FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I secured the last of my scuba gear as the boat idled past the line of buoys marking the outer border of merfolk territory. It was technically just a no-wake zone, but they weren't fond of the noise or the danger of getting caught by a propeller. I'd been on more than enough dives to sympathize--hell, I all but lived in the water, myself. As an otter, it was in my blood.

It was also in my sleek brown fur, webbed hands and feet, rudder-like tail, and other adaptations. But, I liked to think it was mostly in my blood.

My friend and pilot, Nathan, turned the boat so we wouldn't drift past the inner border--'accidents' like that were always carelessness--and shut off the engine.

"All clear," he said, reclining on the half-couch behind the driver's seat. The wolf's tan coat was ruffled by the wind, but he liked it that way. The 'rugged boat captain, wise beyond his years' act was a big hit with tourists, especially when the women and occasional guy fell in that sweet spot between 'started college last year' and 'old enough to see through the persona.'

Then again, half the time the latter went with it anyway.

"Thanks, partner." I gulped down what was left in my water bottle and strapped my snorkel to my head. "I forgot to ask, are you doing anything fun after we get back? Poker?"

"Taxes." He snorted. "Do you know how much extra paperwork they inflict on you for the winnings?"

I gave him a sidelong glance. "Yep. One form."

A huff, and folded arms. "It's the principle of the thing." He nodded towards the low island and atoll less than a mile away. "Must be nice to not pay taxes."

"They don't have booze, either."

He knew that, and shrugged. "I can live without booze."

"Or beds."

He knew that too, but it still gave him pause. "Fair enough," he grumbled. "Dash my flight of fancy then. Go, off with you. Have fun with your girlfriend."

Now it was my turn to snort. "Just a friend."

"Uh-huh."

I ignored the bait, sat on the edge, and double-checked behind me before taking a breath and rolling backwards. Once I got used to the initial temperature shock and resurfaced, the water was pleasantly warm in the high sun.

Nathan handed me the spare tank and regulator--or rather, _her_tank and regulator. "See you in two hours, yeah?"

"See you then," I said, pushing off from the side and getting some distance before he restarted the motor. I watched him idle in gear past the outer buoys, and a few moments later he opened up and headed back to the coast. As for myself, I cleared out the snorkel and let my head sink under the water; my nostrils and inner eyelids closed out of instinct, leaving me with nature's own mask and goggles. It was all the better for me since I'd seen the struggles of my non-aquatic students.

I didn't have far to swim before I saw a figure waving me down. Above the water, she didn't look terribly different from an otter with silvery-gray fur. Instead of legs, the fur gave way to a long, sleek tail the color of slate. A pair of curved, triangular flukes fanned out from the bottom. Merfolk were an evolutionary curiosity, but the differences didn't bother me.

If anything, it was something to talk about and explore.

"Good afternoon, Dale." Nerine's voice lilted as I surfaced and pushed the snorkel aside. The corners of her dark gray muzzle turned up in a cute smile, and we leaned close to press our cheeks together; it was the merfolk equivalent of a warm embrace between friends.

"Hey," I murmured, playing my fingers over her short, thick fur. We wrapped our arms around each other and let our tails did the work of keeping us afloat. I purred as we drifted together until only my thin fabric skin suit separated our warm bodies--she didn't need clothing for comfort or modesty. "So, what's the surprise?"

She giggled, which I felt more than heard. "We're not there yet. You brought everything?"

"The rope's in my belt, and the spare suit's stowed. Are you sure we don't need help?" I leaned back far enough to examine her expression, especially--hapless romantic I could be--her dark eyes. "If we're doing something that could tear this, I'd hate for either of us to get hurt."

"It'll be safe if we're careful. You trust me, yes?" Her gaze didn't waver as she tilted her head, still smiling.

"Yes." I didn't have to think about it. We'd swam and dove together more times than I could count, spent many more hours talking about the differences in our lives lives and a shared love for the sea, and in the past few months our curiosity and camaraderie had led to _other_kinds of exploration. "Still curious, of course."

"I'm glad. And you won't have to wait long." She glanced down at my mouth, leaning in, and I closed the gap with a smile of my own. Our lips parted just enough for our tongues to lightly mingle. We shared our next breath in that warm embrace, and our tails' motions--or maybe just an undercurrent of desire--brought our hips together in a subtle yet familiar rhythm. Neither of us missed the slight shudder that ran through her, or my rising response to both touch and memory.

"Shame I didn't wear something more comfortable," I said once our lips parted. My hand drifted down to the divide between her furred torso and her smooth-skinned tail. "Or just less clothing in general."

Nerine traced a finger along the edge of my ear. "The reward comes after the surprise, my handsome friend." She held her webbed hand open for the spare tank. I had to reluctantly back up so she could properly secure the straps. The water was cold after being so close, but being able to look at her let me keep some of the warmth. She didn't have the accentuated curves of a 'land-walker' woman since her overall shape was sleek and streamlined--even nursing merfolk mothers barely had noticeable breasts, and no external nipples besides--but that hardly mattered to me. She was more than beautiful enough, and we found excitement in our mutual exoticism.

Once she had the tank comfortably seated on her back, I leaned in and planted another kiss on her lips. "Lead on, oh alluring nymph."

She grinned, turned to the side, and streaked off with a kick of her tail, leaving me to clear out my snorkel and give chase. Or at least, I kept a relaxed and steady pace while she effortlessly glided through the water. I moonlighted as a dive instructor, and I'd caught no end of awed looks from the wolves, cats, vulpines, and other students as I put my aquatic-adapted body to use. You make it look so easy, was the general sentiment.

Every time I watched Nerine swim, I knew exactly how they felt.

I waved as she came back, then tried not to let laughter break my lips' seal on the snorkel as she teased her fingers down my side while passing by. She easily looped around and passed me again, showing off both her skills and her body.

Our surroundings held no less wonder, as the coral reef that created her clan's home atoll lay not twenty feet below us. All sorts of colorful anemones, coral trees, and colonies of polyps were host to even more brilliant fish, scuttling crabs, and the occasional turtle or barracuda. Nerine had taken me on many sight-seeing and casual hunting trips through the miles-long stretches, and treated me to some stunning areas the merfolk kept restricted.

She'd also found us more secluded areas, whether on the atoll or in the water, where we could explore and experiment away from prying eyes. At least some of her people knew of or suspected our relationship, but so long as I respected them and their home, they didn't seem to mind.

She surfaced, and I followed. "We dive here, it should be nearby." I nodded and made sure my gear was in order; she followed suit, and we shared a grin as we worked. Her fingers had grown deft with practice as she set up her own tank. If either of us ran into equipment trouble, I wasn't worried about her competence.

It was all a matter of trust and experience.

We had over an hour and a half left in the dive; my air would last at least twice that long even with some exertion, and I assumed the surprise was a simple recovery job--perhaps followed by a victory celebration on the surface, just the two of us. I signaled an okay, and she dove, arcing her tail through the air until she slipped below the surface entirely. I breathed and followed her midway between the surface and the bottom, the latter of which was close to thirty feet down. She swam off, apparently looking for something, so I followed.

The reef around us grew sparse thanks to some sort of chemical dump a decade back; they'd had to dredge the bottom to remove the lingering toxins. Life still teemed about if one looked close enough, but it was a quieter area. Perhaps she'd found something they'd missed, or a more recent addition.

Nerine stopped, then pivoted in a single, sinuous motion from horizontal to vertical and signaled I should join her. I did, stopping maybe a body's length away from the rolling swells on the surface. She pointed to my belt, then made a sign with her hands. The rope?_I nodded, and pulled the length of soft nylon out of my belt pouch. Our fingers brushed together as I handed it over, and her touch lingered, briefly, before she winked and signaled _stay level.

Then, she dove. Her target was a discarded anchor, probably from the clean-up, and I watched her loop one end of the rope through the ring before swimming back up and pulling it taught. I frowned--surely she didn't think we'd want an old anchor, let alone believe the two of us and my rope could lift the thing--but waited to see what she had planned.

She rested her free hand on my rump, pulling us closer, and my confusion took a backseat. I let my hands roam over her shoulders and chest, then down her sides. The water was a bit on the cool side even through my fur, but we made our own warmth together. It wasn't the first time we'd shared a little mid-dive action. Nor was it the deepest.

I let my fingers slide over her front, and paused just long enough to be sure it was what she wanted. A hint of a smile was all the permission needed; I knew exactly where to touch from there, and watched her expression while moving my palm in slow, teasing rubs. Just as a hint of frustration crept into her eyes, I curled a finger into the cleft partway down her tail. The initial firm resistance faded as she relaxed, and I slipped my digit into her velvety entrance.

A light shiver was her response to the pleasant intrusion, and her lingering hand squeezed, quickening my heartbeat from the shameless sensuality we shared. Her almost fiery heat compared to even her skin mingled with the memory of the things that deviously muscled passage could do, and I pressed closer, letting her feel my growing tension. She arched her back in response, which brought my finger completely inside her.

Her long exhale sent bubbles rising to the surface, and another stream soon followed as I languidly circled over a familiar spot. I watched her eyelids flutter a moment, then felt her touch on my chest--she still held the rope, reminding me of our dive's purpose. The hand on my rump trailed forward to rest on mine, holding me inside her for a breath, then a second, giving gentle pressure to encourage my explorations until another shiver ran through her.

Then, she took hold of my wrist, and gently guided my hand out of her.

Which direction?_I signed after she stopped the movement. _Descend?

Nerine shook her head, giggling, and held up the rope. I tried to point down at the anchor, but she kept her grip on me, and winked. Stay level, she signed back, and remember. Or think, but the context wasn't clear. I still didn't understand when she took the ends of the rope and curled them over my wrist, then pointed to my other hand on her hip.

She smiled, and waited.

It didn't take long to put two and two together. "Bring a good length of rope, soft rope," she'd told me the last time we'd been together, about a week ago. "Something comfortable, light, but sturdy." I'd thought she'd meant for keeping a line between the two of us, or for pulling something up from the bottom--something mundane.

But, I was indeed thinking. Our liaisons had grown more familiar over time, and lately we'd tossed around ideas on how to keep the spice alive. Ideas that included demonstrations of her skill at tying knots, and sly references to having a male at her mercy. Ideas with which I'd enthusiastically agreed, since it wouldn't have been the first time. I'd imagined we would've started such experimentation on land, but then, she was more at home in the water. It was mostly a matter of trust--the anchor would not budge by my power for sure, and I'd be powerless if something went awry.

But then, I'd trusted her with my life for months. I'd shared secrets usually locked deep in my heart, and listened to hers in turn. I had no qualms about stripping down and making love to her under the waves in flagrant disregard of our difference of species. Most importantly, we both knew and respected our respective limits.

If anything, the edge of danger and the thought of submitting to her whims had my heart thudding in my chest.

Okay, I signed with barely a moment's hesitation and a vigorous nod for emphasis, which drew another barely-audible giggle from her. I let go of her hip and checked my gauges, then relaxed, inviting her to pose me at her leisure. She brought my hands behind my back; I couldn't press them completely together thanks to my gear, but she didn't seem to mind.

Faint eddies of water ruffled the fur on my backside and tail as she reeled in the slack from the rope. Her touch was gentle but focused, and I tried not to squirm when she wrapped my wrists in several barely-loose coils, crossing and tightening until I could hardly move them. A pair of fingers slid under each loop--the rope wasn't the best for bondage, and the cooler water made circulation a greater concern, but she clearly knew what she was doing.

Perhaps it wasn't her first time applying rope to a hapless male.

I made myself take full, regular breaths. Her hands moved to my hips, then her fingertips teased down past my thighs to curl around my ankles. I allowed her to guide my feet up behind me, and after a pause she started wrapping the ropes around them, too. If I hadn't just checked my oxygen, I'd be a little worried about the giddiness that buzzed from my chest out to my fingers and toes.

Instead, I felt quite the opposite of worry: within moments, _tantalizing_moments, she'd have me all but completely at her mercy. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she tied off the loose ends, and as I twisted my arms and body to test her handiwork, the coils dug into my fur and kept me quite immobile. Chances were I could slip out of the bonds given time and some pulled fur, and the bottom half of my tail hung free, but neither thought could dispel my sense of entrapment. The rope line went taut as she inflated my emergency float, keeping me suspended between the bottom and the surface.

Now it was my turn to shiver. Bondage wasn't something I often indulged in since my past dalliances were more casual and fleeting, and sharing this depth of trust and intimacy felt nothing short of delicious. The ropes didn't cut into my wrists or ankles, but the tension arrested every move I made, reminding me of my immobility. Pressure on my right wrist confused me until I realized she was checking my gauges for me. Then came a tap on my arm, and I turned my head to see her sign: are you cold?

I shook my head, and flashed, _I'm okay!_with both hands.

Nerine answered in kind, and I saw her fighting a smile wide enough to break the seal around her mouthpiece. Her next touches were light, playful, and she opened a belt pouch before pushing something into my hand--a clicker. Without speaking or signaling, it was the closest thing we had to a safe word. She swam a languid half-circle back around to my front. A rush of bubbles rose from her exhale, and when they cleared, I watched her take the mouthpiece out and let it float nearby.

I frowned, but she merely winked and leaned in, pressing a kiss to my cheek, then another. I tilted my head to bare my neck, but she just giggled again, and reached down to my waist. My dive knife slid free in her grasp, and my heart jumped--I knew she wouldn't hurt me, but her intentions were still a mystery. The anticipation saw me growing more restless by the moment.

She brought the tip up to show off, almost grinning, before curling a finger under the collar of my skin suit. The knife descended, and started cutting. "Wear a suit you won't mind losing," she'd said. It wasn't the cheapest brand, but it was old and a little threadbare along the shoulders. Besides, there was something about having my clothes torn off by an eager lady; being tied up had me excited, but now I could feel myself stiffening despite the temperature of the water. She stopped just below my belly button, returned the knife to my belt, and caught my eyes in her dark, hungry gaze.

Then, she reached into my torn suit and cupped her fingers around my sheath and balls, fondling me. I arched into her hand with a low gasp, though the sound was likely lost in the stream of bubbles. She curled her fingers around my cock, letting it stiffen in her grip before giving a light squeeze. Her hand didn't otherwise move, and I spent a couple breaths trying not to squirm from the tease. When I failed, I found I could move my hips just enough to buck and grind, just enough to chase a distant spark of pleasure in an ever more pressing need for more.

Just as I was starting to get into the rhythm, she winked, let go, and moved to grip both sides of the torn fabric. The _riiiiip_easily carried through the water; a few more tugs freed both of my thighs, leaving the loose flaps hanging between us until she folded them under my scuba gear's straps.

Nerine's gaze centered on my cock, and she leaned in to press her lips to me a few times before her muzzle trailed up my now-bare fur. Two taps on my regulator warned me to take a breath before she pulled it off and let it float to the side. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and then she was kissing me, carefully. Not that either of us cared about accidentally getting a little seawater in our mouths.

Other things were more preferable, though, like the way she slipped me a bit of tongue. Or her body drifting closer until her smooth skin brushed my more sensitive flesh. Or the slight shifts of our hips until my tip found her faint cleft, and how she pushed forward until her yielding folds started to part. She lingered just long enough to let me feel her inner heat--almost burning, compared to the water around us--before giggling and flexing her tail to propel herself upwards.

I wanted to growl, but I didn't want to waste my couple minutes of air, even less so when she cupped my head and guided my muzzle to that very slit. The skin around it was flushed pink with her own arousal. Her other hand splayed out, spreading herself, and I marveled at the sight until she pulled my muzzle against her. Now it was my turn to kiss her, to carefully brush my tongue over her velvety skin, and to feel her fingers curl against the back of my scalp. Salt mingled with the more neutral taste of her wetness as I explored deeper, and when I retreated I curled my tongue over the long ridge of her clit. The sudden thrust of her hips might've bruised my nose if I hadn't known it was coming.

The more I worked, the more she shuddered and panted; I hadn't seen her move her hand, much less replace her regulator, but the bubbles and hisses gave it away. Unfortunately, it brought my attention to the staleness in my lungs. I stopped to look up, hoping she'd take the hint, but she merely winked and pushed me back into her.

If that's the way you want to play it, I thought, doing my best to stay still aside from swirling my tongue around her entrance. I ignored the persistent trickles of ocean into my mouth, the growing need in my lungs, and the throb of my iron-hard and neglected malehood--she was in charge, she knew my limits, and much as I wanted to playfully resist, I had to do a good job to get air; the ultimatum made for _very_good motivation. I wrapped my lips around her clit and suckled, working her in the ways I knew she liked. What I didn't know was whether the giddiness I felt was from lack of air or from loving the way she squirmed and shuddered under my ministrations.

It really didn't matter to me, as both were pretty hot.

At least, it didn't matter until my chest ached and tightened. Years of diving experience kept the gnawing edge of panic at bay, and I pulled back, forcing myself to keep from exhaling or squirming against the ropes since both would deprive me of what little oxygen I had left. I pushed down on the clicker to let her know I _really_needed air and wasn't just testing her--but she was already there, pressing the mouthpiece against my muzzle before the sharp _snap_carried through the water. I closed my lips around the silicone, exhaling against the rush of bubbles as she cleared the valve, and then sweet, sweet air filled my lungs at last. I forced myself to take deep, regular breaths, shivering a little from the ebbing adrenaline and lingering desire.

My fickle yet irresistible lover sank back down to eye level, reached down to examine my gauges, then felt over my hands and wrists to check the comfort of my bonds. And, probably, to make sure they hadn't come loose. I flexed my wrists to double-check, and nodded at her inquisitive glance. Her fingers flashed the okay, then rested on my waist. I nodded in return, and leaned forward to touch my cheek to hers--or as close as I could get with the gear in the way.

If it hadn't been for my heart still pattering away, I might have better enjoyed the way she wrapped her other arm around my neck and nestled that warm, sleek body against me; or the seeming contradiction of her soft, gentle touches while having me trussed up and suspended from the ocean floor by a line of rope she'd asked me to bring.

Then again, once I'd caught my breath and started to relax, Nerine was still there--and in a deliciously compromising position as my arousal recovered.

It didn't take long before I wanted_to put my still-hard cock to good use. She helped my desire along by rolling her hips in a languid yet lascivious rhythm, and her dark eyes ensnared mine with a familiar, needful look. At first my shaft just lay along her slit and spread her thick labia with each slow gyration, only to slip away without ever finding her entrance. Just as I grunted with impatience, and more than a little helpless _need, she arched, I pushed, and after the briefest resistance I slipped into the heated, slick passage my tongue had sampled only a minute before.

Her grip tightened around my neck, and all I could do was squirm a little as she lowered herself onto my cock, inch by inch. My attempt to keep pushing forward stalled as she planted the heel of her palm on my hip. The ropes dug in yet again, conspiring to keep me from moving enough to shake her hold. I took a deep breath and relaxed instead, thinking she just wanted to adjust to my appreciable girth--and not just by my estimation--as it spread her passage, and allowing me the same opportunity for her grip on it.

The truth was, she had the advantage over me even when I wasn't bound. I'd been with a fair share of women with varying amounts of skill and enthusiasm, but Nerine was something else entirely. The deceptively soft folds around my cock were like rings of muscle wrapped around velvet, and she had more control over them than I'd thought possible. If she really wanted to see me squirm she'd take me to the hilt, squeeze around me, and fuck me with enough speed and vigor that I barely lasted a minute; or, she could keep me on the edge for the better part of an hour. Or longer, but by then I was usually begging.

Nerine rather enjoyed taking control, and I was all too happy to let her have it--though often enough I made it a playful challenge, whether by pushing back or just stubbornly resisting.

She always won, though, and that thought brought me back to the present. She still held me in a relaxed but firm grip, with only the subtlest of twitches to keep my arousal buzzing. I couldn't move, courtesy of the ropes and her hand, and I clenched my teeth around the silicone mouthpiece. I wasn't about to give in to another tease.

Of course, I also couldn't hold back. The promise of the pleasure she could provide had me squirming; much as I wanted to hold out, the ache in my loins throbbed in time with my steady pulse. The struggle wasn't lost on her, and I felt her giggle through our close contact. I wanted--_needed--_more. The only way to find relief was by giving in.

I couldn't speak or signal, though. All I could do was groan in desperation and try to carry my pleas through my gaze. The corner of her mouth lifted, just slightly, and with one smooth motion, she moved from holding me back to pulling me forward until every last bit of my length was buried in her.

Then, she squeezed.

My gasp sent a small rush of bubbles out of my nose and towards the surface. My arms pulled at the ropes, and I forced myself to relax; it wasn't easy when those muscled folds started squeezing at a slow, sensual pace, like a full-length handjob but far, _far_warmer, wetter, and wonderfully stimulating. That was what I'd been waiting for--hell, _yearning_for. If I could speak, I'd have been asking for more. For better or worse, though, I was effectively gagged.

The water was its own restraint against any sustained, meaningful thrusting; I'd often mused her kind had developed such dextrous muscles to make up for water's inertia. It still worked damn well despite my lack of correspondingly prehensile anatomy. Back when we'd started, my initial concerns had been met with effusive praise for my girth and relative stamina. She also loved to put that stamina to the test, or just squeeze and please me until I wished there was a wall I could claw at from the sheer intensity of it.

I was definitely experiencing the latter, with her inner grip all but abusing my achingly hard length. I couldn't stop squirming, stymied as I was from any bigger movements. Nerine had no such restrictions. She pressed close, ground her hips against mine, and grabbed my ass to set her own pace of short and steady thrusts. I wasn't sure if I'd been reduced to a self-warming, full-body sex toy, or if she was just making up for many minutes of merciless teasing.

It was probably a mix of both, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was more so the former--and damn, did it make me even crazier for her.

My first warning of a change in pace was the hand leaving my rump. Her half-lidded gaze pinned me just as readily as the ropes her fingers felt and fumbled over. Every now and again I felt a tremor run from her core and through her arm, but she returned to work after each upset, and to my surprise I felt the loops around one of my arms go slack. She winked to stave off my concern about an accidental untying, then readjusted the remaining ropes and cast off a loose end.

Her now-free hand pinned my wrist to my side with no less strength than the ropes, while the other tapped on my regulator again before removing her own. Her inner walls had paused their merciless onslaught of stimulation, at least allowing me to catch my breath before she pulled the silicone piece free and pressed her lips to mine. A single, sweeping stroke of her tail made for an interesting series of clenches and nearly cost me my rapidly dwindling breath, but I resisted the urge to gasp.

It wasn't until I felt the water warming that I realized we were rising.

I couldn't see the anchor without turning, but I could feel the reverberations through the rope as the loose end ran through the hook. With nothing anchoring us against my float's pull, we rose, guided by the slight motions of her tail. I was still quite buried inside her, and my rapid heartbeat and almost reflexive squirming quickly used up my air. The familiar prelude to an ache started in my chest--we were rising rather slowly--and I had to force myself to exhale partway as the pressure around us lessened. My limbs tensed in protest, and against my better judgment I swayed my rudder-like tail, trying to push us that last distance to the surface.

Just as I thought my vision was going gray, our heads broke atop a swell, and I gasped for fresh, non-tanked air. She reached behind me to turn off valves as I caught my breath. I wanted to say something, to ask a question, but we were still very much connected; the aftermath of the breath play and the steady pulses of heat from my loins both conspired against any semblance of coherent thought.

Still, I tried--only for Nerine to plant a finger on my muzzle.

"Talk comes later, Dale." Her lips replaced the finger, and we shared our next breaths while her tongue slipped in and danced with mine. After we parted, she planted kisses down my jawline while slowly rolling her hips, then leaned close to murmur in my ear. "Right now, you are mine. Yes?"

I nodded, and relaxed in surrender. Even if I wanted to fight, my body tingled with a low buzz that precluded any sense of resistance. It was a sort of surreal vibe I hadn't felt in a long time, where all that existed was me, her, and the steady rise and fall of the water around us. Her hot breath against my neck only stoked my burning _need_for her. And yet, I waited for her move, her command, even if it meant digging my fingers into my palms to distract myself from the throbbing ache in my core.

Nerine's teeth grazed my skin through my thick fur, and I felt her breathless little gasp as she tensed around my girth. A series of rhythmic squeezes followed, and at first I didn't realize the low whines were coming from my throat. It didn't help that she was actively keeping us afloat, with all the flexing muscles and shifting bodies that entailed.

Just as the tension in my loins built to the breaking point, she backed off and relaxed. A throaty growl was her only response to my squirms and whimper. She waited more than a couple breaths, kissing my neck and throat in the meantime, before bringing me back to the edge again.

And again.

And again.

It didn't take long for me to lose count of her teasing and pleasing, nor to let time and thought just drift away. Her cute yet devious giggle mingled with my reverie, and her warm tongue laved my ear.

"If you want me to finish you off, ask," she whispered. "Beg for me, handsome."

"Please," I gasped. My toes curled at the subtle ripple of her inner walls in response. "Please, _please,_Nerine. I need... I need you. Please."

Her breath caught, and she nibbled my ear. "Yes." She trailed kisses down my neck, and at first she barely moved. But then, she increased the tempo, and some still-working part of my brain realized she was building up my climax rather than going for the quick finish.

I wanted to complain, but she gyrated, and squeezed, and nibbled, and it was all I could do to hang on while she steadily brought me to the point of no return--and then pressed close, fully hilted myself inside her, and clenched those muscular folds around me like a vice.

My whole world exploded in an instant as the coiled tension flooded through my torso and into my limbs. My back arched as my muscles locked up; I cried out, straining and writhing against my bonds and her iron grip--inside and out--as my balls tightened. The hot pulses flowed through my loins and shot my thick seed into her depths. I barely heard her low moan through the dull buzz in my ears, but I definitely felt her own shudders and the spastic milking motion that threatened to drain me of every drop I had to give. I wasn't the only one who'd been kept on the edge, and it showed.

My vision flared with stars, and I wasn't sure how long we stayed caught up in the waves of bliss. Our mutual passion certainly prolonged our pleasure. Even when the best of it had passed and left us with lingering spasms and the onset of the warm, fuzzy afterglow, I found myself practically insensate. Her distant murmurs and touches kept me from falling asleep in the water, at least, and the touch of a canteen to my lips quenched the thirst I hadn't even known I'd worked up.

It wasn't until I felt her fingers at work on the various knots that I made an effort to pay attention to the world at large--or at least, the beautiful mer-woman still nestled against me. Even though the coils weren't too tight, it was still a relief to feel the tension lift and finally flex my chilled fingers.

"Hey," she murmured, squeezing my fingertips. "Still feeling okay?"

My initial chuckle descended into a giddy sort of laugh that I couldn't stop at first. "Feeling okay," I repeated, hoping my words didn't sound slurred. Not that I cared how I sounded when I still felt so damn good. "Yes. Oh god, yes, that felt amazing. You're amazing."

Nerine grinned, and brushed her tongue over my lips as she kissed me. "I'm glad you liked your surprise, Dale." After untying and re-wrapping the rope, she guided my now-free hands to circle around her back. I gladly obliged and held her close for as long as we could stay connected. "At least, I hope you didn't mind it being a surprise? It's hard to get your opinion underwater."

I could only shake my head and chuckle. "No, no, you were fine. It's not like we haven't talked about this before. This was..." I let out a breath and grinned. "Ohhh, I'm gonna be sore tomorrow. No regrets."

"Good." She stroked her fingers through my furred scalp, rubbing just behind the ears where I liked it, and pressed her cheek to mine. I leaned close and rubbed her back, content to let our tails keep us afloat while we shared each other's company. The occasional shudder ran through one or both of us as we traded ideas for future trysts and scenes.

I even managed to ignore my watch's first alarm, but the insistent beeping of the second had no 'off' switch by design. Our time was up.

"You will be back the day after tomorrow, yes?"

I kissed her cheek, then her lips. "Count on it," I murmured. "I have half the day off, so I can stay however long and just call for a pickup."

"Good." Her gaze was warm, but held the slightest undercurrent of mischief. Her hand found the belt pouch with my spare skin suit and pulled the newer, undamaged garment out into the water. "Best to get you dressed before you leave, hm? Can you move well enough to swim?"

"Yeah. And, yeah. I'd say it's a shame about the old one, but that was a damn nice flourish." I licked my lips at the memory while I unclipped the scuba gear's harness. The float would keep it nearby while I redressed. We slowly drifted apart, and I at least grumbled at the relative chill--even though I'd already withdrawn from her, the water unheated by our close bodies came as a bit of a shock. Still, there was work to be done, and I gathered the tattered remains of my old suit into the belt pouch before pulling the new one on and zipping it up.

It was a short enough swim back to the rendezvous point, as the currents and our lazy treading water had already carried us partway there. I regretted not scheduling an extra hour, though a second go when I was still recovering from the last could very well could have left me unable to swim. Not that I'd have minded much, she took good care of me. Still, we allowed ourselves a kiss, then another, and perhaps a few frisky fondles. The distant sound of a boat engine cut our play short before things could get interesting again.

Nathan pulled in a couple minutes before we reached our side of the border, and waved as we approached. I flashed the _okay_to him--he had no idea how true that was--and let my fingers trail against Nerine's side as we closed the gap.

"Good afternoon." He leaned over the side to greet the both of us. "Find anything interesting?"

Nerine waved at him. "Excellent diving and many sights, though I'm afraid I can't stay to talk. All the swimming works up quite an appetite." She passed her tank and gear up to Nathan, and squeezed my hand when he wasn't looking. "I will see you the day after tomorrow, two hours before noon. Farewell, Dale."

"Farewell," I echoed, smiling. I watched her arc through the waves towards the atoll, then carefully climbed the steps at the back of the boat.

Nathan helped me stow the gear, then stopped and frowned. "Isn't that a different suit?"

I shrugged, and went with the technically true explanation. "The old one was, well, old. Fell apart on me during the dive, had to swap out." He handed me a towel, and I started drying off.

"Ah." Still, he looked me up and down. "Everything else went okay?"

"Yeah." I wrapped the towel around my waist and plopped myself on the chair next to his. "Good stuff. Lots of fish, coral, the usual." If the truth were told, I still felt a warm sort of vibration running through me, and I wondered why I pretended Nerine and I were _just_diving partners. It wasn't like I didn't trust Nathan to understand. He wasn't my absolute closest friend, but he was still solid. "And good company."

"Uh-huh." The corner of his mouth rose ever so slightly. The sarcasm didn't leave me much room to respond without offering anything unasked for, but after a moment he gave a little shrug. "Good company's good, though, when you can trust each other like you do. It makes all of the experiences that much better."

I hadn't missed the slight emphasis on the 'all,' and I nodded. Nothing more needed to be said.

Nathan gunned the engine and idled us past the buoys. Once we were underway, he turned to me. "So, poker tonight?"

"Sure." I looked at him sidelong. "But I thought you had taxes?"

"Yeah." He gave a dismissive wave. "They'll wait until tomorrow. Besides, you're barely held back from a grin the entire time we've been sitting here, so I figure you'll have a terrible poker face."

I had to laugh. Somewhere in there was a joke about getting roped into trouble. "You're on."