Stavanger Bay if "i love you" was a promise

he wanted very much to touch her, to reach across the sand and brush the edge of his large paw against dalia's much smaller one. but velen did not. he did not want to remind her of what had happened the last time a man had touched her; he was afraid his nearness would engender some sort of fear in her, and so he remained as he was.
a wry smile played across his lips, however — velen raised his head. "i knew you collected something," he teased lightly. truth be told, he had only been enjoying the texture of it in his mouth, but it would be better suited for whatever delicate purpose dalia might put to it.