Chapter 10
NEPTUNE
The sun shining through the cabin window woke me, illuminating the beautiful woman curled up beside me. The light fell softly against Bo's lips, and her dark hair fanned out across my pillow, smelling softly of coconut.
She hummed and nestled back into me, giving me a keen sense of pride in response. Now that day had come, I was a little worried she was going to regret last night. I should have walked on by when I heard her say my name. But it had been impossible to. I'd been caught in a trance, only to be snapped out of it when she'd touched me and I'd realised that the attraction within me was in her too.
Carefully, I pulled my arm from underneath her, making sure to place the covers over her so she wouldn't get cold. Maybe that wasn't a huge risk, but I didn't want her to be uncomfortable in any way.
I grabbed the dressing gown off the hook in the bathroom and put it on so I could head out onto the balcony attached to the cabin. It was a little extravagant for me to have one, but I knew better than to argue with Anansa about taking one of the suites she reserved for sea gods. And the view was worth it, especially at this time in the morning.
The sun was still low in the sky, glittering over the waves and making it look like an unbroken picture. When I saw the ocean like this, it was possible to forget all of the things that marred time. The disputes over the border between my domain and those of the sea gods from the lands surrounding mine were a thing of the past, even if it felt like the sea remembered them while we were crossing. At least, I thought they were over. Poseidon might feel differently. His temper was known for a reason.
If I'd been on my own, I'd already be making my way down to the lower decks so I could go for my morning swim, but I didn't want Bo to wake up and think she'd been abandoned, that didn't seem like the right thing to do. Especially because I didn't want to abandon her.
A sea breeze brushed through my hair and I closed my eyes, feeling the magic seep into every part of me. The world had changed, but this feeling never did.
Sounds came from within the cabin and I turned around in time to see Bo sit up in bed. The sheet fell away, baring her to me. She met my gaze and smiled, not seeming to worry about covering up.
"Morning," I said.
"Morning." She pushed back the sheet and stood up, seeming to regret it a moment later.
I picked up a shirt that I'd left over the chair a couple of nights ago and held it out to her.
"Thanks." She pulled it over her head, looking cute in it. "I know it's silly to feel self-conscious after we spent the night together..."
"It's okay, you don't have to explain."
She bit her lip and looked up at me, her dark eyes full of something. "I'm not. I've felt very safe," she said, reaching out to readjust the front of my robe. "I actually meant to just say thank you for letting me use your room last night, but I got a bit distracted."
I chuckled. "It was a welcome distraction."
"It was."
"No regrets?"
"Only that we ran out of condoms," she joked. "Why did they only give you two? Either they're overselling the effectiveness of their cruises, or they didn't think you'd be bringing anyone back here."
"I imagine there can be more if we ask for them."
"In the middle of the night?" she checked.
"I actually don't know, I've never needed to restock condoms while on one of Jinx's cruises."
"I suppose there's a first time for everything," she mused, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"There is." I closed the distance between us and kissed her, feeling the affection in the way her lips moved against mine. Leaving no doubt in what she'd told me. There were no regrets about the previous night, something I was grateful for. It had been a heat-of-the-moment thing, but it wasn't something to regret.
We broke apart and she pulled back. "I should find my clothes before breakfast."
I chuckled. "That would probably be a help."
"I would accuse you of being the one who resulted in them being all over the place, but I think I did that myself."
"You did." And the act was going to be vividly stored in my memory for a long time to come. Seeing her confidence as she'd taken off the last of her clothing last night had only made me want her more. She was beautiful and perfect.
"How many times have you been on a Jinx cruise?" she asked as she picked up the small dress thing from the ground and shook it out.
"Three or four, I'm not really sure," I answered honestly.
"Don't you have a job?"
"You mean beyond smoothing out the sea when we pass over the changes in domain?"
"Do you get paid for that?"
"I do, actually. I'd have done it for free if they'd asked, but they approached me with the offer of payment, and who am I to say no?"
Bo laughed. "And that's enough to sustain you for the rest of the time? Jinx is still new, right?"
"It's new," I agreed. "But it isn't my only job. I own a renewable energy company, hydropower. But I can work remotely most of the time. There are actually a few gods who are into that kind of thing. Ra runs a solar company. Others work in conservation, some in leisure management like Anansa."
"I had no idea."
I shrugged. "I guess most people don't really think about what the gods do with their time."
"I think most people don't believe the gods have ever been real," she responded. "I was never sure about it until I met one."
"Even though you're paranormal yourself?"
"Am I?" she asked.
I froze, wondering whether I'd judged it wrong. She'd talked about things in a way that had made me assume she was, but I'd never thought to ask. "I don't know."
"I am," she assured me. "I'm xian."
"Like your client?"
She nodded and pushed the hair back from her ears, revealing a slight point. If a human saw it, they probably wouldn't even notice, which was probably how I hadn't. "We're a long-lived race of fae."
"Aren't most fae long-lived?"
"I don't actually know that much about the other types," she admitted.
"Me neither."
Both of us lapsed into silence while we looked at one another, clearly not really knowing what to do with ourselves. There was a temptation to pull her close and fall back into bed, but that would be rushing things and I needed to give her time to make sure it was what she wanted.
"Do you have plans for breakfast?" I asked.
"What do you normally do?" There was something like hope in her eyes.
"An early morning swim."
"Oh." She looked away. "I'm sorry, I must be keeping you from that."
"You could come with me," I blurted out. "If you wanted."
"Are you sure? I don't want to be in the way."
"You wouldn't be," I assured her, already liking the idea of having company in the sea.
"Then I'd like that." Her smile lit up the entire room, making it clear to me that my heart was in danger of being completely lost to her. If it wasn't already.