Waves of Desire

Chapter 3: Secret Meetings

The evenings had become something sacred for Isabella-a time when the world quieted and the pull of the ocean brought her to the shore. It was as if the sea was calling her back, and yet, she knew that the true draw lay beyond the waves, in the form of a mysterious woman whose presence lingered on her thoughts, like the tide that never fully receded.

She had seen Calista again. That strange, striking woman who seemed to have emerged from the ocean itself. Since that evening when they first spoke, Isabella found herself returning to the beach every sunset, waiting for her. Her logical mind told her that something about Calista didn't quite make sense, but logic felt distant and cold in the face of the warmth that bloomed in her chest whenever they spoke.

The first evening they met again had been tentative. Isabella, wary but curious, stood by the shore, her feet sinking into the wet sand as the setting sun cast long, golden shadows over the water. She had spent days wondering if she had imagined the connection, the ease with which they had conversed. But then Calista appeared again, as if conjured by the sea itself.

Isabella's heart had raced the moment she spotted the familiar figure walking toward her, moving with a grace that seemed too natural, too fluid, as though she were a part of the water and not the land. Calista's vibrant red hair gleamed under the fading sunlight, and her eyes-those captivating emerald eyes-sparkled with something Isabella couldn't quite place. Curiosity? Amusement? Mystery?

"You're back," Isabella said softly, trying to keep the eagerness from her voice as Calista approached her.

Calista smiled, her lips curling in a way that made Isabella's stomach flutter. "I couldn't stay away," she replied, her voice low and melodious, carrying with it the rhythm of the sea. There was a teasing edge to her words, but beneath it, a sincerity that made Isabella's heart skip a beat.

They walked together along the shore, the silence between them as natural as the sound of the waves crashing softly against the sand. Calista didn't speak much, but when she did, her words were thoughtful, measured, as if each one had been carefully chosen. Isabella found herself drawn to the woman's quiet presence, the way she seemed to see everything without saying much at all. It was comforting, in a way that was both strange and familiar.

The beach felt different in the evenings when they were together-more alive, more vibrant. The scent of saltwater filled the air, mingling with the fragrant blooms of night-blooming jasmine that lined the dunes. The waves, once a simple backdrop to her life, now seemed to sing a song that only she and Calista could hear. The sun dipped lower, painting the sky with hues of orange, pink, and violet, and Isabella felt a twinge of something unfamiliar-a deep, aching anticipation that had nothing to do with the setting sun and everything to do with the woman walking beside her.

For weeks, their meetings continued like this-secret, stolen moments beneath the stars. They spoke about everything and nothing, their conversations flowing like the tides, sometimes deep and philosophical, other times light and playful. Isabella found herself laughing more than she had in months, and every time their gazes met, there was a quiet understanding that passed between them, unspoken but undeniable.

Calista, for her part, found herself drawn deeper into this human world with each passing night. She couldn't explain the pull Isabella had over her, the way this human had managed to make her feel things she had long since buried beneath the weight of her duties. Every time she returned to the ocean, to her sisters and her realm, she told herself it would be the last time. That she would not return to the shore, that this dangerous game of pretending to be something she wasn't would end.

But each night, as the sun began to set, she felt the pull again-the yearning to see Isabella, to hear her voice, to be near her. It was reckless, foolish even. Her kin would never understand. Melisande had already grown suspicious, and if anyone else found out... Calista didn't want to think about the consequences.