that you lost her," she said, believing that he must be thinking of his wife.
"Thanks, but I was thinking about how sorry I'd be if something happened to you."
His words created a spark of heat inside her and before she could anticipate his intent, he leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
His mouth plied hers with a heat that nearly stole her breath away and even though she knew she should pull away, she didn't.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss by swirling his tongue against hers. She felt naked in his arms, with only her skimpy bathing suit top separating his chest from her breasts. His strong arms made her feel safe and warm.
In the back of her mind a warning went off. She ignored it. She was twenty-five years old. She had certainly kissed men before and had held on to her heart. Surely she could kiss Josh and spend time in his company and not risk Ann's curse.
He broke the kiss and smiled at her, his eyes lit with flames that ignited a responding fire inside her. "That's the nicest thing I've done in over a year," he whispered and stroked a finger down her cheek. "And I wouldn't mind repeating the pleasure another hundred times or so."
Again warning buzzed in Christina's head. This time she heeded it and moved away from him. She, too, wouldn't mind repeating the pleasure of kissing him again…. And the thought of what that meant terrified her.

Chapter Twelve

"What are your plans for the day?" Zelda asked. It was early morning and she sat at the table in Christina 's father's house. The three of them had shared a cup of coffee before Christina's father had wandered outside to work in his garden.
"Josh and I are driving up the coast to a little town called Coral Heights. He's certain Ann is there."
Zelda raised an eyebrow. "I saw you on the beach night before last with that man. The two of you were kissing."
Christina felt her cheeks warm with a blush. "I'm over twenty-one."
"And playing a dangerous game," Zelda said.
"What are you talking about?" Christina poured herself another cup of coffee.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Spending time with that man, kissing him.... What do you think will happen if you lose your heart to him? You will never again have legs to walk on the land. You will be forever banished to the sea and your tears will litter the ocean floor. Is that what you want to happen?"
"Of course not, and I don't intend for that to happen," Christina retorted. "I'm in control and I don't intend to lose my heart to Josh."
"Foolish words. When it comes to love, nobody is in control."
"But I like him, Aunt Zelda," Christina said softly. "And besides, I have to go with him today. If he finds Ann, she won't reveal herself to him. I have to be there to talk to her, to plead with her to lift the curse." She returned to the table and sat next to her aunt.
Zelda reached out and grabbed her hand in a tight grasp. "I'm afraid for you. I have a bad feeling about this. Hearts are fickle things, and love can happen in the blink of an eye."
"I just can't allow that to happen," Christina replied. She leaned forward and kissed her aunt's forehead. "I know what I'm doing."
Zelda released Christina's hand and shook her head ruefully. "You know what happens to the mermaids who are unhappily banished to the sea? They eventually become bitter and miserable Lorelei who sing siren songs to lure men to their death. I promised your mother before her death that I would raise you with love and keep you safe."
"And you've done that, Aunt Zelda."
Zelda stared at her for a long moment, her green eyes filled with a depth of anxiety Christina had never seen there before. "Yes, I've done that up until now. But I can't protect you from yourself, Christina, and I can't protect your heart from love."
"Aunt Zelda, you are making far too much out of a few stolen kisses in the moonlight," Christina exclaimed with a forced lightness.
"I hope so," the older woman said fervently. "If you're right, then all you lose is a little time listening to an old woman's rambling. But, if I'm right, then you lose the life — and the man — that you've come to love on the land."

Chapter Thirteen

Zelda's words still echoed in Christina's head as she got into the passenger side of Josh's car. But it was difficult to hold herself distant as they took off driving.
The coastal scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect, Josh was an entertaining companion, and within minutes Christina found herself relaxing and forgetting her conversation with her aunt.
Although he was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a blue short-sleeved shirt, he looked achingly handsome and his smile warmed her from the inside out.
Looking at him she couldn't help but remember the heart-stopping kisses they'd shared on the beach, nor could she forget how much she'd wanted at that moment for the kisses to go on forever. That night she'd wanted more than just his kisses.... She'd wanted him to make love to her.
She shoved these disturbing thoughts out of her mind.
He'd told her the day before it was a two-hour drive to Coral Heights. "Do you have any other family, Christina?" he asked after they'd been traveling for a little while. "You've mentioned your aunt and your father. Any brothers or sisters?"
"A sister," she replied. "Laura is two years younger than me and lives with her husband and two children in Denver."
"Are the two of you close?"
"Very. I try to fly out to visit her as often as possible." She tried not to think about how devastating it would be if Ann's curse somehow got hold of her and she'd never be able to fly to visit her sister again. "What about you? Do you have any family?"
"Unfortunately no. Both my parents are dead and I was an only child."
"What about in-laws?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Nancy was an only child, too. Her parents were divorced and her mother passed away the year before we were married. She and her father had lost touch years ago."
"That's too bad... I mean that you didn't have family to help you deal with your wife's death."
He smiled and again she felt the force of his wonderful smile in the pit of her stomach. "I managed. You know what they say, something about that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
A chill raced up Christina's spine as she thought of the curse. It wouldn't kill her, but it definitely wouldn't make her stronger, either. "What makes you think the Ann Mitchell in Coral Heights is the woman I'm looking for?"
"She's the right age. You told me that it was possible she would be involved in some sort of ocean study or charity and this woman is the director of an educational aquatic museum."
Christina's heart quickened at thoughts of facing the sea witch who'd cursed her. Surely she would be able to convince Ann to lift the curse delivered so long ago. As she gazed at Josh, a feeling of urgency whipped through her... along with more than a little bit of fear.

Chapter Fourteen

It had taken Josh months to recognize he'd fallen in love with Nancy. He'd known Christina only a week but already he felt a sense of wonder, an anticipatory thrill that told him he was on the verge of falling hard for her.
He told himself he was crazy, that it was far too soon for him to be feeling the way that he did, but he couldn't stop the waves of attraction that drew him to her, couldn't halt the emotions that filled his heart when he looked at her.
"You've suddenly grown very quiet," she said.
He smiled. "Just thinking."
"A penny for those thoughts?"
"Ah, sweet Christina, they're worth much, much more than a penny," he teased. She laughed and he loved the sound of her laughter. Yes, he was falling hard.
Coral Heights was a small town and it took Josh only minutes to find the Museum of Aquatic Delights in a building on a floating dock.
As they got out of the car in the parking lot, Josh wondered why it was so important to Christina to find Ann Mitchell. He hadn't asked Christina, knew that it was none of his business. He'd been hired to find Ann, nothing more. And yet, he wanted to make everything about her his business. In the brief time he'd known her, she'd captivated his heart. Something about her touched him as no woman had ever done before.
As they walked toward the entrance of the museum she practically vibrated with nervous energy. On impulse, he reached out and grabbed her hand in his. "I'm ninety-nine percent sure this is the woman you're looking for, but if for some reason I'm mistaken, I won't give up until I find the right one."
She smiled gratefully, her eyes once again a curious mix of blue and green that instantly evoked thoughts of the mysterious, mythical mermaid he thought he'd seen almost a week before.
"I know this is the right Ann. I feel it in my bones. She's the right age and my aunt said she would be doing something to educate people about aquatic life. I know this is the woman I'm looking for."
They entered the museum by the front door. Aquariums of all shapes and sizes filled the walls, displaying a variety of fish and sea creatures.
"Good afternoon." A young man greeted them with a friendly smile.
Josh nodded as Christina murmured a hello. "We're here to see Ann Mitchell. Is she available?" Christina asked.
The young man's smile instantly left his face and was replaced by a look of sadness. "Are you a friend of hers?"
"No... but I need to speak with her," Christina replied. Josh could hear the desperation in her voice and as he looked at the young man's expression, a bad feeling welled up inside of him.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," he said. "Ms. Mitchell passed away a couple of weeks ago."
"No..." the word whispered from Christina like a pain-filled sigh as she stumbled backward. She looked positively stricken. Josh reached out to steady her, but before he could grab her she whirled around and ran out of the museum.

Chapter Fifteen

She ran blindly... out of the museum and down the beach, tears burning as they cascaded from her eyes. Dead. Ann Mitchell was dead and could no longer rescind the curse. She hadn't realized how much she'd believed that she would find Ann and make everything all right until this moment, when any hope of doing so was lost.
"Christina!"
She stopped running as she heard Josh's frantic cry coming from someplace behind her. In an instant he had her wrapped in his arms and she leaned weakly into him, sobbing in despair.
"Talk to me, Christina," he said as his hands rubbed her back, stroked her hair in an effort to soothe. "Tell me why you're crying."
She shook her head, knowing that what he asked was impossible. She couldn't tell him about the curse without telling him what she was.
"Please... just take me home," she finally managed to say.
He kept his arm around her as they walked back to his car. Neither of them spoke as he pulled away from the museum and got back on the freeway that would carry them back to Seaside Landing.
Christina was numb...in shock from the realization that Ann was dead and there was no way to get the curse lifted. She would never be able to fall in love with a man, marry, and live a life of normalcy on the land she'd come to love as much as the sea.
She looked at Josh and the ache that filled her seemed all encompassing, too huge to bear. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back and tried to ignore the pain of dashed hope.
Josh turned on the radio and the easy-listening soft rock soothed her a bit. For nearly an hour they drove in silence, the only sound the music that filled the car.
She finally opened her eyes and gazed at him. As if he felt her gaze he turned his head and smiled at her. "You okay?"
"I guess," she replied softly, aware that he was more than a little bit curious.
"Want to talk about it?"
She hesitated a moment, knowing there was no way she could tell him the truth and yet feeling as if she owed him some sort of an explanation.
"I needed to talk to Ann, I needed to ask her some questions about my mother," she said, hoping that would be enough to satisfy his curiosity.
"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes caressing her with a warmth that both comforted and disturbed her.
She looked away from him and focused her attention out the window. Soon they would be home and she would leave Seaside Landing and return to her life in L.A.
She knew at that moment that she must never see Josh again. If she wanted to continue to maintain a life shared between the water and the land, then she would have to make certain she never got close to any mortal man... especially the one seated next to her.

Chapter Sixteen

They were less than a mile from her father's house and a feeling of dread pressed heavily in Josh's chest. His official reason for being with Christina was over. He'd found Ann Mitchell and even though the outcome hadn't been what Christina had wanted, his job was finished.
However, he didn't want to be through with her. He didn't want to just let her walk out of his life...out of his heart.
He was just about to reach out and turn off the radio when she began to hum with the tune playing. He froze and a second later he heard the sound of her softly singing. He knew the voice. In the past week that sweet, clear voice had haunted his dreams.
He careened the car off to the side of the road and braked hard. She gasped in surprise as he threw the car into park, then turned to stare at her. "It was you."
She licked her lips and he could see a pulse throbbing wildly in the base of her throat. "What was me?"
"That night... the night before you came into my office. I saw you on the beach. I saw you on the rocks." It was crazy... it was insane. What he'd seen had been a mermaid and mermaids didn't exist. Yet he couldn't deny what he'd seen.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.
He heard the lie in her voice, saw it in the way her eyes shifted from left to right, focusing on anything but him. He reached out and gripped her hand. "Christina, look at me."
Her eyes were huge, filled with emotions he couldn't begin to guess. "Please..." she murmured, her beautiful eyes filling with tears. "Please, don't." She wrenched his hand from his grip, unbuckled her seat belt and flew out of the car.
Josh quickly followed after her, running down the sandy beach toward the shoreline, his heart thudding wildly in his chest. He caught up with her at the water's edge, where she'd stopped, attempting to catch her breath.
"Christina... talk to me," he said gently. "You should know I would never do anything to hurt you."
She turned to face him and he wondered how he'd ever thought her eyes were blue. At the moment they were as green and mysterious as the water that lapped near their feet.
He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, felt the trembling beneath her warm skin. "Tell me it was you I saw that night, tell me I'm not crazy."
"Josh... I..."
He pulled her closer... closer still, until he could feel the frantic beat of her heart against his own. "You have to trust me, Christina. I promise I would never do anything to hurt you. I couldn't... because I'm in love with you."
Without giving her an opportunity to reply, he did what he'd wanted to do all day long. He captured her lips with his, hoping that in his kiss she would taste the depth of his love for her.

Chapter Seventeen

Christina knew the last thing she should be doing was kissing Josh, but she told herself this kiss was a gift to herself...the last kiss she would ever share with him.
As his lips possessed hers, tears slipped from her eyes as she realized this was a pleasure she would never again experience.
His arms tightened around her. How easy it would be to lose herself in him, how much she wanted to do just that. At this thought, she gasped and stumbled back away from him. She recognized that remaining in his arms, tasting the sweet heat of his kiss for another second was dangerous.
"Christina." His voice was filled with a plea.
"Forget what you saw on the beach that night," she finally said.
"But, I saw you.... You were a... a..."
"Josh, please," she interrupted. How could she trust him with the secret she'd been taught from birth to protect? And yet, as she looked into his caring blue eyes, how could she not trust him?
He reached out and took her hands in his. "I'm not crazy, am I? I saw what I saw." His eyes beseeched her for the truth and she realized she couldn't deny him that.
"No, you aren't crazy," she whispered.
He squeezed her hands, his expression one of wonder. She pulled her hands from his, afraid of the warmth he evoked in her. She turned and faced the ocean, her back to him. "Go home, Josh. Go home and forget what you saw on the beach that night, forget you met me."
"I can't do that. I'm in love with you."
His words shot a combination of joy and horror through her. "Don't love me. Please, just leave me alone." With tears once again filling her eyes, she turned and ran, ignoring his cries for her to stop.
He loved her. Josh loved her. That night as she slipped into the ocean for one last swim before returning to L.A. the next day, her head, her heart, was filled with the knowledge that Josh loved her.
Of course she didn't love him, she told herself as she swam beneath the surface of the water. He had been a pleasant diversion, a wonderful companion, but nothing more.
Swimming for the shore, she looked at his house in the distance. He loved her, but she couldn't love him.
She had to leave in the morning, she needed to put as much distance between herself and Josh as possible. She pulled herself up on the land and waited for the transformation back to human form to take place.
As she waited, her thoughts remained on Josh...Josh, whose kisses had filled her with fire, whose strong arms had made her feel safe. She frowned, realizing enough time had passed to make the transformation, but nothing had happened. Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes. Too many minutes and still she had no legs. Horror swept over her.
She'd told herself she didn't love Josh, but the curse knew what was in her heart. She loved Josh Sinclair and with that love in her heart, the curse had befallen her.

Chapter Eighteen

Josh dreamed of drowning and woke up gasping for air. He was on one of his deck chairs. The night sky overhead was angry. Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder rumbled.
As sleep fell away, Christina came to his mind. He was in love with a mermaid. His mind couldn't quite wrap around it. And yet, it didn't matter to him what she was... all that mattered was that he loved her and for the past two days he'd been unable to locate her.
He'd gone to her father's house and had been told by her aunt that she had gone back to L.A., but her apartment building manager had told him that she hadn't returned there. He'd gone back to her house and Zelda had told him to go home and forget about Christina. As she'd spoken, her gaze had gone to the ocean.
Since that time, he'd been sitting on his deck, watching for any sign of the woman he loved. In Zelda's glance to the sea and deep in his gut, Josh believed Christina was out there somewhere. He couldn't believe she would stay away from him.
He wasn't sure what had made her run from him, but he was certain that it had been love he'd tasted in her kiss, seen in her eyes. And so, he'd been watching the sea... hoping, praying that she'd return to land.
As the storm grew closer, the wind picked up. He was just about to give up for the night when, in the glare of a lightning flash, he watched a dolphin jump amid the waves, and next to the dolphin he saw Christina.
He was up and on the beach in a flash. "Christina!" he cried into the wind that frothed the waves at his feet. Frantically he searched the water, seeking any sign of the woman who owned his heart. "Christina!" he yelled again.
His heart beat frantically as he spied her in the distance. Her hair was wet, slicked back from her beautiful face but as the thunder roared overhead and lightning flashed in the sky, their gazes met and held.
For a moment neither of them moved, then she raised a hand and pointed to a wooden pier in the distance. She met him there, at the end of the dock. As she looked up at him from the water in her sea green eyes he saw love for him radiating there and it swelled inside him.
"I told you to forget me." She yelled to be heard above the storm.
"I can't. I love you." He backed away from the edge of the dock as the waves leaped up to splash his feet.
"There's no future with me, Josh." Her expression held an agony that ripped through him. "Forget me."
Before he could reply, she slipped beneath the surface of the water and disappeared from sight. "No! Christina!" He stared at the angry water, fear welling up in his throat as if to suffocate him.
He'd lost one woman to the sea. He couldn't lose another. Drawing a deep breath, he dove into the raging waters below.

Chapter Nineteen

Christina felt Josh's presence the moment he entered the water. Fear for his safety washed over her. Even the strongest of swimmers would find it difficult to survive in these storm-tossed seas.
She knew his fear, and the fact that he'd entered the water for her filled her with overwhelming love and an equally overwhelming sense of despair.
With a powerful thrust of her tail, she swam to where he was desperately working to keep his head above the waves. "Go back to the pier, Josh," she cried.
"Not without you. We have to talk." He disappeared as a wave swept over his head.
"Josh," she screamed, then sobbed in relief as he once again appeared. He already knew she was a mermaid. He deserved to know the rest of the story. He deserved to know so he could go on with his life without her.
She grabbed one of his hands and together they swam toward the pier. He pulled himself up on shore beneath the wooden structure, as did she.
Sheltered from the passing storm, she watched his gaze sweep the length of her, lingering on her tail.
"You are so beautiful," he said. "Both like this and in human form." He reached out as if to draw her into his arms, but she pushed him away, unable to bear being held by him knowing there was no hope for any future for the two of them.
In halting words, with a breaking heart, she told him of the island beneath the sea where she'd been born. Pacifica existed in an air bubble where mers were safe both on land and in the sea. It was there she would now live out the remainder of her life. Then she told him of the curse.
When she'd finished, he took her hands in his. "And so you can no longer walk on the land because you're in love with me?"
She nodded, tears tumbling down her cheeks. "I wanted to find Ann to see if she would lift the curse."
"But she's dead," he said flatly. His features radiated anger and a fierce determination. "There must be something we can do. I can't lose you. I won't lose you!" His voice railed above the fading thunder as he pulled her into his arms.
He wanted to rage at the heavens, curse the fates for bringing love back into his life then cruelly snatching it away.
"There must be something we can do," he repeated fervently.
"There is nothing," she replied, her voice utterly void of hope.
He thought of his fear of the water, the nightmares of drowning that had plagued him. Then he thought of his life without her. "There is one thing you could do," he said.
"What?" For the first time a spark of hope flickered in her eyes.
"Take me to Pacifica."

Chapter Twenty

Christina thought she couldn't love him any more than she already did, but as he spoke those words and she recognized the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make, her heart filled with joy. But the joy was short-lived.
"Josh, even if I take you to Pacifica with me, we still couldn't be a couple. I will always be a sea creature and you will always be a land creature. We will never have children... we can never make love."
He hesitated only a moment. "I don't care. I just want to be with you."
Again love swelled inside her, a love that ached with a pain she'd never known before. "I can't take you with me, Josh. I won't." She wouldn't subject him to a half life with her. He deserved to have a woman, a real woman that he could hold in his arms, cuddle with in bed, make love to in the dark of night.
His eyes darkened with pain and this time when he took her into his arms, she allowed herself to be held tight against his beating heart. "I love you, Christina."
"And I love you." Their lips met in a searing kiss that spoke of their desire, their intense love. As the kiss lingered, Christina felt a familiar tingling in her lower extremities.
"Kiss me again, Josh," she exclaimed when he started to break the kiss. He captured her lips once again and as his tongue swirled with hers, she realized the transformation was taking place. She broke the kiss with a gasp of excitement.
"Josh... look." She pointed down her body, where her tail had transformed into legs. His eyes reflected her own sense of confusion mingled with joy.
There beneath the pier, he stood and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "The curse has been broken." Awe filled his voice as he cupped her face with his hands.
"I... I don't understand it. Maybe the curse couldn't sustain itself because of Ann's death."
His beautiful blue eyes caressed her and he smiled. "I prefer to think that like all wonderful fairy tales, the pure power of love overwhelmed the power of hate — the power of the curse."
She smiled at him. "I definitely like your version better than mine."
"Then marry me," he said. "Marry me and be my wife, teach me about Pacifica and share my life with me."
"Yes, oh yes," she replied. Once again their lips met in a kiss that sealed their future. They might never know what really caused the curse to be broken, but the fact that she had two legs to walk upon assured her that, indeed, she was no longer under the spell of the dreadful curse.
Together they walked out from beneath the pier to see that the storm had passed and brilliant stars filled the velvet night skies overhead. To Christina, the beauty felt like a promise of her future with Josh and as he took her in his arms once again, she realized it didn't matter if she were on land or in the sea. As long as Josh was by her side, she was home.
 

The End